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

Department of Genocide, Torture, and Tyranny

Thu, 2008-09-04 19:44 — lambert

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."

Alrighty, then.

NOTE Via Avedon.

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Comments

The only comment so far

By bringiton on Thu, 2008-09-04 23:54

is this:

hoovis @ 9/1/2008 3:09 AM
I'm not a member of law enforcement, but a gun enthusiast who frequently checks out the site for its firearms related content (which I think is very good). Anyway, I felt compelled to comment on this article, simply because I don't see any good reason why a police department servicing civilians needs to have an APC in its arsenal. I can really seen no legitimate use for such hardware that wouldn't warrant a call to the National Guard. In what situation would a county police department need to use an APC (complete with a .50 cal machine gun)? For those concerned about the militarization of civilian police forces and the bad things that happen as a result of the use of excess force during (what should be) routine police work, this is disturbing. Thanks - Burt Hoovis

The APCs are used to break down doors and/or walls in drug houses, which are often reinforced with welded steel bars and the occupants armed with machine guns and armor-piercing bullets. If that's a problem in Richland County, which includes Columbia, then maybe a county purchase for shared use is justified.

A .50-cal, however, is just absurd. Can't control them so you just point in the general direction and walk the fire in. The rounds will fly and kill at 4+ miles which should make for some messy collateral in town. Totally stupid purchase for law enforcement.

Too much Homeland Security money, too little sense.

I don't buy it for a minute

By tnjen on Fri, 2008-09-05 02:02

...that they need it. This is a toy for the dept. IMO. It's taxpayer money wasted that'll be used at the range/outdoors for officers to play whenever they want to.

PB 2.0 - Supplement the wonk!