General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI saw one of these a couple of blocks from my home yesterday.
Except it had El Paso County Sheriff Dept on the side:
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.337914.1403734290!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_445/tank.jpg
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)kentuck
(110,950 posts)and the words El Paso County Sheriff painted on its side. I don't know why?
5X
(3,971 posts)along with dozens of police cars in a town that shuts down
the whole downtown area at 5pm.
lpbk2713
(42,696 posts)... is really what they should have printed on the side of it.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)It's a common intimidation tactic. There was no hostage situation or other crisis in the area that day, and no violence or threat of violence from the peaceful Occupy marchers.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Can't afford to paint it so it's still OD green. No police lights. Turret with the mounts for an M-2 50cal Machine gun and a belt fed grenade launcher, look so pitiful without the weapons. No search lights, nothing.
We had a hostage situation recently (resolved peacefully) so the cops brought out the gigantic command post trailer and the gun truck. A platoon of cops (in armor and carrying automatic weapons) sat around in the hot sun and stared at a house while drawing hazard pay for three hours. The dusty OD green gun truck was parked cockeyed between two squad cars; it looked like some some refugee from the Bundy ranch has gotten pulled over going home.
Lottsa mention that the suspect was armed, no mention of the kind of weapon (probability of fire arm, near zero).
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Whether they need them or not. And as you point out, some can't even afford to modify them properly for civilian PD work.
If this stuff is REALLY needed, not every PD needs to have it. It could be staged regionally and quickly airlifted in in the event of an armed standoff, hostage rescue situation, or other exigency. Just handing it out like candy to local PDs only encourages creative authoritarian minds to find uses for them beyond what's really justifiable.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Outfitted for strictly police work. Completely demilitarize each piece before giving it to LEOs. Completely demilitarize law enforcement.
Personally, I do not see any valid reason for law enforcement to have automatic weapons at all.
d_r
(6,907 posts)but would be awesome for zombie apocalypse
GeorgeGist
(25,294 posts)with a 'tude.
ck4829
(34,971 posts)Today's criminals are all wearing power armor, so it's time to even the score?