Do Police Crusiers need to be changed

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http://www.lencoarmor.com/law-enforcement/

Here are some interesting police vehicles that could be used by local law enforcement in lieu of a standard sedan.----use when responding to many types of calls..ex--domestic calls and shots fired calls anywhere...IMHO

Maybe all police cruisers should be heavy duty,, since the public has become unruly in many cities...
 
Most major Cities already have one of those. I know San Diego does as well as Los Angeles. I do business with the guy that maintains the one here in San Diego.
Seen it in his shop many times.
 
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
http://www.lencoarmor.com/law-enforcement/

Maybe all police cruisers should be heavy duty,, since the public has become unruly in many cities...


All? I support LEO's 110% but we don't need paramilitary police/government soldiers routinely patrolling the public. Can you imagine a child in distress and needing help and trying to interact? Way too intimidating. Police should not be "unapproachable"
 
As I recall, there were many surplus MRAPS that the US military did not want to bring back from afghanistan or iraq or something like that. I read that these were offered to police in the US but they did not take them, or very many of them.

They probably have high maintenance costs with all of the special parts, much higher than a passenger vehicles. Although, I think the MRAPS use a similar drivetrain to an armoured car like the dudes who pick up the cash from banks drive. Maybe that level of protection just is not needed.
 
The Bearcats in the original post cost about a million dollars each. Most large cities already own them for their SWAT teams. They are not affordable for smaller agencies. And in fact, agencies can get a military surplus MRAP for free. So that's a good choice to outfit a SWAT team in rural America, at limited cost to the taxpayers.

Military surplus MRAP, free to local agencies from the feds
59b8104fd5fe1.image.jpg
 
General public is typically only unruly and needing SWAT/military-style intervention in cities/urban areas where large majorities have the hand-out, "gimme" mentality. In smaller cities where a large percentage is typically a hardworking population, this disrespect/disregard for authority and private property does not seem to be present to such a degree.

I'll leave you to the history books to determine for yourself which cities I am talking about, since I know we are supposed to avoid the "politics" side of these discussions even though the boot fits. Police forces should not be interchangeable with a standing army, and should not be equipped like they are an occupying force. If and when a situation arises that requires more than a handful of officers equipped with pistols and shotguns, we already have the appropriate tools for those incidents as well. It's called the National Guard.

Too many times these days we are willing to lie down and submit to insanity, rather than stand up for what made this country great historically. The paramilitary police officer is an invention of the past 30+ years, created against the fabric of our history, as our morals have been belittled and our liberties trampled. Just say no!
 
The fact is most police agencies would rarely have a use for them. But agencies could and now can again get them cheaply if not for free.
 
Originally Posted By: SubieRubyRoo
General public is typically only unruly and needing SWAT/military-style intervention in cities/urban areas where large majorities have the hand-out, "gimme" mentality. In smaller cities where a large percentage is typically a hardworking population, this disrespect/disregard for authority and private property does not seem to be present to such a degree.

I'll leave you to the history books to determine for yourself which cities I am talking about, since I know we are supposed to avoid the "politics" side of these discussions even though the boot fits. Police forces should not be interchangeable with a standing army, and should not be equipped like they are an occupying force. If and when a situation arises that requires more than a handful of officers equipped with pistols and shotguns, we already have the appropriate tools for those incidents as well. It's called the National Guard.

Too many times these days we are willing to lie down and submit to insanity, rather than stand up for what made this country great historically. The paramilitary police officer is an invention of the past 30+ years, created against the fabric of our history, as our morals have been belittled and our liberties trampled. Just say no!



I read an article that discussed how officers have become less approachable by wearing dark, paramilitary uniforms. Apparently the old school western state trooper uni of tan and a cool drill instructor hat makes the cops less villified.

Here in Toronto, the police were called to the jobsite a few months ago. An officer arrived and she was wearing pink epaulettes on a navy paramilitary uniform complete with tactical vest, oh the dichotomy. Their hats are the coolest, I do not understand why you would rock a toque or a ball cap when you can wear a cool military style hat that commands respect.
 
Just thought the vehicles may stop some of the ambush killings of police officers in neighborhoods,, Ohio just last week had a few officers killed. Mayberry in the Andy Griffith Show left America a long time ago-- unfortunately, the nation has gotten crazy, and yes some police officers have made bad decisions when using force...but a lot of them are good officers...
 
Originally Posted By: maxdustington


They probably have high maintenance costs with all of the special parts, much higher than a passenger vehicles. Although, I think the MRAPS use a similar drivetrain to an armoured car like the dudes who pick up the cash from banks drive. Maybe that level of protection just is not needed.


