MASON CITY – The war on crime in North Iowa has reached a new level, as Mason City police said Friday that they now have acquired a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle through a federal government program.
“Yes the MCPD did recently acquire a MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle from the Section 1033 Program through the Federal Excess Property Management Program,” a Mason City police department spokesman said. “The MRAP arrived in Mason City near the end of March 2014. The MRAP is basically Department of Defense property loaned out to certain law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes. Because it is loaned to law enforcement agencies, there was no acquisition cost. At any time, the Department of Defense can recall the vehicle or items loaned. We do expect some minor costs to equip it with flashing lights, maintenance, etc.”
The officer said that the new MRAP “provides us more options to respond to dangerous incidents than what we previously had. The MRAP may also be used to assist other law enforcement agencies on high-risk incidents.”
The MCPD invited media to come to the police department headquarters to view and take photos of the MRAP vehicle.
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Why dont they see if they can loan a m1a1 abrams? That would blow that mrap to crap. Dont they have like a retired british ferret in use already? Maybe they think taliban has come to mason city.
This is how it really is
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What an absolute joke.
The militarization of local police departments is not a joke, but the law enforcement hogs-feeding-at-the-public-trough certainly is.
Will we get to see Frank Sterns dressed out in fatigues manning the top gunning turret with headphones on?
I can’t believe what I’m hearing! What a bunch of little wussies! We need to put a battery ram on this bad boy and KILL, KILL, KILL!
I’ve got your nuisance ordinance right here pal! Can you imagine this baby parked on the North End on Saturday night?
I can see some military equipment applications for civilian law enforcement, but this is definitely not one of them.
Some comments on the MRAP’s, check out the fuel mileage among others.
Poor maneuverability makes it difficult, sometimes impossible to use in an urban environment.
Poor off-road performance
Prone to tipping
70% of world’s bridges can’t hold MRAPs
Too wide for many roads
High fuel consumption—approximately 3 mpg
OK, this is the plan. We take the biggest bully’s from high school and make them cops. Then we add a bunch of ex-military personal with PTSD issues. Then we load em up in this vehicle and turn em loose on the public. Sound like a plan? It’s a done deal.
they can park it next to the patrol cars they do not use
I think they should have turned this loan down. While it’s good for the US military to have the local communities pay to keep their vehicles maintained and in working order, I don’t see it as anything but an unneeded expense on the local taxes.
USMCSSC says, “Now put a heavy duty blade on the front and when people wont come out of their hiding place, start to knock it down.”
He’s military, HE KNOWS that breaching the door with a battering ram when issuing search warrants is not enough. What we need to do is knock the place down and kill everyone inside. This is a war between the police and the public. Semper Fi.
Law enforcement NEEDS a vehicle like this. You never know when some pot user is going to landmine his property or ambush law enforcement. The police need to be prepared. Also we are hiring many returning vets as police and they need to feel at home in this country again. They need to feel like their is an enemy out there and there is and that enemy is us.