Police and their toys

[packman]

I firmly believe there is an element of militarization in the police psyche. Scrape away the veneer of supposed civilian servant and you will find a guy who wants to be a soldier with a license to do violence as part of their job.


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"All a local police department has to do to get itself an 18-ton MRAP—which originally cost taxpayers between $400,000-$700,000 complete with gun turret and bullet-proof windows—is send a few cops to pick it up and pay for the gas."

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/02/police-state-gears

[Boom Sound 416]

1. ...

All these 'left overs' could benefit a lot of fledgling democracies out there.

Especially if you melt them down and turn them into school desks

[LiberalEsto]

2. Sometimes veterans go into police work

but I think the scenario here is that the Powers That Be are purposely militarizing the nation's police departments with these expensive weapons.

The purpose: to put down any social unrest that breaks out because of the continuing lack of decent jobs, decent wages, adequate housing, food and educational and trainingopportunities.

[2naSalit]

3. That's what

I think is happening too.

[lpbk2713]

4. Today's special ...

Order now and free Ninja outfits are included!

Operators standing by!

[JJChambers]

5. I don't see the problem

We have a surplus of these vehicles and I don't see a problem with allowing police departments access to them. It seems to be a regular occurrence that someone, somewhere is barricaded with a rifle or there is a major shooting incident. Why shouldn't the responding officers have some sort of armored protection?

My real problem with these vehicles is that I don't think they should have been manufactured in the first place. I don't support the war or the MIC; but that's another thread. The reality is that these vehicles have been manufactured and instead of letting them dry rot in a desert somewhere, they may actually save the life of a police officer.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. So just because they are "laying around", a town should spend $400,000 to $700,00 dollars....

..... on an urban assault vehicle.

Build it and they will come, I guess.


So the next "major shooting" they can wait it out in their new toy sipping coffee while the shooter kills everyone and then kills himself before the police come in to take pictures. Versus wait outside behind their cars while the shooter kills everyone and then kills themselves before the police come in and take pictures. Money well spent.

[JJChambers]

7. Did you read the article?

The price you quoted is what our military paid for them. The cops get them for free -- well, whatever it costs them in gas and man hours to go pick one up and drive it back to the PD.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. Yes, I misread that they are using Homeland Security grants for these.

As has been the case in the past - towns spending a couple hundred thousand to have a cool display for the county fair.

I wonder if I can incorporate as a town and get me one of those. I would use if for benevolent purposes, of course.

[loli phabay]

8. if i read it correct, the vehicles are being given to pd as they are surplus

what they are real good for is cover when retrieving wounded officers and civilians at shootings and in barricade stuations where you drive right up and use imaging on the vehicle to ascertain chokepoints and locations in the event and entrance must be made.

[gopiscrap]

9. of course there's an element of militarization

of cops. All cops are latent facists...most with a person bent for sadism to add to it!