Monday, August 18, 2014

Local sheriffs purchasing armored vehicles.

The non-profit Mississippiwatchdog.org published a story on its website today about the purchase of armored units by Mississippi law enforcement agencies.  The article states:


The acquisition of military-grade armored vehicles from federal surplus by Mississippi law enforcement agencies might appear tone-deaf at a time when the nation is starting an overdue conversation on the militarization of police.

The two sheriffs in Mississippi who are beefing up their vehicle fleets with armored vehicles say they’re doing so to protect the officers under their command and are saving the taxpayers money by acquiring quality vehicles at little or no cost. They say the vehicles, designed to protect military troops from improvised explosive devices and mines, can shield their officers from even the most high-level threats.

“I know an MRAP is overkill for public law enforcement, but I know that I don’t have to worry about anything in Rankin County penetrating it,” said Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, whose department has applied to receive one of the surplus Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles via the Department of Defense 1033 program.

DeSoto County in north Mississippi was the first in the state to receive one. DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco said the acquisition of the MRAP was a months-long process with the Defense Logistics Agency’s Law Enforcement Support Office. The office is the conduit by which law enforcement agencies can acquire surplus military equipment such as weapons, vehicles and even aircraft at little or no cost......Rest of article
 Kingfish note: Sorry but I don't think the local law enforcement agencies needs these vehicles.  It would be better if they were purchased by the state.  The state could loan them out as needed to local agencies.  Of course, Sergeant Redfruit might want to drive one around. 

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

So lets see...we have an active shooter, officers have been hit and need evac. You cant get to them cause your SWAT team has no armored vehicle. So you have to call another LEA to borrow theirs. "YES..i said we need to borrow your APC! What? Its in the shop? Oh... OK! Thanks anyway!" Sorry officers Jimmy and Johnny, I would have come to save you but Kingfish talked me out of getting an APC on the cheap cause he didn't feel like we needed one. We can get rid of all those bullet proof vests as well why we are at it.

Anonymous said...

FYI: Sgt Redfruit has been fired from MHP

Kingfish said...

I knew he was suspended. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about MRAPs, but I do know that some agencies benefit greatly from the purchase of surplus vehicles and other equipment. Everyone assumes that the program is just used for humvees and weapons. However, it often enables law enforcement to obtain support vehicles and other equipment for very cheap. For instance, I believe the reservoir police has used the program to purchase a 5ton truck that was repainted (so no longer camouflage) and equipped with a winch and towing equipment. They have also used the program to obtain sandbags in anticipation of flooding, patrol boats, and a flatbed trailer that they got very cheap.

Anonymous said...

For all those worried about these MRAPs, they are nothing but ovens on wheels. Throw a molotov cocktail on it and watch the pigs scramble. If you are unable to get close enough to it to set them on fire, plan ahead. Some good ole fashioned napalm placed on top of a few pounds of tannerite will clear the streets of both officers and MRAPS.

Fuck the Police.

Anonymous said...

Awesome. I'll just go to Wal-Mart and ask for "good ole fashioned napalm," as opposed to "fancy napalm," and a few pounds of tannerite. Can I find that in the explosives section?


Anonymous said...

11:29....thanks for helping sane folk realize that we do need the police to protect us from crazies like you.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure if they sell tannerite at Wal-Mart or not. But it is easy to find. Another solution is to take the flint out of a bic lighter, and place it inside a .22 hollow point. It will create quite the spark upon impact. I.E., an ignition source. I believe it works on a .223 hollow point as well, but I haven't gotten the chance to test it. Anyone know what happens when you shoot a propane tank with one of those? And I'm not crazy. I've never been convicted of any crime at all. But it is important the people know how to defend themselves against a tyrannical, militarized government. I don't trust a bunch of GED educated hot heads to protect me. Majority of cops are cops because the requirements to be one are so low, its the only job they're qualified for. If you want to trust your life and liberty to these idiots that's your choice.

Anonymous said...


I'm all about buying surplus equipment to save taxpayer money, but MRAPs are a joke. They are not meant for anything but protecting troops from IEDs and mines more than humvees. They are maintenance hogs, top heavy, have a huge turning radius, can cause back injuries for passengers over time, and have a high ground clearance that makes them inappropriate for use as over vehicles as rounds can easily go under them. To be concise they are horrible for casualty extraction and cover and are extremely dangerous to drive on public roads at anything approaching highway speed (50 mph is scary fast in one). While I am all for improved technology this is nothing more than a great way to kill a minivan full of kids when some idiot drives it 60 mph through a turn.

Anonymous said...

There are some twisted, crazy son of a bitches commenting on this thread.

Anonymous said...

