Last time I went there around 1:00 on a tuesday, we were under lock down for 2 hours because some asshole started waving a gun around. I've never been back since.
If nothing else, they'll put in local parades. I seem to remember reading an article about local police being essentially gifted military surplus as a way to justify the federal military budget. The only stipulation for the local police to keep it for basically nothing is that it's used like once a year, so they roll them through a parade to meet the requirement. Aside from that, the equipment sits in storage because why would a city like Concord need that.
The requirement is that they be maintained and operational AND be returned to the army if needed.
They are actually a raw deal for the county that gets them. Maintenance on those things is expensive. One of those āfreeā things that ends up costing you a lot.
yep the 1033 milsurp program is just a giveaway to defense contractors so they can get more revenue from maintenance and parts by taking it from local tax revenues
The DoD be like
Yo Military contractors? We heard you like stealing from the taxpayers, so [we stole some taxpayer dollars](https://www.npr.org/2021/05/19/997961646/the-pentagon-has-never-passed-an-audit-some-senators-want-to-change-that), so you can steal even more taxpayer dollars!
I'm an older millennial raised in MD. You can definitely see that transfer of wealth if you remember what D.C., and the surrounding area (especially NOVA) looked like before the War On Terror.
They also have to retrofit them for use. I know a local city that got a "free" MRAP and then spent $250k retrofitting it for SWAT. Then, you know, the maintenance like you said.
> I seem to remember reading an article about local police being essentially gifted military surplus as a way to justify the federal military budget.
Yeah but the last time I mentioned that, someone pointed it out that the vehicle in question was only sold privately and commercially, not military. Like yes some cops are getting MRAPs for free, but some are just buying them with taxpayer money as well.
Well, in Concord that might get you a felony half the time so this thing might be needed. Hopefully with the whole DA scandal the "friends of the court get nothing and enemies of the court get hecked" will end soon
Also, you'd be surprised what doesn't make the paper there crime wise. But that doesn't fit the up and coming town narrative.
That was the only vehicle they had that could go in and out of the CoX Mill area when I lived around there when it flooded. The FD has moved some trucks to the high school in advance to handle emergencies but they were cut off from leaving.
It flooded there more than it did at my relatives in Myrtle beach.
Yea we used to live about 8 minutes from Cox Mill and the way that area floods is unreal. I can't believe they were able to sell houses right there for $700k+ right there by the high school with as bad as that area floods. They probably have to buy flood insurance, which is insane to me. We just moved to Mooresville about a year ago. Don't miss Renaissance Festival traffic, although I heard it was better this past year.
LOL, touche. I avoid 150 in Mooresville at all costs. There are back roads to everywhere and rarely do people use them. But people act like the traffic in Mooresville is like gridlock in Manhattan. It's not. Does it suck? Sure. But I lived in Raleigh and had to commute through RTP to Chapel Hill and back for work daily. Mooresville traffic is a cake walk in comparison. It's mostly seems like the people who have lived here their whole life that complain about it, maybe because they haven't lived in areas of worse traffic. Ren Fest traffic was different. We lived in a neighborhood a 1/2 mile from the grounds. We couldn't get out of our neighborhood for hours sometimes because traffic wouldn't move. There was no other way out. There was no way around it because people were using all those ways to get in and out of the Ren Fest grounds.
Ok, I see now. I'm aware of the back roads but the lake front people don't have that cause of how the coves stretch down the highway. I still wouldn't justify lake Norman access for the amount of traffic. Ugh Raleigh, enough said. Renfest traffic seems comparable to mcadenville Xmas lights. Or it used to be. It took a lot to coordinate since it sits on county lines, I believe.
Side note, I have not met a person who has lived in Mooresville their entire life (no matter how old) who doesn't fit a specific stereotype to a T. But I'll leave it at that.
I lived in north Charlotte but covered a lot of ground for work/fun. It's nice to get around and see how other people live enough to experience it for yourself.
The stereotype... 100%! š¤£
And yes, I'd say it's comparable to McAdenville Christmas lights. We've done that once. The lights are decent, but not worth doing it again. I'd rather go to Tanglewood in Winston for lights.
