S.C. Sheriff's Department Armored Vehicle with Belt-Fed Machine Gun
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
WTF?!?!
Some interesting points from the article:
Sheriff Leon Lott told the Columbia State newspaper that he hoped the vehicle, named "The Peacemaker," would let the bad guys know that his officers are serious.
We don't look at this as a killing machine," Lott told the paper. "It's going to keep the peace. We hope the fact that we have this is going to save lives. When something like this rolls up, it's time to give up.
I don't have a problem with police having the gear they need to keep the public safe and protect themselves, but this seems extreme. The rise in paramilitary style police raids is problematic, in my opinion. This map shows some of these problems.
If I keep this up, I will be the official gun nut/crank on this forum.
14 comments:
I can understand the need for body armor. I can understand the need for long guns. I can understand the need for helicoptors. I have a hard time seeing a scenario where this is needed. What I do see is the potential for innocent people being hurt when some deputy fires that M2 (or Ma deuce, as we call it in the gun nut community).
It goes with this whole "macho law enforcement paramilitary" bullshit, whereby cops are jealous that they don't get to play with the big guns like the military boys do.
And then when they do, they act like military boys instead of police. Lots of door kicking, beating, shooting and behavior sufficient for winning battles, not behavior sufficient for arresting people and moving them into the corrections system.
And we wonder why some people think that "the Man" is out to get them? And it's been a while since I took physics/ballistics class in high school, but a .50 cal doesn't strike me as the ideal weapon for keeping the peace.
I've changed my mind about gun control. If the police are driving around with f-ing MINIGUNS, I think we can allow the average Joe to own a 30.06.
I think we can allow the average Joe to own a 30.06
We already do...
This should mean I get a MK-19.
Ah, the ideal weapon for home defense...
There are a few that are available on the civilian market, but they are very expensive and rare.
Sir, it is the private's duty to inform the senior drill instructor that Private Pyle has a full magazine that is locked and loaded, Sir!
Seven-six-two... Full... Metal... Jacket...
Why keep the peace when you can spray the peace?
Hmmm, increase their killing power you say...
You folks do realize that they're only using this because their budget wasn't big enough to cover the purchase of a Robocop.
Hell, I would approve Robocop, or Airwolf, or the helicopter from Blue Thunder.
"It goes with this whole "macho law enforcement paramilitary" bullshit, whereby cops are jealous that they don't get to play with the big guns like the military boys do."
No shit. I have witnessed this attitude a lot lately. A few weeks back I saw someone being pulled over by a cop in Lansing. The cop was wearing a SWAT-like outfit, not the typical uniform. What gives?
Then there are all these cops who think the soon to be built Michigan State Police HQ needs to be a fortress. This is NOT a military compound people, it's a damn ADMINISTRATION building!
I have also been to the State Police academy. That place looks like it’s built to withstand a full assault by an M-1 Abrams. There is more concrete and brick in that building than the Three Gorges Dam in China.
Has a Police HQ or academy ever been attacked? I am betting the last time that happened was in Terminator 1.
Smitty and Bob, if you click on the link towards the bottom of the article there is a book mentioned on the same page as the map. It is called Overkill and deals with the use of paramilitary style police units.
I remember watching a documentary on the Waco Siege called, "Rules of Engagement." There was footage of ATF or FBI agents all geared up, waiting to go in. The things they were saying tended to paint a picture that they had no intention of arresting anyone, they were going in to kill (which was the eventual outcome).
I believe there are some situations which call for the use of quick, deadly force, but those are few and far between. This shouldn't be a part of everyday police work and just serves to foster an anti-police mindset.
Despite the fact that the map is cerated by the CATO institute, I will try to keep an open mind. It seems resonably well documented.
I don't really fear my "Government" but I am concerned about rogue or stupid bubba cops.
Yes, I wouldn't call CATO unbiased, but they seem to have a history of getting intelligent people and backing up their assertions with facts and logic. That map and the claims from the book have multiple sources.
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