This is one of those cases where both left and right party interests are being served by growing the police force. The right will tell you this is a result of

This is one of those cases where both left and right party interests are being served by growing the police force. The right will tell you this is a result of the left's 'big government', while the right's military infrastructure contracts benefit from the police (or pentagon as the article states) purchase of heavy machinery for local law enforcement. I doubt the local police of a town of 12,000 said "we need to buy an armoured personnel carrier and an anti-aircraft gun". Though I'm sure they thought it was pretty cool when told they would be getting one.