Cities, counties rethinking military gear
By Kevin Oliver, KCRA-TV
Local law enforcement agencies across California are recipients of surplus military gear, but some have been suspended from the program because of missing military equipment.
Grenade launchers, bayonets and armored vehicles were given to a number of California police departments.
The Davis Police Department received a mine-resistant vehicle, but decided not to keep it after an uproar by citizens, who said it wasn’t needed and who didn’t want it in their town.
The Amador County Sheriff’s Department and the South Lake Tahoe, Yuba City and Vacaville police departments also got mine-resistant vehicles.
The link to the whole article is broken but I’ve always questioned why SLT, a town of some 20,000 residents needs a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP). This specialized vehicle was designed to protect the military from terrorist IEDs and RPGs. I’m sure it costs an excessive amount to maintain which I wonder if our neighborhood force can afford, even if the vehicle was free.
Police have gone from neighbors protecting neighbors to Military Special Forces.
Link has been fixed.
LTN staff
Look at it like this New Year’s Eve downtown a bombing or multiple bombs or an active shooter picking off kids in the crowd. Mrap goes in with a rescue team protected, picks up injured victims. Why is policing America any different than Iraq. Did you watch the uprising in St. Louis. The police have a right to be safe and protected. Our country in a dangerous place to police. Bombs and active shooters have occurred in every city.
A vehicle like this is a valuable asset when dealing with an active shooter, barricaded suspect and other potential dangers to the public and the officers. Would you like to be in a bullet resistant vehicle if you were in the officers shoes in these situations? Public and Officer safety is #1. The officers deserve to go home safely to their families at the end of their shift. I don’t think maintenance costs would be very high unless a major part was needed. The mechanics at the city motor pool could do routine work on it just like all of the other vehicles in the city fleet. It’s not like it’s a daily driver and they are putting 15,000 miles per year on thee vehicle. Agencies should be held accountable for securing/tracking weapons and should be suspended for “missing” firearms. That is unacceptable. Part of the audit should insist that any missing firearms are entered in to AFIS at least as missing, stolen or a weapon of interest so if the serial number is ever run anywhere in the US it would come up as flagged and then investigated.
When I purchased my first ski helmet the sales person told me to be care careful. He had witnessed many buyers skiing/riding more aggressively because of the feeling of invincibility. Hard to believe this mind set doesn’t occur when macho men are driving around in an assault vehicle. I hate seeing it in the parking lot. I feel like the police are turning into an occupying force.