Spotted, Heavy duty cop car in Marietta Ohio

SWAT teams use them. I've done IP camera installs for them in the past.

ebonyandivory wrote:

dculberson wrote: Guys don't grow up, we all want the biggest and coolest toys. They're playing dress up. Cowboys and robbers! Weeee

Until one of them saves your neighborhood or your kids school.... But that'll NEVER HAPPEN in a place like Sandy Hook... Nahhhh I'm just paranoid! (Not meant as a knock on your post or you...)

"You can never be too careful!" is a statement I strongly disagree with.

fasted58 wrote: The North Hollywood shootout in '97 changed things forever.

A 12ga slug would have incapacitated one of those idiots wearing body armor in one shot.....DERP

ebonyandivory wrote:

dculberson wrote: Guys don't grow up, we all want the biggest and coolest toys. They're playing dress up. Cowboys and robbers! Weeee

Until one of them saves your neighborhood or your kids school.... But that'll NEVER HAPPEN in a place like Sandy Hook... Nahhhh I'm just paranoid! (Not meant as a knock on your post or you...)

Yeah, except most of the time they use this stuff to serve warrants, violently, without announcing themselves, at 3AM, at the wrong house.

You are far more likely to be killed by the cops in this country than a crazed gunman or terrorists.

I'll preface by saying that I do not have military nor police experience but that said, I just don't get why you would need armored vehicles of this magnitude. These things were primarily meant for patrolling warzones and getting troops from point A - B through said areas. America isn't a warzone.
The way I see it, if a swat vehicle can withstand a .50cal round, that should be enough. I can't even remember ever hearing about where a .50 was used against police/swat officers. Does a SWAT vehicle really have to be a "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected" vehicle? It seems a bit much for a LOCAL police force is all. Remember if it really came down to it, the Feds could always bring in the heavy hitters be it DEA, FBI, Homeland Security, US Marshalls, and/or the ATF; State Governors can also bring in National Guard units, and I hope that they’ve learned a thing or two since kent state 45 years ago. I could certainly see these agencies better making the case for needing an MRAP more so than a local police force. I get that police forces are picking these up for practically nothing, but what about the lifecosts of maintaining, running, and training for actually using MRAP's at the local level?
If it came down to my local police force being able to maintain one more squad car 24/7 vs an MRAP that will probably never see any use other than cameo appearances at parades and town events because its "cool" to the average citizen and intimidating to would be criminals, I'd take the squad car. Blue lights are enough intimidation for me and practically everyone else out there.

yamaha wrote:

fasted58 wrote: The North Hollywood shootout in '97 changed things forever.

A 12ga slug would have incapacitated one of those idiots wearing body armor in one shot.....DERP

Exactly; the guys had AK's vs cops with pistols, with the largest round they were shooting being a 9mm. Want to get a home intruder to think twice and turn away, chamber a pump action 12gauge...universal signal for GTFO! 12ga for the WIN.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Yeah, except most of the time they use this stuff to serve warrants, violently, without announcing themselves, at 3AM, at the wrong house. You are far more likely to be killed by the cops in this country than a crazed gunman or terrorists.

?

Generally it seems the smaller the town the bigger the armored car though this one seems appropriate, though riding on the outside seems to defeat the purpose.

Most of the ones in NYC are either unmarked blue vans with a K9 car and Highway car or a rescue truck.

Wally wrote: Generally it seems the smaller the town the bigger the armored car though this one seems appropriate, though riding on the outside seems to defeat the purpose.

G. I. Joe style! Get a big ridiculous military vehicle and then hang onto the outside of it like you're hitching a ride on a farm truck in South America.

yup, my home town grabbed one about 6 months back,

Wally wrote: though riding on the outside seems to defeat the purpose.

Every situation calls for different tactics. I can imagine dismounting off the side would feel much safer than filing out the back in certain circumstances.

johndej wrote: yup, my home town grabbed one about 6 months back,

Based on the size of those Sheriffs, they DO need a big ole' MRAP. Crown vic' would be on the bump stops with those guys...haha

I know Meth dealers are stupid, but even they can tell that's a cop from a mile away! Why not get the surplus Chrysler Sebrings/Dodge Stratus? With three hubcaps and a Calvin peeing sticker, they would assume it is a buyer rolling up until SWAT piled out.

