Small Iowa Town Police Obtain $733,000, 49,000-pound, Armored Vehicle for Free!

[unokitty]

... small-town Iowa police officers are convinced that, any minute, the whole state could become engulfed in some Red Dawn-style conflict that would require the use of a device such as the MRAP...

As Radley Balko, the author of the book The Rise of the Warrior Cop, an expose of the police militarization of the last decade, found, in 2006 alone the Pentagon, “distributed vehicles worth $15.4 million, aircraft worth $8.9 million, boats worth $6.7 million, weapons worth $1 million and “other” items worth $110.6 million to local police agencies.”

The effects of cops moving from handguns to assault rifles and being equipped with tanks, bazookas, and Kevlar has been twofold. First, civil liberties have absolutely been eroded, with police-brutality rates skyrocketing in last decade according to the Justice Department. Not only that, but, with the influx of military gear into local police forces, cops begin to view themselves as soldiers whose main job is combat rather than keeping the peace. How else can you explain the rise in police shootings since 9/11?

But hey, the sheriff gets to ride around in a sweet new MRAP and pretend he’s Rambo... --Daily Iowan

Taxpayers paid a defense contractor $733,000 for it. But for the 7,000 citizens of Munson, Iowa it is 'free.' No word on who gets the bill for maintenance and fuel.

Small Iowa town police forces need armoured vehicles?

Whats your opinion?

Would you feel safer knowing that your town's police forces had armoured vehicles?

Or has small town Iowa just become more dangerous than I remember?

Uno

 

[Fern]

Police don't need that stuff.

Fern

 

[Kadarin]

They absolutely do not need that stuff. It really makes you wonder if the government's long game is to prepare for the oncoming police state.

 

[Incorruptible]

They don't need it. Again we see the failure of big government.

 

[TreVader]

To be fair, 700k is a steal for that vehicle.




I'm not sure what they'll do with it tho. Perhaps use it as the base for a parade float.

 

[Jhhnn]

To be fair, 700k is a steal for that vehicle.




I'm not sure what they'll do with it tho. Perhaps use it as the base for a parade float.

And there it is. Some people will take anything, so long as it's for free.

The real travesty was the Iraqi war & buying the stupid things in the first place.

I see a bright side. If it's parked somewhere in Iowa, it won't be used to transport death squads someplace else. Iowa cops won't do anything with the damned thing other than polish it with the spooge created in suppressing imaginary uprisings. They can only dream, and our usual ravers get to cream their own panties, as well.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ven7eUkHVg

 

[mizzou]

If it won't be used in war, would you rather sell it to a foreign country or find a use for it domestically?

 

[mizzou]

To be fair, 700k is a steal for that vehicle.




I'm not sure what they'll do with it tho. Perhaps use it as the base for a parade float.

"Homeland security" is a odd duck to me. I would like to see it used as a way to get people in and out of a hot zone. Let's say there is a active shooter pinning down people from a building. There's tons of people at the building wanting to get out. Just drive this puppy up there, drop off some people with guns, and get injured/innocent back to safety.

 

[Bitek]

If it won't be used in war, would you rather sell it to a foreign country or find a use for it domestically?

You still have to pay for maintenance tho, and that can't be cheap on a vehicle like that.

Its not like you can head over to Autozone for parts either. It's a taxpayer funded toy for the local donut chasers. What need do they have that can't be filled by a Tahoe?

 

[Jhhnn]

"Homeland security" is a odd duck to me. I would like to see it used as a way to get people in and out of a hot zone. Let's say there is a active shooter pinning down people from a building. There's tons of people at the building wanting to get out. Just drive this puppy up there, drop off some people with guns, and get injured/innocent back to safety.

Perhaps. Right after they peel off the parade float stuff, right? Maybe they can figure out something to do with it on Halloween, too. Do it up as a giant batmobile. Maybe paint it with high gloss shocking pink Imron as the Barbiemobile.

They're cop toys- they've received a lot of really cool toys, thanks to the WoD, the WoT, and now the WoI, too. Otherwise, the damned things are completely useless. I'm sure they wish it still had the 50 cal, a really, really cool toy coveted by gun freaks everywhere. Alas, it was not to be.

I hope they last forever, an enduring monument to Bush Admin stupidity.

 

[Jhhnn]

You still have to pay for maintenance tho, and that can't be cheap on a vehicle like that.

Its not like you can head over to Autozone for parts either. It's a taxpayer funded toy for the local donut chasers. What need do they have that can't be filled by a Tahoe?

I really, really don't think they put very many miles on it, ya know? It'll be like a '51 Hudson Hornet with 5K miles on it, brought out for special occasions only. The paint will have more wear from polishing than from being exposed to the elements.

Can't buy parts for them either.

 

[Kadarin]

What should happen is that the military should store them until the next war when they're needed.

