Calling MARV - to Algonquin

The McHenry County Sheriff's Department rolled its "tank", MARV, to Algonquin on a reported stand-off situation. The suspect reportedly shot himself inside a home.

I've wondered for years if MARV is street-legal. I think it's not. How is it transported to the scene? Does it run there under its own power? Or is it hauled there on a flatbed or trailer?

Does you suppose that a cost-benefit ratio has ever been conducted on MARV? How many times in a year is it used? Once? (Not counting parades.)

MARV starts!

Well, they got it started! Yippee!!!

MARV finally got used in action. Or it ran at least 25 miles up the road to Sharon, Wisconsin. And 25 miles back.

The Northwest Herald reports today that MARV got a work-out on Sunday, when it was assigned to support the Walworth County Sheriff's Department on a call in Sharon, Wisconsin. The article said MARV was requested.

I'm still trying to figure out the timeline from the reporter's article. She wrote:

"The incident that began as a domestic dispute Saturday when Eugene J. Lehman, 46, had burned his wife's clothes in the yard and fired several shots, said Walworth County Sheriff David Graves.

"Lehman's wife and children, an adult and a teenager, were able to escape. Police were dispatched about 11:30 a.m. Sunday and the standoff ended about midnight Monday."

So, it started Saturday with the clothes-burning and shots fired. Police were dispatched on Sunday at 11:30AM. The stand-off ended about 12 hours later.

And the reason MARV was needed?

When MARV is needed, does an on-duty deputy park his patrol car and drive MARV? Or is there a special operator (or more than one) who has to be called in? Over-time? Do two operators get called in (over-time?)?

In the past 12 months, how many times has MARV been utilized on official, non-parade business? Is this the only time, or did I miss earlier news accounts?

Who Goes on SWAT Call-outs?

When the SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) team is called out, you know it's serious. These are the guys who can show up with MARV, machine guns, armor-piercing bullets, etc. You know - the heavy-weight stuff. The "fun" stuff, some would say. Who's MARV? That's MARV, just to the right.

And when the team rolls, who is on the team? Only the qualified, certified, trained, experienced SWAT members. Right? Really?

Rumor has it that certain Corrections (that's "jail" to you and me) officers are allowed to accompany the SWAT team. So, apparently, someone who works in the jail and who is not a certified law enforcement officer (not a "deputy") and who perhaps hasn't even qualified with a firearm at Department minimums gets to go along.

If this rumor is true, why would the Sheriff, the Law & Justice Committee, and the County Board approve the risk involved?

It seems to me that there is tremendous financial exposure and risk to McHenry County, if this is the case. What if a corrections officer is hurt while participating in an activity for which he has not been trained?

What if a corrections officer causes some harm to another person while on a SWAT call-out? How many tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars will pour out of the County coffers to defend the County and then to pay off the person(s) harmed?

The dividing line between SWAT-qualified and not qualified shouldn't be in the sand. It should be painted with a wide, solid, black line right across the hallway ion front of the door to the SWAT shed. If you are not SWAT-certified, Keep Out!

And this should apply to anyone on the SWAT team who isn't certified and currently qualified. Period.

So, are all the rules of "good business" being followed at McHenry County Sheriff's Department?

Is the rumor true, or is it just a rumor?

Is everyone on the SWAT team certified? Everyone?