Bad News Bears - Granite Grok

Bad News Bears

The LENCO Bearcat Armored Law Enforcement Tactical vehicle.  Seats 10-12 fully-equipped officers.   Price tag approximately $285,000.

LENCO Berarcat Law Enforcement Vehicle

Used to be, only the large urban metropolitan areas had a SWAT team.  Then, smaller cities got them.  Now, many small and medium-sized towns are thinking about it, working to raise the funds to buy gear, equipment, and weapons.

One has to ask: Why and what are they preparing for?

And why does Concord, NH need one of these?

 

Thinking back to the 1940’s, we had Civil Patrols, where people (those who were not out fighting the war) carried flashlights, night sticks, wore helmets, and were ready to blow their whistle at the first sight of a German or Japanese soldier, plane, or submarine.

Now, we have Law Enforcement units, from Homeland Security down to the MBTA Transit Police and small New England Towns (or regional areas) that are better equipped than most PFCs heading into the field in Afghanistan.

And these units seem to be dovetailing, creating an operationally-integrated tactical force….just in case.

And the Concord, NH Police Chief doesn’t want to miss the boat.

This week, the Concord City Council met to discuss the acquisition of a LENCO Bearcat for our fine Capital City.  Skip reported here that Concord Police Chief John Duval thinks he needs one of these sweet vehicles to respond to the “domestic type” of terrorism that lurks around every corner.  So, there we have it – apparently Police Chiefs in NH cities and towns are now worried about “sovereign citizens” rising up against the establishment, raising all sorts of hell.

Well, they just upped the ante, didn’t they?  Oh, and if Progressives are thinking, “Good! this will stop the Tea Party” keep in mind that, once again, YOU will be the minority voice and you will whine (and perhaps even protest) about how the “evil Conservative” President is saving this country from your destructive mayhem – and YOU may be the threat that these Police Chiefs see (these vehicles will still be in their arsenal) because tyranny has no Party affiliation.

The Concord City Council was apparently a bit overwhelmed by the public testimony (against acquiring the vehicle) and delayed voting on accepting the insidious Federal Grant ($34 Billion dispersed to local Law Enforcement since 2001) to purchase the vehicle.  The follow-up hearing is in Concord, scheduled for September 9th, 2013 (details here – you might want to make plans to attend).

Here is a sampling of the fine testimony given by the people that Chief Duval perceives as a potential “threat”:

Oh, and if that weren’t bad enough, someone was able to quickly put together a list of links that show the same thought process (and acquisition of tactical vehicles) taking place (or already taken place) around the United States (see below).

Through the Posse Comitatus Act, passed in 1878, Federal law prevents the US Military from being used to occupy US Soil and enforce State laws, without Congressional exception.  In 2007, Congress ceded this authority, passing NDAA 2007, which was signed by President GW Bush, returning this authority to the Executive Branch.  But in 2008, this provision was repealed back to the original Insurrection/Posse Comitatus Act.  However, in 2012, Congress seems to have ceded  that authority once again (thanks Kelly Ayotte) passing NDAA 2012, which was signed by President Obama.

With the power of NDAA 2012, plus the burgeoning growth and interlocking nature of these tactical units across the United States (remember, these are mostly non-Federal, non-Military units, wink-wink), the President, whoever he or she happens to be, will have massive power and ability to stop anything, foreign or domestic – regardless of the Constitutional provisions that protect the right of these insurgents citizens to assemble and protest.

I don’t like the feeling that I’m getting lately, wondering which direction these LEO personnel will shoot, when given the order to “restore domestic tranquility“.

Domestic Military indeed — hello, Oathkeepers.

A small sampling of recent or planned Bearcat acquisitions around the country:

Concord, NH

Keene, NH

Portland, ME

Midland, TX

Syracuse, NY

St. Mary’s County, MD

Charleston, WV

Warner Robbins, GA

Yakima, WA

Fargo, ND

Tyler, TX

Parkersburg, WV

Columbia, MO

West Palm Beach, FL

Tampa, FL

Dunwoody, GA

Marin County, CA

Tracy, CA

Winston-Salem, NC

San Mateo County, CA

Denver, CO

Casa Grande, AZ

San Jose, CA

Bakersfield, CA

Davie, FL

El Dorado, CA

York County, PA

Berkeley, CA

New Haven, CT

La Mesa, CA

(main image from : http://www.lencoarmor.com)

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