 

[master_shake_]

"the war on drugs:shit just got real"

PART II

 

[mizzou]

What should happen is that the military should store them until the next war when they're needed.

military gets its fill, congress buys up too many contracts to keep people working

we build so many damn tanks, it's ridiculous

 

[Vaux]

Do they need it? Well it depends I guess. A vehicle like that can provide a tactical advantage in a shooter situation that no other police vehicle can provide. You are aware that the American population have access to high powered rifles, right? With all of these mass shooting incidents happening lately, is it really surprising that the police want to have a armored vehicle?

Off the top of my head, here is a situation that an armored vehicle like that came in handy:

Long story short, Richard Poplawski ambushed and killed 3 responding Pittsburgh police officers from his home with an AK-47 and 3 other weapons. Police were able to drive their armored vehicle right up to his house and sit on his front lawn and see inside his house and communicate with no risk of being shot with any weapons.

 

[Jhhnn]

What should happen is that the military should store them until the next war when they're needed.

You assume that they ever were or will be "needed". They were pure pork all along, ladled out with maudlin hand wringing over "Protecting the Troops!"

If the Pentagon thought they were worth saving, they would be saved. There's God only knows how much equipment lined up for miles at military depots all over the county.

 

[werepossum]

What should happen is that the military should store them until the next war when they're needed.

This.

You assume that they ever were or will be "needed". They were pure pork all along, ladled out with maudlin hand wringing over "Protecting the Troops!"

If the Pentagon thought they were worth saving, they would be saved. There's God only knows how much equipment lined up for miles at military depots all over the county.

They were definitely needed, and needed much earlier than they were purchased. Thousands of Americans riding in HMMWVs have been killed or maimed by IEDs that an MRAP will shrug off due to its design. Up-armoring a HMMWV or other truck* helps very little against an IED, which is the most effective weapon a terrorist can have against a superpower.

* The exception being the Strykers, which also have the vee-shaped bottoms to dissipate mine blast coupled with decent armor.

 

[ivwshane]

Just another example of military waste that is perpetuated by a complaisant congress and locals who love hand outs. Of course the focus of those politicians are always about the poor and how they are looking for hand outs. The real welfare abuse in this country is the MIC.

We were warned about the military industrial complex and we have completely ignored it and continue funneling trillions of tax dollars, that in my opinion, have added little to no value to this country.

 

[boomerang]

Just another example of military waste that is perpetuated by a complaisant congress and locals who love hand outs. Of course the focus of those politicians are always about the poor and how they are looking for hand outs. The real welfare abuse in this country is the MIC.

We were warned about the military industrial complex and we have completely ignored it and continue funneling trillions of tax dollars, that in my opinion, have added little to no value to this country.

Congrats, you're a special kind of stupid. I know this because you have read nothing related to this vehicle but your knee-jerk reaction just cannot be contained.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

How is a small town going to maintain this? I assume replacement parts and labor are pretty expensive. Hell where do you get tires for it?
It would be smarter for them to sell it.

 

[her209]

I thought this was fake but nope, its real.

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUObf10Ndoc

 

[ivwshane]

Congrats, you're a special kind of stupid. I know this because you have read nothing related to this vehicle but your knee-jerk reaction just cannot be contained.

My comment had nothing to do with the vehicle dumbass! It was an observation of the current trend of militarizing our police force in this country and the reason behind it. You know...about the quote in the OP's first post.

Congrats on making another stupid post though! Like your name you should return your ass back to school because you are one stupid mother fucker

 

[boomerang]

How is a small town going to maintain this? I assume replacement parts and labor are pretty expensive. Hell where do you get tires for it?
It would be smarter for them to sell it.

It will be used for parades. In other words it won't get enough use to be any burden at all would be my guess. I wouldn't think the town could sell it. We don't want drug dealers tearing around town in one of these.

I don't agree with militarizing our police forces at all. Not one bit. But unlike another other poster here, I understand that the military bought it a long time ago. They could now scrap it or give it away. They chose to give it away. The town could have said no.

 

[TreVader]

Do they need it? Well it depends I guess. A vehicle like that can provide a tactical advantage in a shooter situation that no other police vehicle can provide. You are aware that the American population have access to high powered rifles, right? With all of these mass shooting incidents happening lately, is it really surprising that the police want to have a armored vehicle?

Off the top of my head, here is a situation that an armored vehicle like that came in handy:

Long story short, Richard Poplawski ambushed and killed 3 responding Pittsburgh police officers from his home with an AK-47 and 3 other weapons. Police were able to drive their armored vehicle right up to his house and sit on his front lawn and see inside his house and communicate with no risk of being shot with any weapons.

It's an MRAP. MINE RESISTANT ARMOR PROTECTED vehicle. How many mines, IEDs, and RPGs do you think it will save these small town cops from?


Yes it can block bullets from the once in a decade standoff w/ a guy with an ak, but so can even the most basically armored civilian vehicle.


It's a huge waste of money. They would do well to bolt a scoop from a front-end loader and use it to push whatever they need pushed.