Posted on 09/21/2014 4:30:03 PM PDT by smokingfrog
Sheriff's officials in Goshen County are touting a grenade launcher as a useful tool for keeping the peace, even though they have never used it.
The Casper Star-Tribune reported Sunday that officials bought the weapon for use in the county jail, which houses 25 inmates and has not had a large fight in the past year.
Lt. Jeremy Wardell says the grenade launcher, one of three the county has owned, is a less-lethal option for controlling riots. He compared it to pepper spray or a Taser.
"We would use it in situations when less-lethal force is justified to get the situation under control," Wardell said. "That tool gives us an option not to use lethal force."
Officials say deputies can also use it to fire tear gas during a hostage situation, though Goshen County has not had one in 15 years.
Goshen County, which has about 14,000 residents, received its first grenade launcher, a 37mm, in the 1950s from Federal Signal, Sheriff Dan Murphy said. Federal Signal is a global corporation that makes and distributes equipment for police and fire departments.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
What a crock. Let’s just give him a nuke.
We are building a nationwide army ... against Americans.
County Sheriff Touts Grenade Launcher as Key Tool.
Mental image: “uhhh..yeah, it’s not a grenade launcher. It’s a new fangled portable key grinder machine!”
This fascist bum should be fired.
Should, but won’t.
Public isn’t outraged enough yet.
Local cops have had tear gas guns for 90 years. Watch a Warner Bros flick from the 30s. All of a sudden they need launchers capable of throwing 40mm shells 400 yards?
If they have only non-leathal grenades, I have no problem with them having one in the station. There are times like riots and hostage situations where there are legitimate police uses for it. I do have a problem when they think they need to use it along with an infantry platoon for routine search and arrest warrants.
Remember when that Sheriff comes up for re-election to vote his ass OUT of office and stop the militarization of the police/sheriff departments of this country.
Perfect thing for home defense!
I work in a prison. We have 40MM grenade launchers for gas during a riot. Not a big deal. The biggest challenge I had as an armorer was to keep them from rusting because we never use them. Better to have and not need than need and not have.
CC
The article says they got an M79.An old design but pretty nasty.
When I was in the service, they trained us with the M-79. They certainly had tear gas rounds and I have no problem with that. Now the WP rounds they had us use . . .
LESS lethal? Really?
All of the folks getting their panties in a wad need to remember that it is the type of round fired that makes the difference, not whether it is a 37mm or a 40mm.
Also, have you kept up with the arms race in Spud Gun technology?
I won’t even get into the heavy ordnance of Pumkin’ Chunkin’!
/s
Nope, no white phosphorous. Just C/S and O/C gas.
CC
Goshen County needs a new Sheriff.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.