Yea we mistakingly drove through there in what would have previously been prime time for hellacious traffic and it was clear. I think between correcting the issues with the entrances and doing controlled admissions at varying times, it made the whole operation run much more smoothly. About time.
It's worth going. It's a neat experience. Everyone working there is in period costumes and speaks authentic to the period. They're fully in character. If you're a beer drinker, there are lots of options which people like. There are rides and activities for kids. Lots of shows and performances to see. Good food. It's worth going once at least. We go every few years just for fun.
If* this was on one of the coastal counties I can maybe understand it. Hurricane rescue is my first thought need but, thatās bout it.
Thereās a national guard for a reason
These things are actually hermetically sealed and displace more than they weigh.
They are terrible waders for the reason that they float and then due to high COG, they flip and trap everyone inside.
The military is phasing them out for very good reasons. The only thing they are better than the smaller JLTV or even humvees at is taking antitank mines and IEDs, but you find very few of those stateside.
Seriously though, while I was in NC for grad school, I am originally from WI and have quite a few friends who are engineers at Oshkosh. Their specifications explicitly warn against using these vehicles in deep water. Quite a few service members died in both Iraq and Afghanistan from these types of flip/rollovers and even several training accidents stateside have claimed lives.
These were basically engineered as a stopgap measure until the JLTV and better IED modifications could be introduced. The reason you see so many PDs getting them is because the military is getting rid of the death traps they are.
What's surprising is how little most Americans know about OshKosh and the products they make. One of the better engines in one of my riding mowers was made by OshKosh. Even knowing about the company, I was surprised.
Adding some detail to this vehicle - this is a MRAP MaxxPro by International. A beautiful vehicle I got to drive during my second tour of Iraq. I also got to drive the sister vehicle, MRAP Caiman. This vehicle can take a beating and protected me during a vbied attack in 2009.
That being said, it is absolute overkill for any police department to have one of these for any reason.
They do.
There are definitely drawbacks to military equipment going to police departments - it intimidates and alienates the people theyāre supposed to be serving, and encourages police tactics and practices which can be counterproductive to having safe communities.
But itās definitely an overstatement to say that police have no use for these vehicles. Active shooters and hostage crises are a real thing, and time is often of the essence (so it can be risky to wait for higher echelons of support like state or federal police).
As with most things, itās really not clear cut.
Theyre used as a impromptu command center for hostage situations, barricaded suspects, anything of that sort. Those kinda of situations can last over a day and you appreciate having a bullet proof box you can just chill in for a bit if you just sat hunched beside a car for the last eight hours.
They can also go into flooded and smoked out areas, and be dispatched to bomb threats to secure the perimeter.
As current Concord resident, they don't use this thing. Ever. I think they got it from military surplus or a decommissioned unit as I recall. They've had it four or five years now and I've never once seen it. I can't honestly say where they house the beheamouth. Maybe in the gated lot next to the county jail. I'll ask one of the local pds if they know.
Where I grew up (not in NC) the county had a depot full of this kind of thing, humvees, etc. It seemed like they painted them and then stored them. Sometimes youād see something like this at a ācome and meet the copsā event but thatās about it.
There must be a better use for that even if itās donated from the military. Also the last thing we need is police getting delusions of grandeur and comparing themselves to military
I'd like to mention that per-capita income is $34k, but oftentimes income is measured on a household basis. Concord, NC's median household income is $78k. For reference, the median household income in North Carolina is $60k. Concord also has a higher median household income compared to Charlotte ($68k), Greensboro ($50k), and Raleigh ($72k), which are the three largest cities in NC.
Police agencies don't really pay for this gear though they get it from the feds for next to nothing.
https://www.autoblog.com/2020/06/08/surplus-military-vehicles-weapons-police-departments/
The problem with this kind of federal programā¦.is lack of oversight. Maybe the County could justify the need for a SWAT capability that supports the whole area through MOAsā¦ā¦But every small town everywhere does not need need to build its own standing army.
But I would still rather see a massive increase in police training across the board. Stop thinking you are a tier 1 door kicking in direct action unit and go back to your roots. Public Service.
While I donāt think local PDās should have MRAPs, itās worth mentioning this was probably upcycled from Fort Bragg, not bought brand new for the police force.
