The trickle down effect of huge military budgets!

[Bravo Zulu]

Take a look at the Cobb County, Georgia police department's latest toy. Donated by the military, the Armored Personnel Carrier -- used by the U.S. Army in Panama -- holds up to nine SWAT commandos. Retailing for $500K, Cobb dropped another $45,000 to tailor it for police use. It can hit speeds up to 60 m.p.h. and has thermal sensors, computerized tracking, night vision, tear gas launchers and more.

“You always hope that you don’t have to use it, but this is becoming a fact of life,” SWAT commander Lt. Joel Preston said.

Cobb County police unveiled their new crime-fighting machine, a repurposed military armored personnel carrier.

[gratuitous]

1. Isn't that nice?

A new crime-fighting machine! I'm sure that nothing could possibly go wrong. Go wrong. Go wrong. Go wrong.

[DJ13]

2. Is Cobb county expecting the commies to invade?

Seems like severe overkill for police.

[JeffR]

3. Cobb county has been expecting that since 1945 at least.

[JDPriestly]

4. Cobb County - population 607,751 (most educated in Georgia -- dangerous folks no doubt)

As of the 2000 census, the population is 607,751. The county's population continues to grow. The 2007 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau put the population at 691,905. The county is part of the original and core (five-county) Atlanta metropolitan area, which is included in the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta, Georgia metropolitan statistical area.

The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Cobb County as the most-educated in the State of Georgia and 15th among all counties in the United States.<3> It is consistently ranked among top 100 wealthiest counties in the United States.

. . . .

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 345 square miles (892 km²), of which, 340 square miles (881 km²) of it is land and 4 square miles (11 km²) of it (1.27%) is water.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobb_County,_Georgia

L.A. County has a much larger, more dangerous population, and we are doing fine without that contraption. It's ridiculous. Stinks of corruption. Same mentality bought that as put Sarah Palin into all those high-priced rags. RIDICULOUS.

[TroglodyteScholar]

5. And exactly what threats exist in Georgia...

...that would justify the use of this military vehicle in the course of law enforcement?