General: U.S. Military Doesn't Want Police Power

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite the specter of new attacks on the United States, the U.S. military opposes any move to give civilian police powers to the armed forces to protect Americans, a top Army general said on Wednesday.

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Keane spoke as the government began to examine possible changes in an 1878 "posse comitatus" law that forbids the military from making arrests and undertaking other law enforcement duties except in dire emergencies.

"We don't see any reason to change," the Army's No. two ranking officer told reporters, adding that the armed forces would continue to operate in an unarmed supporting role for civilian agencies such as airport and border security.

"I think military leaders have always resisted policing the American people. We have police forces that are appropriately trained to do that. ... We have always supported that law for obvious reasons," Keane said in response to questions at a meeting with defense writers.

But a sweeping homeland security plan proposed by President Bush ( news - web sites) last week calls for a review of whether domestic security would be increased by greater involvement of troops and how it could be done after the devastating Sept. 11 attacks on America that killed more than 3,000 people.

Both conservative and liberal members of Congress -- and most Americans, according to past polls -- have traditionally supported the historic separation between police and the military in the United States.