Posted on 01/07/2014 9:12:17 PM PST by managusta
FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Police in Fort Pierce are now armed with a U.S. military surplus battle wagon: a six wheel, 30-ton armored vehicle worth $700,000 — that the agency got for $2,000.
“If you see my SWAT team roll up in this, it’s over, so just give up,” said Police Chief Sam Baldwin.
However Baldwin hopes the mine-resistant, ambush protection vehicle just stays parked. If used, it would be for transporting the SWAT team and for a mobile command and rescue vehicle.
Officer Keith Holmes got the vehicle in October through the auspices of the National Defense Authorization Act. That allows the military to transfer excess military vehicles to law enforcement agencies. The city got a little-used model with 5,000 miles on it.
“If you see my SWAT team roll up in this, it’s over, so just give up,” said Police Chief Sam Baldwin.
(Excerpt) Read more at wptv.com ...
an unused weapon is a useless weapon.
“Don’t we have some overseas ally we could sell it to for at least a couple hundred grand?”
Maybe no allies that we are angry enough at to do that. The reason these brand new things are “surplus” is because our own troops didn’t want them, because they were crap in the field.
Fair point.
Wonder if they’ll one of those to you or me for 2K? After all, I figure I have just as much “need” for one of those monsters as the PD of Fort Pierce...
If I saw that thing parked on the street here in my town, I would have zero hesitation to walk over to it whip out my Johnson, and piss on the front tire... SWAT team or not, that vehicle is ridiculous.
Beware Fedzilla bearing “gifts”.
There will be obligations attached by DHS for the shiny new playthings.
the police unfortunately are fools to take this stuff.
As with every other one of these acquisitions, I don’t think this is nearly as alarming as most do, for the following reasons:
One, these vehicles are incredibly expensive to maintain. They’re heavy, and impose a tremendous strain on their entire drivetrain and suspension. The tires alone cost several thousand dollars, and don’t last all that long. Additionally, much of the drivetrain is purpose-built, not COTS, so when something breaks, they’re going to have to get spares from a specific supplier, likely at cost, which is going to take a big bite out of the budget. This alone is likely to redline that thing.
Two, driving an MRAP requires specialized training on a simulator. They roll over *very easily* and are extremely top-heavy. An uneven road that causes oscillation, a corner taken too fast, or a large bump taken the wrong way, is enough to put it on its side. This isn’t a tank; it’s an armored bus intended to bring troops to the fight but not to participate.
Three, they’re HEAVY. As tough as it looks, it SUCKS as an offroad vehicle, and can get stuck easily (particularly in marshy Florida), either by becoming bogged down, or by putting too much strain on the axles/transmission and breaking something. Worse, once it’s stuck, you’re not going to get it out with any ordinary tow truck.
All these combined makes for a very short career as a law enforcement vehicle.
Get an old M-10.
The ravings of an insane, power mad dictator. NO police department needs something like this. It belongs in a National Guard Armory. It was paid for with YOUR tax dollars by OBAMA.
I guess the old adage "to protect and serve" is obsolete. It looks like now they're more interested in instilling fear in the hearts of us peons. They get an added bonus when they get to kill the family pet or crash through the door of the wrong house.
Actually, our local cops are so fat they can't crash through anything, much less a door. So I guess they have to content themselves with merely killing the family pet.
I hope they realize that, logistically speaking, there are some bridges and roads that are not designed to withstand a 30 ton vehicle, especially in residential areas. Trash pick up trucks struggle with this sometimes.
Even easier, and probably safer: just embrittle all the suspension springs on one side. One strong bump, those springs snap, and it’s on its side, probably never to roll again.
The Posse Comitatus Act prohibits use of military assets for domestic law enforcement activities. Not that anyone cares about that sort of thing any more. Especially not a lot of officers who swear oaths to uphold the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic.
This is Breaking News?
Good points. I’d bet very few Sheriff Departments get those beasts.
Not to mention basic maintenance, like tire changing! They’re going to need some full time qualified people, or to contract out routine maintenance.
What a waste!
"BATF, open up!" in three, two, one...
How many people live in Fort Pierce?
Not to mention basic maintenance, like tire changing! They’re going to need some full time qualified people, or to contract out routine maintenance.
What a waste!
It’s a ‘gimmick’ or status-symbol. Once you get one....you go to the next level.
But here’s the other side of the story. You need a mechanic in the station who is certified and trained on maintenance. You can figure that it’s one guy and if the thing breaks down while he’s on vacation....tough luck.
The fuel bill? After the first year, most of these organizations with one....usually start to limit the usage of it. If you used it just once a month, that probably would add up to ten-percent of your total gas/diesel bill for the whole month with that one trip out.
Parts? Things wear out fairly fast....so if you were using twenty times a year....I think I’d calculate on at least $10k in parts, special oil, and tires.
Accidents? Well....as long as you creep along at ten to fifteen mph....ok. If you got up higher, you’d screw up on turns and hit other vehicles.
The bad guys getting smarter? Well, I think we’ve all been waiting for mortars and improvised explosives to be brought into the country, and be standard use against these armored vehicles. Americans in WW II Germany learned quickly how to counter them, and it’s not exactly rocket science.
There’s a town in Georgia which got one just after 911, and now uses it maybe two times a year for a real mission, and once a year for a parade appearance. They have a tow bar rigged up (I’m told) and have learned to have a wrecker on call to pull the thing back into the yard (it breaks fairly often). They won’t get rid of it, mostly because of the status involved. But they kinda admit that it’s killing their maintenance budget.
That kind of reminds of statements like "this ship is unsinkable!"
“If you see my SWAT team roll up in this, it’s over, so just give up,”
Famous last words.
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