The new police cruiser...

[marv]

...coming to your city soon.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/03/breaking-obama-administration-to-distribute-13000-armored-mine-resistant-vehicles-to-police-units-around-the-us/?ModPagespeed=noscript

(snip)

The Obama administration is looking to distribute 13,000 armored mine-resistant vehicles to police departments around the country.
FOX 2 News in St. Louis reported:

    

We may soon see military in armored trucks roaming our city streets. The reason, the Pentagon is looking to drastically cut back America`s military might. One way of getting rid of expensive battlefield vehicles is by giving them to police departments.

    An estimated 13,000 mine-resistant vehicles are expected to be distributed around the country. They weigh about 20-tons and get five miles per gallon.

(snip)

This ain't your mama's normal riot control vehicle. If the DoD wants to get rid of "used" equipment, what's wrong with Humvees?

[Purple Sage]

Can someone please explain to me what our police departments need with such vehicles?  Is there a use for them other than "citizen control" by the government?  Is there a legitimate use for them?

[Dori]

Can someone please explain to me what our police departments need with such vehicles?  Is there a use for them other than "citizen control" by the government?  Is there a legitimate use for them?

Good question.  I need to remember to ask a certain someone I know what they are needed for.

[Purple Sage]

Good question.  I need to remember to ask a certain someone I know what they are needed for.

Please do Dori.  I'd really like to know what they plan to do with them.

 

[Fourwinds]

Looks like they just bought an MRAP and painted it black.

[Big Dog]

Can someone please explain to me what our police departments need with such vehicles?  Is there a use for them other than "citizen control" by the government?  Is there a legitimate use for them?

Armored vehicles have been used by law enforcement agencies since the 1930s. They are used in standoffs, for rescue under fire, EOD, and as mobile command posts. They also work well during natural disasters when roads are impassible or must be cleared, in the same way National Guard vehicles are used.

The MRAP is really nothing more than an all wheel drive version of the Wells Fargo armored car that stops at your local bank every day, but they are incredibly expensive to maintain, and most departments would never need one.

[Purple Sage]

Armored vehicles have been used by law enforcement agencies since the 1930s. They are used in standoffs, for rescue under fire, EOD, and as mobile command posts. They also work well during natural disasters when roads are impassible or must be cleared, in the same way National Guard vehicles are used.

The MRAP is really nothing more than an all wheel drive version of the Wells Fargo armored car that stops at your local bank every day, but they are incredibly expensive to maintain, and most departments would never need one.

Thanks Big Dog.  Relieved to hear there is a legit use for them.  Not so relieved to hear they're expensive to maintain.  My town wouldn't want one unless it could be pulled by horses.

[JohnnyReb]

OK....so what kind of sniper round goes good with that?

[marv]

Again, I have to ask, "Why not the Humvee?"

http://www.amgeneral.com/vehicles/hmmwv/[

(snip)

The Army wanted durability, mobility and reliability. The unique geometry of the truck provides these qualities. No other light tactical vehicle in the world approaches the HMMWV's capabilities or cost effectiveness.

(snip)

[Big Dog]

Thanks Big Dog.  Relieved to hear there is a legit use for them.  Not so relieved to hear they're expensive to maintain.  My town wouldn't want one unless it could be pulled by horses.

The War Wagon may be available.

[Big Dog]

Again, I have to ask, "Why not the Humvee?"

http://www.amgeneral.com/vehicles/hmmwv/[

The HMMVW is not a good fit for most law enforcement applications, and as a substitute for an armored car it would be worse. The additional weight of the up-armor modifications really tear up the drive train and suspension.

Besides, the Fed is not giving away HMMVWs to local law enforcement agencies.

[marv]

I have to admit that I'm completely against this trend of militarizing local law enforcement. If an MRAP is good for a town of 150,000 people what's next, a.....

It's even a stretch to suggest MRAPs for the police that patrol the Chicago South Side. What DoD should be doing is to transfer the MRAPs to state National Guards. Then if Obama's sons go on a rampage, they're still available. Meanwhile, what on God's green Earth does Salinas, CA need with an MRAP?

[Big Dog]

I have to admit that I'm completely against this trend of militarizing local law enforcement. If an MRAP is good for a town of 150,000 people what's next, a.....

It's even a stretch to suggest MRAPs for the police that patrol the Chicago South Side. What DoD should be doing is to transfer the MRAPs to state National Guards. Then if Obama's sons go on a rampage, they're still available. Meanwhile, what on God's green Earth does Salinas, CA need with an MRAP?

MRAPS are not appropriate for patrol. They are appropriate for the uses I listed before. I don't know enough about Salinas, CA to say if their city needs one, but they chose to get one.

Transferring the MRAPS to the National Guard would keep them in the DoD inventory, and on the DoD budget. It does nothing to reduce our Federal debt load. If the Fed gives them to state or local government under the Federal Excess Property Program, maintenance and fuel come out of their budgets. In this case, the good people of Salinas are paying for it with their taxes, and their city council is much more accountable to the taxpayers than the Feds are.

