Cobb police add tank to arsenal

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | Oct 10, 2008 | DERRICK MAHONE

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Don’t be surprised to see an Army tank rolling down a street near you.

The Cobb County police department has refurbished a donated Armored Personnel Carrier for officers to use in SWAT situations.

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BOB ANDRES / bandres@ajc.com

Cobb police have a new tank. The vehicle is being driven by Detective Steve Brawner as Sgt. Lester Maddox directs him into position. Cobb County police unveil its new crime-fighting machine, The L.A.V. 300 (Light Armored Vehicle) at Marietta Square on Saturday.

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The vehicle, which retails for $500,000, is a Light Armor Vehicle that was used by the U.S. Army in Panama. The county paid $45,000 to upgrade the vehicle for police use.

Equipped with thermal sensors, computerized tracking devices, night vision, tear gas launchers and other gadgets, the all-black six-wheel unit can hold up to nine SWAT officers.

It has a new engine and transmission, which will allow it to reach a speed of 60 miles per hour.

“In these times, you don’t know what you are facing,” Cobb police chief George Hatfield said. “We want the maximum safety for our officers and the public. We want to be prepared for whatever comes up. This is another tool that will allow us to be quicker and faster in our response.”

Since 2000, SWAT has used a Peacekeeper vehicle on calls. The APC will allow SWAT officers to get closer to dangerous situations and transport citizens out of them. If officers are tracking a suspect, they can do so from within the vehicle. So far this year, Cobb’s SWAT team has responded to about 50 calls.

Walker County is the only other police department in Georgia with a similar vehicle. Gwinnett County and the state patrol use the LENCO vehicle, which resembles an armored truck. Clayton County has a Peacekeeper vehicle.

“You always hope that you don’t have to use it, but this is becoming a fact of life,” SWAT commander Lt. Joel Preston said. “You have to be prepared and make the situation safer.”

Once SWAT members complete training on the APC, the Peacekeeper will be refurbished for future use.

“These two units will eventually work in tandem,” said Det. Steve Brawner, who has overseen the project.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, the APC will be on display at Marietta’s town square.

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Sorry I kind of slaughtered the html but did not want all the other stuff. Had to post this, found at Radley Balko's site www.theagitator.com Where he said:

Because you never know when Marietta’s going to turn into Fallujah.

[smokingfrog]

Don’t be surprised to see an Army tank rolling down a street near you. (probably on Nov. 5, 2008)

[William of Barsoom]

An A-10 would be good, too, for urban area close air support. Very effective for those pesky standoffs.

[KarlInOhio]

Sure you can deal with Chihuahuas and toy poodles while wearing just body armor, but this is needed if the victims of a no knock raid to serve a warrant for excessive parking tickets have a beagle with a bad disposition. Apache helicopters will be required to deal with German shepherds and tactical nuclear weapons for pit bulls.

No, I don't like the militarization of the police at all. If they have a tank, they will find a use for it even if it isn't reasonable.

[AmericanGirlRising]

did you post because you’re in marietta or like tanks? both?

[Blogger]

More like February
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1994684/posts

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did you post because you’re in marietta or like tanks? both?

I like tanks but am not in marietta. I just thought it was funny that cops are getting surplus military equipment and actually thinking they have a use for it.

[AmericanGirlRising]

did you post because you’re in marietta or like tanks? both?

I like tanks but am not in marietta. I just thought it was funny that cops are getting surplus military equipment and actually thinking they have a use for it.

Trust me, anything good in Marietta gets given to City of Atlanta anyway.

[pepsionice]

I kinda agree...they will look for situations where they can drag out the tank and destroy an entire home or apartment building...just for show purposes. This isn’t law enforcement....its a “dog and pony” show.

The amusing thing...having worked with a former Army tanker...is that tanks break down often. As my associate would say....if he got thirty miles off his vehicle (which was five years old)...before some minor problem....he felt lucky. If he got 100 miles before a major problem....he felt extra special lucky.

So figure out the normal operation. Uncle Bud calls the cops because junior is hold up in the shed with rifles and is on some drug binge. The Cobb cops call Jimmy Joe (chief tanker) to bring out the vehicle. Its a 14-mile trip to the shed in question. Halfway out to the shed....Jimmy Joe discovers that the oil pressure is rapidly declining. He has a oil leak. He stops off at Barney’s tackle shop and buys five cases of oil, and tosses half of that into the tank. He charges this on the department credit card (where he makes $7k worth of oil purchase a year). Jimmy Joe drives on....then having a bearing problem somewhere and has some guy come out and fix that (nine hour wait). When the tank finally arrives....junior’s drug binge is over and the one cop there apprehended junior. The shed was never destroyed...which Uncle Jimmy is grateful for....and Jimmy Joe limps his tank back to the squad area...with the leftover remains of the oil he bought.

Thats life in Cobb county.

[ozzymandus]

You nailed it. There won’t be anybody in the dept. who knows how to service an armored vehicle, and it will be broken down most of the time. Eventually (I’d guess about two years from now), the toy will be broke, nobody will want to play with it anymore anyway, the county budget won’t cover the bills to get it fixed, and it will be sold for scrap, after costing Cobb county a half million bucks or so.The only saving grace is that it’s on wheels, not tracks, so they might be able to tow it away when it blows a tranny during the July 4th parade.

[biff]

Molotov cocktails take care of these pretty well if thrown in the engine area. Lights off fuel lines, electrical lines and rubber.

[PLMerite]

“It has a new engine and transmission, which will allow it to reach a speed of 60 miles per hour.”

Great, the dummies will think they can take it on the highway.

[rednesss]

Not to worry, the good guys will be driving it, right?? You have nothing to fear from the government.

[ArmstedFragg]

Hmmm... the name of the sergeant directing it where to park is vaguely familiar...

[ansel12]

It isn’t a tank at all, so what is this thread about?

[ansel12]

It is a bullet proof vehicle.

[higgmeister]

An A-10 would be good, too, for urban area close air support. Very effective for those pesky standoffs.

Not much chance. They build F-22's and AC130 Gunships within spittin distance of the Marietta Square. You might say this is a Lockheed town. We would just let Puff light it up.

[higgmeister]

Trust me, anything good in Marietta gets given to City of Atlanta anyway.

Splain yourself Lucy. I don't know of one thing we have given to Atlanta.

[higgmeister]

Thanks for posting this. If it is going to be sitting on the square tomorrow I’ll drop by to see it.

[ApplegateRanch]

So, which side will they beusing it on during the future general uprising, if the Obamasiah wins & tries to “CHANGE” us?