There's 2.5k people in my town and it's news here (literally) when someone is arrested shopping at the local Wal-Mart. The police have two miltary-issue Humvees, for some reason.
That stuff has always irked me, trying to look threatening/intimidating.
However when most people complain about military gear finding its way to police I have to laugh a little bit. When automatic grenade launchers and .50 cal machine guns start appearing then there are problems(too late at that point I guess).
MWRAPS and armored personnel carriers, those are okay. Dressing in all black(A horrible tactical color BTW) or camo now your just doing that to look upsetting.
The armored tanks are not so bad as it provides something that police can feel safer and less threaten in so escalation doesn't need to happen so fast.
The armored tanks are not so bad as it provides something that police can feel safer and less threaten in so escalation doesn't need to happen so fast.
If you turn up in an armoured tank, you have just escalated the situation.
base2|11 years ago
However when most people complain about military gear finding its way to police I have to laugh a little bit. When automatic grenade launchers and .50 cal machine guns start appearing then there are problems(too late at that point I guess).
MWRAPS and armored personnel carriers, those are okay. Dressing in all black(A horrible tactical color BTW) or camo now your just doing that to look upsetting.
The armored tanks are not so bad as it provides something that police can feel safer and less threaten in so escalation doesn't need to happen so fast.
EliRivers|11 years ago
If you turn up in an armoured tank, you have just escalated the situation.
akgerber|11 years ago
An uparmored Humvee, on the other hand, is problematic.
bmelton|11 years ago
Simultaneously, the terms of the sale dictate that they must use those military items within a year of purchase, or they have to return the items.
This is why the police are increasingly using military gear in situations for which they are not warranted.
I don't like this source, per se, but I've seen it posted elsewhere, and this is the handiest one right now, so here it is.
http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/tanks-on-the-streets-...
fixedd|11 years ago