When given a chance last June to stop the transfer of this military equipment Harper and Palazzo voted NO so that the transfers would continue.

Anonymous said...

Just like some backwoods yahoo has fantasies about blowing one up the law enforcement agency that wants these has fantasies of them being useful. An agency that gets one will need to train a driver (anyone in the metro area prays they will not skip this step), practice getting a team into and out of it, and come up with some half witted SOP for incorporating the thing. All of which costs money. These things are either money pits that rot on a back parking lot or rolling civil claims waiting to happen. All for a glorified uparmored dumptruck that may never see a call out in its entire operational lifespan. If these things were useful anywhere other than IED infested countries the Army would have kept them. Instead they are palming them off on whatever agency wants one so they don't have to be scrapped.

Pittpanther said...

Can someone please point me to an incident in Rankin County where the use of an armored vehicle would have resulted in a reduction of harm to officers?

I'll wait...

Meanwhile, I look forward to the day when the Rankin sheriff's office decides to use this against their own citizens. Perhaps to clear out some late night partiers at Pelahatchie park. But if course the police would never use such tactics against their own people...

Johnny Weir said...

You can buy all the tannerite you can afford at Academy Sports. 1/2 lbs $ 19.99
You can make easy Napalm by mixing _______with a _______. These products are in everyone garage. At one time I was a survival nut until instead of spending all my money on freeze dry food, guns & ammo, fallout bunkers, etc. I put my money toward a swimming pool. Life is too short just to survive.

Anonymous said...

The community police forces are supposed to be civilian organizations. They have too much military grade equipment and many officers are in the military reserves and national guard units and have trouble distinguishing their duties. Having an APC is ok, as I know of one instance in which one being available in Madison County saved three officers lives, one of them critically shot in a femoral artery. But mine proof vehicles are a bit much. If appropriately outfitted civilian police can't keep order, then that's what part of the National Guard is for.

Anonymous said...

4:16
You must've sold your Alex Jones magic Liberty seeds, Glen Beck gold coins and your militia gear in the bunker to buy an above-ground pool from Sears.

Let me guess. The naparm, tannerite,etc was for the coming race wars, right? Judging by your previous "signed" comments, we believe you. You fit the profile.

But you say you "don't think like that" anymore? Says a lot about you.

Anonymous said...

The problem 4:20 is that an MRAP isn't even good for what they want to use it for. Granted it will stop most bullets fired by guns the average criminal or nutjob is firing but it doesn't offer any advantage in an urban environment over an F250 with armor plate welded on and in some aspects isn't even as good. All of this hand wringing over a guy with a .50 BMG rifle is silly. The guns cost thousands of dollars for the cheapest one and the ammo costs $6-12 for each shot minimum. The MRAP just doesn't fit into any reasonable law enforcement scenario while it eats resources that could be better used on things that do provide a tactical advantage such as communications gear, training, weapons(and training on them), more training, and maybe even some more training. Most law enforcement tactical team (read: SWAT) training is laughable when compared to an actual military training. Add in the growing propensity for SWAT to be called out every time something other than a traffic stop happens and you increase the risk of incidents resulting in civil suites,decrease the overall budget, and in some cases even decrease the level of citizens trust in law enforcement agencies to not break down the wrong door in the middle of the night. Even worse is the fact that every screwup involving police playing Army going in hard with no intel gives credence to the paranoid and the loons.

Anonymous said...

People like 11:29 are what guarantee me a long career in law enforcement. They make the job very interesting for all of us. There are several psych wards in the area and we send them plenty of business. 11:29 has probably been a client of mine before.

Johnny Weir said...

Reply to 5:29 Actually, I think their will be an EMP attack by a state sponscered terrorist group.
Read One Second After by William Forschten. Thanks 5:29 for following my treads. You no doubt feel the need for Medical, Life, Auto, Home, Long Term Care, Cancer, and Title INSURANCE. What's so crazy about storing up a little food, water, and ammo?
Look in the new everyday and you see a boil water alert. As for having military grade police equipment I'm in for that. First responders need the safest equipment due to all the thugs, crazies, and dis-enfranchised. Not two many years ago 2 bank robbers caused havoc by using automatic machine guns with armor piecering bullets. They also were dress from head to toe in bullet proof armor. I rest my case counselor.

Anonymous said...

The two guys that robbed the bank in North Hollywood were not only an anomaly, but didn't kill anybody. That singular example that is a statistical oddity didn't result in the death of a single person. Their armor was also easily defeated by rifle fire and was only good against handgun rounds and buckshot. That was a tactical response problem, a weapon problem, and a training problem. A slow ponderous armored vehicle with enough room to almost drive a convertible under it would have been nearly useless. 3 first responders with AR15s could have stopped that fiasco in the first 5 minutes. Three AR15s cost under $1500 each including optics, magazines, and spare parts. A perfect example of how money wasted on armored vehicles can be better spent on effective tools.