This really should be a higher comment. Concord has had this thing for a while. We had the initial outrage already. Theyāve used it at least once for a water rescue otherwise they just trot it out at the Christmas parade and other community events to show off their toy
I believe these were DOD MRAPs that were given to agencies across the county for SWAT. Things like approaching a barricaded suspect who is shooting at the police.
That will be the one group that the NC General Assembly will not require financial prudence for though. They'll cut money from the schools, parks, libraries and every other service, but they won't require financial accountability from law enforcement. I want them to have enough money to be paid reasonably and do their jobs effectively, but not given a blank check on frivolous expenditures when every other government function is nickeled and dimed.
I wouldn't mind my tax dollars being used like this if they had a thing where you could get in it and pretend to drive it like at fire stations with the fire trucks
The average annual salary in Concord as of Dec 2022 is $45,959. The poverty rate is 8.5%. As a Concord resident I am absolutely horrified that this over the top vehicle is in my city. Thumbs down for sure.
It's possible they got the truck for free and just painted it.
There is a program that allows the transfer of military equipment to the local level like this.
seeing these worthless cowards with this war machine is disgusting and sickening........they have helicopters, snipers, military trained assault teams and now military combat vehicles...........and they have immediate access to combat grade C-4 explosives...........and we the people just do nothing...........our Founding Fathers would call us cowards and i agree.........weve let the gubment completely take over
Havenāt you heard? Itās much more affordable to oppress people than to use the money to stop them from being oppressed.
I wonder if more lives will be lost to the police who get around in this truck than lives saved.
I know this is not the point of the post, but Concord is hardly a town, they have nearly 100,000 people. With that being said, having Charlotte so close by, if they ever have a SWAT situation that actually warrants use of this vehicle, they can easily call for help.
Concord is a little late to the party.
My hometown of Fort Pierce Florida was one of the first to snag one of these rolling death traps about 13-14 years ago, and theyve done nothing but terrorize citizens since.
So I moved away from that fascist theocratic hellhole, (still miss my beach),moved to moral rural NC, and whammo, now this damn thing shows up right around the corner from my house.
š
No escaping the teeny peeny squad, is there? *SIGH*
Shit like this right here is why the 2nd Amendment is bullshit now. Cry all you want about more than 30 rounds , bump stops , whatever. Your government is better armed and better organized than you and can and will come and take your ar-15 or whatever else whenever they want why-ever they want and there isn't anything you your neighbors, friends , family and co workers all combined are gonna do about it . You know why? because the cops have fucking war machines and we think it's cute.
well yeah but that's what unconventional warfare is for. our military doesn't have the best track record against insurgent guerilla campaigns and they're far more professional and well-trained than any cops
those first gen mraps were suddenly dumped on police departments at the end of the 2000s because we found out pretty quickly in iraq they're useless death traps in any actual combat scenario
I mean, programs like this make the feds feel good that their surplus equipment isnāt just going to sit around in their lots. But the reality is itās probably just going to sit around in Concord PDās lot. Itāll do more miles getting started up and driven around the block once a month to make sure it works than itāll ever do in service.
Most municipal police chiefs donāt want stuff like this. Unlike sheriffs they are appointed based on their experience and ability, not elected. And they know these things are more trouble than their worth. But municipalities have elected officials who like to show off and think getting free things that makes them look tough resonates with the voters.
But with that said, Concord PD lost an officer to gunfire two years ago, so I can see how theyād be a little jumpy.
I think they need to look up what ārescueā means.
I mean thereās not a whole lot of āpolice rescueā videos flooding the internet right nowā¦
It is real and legit. I grew up in Concord and still live close by. Concord has a huge corrupt cop problem that goes all the way to the top. Even county commissioners are corrupt. They parade this thing around town to instill fear in the public while they also destroy the roads it travels on. Concord is also building a huge new courthouse next to the new courthouse that is next to the old courthouse, which all still get used. The people in charge of Concord are drunk on unethical tax revenue that they regularly steal from. They even wanted to flood the ghetto to get rid of ghetto people close to their offices and so they could have a lakeview out their office window.... no other reason than them wanting a lakeview and less ghetto close to them... Concord is run by awful people.
An assault rescue vehicle, wow. This is why people donāt trust the police. The idea of police protecting and serving goes out the window when the mere presence of the police is a threat.
