Thanks for the article Jonathan!
via PoliceOne.
The LEO's don't care about any of that. They have a cool new vehicle to parade around in.
If they were serious about changing public perceptions, the first thing they would do is find the most dangerous group of individuals in their area and go after them with a passion. They would strike hard and continue to strike until they were all in jail or moved on to greener pastures.
But this isn't about that. Its about slamming Joe Public as hard as possible and then expecting him to kiss your boot and thank you.
I find it interesting that they list rollovers as a danger for these vehicles. The Army and Marines used these vehicles in primitive conditions. These PDs will use them on roads that are maintained. Once again you have civilian PDs trying to equate the dangers that they face with those of our military.
The arrogance never stops. American Mercenary had it right. These guys only want to dress up as Timmy Tactical and use military gear in a fight against law abiding citizens.
via PoliceOne.
The first issue to overcome is one of public image. There is no shortage of people in the United States who are vocal about how the police are becoming militarized, possibly (according to some, probably) to facilitate disarming the citizenry and bringing about the New World Order. Painting your agency’s livery on the side of a truck that has been in the newspapers carrying soldiers and Marines for the past 10 years is fuel for these folks’ fires.&
The police department in the town where I grew up is getting considerable flak for their new acquisition, even though they badly needed a new tactical vehicle.
There is a reason that rollovers are a special concern. Of 66 MRAP accidents overseas between November 2007 and June 2008, 40 were rollovers caused by rough roads, road shoulders collapsing, bridge failures or bad driving. These vehicles have a high center of gravity, and taking them on an incline of 30 degrees or more can cause them to topple.Yeah.
The crew member in the top turret is at greatest risk in a rollover. While just taking personnel out of the turret is an option, it invites a new hazard. Visibility from inside the vehicles is very poor, and the person manning the turret often has to advise the driver via the vehicle’s intercom about obstructions to the side or rear.
The turret itself could be a problem in an urban environment. The turret is almost ten feet off the ground, and a rider’s body adds to that height. Troops manning turrets were occasionally clotheslined by utility cables or booby traps while crossing the terrain they were navigating.
The vehicles are extremely heavy for their size. The Caiman weighs 24 tons unloaded; the MaxxPro over 18 tons. Personnel and equipment add to that load. Small bridges have collapsed under the weight of MRAPs. Would the bridges in your community be up to the challenge?
Most of the MRAPs are street legal as delivered, but don’t count on taking them on any regional excursions unless you have a trailer to transport it. The vehicles get around 6 mpg, and hold between 50 and 80 gallons of fuel. The trucks run on diesel and/or JP8 fuel.
The LEO's don't care about any of that. They have a cool new vehicle to parade around in.
If they were serious about changing public perceptions, the first thing they would do is find the most dangerous group of individuals in their area and go after them with a passion. They would strike hard and continue to strike until they were all in jail or moved on to greener pastures.
But this isn't about that. Its about slamming Joe Public as hard as possible and then expecting him to kiss your boot and thank you.
I find it interesting that they list rollovers as a danger for these vehicles. The Army and Marines used these vehicles in primitive conditions. These PDs will use them on roads that are maintained. Once again you have civilian PDs trying to equate the dangers that they face with those of our military.
The arrogance never stops. American Mercenary had it right. These guys only want to dress up as Timmy Tactical and use military gear in a fight against law abiding citizens.
