Another Protection Trampled

The Posse Comitatus Act is a federal law enacted in 1878 that generally prohibits the use of active-duty U.S. military personnel for civilian law enforcement purposes, stemming from concerns about military involvement in civilian affairs. The term "posse comitatus" is Latin for "power of the county," referring to a historical common-law right of a sheriff to call upon citizens for assistance in enforcing the law. The act aims to keep federal troops from acting as a domestic police force unless authorized by Congress.