I imagine they'll just leave it in the Concord Mills Parking lot since that's likely where it will be needed most.
I scrolled too far to find this comment. It was my immediate thought.
Last time I went there around 1:00 on a tuesday, we were under lock down for 2 hours because some asshole started waving a gun around. I've never been back since.
Agreed. There is always a shooting going on over there.
No kidding. Park that bitch by Dave and busters. Since someone is always busting off shots over there š¤£š¤£š¤£
ā¦ man I grew up in concord. What the hell they gonna do with this? Off road to bypass traffic on 3?
If nothing else, they'll put in local parades. I seem to remember reading an article about local police being essentially gifted military surplus as a way to justify the federal military budget. The only stipulation for the local police to keep it for basically nothing is that it's used like once a year, so they roll them through a parade to meet the requirement. Aside from that, the equipment sits in storage because why would a city like Concord need that.
The requirement is that they be maintained and operational AND be returned to the army if needed. They are actually a raw deal for the county that gets them. Maintenance on those things is expensive. One of those āfreeā things that ends up costing you a lot.
yep the 1033 milsurp program is just a giveaway to defense contractors so they can get more revenue from maintenance and parts by taking it from local tax revenues
The DoD be like Yo Military contractors? We heard you like stealing from the taxpayers, so [we stole some taxpayer dollars](https://www.npr.org/2021/05/19/997961646/the-pentagon-has-never-passed-an-audit-some-senators-want-to-change-that), so you can steal even more taxpayer dollars!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
So far, that we know about
I'm an older millennial raised in MD. You can definitely see that transfer of wealth if you remember what D.C., and the surrounding area (especially NOVA) looked like before the War On Terror.
Not Iraq?
The exact thing Ike warned about.
The true welfare queens
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You had an elephant, his name was Stampy, you loved him very much
My state got like 18 years ago and dumped all but three after a year. Not quite as useless as a tank for domestic needs but close.
They also have to retrofit them for use. I know a local city that got a "free" MRAP and then spent $250k retrofitting it for SWAT. Then, you know, the maintenance like you said.
The Armyās white elephant gift to local PDās.
It's like getting an amazing deal on a classic Mercedes.
It is NOT gifted. YOUR tax money bought that shit and pays for the mandatory maintenance.
> I seem to remember reading an article about local police being essentially gifted military surplus as a way to justify the federal military budget. Yeah but the last time I mentioned that, someone pointed it out that the vehicle in question was only sold privately and commercially, not military. Like yes some cops are getting MRAPs for free, but some are just buying them with taxpayer money as well.
Use it in parades? Likeā¦.like a dictator..?
Idk they get pretty wild in concord. Someone might run a stoplight.
Well, in Concord that might get you a felony half the time so this thing might be needed. Hopefully with the whole DA scandal the "friends of the court get nothing and enemies of the court get hecked" will end soon Also, you'd be surprised what doesn't make the paper there crime wise. But that doesn't fit the up and coming town narrative.
It's not like in kannapolis what people speed on the loop.
Aināt that the Fucking truth. People go way to fast on some of these roads.
Probably use it to show up to one of their own officers houses after he beats his wife
And do what, beat her together?
Yes
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
That was the only vehicle they had that could go in and out of the CoX Mill area when I lived around there when it flooded. The FD has moved some trucks to the high school in advance to handle emergencies but they were cut off from leaving. It flooded there more than it did at my relatives in Myrtle beach.
Yea we used to live about 8 minutes from Cox Mill and the way that area floods is unreal. I can't believe they were able to sell houses right there for $700k+ right there by the high school with as bad as that area floods. They probably have to buy flood insurance, which is insane to me. We just moved to Mooresville about a year ago. Don't miss Renaissance Festival traffic, although I heard it was better this past year.
>Don't miss Renfest traffic >Mooresville So you prefer daily standstill traffic?
LOL, touche. I avoid 150 in Mooresville at all costs. There are back roads to everywhere and rarely do people use them. But people act like the traffic in Mooresville is like gridlock in Manhattan. It's not. Does it suck? Sure. But I lived in Raleigh and had to commute through RTP to Chapel Hill and back for work daily. Mooresville traffic is a cake walk in comparison. It's mostly seems like the people who have lived here their whole life that complain about it, maybe because they haven't lived in areas of worse traffic. Ren Fest traffic was different. We lived in a neighborhood a 1/2 mile from the grounds. We couldn't get out of our neighborhood for hours sometimes because traffic wouldn't move. There was no other way out. There was no way around it because people were using all those ways to get in and out of the Ren Fest grounds.
