Thanks to Sue Prent for her coverage of the acquisition of riot gear (riots? In St. Albans?) by the St. Albans police department.
The militarization of policing in the United States has gotten some long-overdue attention, and now there is a site where you can see what various police agencies across the country have received. If you go to the site you can see that a lot of it is pretty inoccuous, stuff like computers, cold-weather boots for Alaska and hot-weather boots for Texas, fax machines, boats, medical supplies; maybe my favorite was “karaoke set, complete” for $1,200. Read long enough, though, and you'll also find things like “assault pack”, “armor kit”, hand grenade pouches, different types of guns, ammo, bandoliers, armored cars and trucks.
What I was curious about was what came to Vermont, and I found two separate listings: one is a listing of all the law enforcement agencies that got anything, and the other was the list of equpment sent to Vermont under the 1033 program. Not too many smoking guns (heh!) here, I'm afraid, but maybe someone with more time will come up with more information:
VERMONT BENNINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT WINOOSKI POLICE DEPT
VERMONT HARDWICK POLICE DEPT
VERMONT VT CRIMINAL JUSTICE TRN COUN
VERMONT SHELBURNE POLICE DEPT
VERMONT VERGENNES POLICE DEPT
VERMONT NORTHFIELD POLICE DEPT
VERMONT ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT WINHALL POLICE DEPT
VERMONT LAMOILLE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT RUTLAND POLICE DEPT
VERMONT BRATTLEBORO POLICE DEPT
VERMONT MIDDLEBURY POLICE DEPT
VERMONT RICHMOND POLICE DEPT
VERMONT VT STATE POLICE
VERMONT STOWE POLICE DEPT
VERMONT BRATTLEBORO POLICE DEPT
VERMONT COLCHESTER POLICE DEPT
VERMONT CHITTENDEN COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT SWANTON VILLAGE POLICE DEPT
VERMONT BENNINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
VERMONT BRANDON POLICE DEPT
VERMONT WINDHAM COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT RUTLAND COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT ORLEANS COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT
VERMONT BARRE CITY POLICE DEPT
VERMONT BURLINGTON POLICE DEPT
VERMONT SPRINGFIELD POLICE DEPT
VERMONT DOVER POLICE DEPT
VERMONT WATERBURY POLICE DEPT
VERMONT VT DEPT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
VERMONT VERNON POLICE DEPT
VERMONT ESSEX POLICE DEPT
VERMONT SAINT JOHNSBURY POLICE DEPT
I want a duck boat/truck/whatever. it is a sad statement when the military can only give surplus to some quasi military wannabes….
Not that all our fine folks in blue or black are not good people, but frankly there have been far too many folks getting shot or involuntarily electrocuted or simply getting the shit beaten out of them for good sport in the name of pacification.
It is my opinion that the days of the deescalation cop are gone and replaced far to often by the autocrat with the all powerful badge ready to rip into compliance mode.
Something needs to be dialed back a notch or two. I think that is why putting a cop in as top cop is not always the best idea for the unarmed citizen.
why the heck does St. Albans suddenly want riot gear?
Is this some new approach to the local “War on Drugs?”
I really want to know.
why the heck does St. Albans suddenly want riot gear?
Is this some new approach to the local “War on Drugs?”
I really want to know.
Chief Taylor is doing a great job, and I respect him as a man of integrity; but it is the responsibility of the citizens who employ the police force to question puzzling developments.
sends up this topic. NH even gets a nod, with their armored vehicle for use in protecting their pumpkin festival…. in Keene….
Bigger than the New Deal.
Think of all the “stuff” airport scanners, license plate readers,regional security information fusion centers and so on that since 9-11 we now need.
And providing Homeland safety is big, big for profit business.
In 2013
http://www.tomdispatch.com/pos…