Walton County Sheriff’s Office Mike Adkinson states that their department just got a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle (MRAP) for “an insurance policy,” in order to keep deputies safe in dangerous situations – citing examples past violence in the country.
However one journalist, Justin King, calls out Adkinson’s claims of violence as over exaggerated, instead stating that the county is virtually crime free.
Walton County Sheriff’s Officer Mike Adkinson denied that the purchase of the vehicle was an attempt to militarize the police department, adding that he wouldn’t let public opinion get in the way of the “safety” of his colleagues.
“This is not the federal government intruding on your civil liberties,” wrote Adkinson in a Facebook post. “Would you really want them sent into harm’s way without the best protection available, simply because the military originally purchased this vehicle?”
This didn’t stop residents expressing their anger at the decision to buy the vehicle, with one commenting that the purchase represented “an offensive intimidation method used to controll [sic] and strike fear.”
Another respondent agreed, remarking, “This doesn’t make the officers safer. All studies show that the more militarized a department becomes, the more often officers get hurt. This is Walton County, Florida, not Iraq, not Afghanistan.”
As Justin King points out, despite Adkinson’s effort to justify the purchase by pointing to examples where cops have had to deal with suspects barricaded inside their homes, Walton is such a peaceful and virtually crime free neighborhood that it was used to represent an idyllic American town in the 1998 movie The Truman Show.
“Walton County is a part of Florida that is so crime free you can leave your doors unlocked. When Hollywood location scouts were looking for a community so perfect that it appeared to be fake, they came to Walton County. The Truman Show, staring Jim Carey, was filmed on location in a small Walton County community,” writes King, accusing the Sheriff’s department of abandoning common sense by purchasing the vehicle and pointing out that it is only likely to spur additional violence.
“This vehicle is an implement of war. It has no place in this county. The decision to bring this to a small community will only increase violence against citizens by creating a combat mindset in deputies. This violence will be returned, and deputies will face violence on a level not seen before in Walton County,” writes King.
It was given to them, likely by the military and FBI trained them to be more militarized. They will find ways to use it…it is a BOY toy, not a police tool
You think their planning for something? Not for our good.
What a waste of money when They can use it for school projects
cut the tax dollars to them and make them maintain it out of their pay then
They need to be able to protect themselves first, they do have families waiting for them scared to death wondering if they are going to get to see their family member again.
I think that every city should strive to protect their law enforcement and peace keeping personnel.
I don’t care how much people complain about their police force, because when the bad guys come calling you’ll be calling the law to come and save your asses.
And if you have enough money you can buy one to.
They can’t never be too careful… If another county needs help, they can be there for them!…OORAH!
The police ARE the bad guys, Lupe!
/What either an ego trip or a bad case of insecurity. Down in Florida with so many illegals it may make them feel better.
They have to be able to protect themselves and me from nutt jobs.