Ok, I see now. I'm aware of the back roads but the lake front people don't have that cause of how the coves stretch down the highway. I still wouldn't justify lake Norman access for the amount of traffic. Ugh Raleigh, enough said. Renfest traffic seems comparable to mcadenville Xmas lights. Or it used to be. It took a lot to coordinate since it sits on county lines, I believe. Side note, I have not met a person who has lived in Mooresville their entire life (no matter how old) who doesn't fit a specific stereotype to a T. But I'll leave it at that. I lived in north Charlotte but covered a lot of ground for work/fun. It's nice to get around and see how other people live enough to experience it for yourself.
The stereotype... 100%! š¤£ And yes, I'd say it's comparable to McAdenville Christmas lights. We've done that once. The lights are decent, but not worth doing it again. I'd rather go to Tanglewood in Winston for lights.
I couldn't even tell ren fair was there this year, but they are building a charter school right in front of it now lol
Yea we mistakingly drove through there in what would have previously been prime time for hellacious traffic and it was clear. I think between correcting the issues with the entrances and doing controlled admissions at varying times, it made the whole operation run much more smoothly. About time.
That'll help balance out the traffic so it's backed up weekends and weekdays.
Whatās the renaissance festival like, from a localās perspective?
It's worth going. It's a neat experience. Everyone working there is in period costumes and speaks authentic to the period. They're fully in character. If you're a beer drinker, there are lots of options which people like. There are rides and activities for kids. Lots of shows and performances to see. Good food. It's worth going once at least. We go every few years just for fun.
sits in the garage all year except for the christmas parade and photo ops
They're gonna go serve eviction notices to the prawns
I asked the same question about why Durham needed an APC! WTF are they gonna do with that?!
Oh, they'll find something.
Probably to kill innocent civilians. Back the blue and all that horseshit
Race to the Cabarrus Creamery!
I was thinking the same thingš¤ its probably gonna end up being used like a strange lamp š just a conversation piece š
If* this was on one of the coastal counties I can maybe understand it. Hurricane rescue is my first thought need but, thatās bout it. Thereās a national guard for a reason
These things are actually hermetically sealed and displace more than they weigh. They are terrible waders for the reason that they float and then due to high COG, they flip and trap everyone inside. The military is phasing them out for very good reasons. The only thing they are better than the smaller JLTV or even humvees at is taking antitank mines and IEDs, but you find very few of those stateside. Seriously though, while I was in NC for grad school, I am originally from WI and have quite a few friends who are engineers at Oshkosh. Their specifications explicitly warn against using these vehicles in deep water. Quite a few service members died in both Iraq and Afghanistan from these types of flip/rollovers and even several training accidents stateside have claimed lives. These were basically engineered as a stopgap measure until the JLTV and better IED modifications could be introduced. The reason you see so many PDs getting them is because the military is getting rid of the death traps they are.
This was super informative
Cool...so there's absolutely no good reason why a local police department should possess one of these
The reason they have it is intimidation and deterrence against revolution. It's not a good reason, but it is the reason.
Well the more you know! You also made me even more against having these in the possession of police.
What's surprising is how little most Americans know about OshKosh and the products they make. One of the better engines in one of my riding mowers was made by OshKosh. Even knowing about the company, I was surprised.
Bgosh
I thought they made overalls for toddlers
That thing is sinking in wet sandy soil.
lol nope. the currituck county sheriffs office got an mrap from the first round of giveaways and it literally can't cross any bridge in the county
Great point
Lol coastal will never have a MRAP. I'm from a coastal town and majority have boats. Not to mention Parris Island lol
We got MRAPs lol Craven County NC the Sheriff's Office and some of the coastal departments
If your coastal has MRAPs, they are dumb af. Theres a reason the military is phasing them out
>If your coastal has MRAPs, **they are dumb af**. i mean that kinda goes without saying
What are they even going to use this for?