HAZZARD wrote:

johndej wrote: yup, my home town grabbed one about 6 months back,

Based on the size of those Sheriffs, they DO need a big ole' MRAP. Crown vic' would be on the bump stops with those guys...haha

Looks like they spend a lot on doughnuts and tire shine in Culpeper County.

Ha! It's because of the boat racers every year.

That is Sam Leblanco's boat. I have seen him jump the straightaway. Do not get in his way when he is pissed.

Karacticus wrote:

HAZZARD wrote:

johndej wrote: yup, my home town grabbed one about 6 months back,

Based on the size of those Sheriffs, they DO need a big ole' MRAP. Crown vic' would be on the bump stops with those guys...haha

Looks like they spend a lot on doughnuts and tire shine in Culpeper County.

So I'm guessing these cops don't have to pass regular physical performance standards? The taxpayers must love dealing with the extra medical bills these guys generate. (diabetes anyone?) I'm no Jack Lalanne, but that's a bit ridiculous.

Cited my black Trans Am back in the day.

All of the Trans Ams used by the Catoosa County Sheriffs office were non-ac W72 400-4spds coupes without hood birds at a minimum. They were all cameo white with carmine red standard interior. I’ve read there were 6-8 ordered originally, which are the 78 year model obviously and followed up by 4 more in 79. Pictured below were 8 plus 3 lemans. From what I’ve been able to research the Sheriffs 78 was stolen at one point and totalled and another was wrecked.

Daily Double

aussiesmg wrote:

What is "stops at every doughnut shop weather it is open or not" Alex.

fasted58 wrote: I'd stop short of calling it the militarization of local police forces. The North Hollywood shootout in '97 changed things forever.

Die Hard 2: 1990

Though this one isn't very successful at its mission, lol

One problem I have with giving away MRAPs and similar giant trucks to law enforcement is that it encourages them to take the things even when they have no legitimate use for them.

The argument about "the only alternative is scrapping them" works only if these vehicles serve an actual need. Otherwise we may as well give the police all those F-4s rotting away at Davis-Monthan.

Police militarization is worth keeping an eye on. There are too many abuses of police power already, and the more power we allow them, the worse the potential for abuse becomes.

Funny this is brought up. Just went and saw the new Captain America movie this weekend and it actually touches on this subject a bit. I had a small laugh about it while others around me thought the whole thing was just a made up part of the story.

HAZZARD wrote: I see a pattern in Ohio....http://thelantern.com/2013/09/ohio-state-university-police-bring-in-military-vehicle/ Why in the hell would a college campus need one of these? Meth labs a problem on campus too?

They gotta have something to chase down all the fraternity bro-dogs with....a crown vic ain't gonna cut it.

In reply to N Sperlo:

I would never get out of an armored car if I worked in Newark.

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote:

dculberson wrote: Guys don't grow up, we all want the biggest and coolest toys. They're playing dress up. Cowboys and robbers! Weeee

Until one of them saves your neighborhood or your kids school.... But that'll NEVER HAPPEN in a place like Sandy Hook... Nahhhh I'm just paranoid! (Not meant as a knock on your post or you...)

Yeah, except most of the time they use this stuff to serve warrants, violently, without announcing themselves, at 3AM, at the wrong house. You are far more likely to be killed by the cops in this country than a crazed gunman or terrorists.

This is me waiting fruitlessly for any factual information you have to back any of this up.................

dculberson wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote:

dculberson wrote: Guys don't grow up, we all want the biggest and coolest toys. They're playing dress up. Cowboys and robbers! Weeee

Until one of them saves your neighborhood or your kids school.... But that'll NEVER HAPPEN in a place like Sandy Hook... Nahhhh I'm just paranoid! (Not meant as a knock on your post or you...)

"You can never be too careful!" is a statement I strongly disagree with.

The thing is... No one said that.