S.C. Sheriff's Department Armored Vehicle with Belt-Fed Machine Gun

[4sarge]

S.C. Sheriff's Department Armored Vehicle with Belt-Fed Machine Gun

The Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff's Department has acquired an armored personnel carrier complete with a turret-mounted .50-caliber belt-fed machine gun for its Special Response Team.

Sheriff Leon Lott told the Columbia State newspaper that he hoped the vehicle, named "The Peacemaker," would let the bad guys know that his officers are serious.

"We don't look at this as a killing machine," Lott told the paper. "It's going to keep the peace. We hope the fact that we have this is going to save lives. When something like this rolls up, it's time to give up."

The Peacemaker has a top speed of 30 mph.

 

[Crystalship1]

Hmmm....... I hope it's a small county with a vehicle that had a top speed of 30!!!!

 

[turnandshoot4]

Crowd control.

 

[esigler]

I give up too!

 

[4sarge]

Crowd control.

Must be Expecting a Very, Very, Tough Crowd

 

[turnandshoot4]

Or a VERY VERY large one

 

[techres]

Read about it before, army surplus, partly supplied with anti-terror $'s. And the militarization of the police continues. Yeah, local LEO's need an APC, not to protect LEO's in an extraction or to track through the snow to the Hospital during a blizzard. Nope, the hope is to get something that will "scare" people into submission.

Great plan there lou.

Same as the Sherrifs who went in to take all those mormon kids, just with a M2 added in:

 

[turnandshoot4]

Come on now, they need that because the bad guys have them!

 

[jblomenberg16]

Heck, you know if a good guy like me had the means for an APC, like a Bradley, with a Ma-Duece on the top of it, you'd better believe I'd have one too!!

BTW, I think the Bradley can hit like 40+mph or so. That Cummins diesel can really get that sucker humming!

Now, does the Sheriffs dept need one? I dunno. I would hope that in addition for "Peace Making" it could be used for Peaceful aid to the citizens of the county, such as safely moving them from a disaster area, etc.

 

[haldir]

Should be handy to set fire to some separatist compound somewhere full of women and children.

 

[Ashkelon]

Richland County?

Notice how all of these vehicles have funding through Homeland Security? Local law enforcement always has their hands outstretched for the dollars and toys but wait until they are called upon to turn them upon their neighbors, babysitters, friends etc. Very disturbing the reliance local law enforcement has begin upon federal dollars. Kinda like a junky -- get a taste of my cool stuff and then you think you can't do without it. hmm

 

[Integraholic]

Wait wait wait. You mean to tell me having overwhelming firepower deters crime? Who knew?

 

[Ashkelon]

The problem is ridiculous "monster truck" projects like this wind up sitting in parking lots behind the jail rather than having any impact on crime stats. Our road officers make do with old and inadequate equipment for their day to day work but we have the Stripes Urban Assault Vehicles looking cool

 

[Flintlock]

Oh that's nothing a few rounds of armor piercing 30-06 can't take out!

 

[Prometheus]

Exactly when in the history of law enforcement has a belt fed 50 caliber weapon ever been needed?

I can theoretically envision a time where they would HAVE to have an APC... however I can NEVER envision a scenario where they would need a belt fed 50 cal. Ever.

Time for the people of SC to fire that sheriff and replace him with someone who'll get rid of the 50 cal post haste.

 

[NateIU10]

Heck, you know if a good guy like me had the means for an APC, like a Bradley, with a Ma-Duece on the top of it, you'd better believe I'd have one too!!

BTW, I think the Bradley can hit like 40+mph or so. That Cummins diesel can really get that sucker humming!

Now, does the Sheriffs dept need one? I dunno. I would hope that in addition for "Peace Making" it could be used for Peaceful aid to the citizens of the county, such as safely moving them from a disaster area, etc.

"Cummins" "sucker" and "humming" should NEVER be used in the same sentence

Bureaucrats are profit maximizers, and the higher ups in the police agencies show this often. They spend every penny they get in order to get more next year, even if they don't really "need" it.

 

[dburkhead]

Exactly when in the history of law enforcement has a belt fed 50 caliber weapon ever been needed?

I can theoretically envision a time where they would HAVE to have an APC... however I can NEVER envision a scenario where they would need a belt fed 50 cal. Ever.

Time for the people of SC to fire that sheriff and replace him with someone who'll get rid of the 50 cal post haste.

QFT

 

[NateIU10]

Time for the people of SC to fire that sheriff and replace him with someone who'll get rid of the 50 cal post haste.

At public auction preferably

 

[turnandshoot4]

What do any of the LEO's think about this?

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Amazing how a .50 cal. on top of an armored vehicle is considered a "deterrent", but my .40 cal. properly holstered and legally carried will cause blood to flow in the streets and mayhem in general.

Huh. Who'd a thunk it?