I found myself in somewhat of a pissing match on Instagram with a guy who questioned whether law enforcement agencies really "needed" Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. (aka MRAP) Having been in law enforcement for coming up on 6 years, I find myself siding with my brothers in blue.
The guy I was talking to, let's call him Caleb, suggested that these vehicles tend to scare the general public by making police look more like the military. He also suggested that MRAPs lead to or are directly related to abuse of power. I tried to instruct Caleb on the nuanses of being a police officer and also about MRAPs as the excellent tools they are for protecting officers. Caleb likened these vehicles to tanks and predator drones calling them a clear overstep of authority.
I can see his point a little bit. On one hand SWAT teams have been operating and getting things done for many years without the use of MRAPs. On the other hand, as criminals become better armed and terrorism finds its way to small-town America, why not give our officers the tools that will help them deal more efficiently and safely with these threats?
No one likes to see the world going to hell in a hand basket, but our best wishes do nothing to stop it from happening. I say give law enforcement what they need to deal with the threats they face. To include MRAPs. I have linked an article below that explains why the military gave away so many of these vehicles to law enforcement agencies.
What say you? Comment below.
Repurposed MRAPs Article
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