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.
They need it like they need another hole in their ass. A .50 cal. bolt gun will put an end to it though.
WAKE UP PEOPLE, THESE VEHICLES ARE GOING TO BE SHOWING UP ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEY ARE IN PLANNING OF BEIN TAKEN OVER EVENTUALLY BY OBAMA’S BROWN ARMY WHEN HE DESIRES TO DO IT. FEMA WILL ALSO BE MIXED INTO IT WITH ALL THERE AMMO AND PLASTIC CASKETS… THINK BOUT THAT FOR AWHILE… IT WON’T BE FOR CRIMINAL ONLY, IT WILL BE TO DE-POPULIZE OUR NATION OF NON-MUSLIMS.
sell the dam thing and use the momey to pay the police force a better wage
BS
Somebody should tell them that there is a financial crisis and huge wasteful (unnecessary) purchases are ill advised. Mayberry doesn’t need a tank…
More bull$#%&!@* and a waste of money !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
slowly, slowly america is coming to a complete end -_-
Stop the militarization of local police forces. Local law enforcement is supposed to protect and serve, not to become civilian soldiers!!
If they have all this fancy equipment how come they not going after criminals??
how many people in america have access to mines or armor peircing amo , this is for a time when millitary protects the people and the country .it must be on the verge of happening,anouther cival war