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posted by Woods on Wednesday June 11 2014, @08:43PM   Printer-friendly
from the articles-that-are-plotlines-to-movies dept.

Jeremy Bender reports that eight different law enforcement agencies in Indiana have purchased massive Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs) that were formerly used in Iraq and Afghanistan. The MRAP is a bulletproof, 60,000-pound, six-wheeled behemoth with heavy armor, a gunner's turret and the word "SHERIFF" emblazoned on its flank.

Pulaski County, home to 13,124 people, is one of the counties that have purchased an MRAP from military surplus. When asked to justify the purchase of a former military vehicle, Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer told the Indy Star:

"The United States of America has become a war zone. There's violence in the workplace, there's violence in schools and there's violence in the streets. You are seeing police departments going to a semi-military format because of the threats we have to counteract. If driving a military vehicle is going to protect officers, then that's what I'm going to do."

 
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  • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday June 12 2014, @03:58AM

    by edIII (791) on Thursday June 12 2014, @03:58AM (#54420)

    Not so much the opposite view really.

    I defended his statements of us being practically at war with each right now. His fears are not unjustified, and he may be doing his job protecting people just fine is what I was trying to convey.

    Most certainly, I do disagree with his conclusion that a military vehicle helps, for those reasons of fear and control. I thought I said as much.

    It's not just him either. Regular people are trying to figure out how to arm and defend themselves better at this point.

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