I had occasion to be inside an IRS office at one time servicing their equipment. I did see boxes of kevlar vests...about five boxes of 6 vests each. I also heard several agents planning a weekend raid on a tax avoider to confiscate his collectible automobiles. Obviously the equipment, in the case of the IRS, is for collection activities and seems harmless enough. The Department of Education, however, being armed does NOT make sense to me.
DOE raids Stockton [California] home in criminal probe.
.. oh but all government entities must be outfitted to handle the 24/7 threats from the masses . . . . :)