Jay Leno drove a LAPD-supplied MRAP and mechanically it's the same as a Ford F450/550 but the body can withstand being shot at by most handguns and rifles(unless there's armor-piercing rounds). It's thirsty, the visibility ain't that great and it handles like well... a tank. Leno had a blast driving it but it's not practical except for SWAT and rescue/recon operations.

The bigger concern for a law enforcement agency is what's going to replace the Ford Taurus/Explorer Police Interceptors and Chevy Caprice since Ford is killing off the Taurus platform and Holden building in Oz is no more(and GM probably wants to kill off the Impala). The Charger is making inroads again with the police, we'll see how the CHP likes them.

I think the Terramax is awesome...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV51BGIzkwU
 
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Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
http://www.lencoarmor.com/law-enforcement/

Here are some interesting police vehicles that could be used by local law enforcement in lieu of a standard sedan.----use when responding to many types of calls..ex--domestic calls and shots fired calls anywhere...IMHO

Maybe all police cruisers should be heavy duty,, since the public has become unruly in many cities...

You used to be a trucker...
Do you understand the bill for gas/other fuel and some parts?
Who do you think is going to pay?

Hint: it is still you ==> the taxpayer
 
yea in many so called bad urban areas, the push is for the officers do community outreach and walk the beat. Protect and serve, this is the complete opposite. Maybe some short term gains but you lose the whole neighborhood and community by walling yourself off behind armor.

However, if this company wants to sell it go for it. If a police dept feels they need one they can buy it. What's dumb is us armchair Quarterbacks thinking we knoe whats best for the specific needs of the actual depts.

Unless you've dedicated years either in actual practice or you are a dedicated law enforcement academic who's published scientific journals, we have no idea
 
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We have one of those Bearcat turds at our Sheriff's Office. V-10, expensive and slow. Rated for a .50 Cal. Yeah, the gas cap cover is 1/16 inch steel. A API round will make it go boom. Should have gone diesel, but "it's too noisy to sneak up on a warrant breach." We could have purchased an MRAP for 1/3 the cost and done the same job.
 
Do we really want the local cops to roll around like they would in some novel of a dystopian future?
I don't think so.
Should urban police forces and county sheriff's departments have one of them between them for those once in a decade occasions where such a thing might be useful?
Sure.
We don't, however, need to further militarize the police. Doing so dehumanizes them and makes of them psychologically easier targets.
Law enforcement personnel are people, just like those they serve.
The last thing we should want to do is further dehumanize them.
Community based policing works well on many levels and the community can identify to the police the real bad boys and crazies but will do so only if they trust the local law.
 
Special use only. SWAT call outs, barricaded armed person, etc. I'm not in favor of using them in crowd ctrl scenarios unless it becomes really hairy. Should be kept on ready-five assist/reserve if there is a large scale civil disobedience going on, but kept out of sight on the down low until needed. Our PD has a Bearcat, which is same or similar. We also have a few former Brinks armored trucks that were donated and have been re-purposed as tactical response, special situations, etc. All of it is kept in the Bat Cave (our slang for that building). Some surplus HUMVEE's as well, mainly as inclimate weather vehicles, flood response, etc. Not as tactical response, the HUMVEE's.

'Nother thing, those things aren't cheap and tax dollars are in short supply (as they should be). Lot of dept's can afford none or one at most.
 
I don't see how a small town or city could justify that white elephant, let alone a fleet of them. How many kevlar vests and protective gear could you get instead?
 
My PD has had better luck with a smaller, friendlier approach

Bringing back the NCO, and more neighborhood cops on the beat has improved relations

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews...able-attention/

That's not to say a vehicle like this isn't needed (we have a few), but it's a last resort

Strategic Response and Counter Terrorism have a few vehicles like these

The money was better spent on upgrading vests, and bullet proof glass/door panels on all cruisers
 
These are good supplemental vehicles; they come in handy in SWAT situations.

But no department needs a fleet full of these. Sedans do a great job 99% of the time.

Many departments work in cooperatives to help pool resources and save money. In large metropolitan areas, there's enough tax base to afford things like armored vehicles, helicoptors, boats, etc. But smaller communities need to pair-up and pick a specialty.

For example, in a moderate size county, there may be a total of 8 LEO agencies. One might have a SWAT team. One a dive team. A few may have K-9. One may specialize in victim assistance. Etc....

So perhaps one armored vehicle per community is enough for smaller populations. Larger populations would need a few.

But no one needs a fleet of them.
 
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