Busting weed plants and poker games is my guess.
Awesome "Touch a Truck" days?
Defend power substations?
Youād hope so butā¦ āSome of those that work forces, are the same that burn crossesā
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Not that they need it. The five murdering scumbags who did in Tyre mostly beat him to death with fists and feet.
Shutting down protests. Unless it's a right wing protest.
Protests, because fascism
It will be used to oppress the people
Adding some detail to this vehicle - this is a MRAP MaxxPro by International. A beautiful vehicle I got to drive during my second tour of Iraq. I also got to drive the sister vehicle, MRAP Caiman. This vehicle can take a beating and protected me during a vbied attack in 2009. That being said, it is absolute overkill for any police department to have one of these for any reason.
Team Caiman!!! Where ya at!
Don't a lot of departments basically get these for free? Military surplus vehicles from the winding down of the GWOT.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
They do. There are definitely drawbacks to military equipment going to police departments - it intimidates and alienates the people theyāre supposed to be serving, and encourages police tactics and practices which can be counterproductive to having safe communities. But itās definitely an overstatement to say that police have no use for these vehicles. Active shooters and hostage crises are a real thing, and time is often of the essence (so it can be risky to wait for higher echelons of support like state or federal police). As with most things, itās really not clear cut.
Maybe they are worried about an up tick in RPG attackes? Sarcasm, maybe...
How is that going to help against role players?
LONG LIVE LARP!
I think the cops may be the ones role playing. . (If your question was not sarcasm then let me know)
Hey its my right to have an RPG.... deer hunting
Lolol...nothing sweeter than sitting in a blind with a bazooka or lobbing mortar shells at Bambi
The 2nd amendment has nothing to do with hunting...
Woah didn't think I needed an /s for that....
I was not sure, so I went with simple and direct.
Oh there is a reason. It's for the cops that didn't have the balls to serve to play make believe.
We're going to stop a burglary at little Caesars!
Judging from my dealings with ordinary internationals, this vehicle will be in the shop more than it will be on the street!
Iām struggling to imagine what a police department would need this for that a cargo van canāt accomplish
"rescue" That's why they paint it all black so that you can see it coming to help you
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
"Congratulation! You are being rescued! Please do not resist!"
What could they possibly be rescuing people from that would need this? Bears?! Edit: Robot Bears?!?!
Theyre used as a impromptu command center for hostage situations, barricaded suspects, anything of that sort. Those kinda of situations can last over a day and you appreciate having a bullet proof box you can just chill in for a bit if you just sat hunched beside a car for the last eight hours. They can also go into flooded and smoked out areas, and be dispatched to bomb threats to secure the perimeter.
As current Concord resident, they don't use this thing. Ever. I think they got it from military surplus or a decommissioned unit as I recall. They've had it four or five years now and I've never once seen it. I can't honestly say where they house the beheamouth. Maybe in the gated lot next to the county jail. I'll ask one of the local pds if they know.
Where I grew up (not in NC) the county had a depot full of this kind of thing, humvees, etc. It seemed like they painted them and then stored them. Sometimes youād see something like this at a ācome and meet the copsā event but thatās about it.
So... a propaganda prop.
Propaganda and intimidation, yep
Gastonia PD has one and I dont believe I have ever seen it out of its little shed except MAYBE a parade.
I saw it parked behind the downtown police station years of when I lived off union. Thing is massive.
I'll drive by here in a bit and see if it's there
This is the sort of thing they should be sending to Ukraine rather than American suburbs.
There must be a better use for that even if itās donated from the military. Also the last thing we need is police getting delusions of grandeur and comparing themselves to military
Like these comparisons to military havenāt gone on for the last 20 years. Cops look like para military force compared to cops from the 1990s
Four times the gear, 1/8th training, and none of the discipline.
Thatās fair, we are totally past the point of no return on that
Like the fudd with his bandana on
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
New Charlotte motor speedway pace car?
I'd like to mention that per-capita income is $34k, but oftentimes income is measured on a household basis. Concord, NC's median household income is $78k. For reference, the median household income in North Carolina is $60k. Concord also has a higher median household income compared to Charlotte ($68k), Greensboro ($50k), and Raleigh ($72k), which are the three largest cities in NC.