Remember the old days, when the government sold military surplus? Those were the days.

[formerlurker]

Unfortunately we live in a country where parade routes now have to be swept for bombs - it's not the good old days anymore kids.

[Purple Sage]

The War Wagon may be available.

Don't give them any ideas!  LOL

 

[vesta111]

The Humvees are OK for some things but they are no match for the men that want toys.

I believe my Mother could sitting atop of a bunch of NY phonebooks drive one of them things.

Got to have all the bells and whistles for a war wagon.   Lots and lots of buttons, switches colored lights blinking to feel ready for battle.

Never know when one is usefull, small town of 3,000 up state sent in one of those darn things to round up a biker gang last year.   From eyewitness accounts the 20 or so bikers in the club house when they saw what was coming at them soiled their jeans. Not one shot fired, just the show of force was enough to cause grown men to cry and call for Momma.

   

[marv]

Transferring the MRAPS to the National Guard would keep them in the DoD inventory, and on the DoD budget. It does nothing to reduce our Federal debt load. If the Fed gives them to state or local government under the Federal Excess Property Program, maintenance and fuel come out of their budgets. In this case, the good people of Salinas are paying for it with their taxes, and their city council is much more accountable to the taxpayers than the Feds are.

Did the Council explain that to their town of 150,000 people? That's the question that should be asked.

Got to have all the bells and whistles for a war wagon.   Lots and lots of buttons, switches colored lights blinking to feel ready for battle.

"Dress up" a humvee, paint it black, and you'll get the same effect at a much lower cost to the taxpayers.

[Big Dog]

Did the Council explain that to their town of 150,000 people? That's the question that should be asked.

I don't know. I'm not from Salinas, CA. If the taxpayers of Salinas aren't paying attention to their city government, that's their problem.

What I do pay attention to: my county already has an armored car, which sits at the Sheriff's Office garage and gathers dust. I haven't heard anything from the Sheriff or commissioners about trading it for a new dust collector.

[DefiantSix]

"Dress up" a humvee, paint it black, and you'll get the same effect at a much lower cost to the taxpayers.

The likelihood that the Regime is doing any of this to benefit the taxpayer in any way, is exceedingly remote.

[thundley4]

Granted, it would keep them in the federal budget, but why not give some of them to the border patrol to help keep out those pesky Canadians?  If not that, then give to some of the towns and cities where drug runners bring their crap into the country?

[txradioguy]

Can someone please explain to me what our police departments need with such vehicles?  Is there a use for them other than "citizen control" by the government?  Is there a legitimate use for them?

They don't need them.  And the way things are going in the world...we're gonna need them again very soon.

[NHSparky]

I don't know. I'm not from Salinas, CA. If the taxpayers of Salinas aren't paying attention to their city government, that's their problem.

What I do pay attention to: my county already has an armored car, which sits at the Sheriff's Office garage and gathers dust. I haven't heard anything from the Sheriff or commissioners about trading it for a new dust collector.

Keene, NH also has a shiny little up-armored vehicle, courtesy of a $300K federal grant.

Now I ask you, what does a college town of 20K need with such a vehicle?  Barricade against the hippies rolling a few doobies?  Those kids going in front of the meter maids feeding the meters (Google it if you want a laugh) or a few frat boys puking on their front lawns during Rush Week?

When did "Protect and Serve" become "Crush and Annihilate?" 

[JohnnyReb]

Keene, NH also has a shiny little up-armored vehicle, courtesy of a $300K federal grant.

Now I ask you, what does a college town of 20K need with such a vehicle?  Barricade against the hippies rolling a few doobies?  Those kids going in front of the meter maids feeding the meters (Google it if you want a laugh) or a few frat boys puking on their front lawns during Rush Week?

When did "Protect and Serve" become "Crush and Annihilate?" 

Oh, sometime in November of 2008.

[NHSparky]

Oh, sometime in November of 2008.

Nah, it's been like this for a while now.  I remember when I was a kid, 15, just got my license.  Going home late one night, didn't realize my car was in low gear until I got up to about 25-30 mph and it was kind of wound up.  Cop thought I was racing and pulled me over and just about went Rodney King on my ass.

That was over 30 years ago.

[thundley4]

Nah, it's been like this for a while now.  I remember when I was a kid, 15, just got my license.  Going home late one night, didn't realize my car was in low gear until I got up to about 25-30 mph and it was kind of wound up.  Cop thought I was racing and pulled me over and just about went Rodney King on my ass.

That was over 30 years ago.

Back in the late 70's cops here were pretty lenient, even about booze and underage drinkers. They use to catch kids drinking while cruising the main road through town.  They would make them poor it out, and threaten to call their parents if they saw them again that night.  I don't remember anyone getting arrested or even getting a ticket.