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.
Growing policed state? Aren’t most major cities cutting back of police forces cause they have no money to pay people? It’s cheaper to buy gear, then it is to train, equip, and insure one cop.
This is wrong for police to have these thing.
Dear LIBTARDS next time you get robbed or something bad happens…CALL A THUG, I mean since COPS are so bad, There are 2 types of people who hate cops..1) Lazy ass punks who just want to get high and live in MOMMYS basement…2) Wanna-be boys WHO AREN’T man enough not only to be a cop, BUT MAN ENOUGH TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY….Kills me how you ( excuse me ladies ) BITCHES are so tough behind a computer screen but face to face you can’t fight because one of your hands needs to hold up those pants mommy bought you that are 6 sizes too big BUT!!!! your a follower as you will be your whole life and the other searching the front of your pants for your needle dick…..Kills me I remember some TOUGH GUY bragging what a man he was ..well after awhile we set him up and a woman who also thought he was a LOSER invited him to a gathering…I felt bad because this WANNA BE was crying when confronted,,,needless to say not only did he cease to run his mouth he never came back online to be a WANNA BE TOUGH GUY…..Heres a thought to you followers who wear your pants the same way GAY MEN IN PRISON wear them because it is a prison symbol ..mmm LOL it means dumbasses REAR ENTRANCE NOW OPEN…so next time you leave your house with those DO ME pants on at least save yourself some pain and take baby oil with you….
whoo lovely vehicle
Richard, if we take out the words “Mine Resistant” will you sleep easier? Jeez… just because it was used in the military doesn’t mean its going to be used to start a war on our homeland.
Hey Chris where and when did you help field test the HUMMERS? They were tested here in MD at Aberdeen Proving grounds and the 818 th main bt was first in entire military to get them….I don’t recall ever hearing your name and I just looked through rosters and NOPE your names not there….did you use another name?…. And the POLICE should get any material not being used by the military,,,or would they be better off left where the TERRORIST can use them…I swear there are SO MANY wanna be’s here….Glad I am the only one who developed the space shuttle program and STAR WARS satsyst…
Guess what people!! If you wanted an armored car or truck you can buy one no problems. Think, there are three companies that would be happy to armor your car or truck to withstand up to an RPG attack and, it’s totally legal.
Good the people who protect and serve need protection from street predictors!
Gearing up for what I wonder?
YEA !!! The average person can’t afford a armored car .