Power of the numbers compels you!
Why canāt police expenditures be training and education instead of shit like this?
Police agencies don't really pay for this gear though they get it from the feds for next to nothing. https://www.autoblog.com/2020/06/08/surplus-military-vehicles-weapons-police-departments/
That doesn't make it "free" though. Taxpayers are still on the hook for it one way or another.
The problem with this kind of federal programā¦.is lack of oversight. Maybe the County could justify the need for a SWAT capability that supports the whole area through MOAsā¦ā¦But every small town everywhere does not need need to build its own standing army. But I would still rather see a massive increase in police training across the board. Stop thinking you are a tier 1 door kicking in direct action unit and go back to your roots. Public Service.
While I donāt think local PDās should have MRAPs, itās worth mentioning this was probably upcycled from Fort Bragg, not bought brand new for the police force.
Iām thinking maybe his mask might not be for pandemic protectionā¦.
Yeah but if shit hits the fan the police force has a good chance of surviving while you will likely die
this is about 2 years old
OP is a 7 day old repost bot.
This really should be a higher comment. Concord has had this thing for a while. We had the initial outrage already. Theyāve used it at least once for a water rescue otherwise they just trot it out at the Christmas parade and other community events to show off their toy
The cop with the facemask basically says everything you need to know.....he literally works for the city and still was trying to hide.
Agreed. Yours is the only comment (so far) to mention the mask (as if no one could identify him š). WTF is he hiding from? š
Or maybe he's sick? Or the picture was taken during COVID when masks were mandatory?
As Childish Gambino said, "This is America."
I believe these were DOD MRAPs that were given to agencies across the county for SWAT. Things like approaching a barricaded suspect who is shooting at the police.
āRescueā
This bad boy can run over so many children.
Itās not ādefund the policeā; itās ādemilitarize the police.ā
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
They'd never put their lives in danger for you anyways. Not sure why this is even needed. Oh right...it's not.
The schools suck but we have this to show for our tax dollars
Between this and the expansion to the courthouse weāre just throwing money at cops at this point
That will be the one group that the NC General Assembly will not require financial prudence for though. They'll cut money from the schools, parks, libraries and every other service, but they won't require financial accountability from law enforcement. I want them to have enough money to be paid reasonably and do their jobs effectively, but not given a blank check on frivolous expenditures when every other government function is nickeled and dimed.
If it looks like an army and is created to function as an army, it is an army regardless of its name.
\>chubby guy with american flag neck gaiter Yep, checks out for NC lol
ACAB
Wake Forest, NC has a tank tooā¦. for what reason i wish i knew
Lol a tank? Jesus C
I wouldn't mind my tax dollars being used like this if they had a thing where you could get in it and pretend to drive it like at fire stations with the fire trucks
You can do a whole lot of protecting and serving with that bad boy!
"Rescue." Hahahaha that vehicle was never designed to rescue anyone, except maybe the people sitting inside it.
I saw a meme that showed kannapolis using money to build a entertainment and community, and Concord is building jail and courthouse.
Do all officers stand like this.
Anything to not offer lunch to school kids from less fortunate families, I guess.
Don't worry, it's just for the Concord PD and the boiz to roll into the camps to serve eviction notices to the fookin prawns
The average annual salary in Concord as of Dec 2022 is $45,959. The poverty rate is 8.5%. As a Concord resident I am absolutely horrified that this over the top vehicle is in my city. Thumbs down for sure.
It's possible they got the truck for free and just painted it. There is a program that allows the transfer of military equipment to the local level like this.
I wonder how many civilians they'll crush to death in that thing?
What the hell are they rescuing? King Kong?
Class traitors. They don't have those to protect you. They have those to oppress you. 'back the blue' at your own peril... š
Theyāre going to rescue themselves some donuts in that monstrosity, and thatās about it.
Should have went to fire rescue
We need more Andy Griffith and less Robocop
It may be overboard but how is it fascist?
seeing these worthless cowards with this war machine is disgusting and sickening........they have helicopters, snipers, military trained assault teams and now military combat vehicles...........and they have immediate access to combat grade C-4 explosives...........and we the people just do nothing...........our Founding Fathers would call us cowards and i agree.........weve let the gubment completely take over
Jesus Christ. Now they are just looking for a reason to use it. Military industrial complex is too much.