Anonymous said...

This is cop mentality. MHP has has armoured vehicles and machine guns for years. They maybe use it once a year and have to spend hours getting it cranked each time they use it because there is no active maintenance but boy do they look cool. You can get anything you want through the Mississippi office of surplus property. My lawyer buddy bought an miliatry assualt vehicle from MHP a few years ago at auction.

Anonymous said...

Local LE does not need heavy armored vehicle(s). what is next Apache copters? This is not the Military engaged in war it is police work. the argument for some wounded officer needing rescued is even weaker than the abortion lovers claiming so many women are raped and made pregnant. excessive power leads to excessive force.
last nothing is free, i am a rankin county taxpayer and have to keep this crap functional.

Anonymous said...

3:05pm

WTF have you been for the past 10 years? What about even before that, mister paranoid patriot parrot?

Do you know what the specific changes were in this program from the same program which existed in 2005 to most recent version in April, 2014. When you do 15 minutes of research, you might wonder why Obama was so goddam powerful over the military even when he was just a peon State Senator, just like your boy, dumb-ass McDaniel, is at present.

Don't worry, now you can just expand your paranoia even farther now. Do you really think the great minds that work out the details on these great plans for enslaving the Murikun people imediately approve the plans for UNLIMITED DISTRIBUTION to anyone? Your ODS is the least of your problems, Einstein, but there are many more.

You're the smart one in Jones County, aren't you? Alex Jones owns you idiots and still makes y'all look like idiots for believing his every word.

Anonymous said...

6:51pm

Just by poking you with a stick, and you're back to your same paranoid personality, just hours later, in the same thread, no less. I'm not a psych doc, but I know enough to recognize mental problems like yours. I'd suggest you begin a little homework to help with diagnosis and begin treatment.

http://www.icd9data.com/2012/Volume1/290-319/295-299/295/295.32.htm

Until then, enjoy that pool you forgot you mentioned that you "bought" after you were no longer a survival nut a few hours earlier today. Dream on.

BTW, you are correct about the N Hollywood shootout where the bank robbers wore armored gear, that it wasn't "two (sic) many years ago".

The event happened in 1997, 17+ years ago, with the only fatality being one of the crooks. Their feet and ankles were unprotected, as were their heads,of course. So you recommend every small-town police dept to have armored vehicles because of an isolated incident that happened in 1997.

So your suggestion is to ignore the cost and waste of resources, because it could possibly happen again, one day? Okay, sure, now get to checking out your ICD-9 code, ya hear?

Anonymous said...

@August 19, 2014 at 7:37 AM

So, every police department needs an APC or MRAP because they may come in contact with a armed crazy person? Why not just give every police department a sherman tank? Because they aren't the army, that's why.

If the police get into a situation that requires heavy artillery, it's probably time to engage state and federal resources, as well. It just so happens Rankin county is a mere drive to those resources.

Also, Doesn't MBI and MHP also respond to those calls as they did in Madison when the guy in Lake Caroline lost his mind? Seems like I remember seeing quite a few bullet resistant vehicles there.

Anonymous said...

@August 19, 2014 at 7:37 AM

You proved my point with your article.
"The Rankin County Sheriff's Department, Reservoir Police Department, Flowood Police Department, Mississippi Highway Patrol, The FBI and other agencies responded to the incident."

You're telling me that none of those agencies had an armored vehicle? Bullshit. It's a prick measuring instrument, is what it is... Look what our department has... we don't need MHP or FBI.

Anonymous said...

The actual title of the article: Mississippi ACLU opposes armored vehicles for sheriffs

Anonymous said...

Niknar County has a long history of wanting to be the big dog in law enforcement, fire, EMS, politics, you name it. You seen how big the arms are on some of the deputies they've got? RoidsRUs-style arms I'm talking here.

And we need big toys for big boys, don't we? Niknar doesn't want to share airboats, trucks, trailers, nothing, not ever. Not if they can get their own. The RoidsRUsBoys don't have big pricks. It's called "compensation syndrome".

Anonymous said...

Truly brilliant. And they say we are last in education.

Anonymous said...

Today our congressmen voted to NOT limit the transfer of military equipment to police forces (1033 program).
The defense industry has "donated" the following to each: Thompson - $116,500; Nunlee - $68,500; Harper - $62,500; Palazzo - $181,250
Each and every one of them has been bought and paid for by the defense industry.
One thing I will say, that ain't cheap whores, that's for sure.



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