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But didn't you know? We're all in imminent danger from... uhh... terrorists! And drugs! Think of the children, donate to your local SWAT team today! They need m

by Reelin 8y ago

But didn't you know? We're all in imminent danger from... uhh... terrorists! And drugs! Think of the children, donate to your local SWAT team today! They need more funding for surplus military equipment after all. I just love this photo of the MRAP vehicle the Lynnwood SWAT team has. Really makes me feel safer. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/police-in-washington-state-got-military-hardware-even-under-obama-era-restrictions/ https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/police-in-wa... Edit: For those not familiar with Washington, Lynnwood is a kind of dense suburb north of Seattle. Not really where I'd expect to need a military vehicle, but you never know I guess...

gingerbread-man 8y ago
Former cop here: many departments get those vehicles from the DOD for free. (They bought thousands of them to protect troops in Iraq+Afghanistan from IEDs.) Everyone knows MRAPs weren't designed for law enforcement, but you just can't beat that price.
- Pfhreak 8y ago
  Yes, you can. Do not take them. If you must take them, dispose of them.
- Reelin 8y ago
  Fair enough, free is a pretty good price after all. But if anything, I honestly feel less safe knowing that the police department next door to me has that in their possession. Perhaps that's unfounded, but to me it really seems like a small part of a much larger and very concerning trend. Edit: Unfortunately I can't track down a photo, but I seem to remember them having it out when they closed down Highway 99 for that shooting about a year ago. It's quite surreal seeing one of those blocking off a local highway, as though they're expecting to encounter IEDs or heavily armed enemy combatants in the middle of the city.
  - webkike 8y ago
    You should expect to feel less safe when a police force has them: those vehicles and weapons are designed to protect the user at the possible expense of the life of literally everybody else
- kartan 8y ago
  > you just can't beat that price That is interesting information. What is the limit? Free air to air missiles? The argument should not be that it is pricey but that it is dangerous.
- boomboomsubban 8y ago
  Those departments do need to pay for modifications, upkeep and training. Free still seems too expensive to justify.
mrhappyunhappy 8y ago
I can see both sides of this but not sure what the solution is. Imagine there is a real threat and 2 cops show up in a squad car instead of the swat team. By the time swat arrives everyone is dead and the cops get blamed once again. “It took them 25 minutes to get out there!! What are we paying them to do, eat donuts?!” As for militarization vs peace keeping I can also understand both sides of the argument. Imagine you are a cop and while 95% of th situations you encounter are harmless, the other 5% could kill you. Would you not rather have the best equipment possible for your own protection? Would you listen to some asshole tell you “that’s the inherent risk of the job so deal with it”? No, you wouldn’t. I really dislike how people paint issues as black and white, right and wrong and quickly come up with some reasoning for their argument without ever considering all angles. The world and the issues we deal with are a lot more complicated than people make them out to be. I know humans compartmentalize as a flight or fight response but we need to give rational thought to every issue and not jump to conclusions.
- maxxxxx 8y ago
  Sure, call the swat team and have them surround the area quickly. But don't just run in with guns blazing. That makes absolutely no sense.
loser777 8y ago
nit: I believe it's _Lynnwood_, Washington. Lynwood seems to be more commonly known as the city in Los Angeles County, or Weird Al's _Straight_ _Outta_ _Lynwood_.
- Reelin 8y ago
  Whoops, fixed. That's... kind of weird that the one in California varies by a single letter. Spell check was never going to save me on this one.

by Reelin 8y ago

gingerbread-man 8y ago

Former cop here: many departments get those vehicles from the DOD for free. (They bought thousands of them to protect troops in Iraq+Afghanistan from IEDs.) Everyone knows MRAPs weren't designed for law enforcement, but you just can't beat that price.

Pfhreak 8y ago
Yes, you can. Do not take them. If you must take them, dispose of them.
Reelin 8y ago
Fair enough, free is a pretty good price after all. But if anything, I honestly feel less safe knowing that the police department next door to me has that in their possession. Perhaps that's unfounded, but to me it really seems like a small part of a much larger and very concerning trend. Edit: Unfortunately I can't track down a photo, but I seem to remember them having it out when they closed down Highway 99 for that shooting about a year ago. It's quite surreal seeing one of those blocking off a local highway, as though they're expecting to encounter IEDs or heavily armed enemy combatants in the middle of the city.
- webkike 8y ago
  You should expect to feel less safe when a police force has them: those vehicles and weapons are designed to protect the user at the possible expense of the life of literally everybody else
kartan 8y ago
> you just can't beat that price That is interesting information. What is the limit? Free air to air missiles? The argument should not be that it is pricey but that it is dangerous.
boomboomsubban 8y ago
Those departments do need to pay for modifications, upkeep and training. Free still seems too expensive to justify.

mrhappyunhappy 8y ago

I can see both sides of this but not sure what the solution is. Imagine there is a real threat and 2 cops show up in a squad car instead of the swat team. By the time swat arrives everyone is dead and the cops get blamed once again. “It took them 25 minutes to get out there!! What are we paying them to do, eat donuts?!” As for militarization vs peace keeping I can also understand both sides of the argument. Imagine you are a cop and while 95% of th situations you encounter are harmless, the other 5% could kill you. Would you not rather have the best equipment possible for your own protection? Would you listen to some asshole tell you “that’s the inherent risk of the job so deal with it”? No, you wouldn’t. I really dislike how people paint issues as black and white, right and wrong and quickly come up with some reasoning for their argument without ever considering all angles. The world and the issues we deal with are a lot more complicated than people make them out to be. I know humans compartmentalize as a flight or fight response but we need to give rational thought to every issue and not jump to conclusions.

maxxxxx 8y ago
Sure, call the swat team and have them surround the area quickly. But don't just run in with guns blazing. That makes absolutely no sense.

loser777 8y ago

nit: I believe it's _Lynnwood_, Washington. Lynwood seems to be more commonly known as the city in Los Angeles County, or Weird Al's _Straight_ _Outta_ _Lynwood_.

Reelin 8y ago
Whoops, fixed. That's... kind of weird that the one in California varies by a single letter. Spell check was never going to save me on this one.