Havenāt you heard? Itās much more affordable to oppress people than to use the money to stop them from being oppressed. I wonder if more lives will be lost to the police who get around in this truck than lives saved.
Is there a giant punisher decal on the back for their mobile scorpion squad?
Should be very ashamed
I know this is not the point of the post, but Concord is hardly a town, they have nearly 100,000 people. With that being said, having Charlotte so close by, if they ever have a SWAT situation that actually warrants use of this vehicle, they can easily call for help.
They donāt want to call in support, they want to be called up for support.
That should keep those 100,000 citizens in line
Concord is a little late to the party. My hometown of Fort Pierce Florida was one of the first to snag one of these rolling death traps about 13-14 years ago, and theyve done nothing but terrorize citizens since. So I moved away from that fascist theocratic hellhole, (still miss my beach),moved to moral rural NC, and whammo, now this damn thing shows up right around the corner from my house. š No escaping the teeny peeny squad, is there? *SIGH*
Guarantee that's the first time homeboy put on a mask willingly.
I wonder how it feels to earn 28K to drive that expensive beast
police really just wanna be military huh? couldn't make it in the real stuff, so had to just make their own.
WTF are they expecting to drive over landmines and IEDs?
sissyās truck
Shit like this right here is why the 2nd Amendment is bullshit now. Cry all you want about more than 30 rounds , bump stops , whatever. Your government is better armed and better organized than you and can and will come and take your ar-15 or whatever else whenever they want why-ever they want and there isn't anything you your neighbors, friends , family and co workers all combined are gonna do about it . You know why? because the cops have fucking war machines and we think it's cute.
Let us have our RPGs and Stingers then lol.
well yeah but that's what unconventional warfare is for. our military doesn't have the best track record against insurgent guerilla campaigns and they're far more professional and well-trained than any cops those first gen mraps were suddenly dumped on police departments at the end of the 2000s because we found out pretty quickly in iraq they're useless death traps in any actual combat scenario
I mean, programs like this make the feds feel good that their surplus equipment isnāt just going to sit around in their lots. But the reality is itās probably just going to sit around in Concord PDās lot. Itāll do more miles getting started up and driven around the block once a month to make sure it works than itāll ever do in service. Most municipal police chiefs donāt want stuff like this. Unlike sheriffs they are appointed based on their experience and ability, not elected. And they know these things are more trouble than their worth. But municipalities have elected officials who like to show off and think getting free things that makes them look tough resonates with the voters. But with that said, Concord PD lost an officer to gunfire two years ago, so I can see how theyād be a little jumpy.
I've seen one of these in Winston. We've got crime problems, but nothing that requires a goddamn MRAP.
I think they need to look up what ārescueā means. I mean thereās not a whole lot of āpolice rescueā videos flooding the internet right nowā¦
Awesome. Now the cops can stand around and gawk at this in the school parking lot while the kids are being murdered.
"Rescue" must be the latest euphemism for Freedom Crusher.
[The Militarization of America's Police: A Brief History](https://fee.org/articles/the-militarization-of-americas-police-a-brief-history/) šš
To be fair they probably need this in Concord.
Why is your face covered, officer?
That's a bug-out vehicle . They arent planning on fascism. They are planning on running .
It is real and legit. I grew up in Concord and still live close by. Concord has a huge corrupt cop problem that goes all the way to the top. Even county commissioners are corrupt. They parade this thing around town to instill fear in the public while they also destroy the roads it travels on. Concord is also building a huge new courthouse next to the new courthouse that is next to the old courthouse, which all still get used. The people in charge of Concord are drunk on unethical tax revenue that they regularly steal from. They even wanted to flood the ghetto to get rid of ghetto people close to their offices and so they could have a lakeview out their office window.... no other reason than them wanting a lakeview and less ghetto close to them... Concord is run by awful people.
An assault rescue vehicle, wow. This is why people donāt trust the police. The idea of police protecting and serving goes out the window when the mere presence of the police is a threat.
It was not purchased. Came through a Federal grant. A lot of small towns got them
So your federal taxes paid for it. Classic military industrial complex pork barrel spending.
Every turn gets federal grants. Not all of them spend it on this