Feds say Arpaio violated civil rights

[Zoupa]

Can anyone explain the artillery? how does that pass budget?

[Razgovory]

Conceal and carry laws.

[KRonn]

Conceal and carry laws.

Yep, he conceals that artillery piece in his tank.

[Razgovory]

It's a self propelled gun.  Not a tank.   

Seriously though, I have no idea where he got it.  I know the Feds and some police departments have bought army surplus vehicles, but usually those are like M113s or something.  Even those are excessive, unless you plan to apprehend a suspect over broken terrain and trenchs.

[Habbaku]

I know the Feds and some police departments have bought army surplus vehicles, but usually those are like M113s or something.  Even those are excessive, unless you plan to apprehend a suspect over broken terrain and trenchs.

Unfortunately, this isn't a trend I see decreasing.  Indeed, this year saw a record for military-surplus transfers to police departments nationwide :

http://ceinquiry.us/2011-12-05-leso-record

[Razgovory]

I can see an armored car or wheeled APC for some extreme circumstances (though they are rare).  Tracked vehicles are expensive to operate.  They eat up parts and gas at an astonishing rate.  They also require special driver training.  Using a SPA piece to break up a suspect cockfighting ring is wasteful.  Unless there are some really big cocks in there.

[DontSayBanana]

I can see an armored car or wheeled APC for some extreme circumstances (though they are rare).  Tracked vehicles are expensive to operate.  They eat up parts and gas at an astonishing rate.  They also require special driver training.  Using a SPA piece to break up a suspect cockfighting ring is wasteful.  Unless there are some really big cocks in there.

Automatic weapons, too.  I dunno about your neck of the woods, but medium- and high-level drug operators around here tend to be pretty well-armed.

[Neil]

Being armed in such a way as to take on the Army is their constitutional right.

[DontSayBanana]

Being armed in such a way as to take on the Army is their constitutional right.

I believe Arpaio's line of reasoning is that it's a citizen's right, and these people aren't citizens.

[Sheilbh]

Unfortunately, this isn't a trend I see decreasing.  Indeed, this year saw a record for military-surplus transfers to police departments nationwide :

http://ceinquiry.us/2011-12-05-leso-record

  They're not paramilitary or occupying forces

[Valmy]

Crazy power-hungry attention whore guy doesn't care about doing the unglamorous parts of his job like minding civil rights?  Shocking.

[Valmy]

Unfortunately, this isn't a trend I see decreasing.  Indeed, this year saw a record for military-surplus transfers to police departments nationwide :

And here we find out why police departments nationwide are so broke.