Reality bites - when police are regularly outnumbered a few hundred to one, by folks who throw “cocktails” and who, if they decide to go armed, would have overwhelming deadly force available even if they were all carrying .22s, having armored protection makes sense - they ain’t at the OK Corral these days.
Yeah, tell me when they’re ever going to use this stuff? They’ve had plenty of opportunities to stop rioting in the last couple of years and not one department has used anything like over whelming force - or even tried.
Oh, I know. The next TEA party rally we’ll see APC’s and riot gear cause they can show force and not have to use it. Unless a democrat is in charge then orders will come down.