Be sure to read Kevin Craver's long article in today's Northwest Herald about the acquisition of the MRAP by the McHenry County Sheriff's Department.
MRAP? Mine Resistant Assault Protection vehicle. Just what McHenry County needs! NOT!!!
Zinke says it cost less than $2,000 to acquire it. Anybody believe that? What did it cost to send 5-6-7 deputies to Texas to get the thing back to McHenry County?
Now the real costs begin. Remodeling, painting, provisioning, training.
I guess this is Zinke's last hurrah.... or can he find a way to top that between now and November 30?
And don't forget to read the part about Spring Grove's own MRAP.
Citizens Beware... Are the police gearing up to come for you?
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
3 comments:
Gus, I have to disagree with you on this one. I am an outspoken critic of the militarization of the police and the increase in the number of SWAT teams across the country. I detest POLICEMEN that play GI Joe. They are POLICEMEN, not soldiers or operators. I think that the use of SWAT for things that can be handled by the average beat cop is increasing and that that needs to stop. Having said all that, I do think that an armoured vehicle should be available to Police Departments. It doesn't mean that every little Police Department should have one but one should be available, be centrally located and IMHO the County Sheriff would be that department. I know you don't like Nyren or Zinke but let's not let that cloud your judgement.
I have been involved in several situations over the years in which I could have used an armoured vehicle. I remember when Officer Richie Clark was murdered. Gus, he laid out there for a very long time. We were unable to get to him because of gunfire from the offenders apartment. We had no safe way to get to him. It took a courageous patrolman who disregarded direct orders and commandeered a wagon, drove it out to where Clark was laying on the ground, positioned it in such a manner that he was able to load Richie into the back and get him to safety. Think a MARV or MRAP would have been useful then?
Cabrini Green. If I had a dime every time we took gunfire from the upper floors of those buildings unable to get into them, I'd be rich. Think we could have used one back then? You betcha we could have. No offense Gus, but asking people like Radley Balko ( a well known police hater with an agenda) or the ACLU what Police Departments should be allowed to equip themselves with is like asking the fox if the chicken needs protection from him. What are THEIR qualifications to make that judgement? Who are they to decide or determine what tools a police department should have to best serve their citizens. I don't tell my plumber which wrench to use when he services my plumbing. I don't tell my doctor how to do his job. Why should anyone who has never been in the situation of having to risk his/her life in defense of another have any say in how that service is accomplished? Short answer is they shouldn't.
Maybe an MRAP is like a parachute. It's better to have it and not need it, than it is to need it and not have it.
I agree about the limited number of situations in which it should be used. And that it should not be used routinely.
I agree Gus, it should not be used routinely but you need it, you need it. BTDT and it's not fun.
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