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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."
(Score: 2) by FakeBeldin on Thursday June 12 2014, @09:17AM
I'm going to speak up for the Sheriff here for a second. I live in Las Vegas.
The one with a population of 13,124? Or the one with over 500,000 [wikipedia.org]?
Me, I live in a village of 5,2640. The municipality as a whole comprises about 15k inhabitants.
If your experience relates to the sheriff's, mine should relate as well, no?
There's hardly any violent crime happening as far as I know. Or read in the news. When I write "hardly", I mean "intentional homicide rate < 1.0 [wikipedia.org]".
Actually, I mean that I tend to forget to lock my bike/windows/doors and that's usually okay.
My town doesn't have a SWAT team, and doesn't need one. My sheriff does not need any army vehicles.
Sure, I don't live in the USA - but I don't see how that excuses needing army vehicles for police.
Note: I'm not saying the USA police doesn't need it - I'm saying I live somewhere where the police doesn't need it. If you don't: what can you do about it?