Sheriff’s Department Definitely Needs a Mine-Resistant Vehicle for All Those Mines in Tennessee

Source: Reason
Published: Apr 12, 2019
Author: Joe Setyon
Post Date: 2019-04-15 05:17:56 by Deckard
Views: 2366

But seriously, it doesn't.

(TN Dept. of General Services)

A sheriff’s department in Tennessee is the lucky recipient of a military-style mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicle. This is a vehicle that the U.S. Army uses to weather improvised explosives, rocket-propelled grenades, and mines.

Here’s a photo, courtesy of the Tennessee Department of General Services:

“It will be put to good use!!” the Greene County Sheriff’s Department replied.

Under the National Defense Authorization Act, the military can transfer excess equipment to local law enforcement agencies, largely for counter-drug and counter-terrorism activities. The big question, of course, is why police in Greene County, with a population of roughly 70,000, need a mine-resistant vehicle to fight the war on drugs. Are there a lot of land mines in Tennessee?

Unsurprisingly, Twitter users have had a field day with this:

If the deputies run into any RPGs, they should post a photo of that too. Til then, I think those angry tweeters have a point.

Post Comment   Private Reply

#1: Tooconservative    To: Deckard (#0)

These giveaway programs from the Pentagon to local posses serve one major purpose: to keep pork barrel dollars flowing to the districts of key members of the House and Senate armed services committees.

It's a complete scandal that local cop shops are being militarized just to feed the military-industrial complex's hunger to produce more heavy armored cars, for "free" if necessary. But of course, they aren't free.

This is not a matter of a one-time surplus in these vehicles. This is an ongoing program and new MRAPs will be produced and purchased to replace these that are given free to local cop shops.

I dislike the idea that military vehicles can be used routinely in civilian arrests. I think their use should be restricted to an authorization by the state's governor (or a police commission) to use these vehicles against civilian targets. MRAPs should not be used in civilian policing except in extremes, like a barricaded gunman. Or, possibly, the pursuit of a heavily armed known thug or terrorist, like the Boston bomber. Even then, there should be limits to using police as military units. If things are that bad, the governor should activate their national guard units, impose curfews and checkpoints, etc.

There is, historically, a need to maintain a distinction between policing and martial law. An MRAP is inherently a tool of the military or of martial law.

Tooconservative posted on 2019-04-15 06:58:04   Reply   Private Reply

#2: misterwhite    To: Tooconservative (#1)

misterwhite posted on 2019-04-15 09:19:59   Reply   Private Reply

#3: misterwhite    To: Deckard (#0)

Hey Deckard! What's the phrase -- "Better to have and not need than need and not have"?

Or don't you believe in that phrase anymore?

misterwhite posted on 2019-04-15 09:22:40   Reply   Private Reply

#4: Stoner    To: Deckard (#0)

Maybe Green Co SO should be given a M1A Abrams tank, and 3 or 4 A-10 Warthog's. You know, just to be "safe".

Stoner posted on 2019-04-15 15:01:55   Reply   Private Reply

#5: IbJensen    To: Deckard (#0)

Perhaps it could be adapted to till marijuana fields.

IbJensen posted on 2019-04-16 10:01:00   Reply   Private Reply