Why the hell do the police need full-on military equipment like we drive in Afghanistan or Iraq?
Mexican Los Zetas.
In case they want to hold another cook out for the Branch Davidians.
Because American men are a resourceful lot and when they go bad they can be pretty good at it, throw that in with the possibility of well trained commandos sent in by international Islamic terrorist groups and having one of these available for the region doesn’t seem so unreasonable.
A protective, armored vehicle seems reasonable, especially this close to the border where the Mexican army is engaged in small unit combat involving grenades and automatic weapons, our law enforcement has been forced to retreat without engaging many times already.
Being a multicultural nation we have to be prepared to enter shopping malls and school yards with an explosion resistant vehicle to rescue the groups of women and children that Muslims consider juicy, desirable targets.
The BAR as used against seriously under-armed local police departments by the likes of John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde
The USMC bought 120 or so first generation MRAPs for testing, but didn't like them due to the fact that the driver had no way to get out of the vehicle other than through the back door.
They ended up giving them away to other agencies. This may be one of those.