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War on Drugs

New Toy for Cobb County, Georgia SWAT Team

Radley Balko | 10.11.2008 12:48 PM

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Because you never know when Marietta's going to turn into Fallujah.

More photos here.

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Radley Balko is a journalist at The Washington Post.

War on DrugsMilitarization of Police
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  1. ChrisH   17 years ago

    Wait!... Isn't that Bob Barr sticking his head out?!

  2. anarch   17 years ago

    "Beware the leader who bangs the drum of war, in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch, and the blood boils with hate, and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need of seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."
    ~ Julius Caesar

  3. Bingo   17 years ago

    At least this one doesn't have a .50 BMG mounted to it.

  4. Elemenope   17 years ago

    At least this one doesn't have a .50 BMG mounted to it.

    Which of course means that the only way it can control a crowd is by crushing it under its treads.

  5. Elemenope   17 years ago

    I personally like how the "police" decal is angled downwards so that it is the last thing you ever see if you get squashed.

  6. Dennis   17 years ago

    Well, if Russia wants to invade Georgia again, you have to be prepared.

  7. Naga Sadow   17 years ago

    *via the federal government*

    We're slashing prices! EVERYTHING MUST GO!!! Easy credit terms! Need a hardened silo for your new base? Need some VX to clear out an insect infestation? Need an armoured fighting vehicle to awe the masses? NO PROBLEM!!!

  8. ed   17 years ago

    "You always hope that you don't have to use it, but this is becoming a fact of life," SWAT commander Lt. Joel Preston said. "You have to be prepared and make the situation safer."

    How many lies can you count in that statement? I tallied at least three. It could be four if you assume that Lt. Joel Preston is a non-retarded human, but that would be the reporter's lie, so maybe it doesn't count.

  9. Loupeznik   17 years ago

    I don't feel particularly threatened when they only have armor. I'm glad they left the .50 off. It's still a huge waste of taxpayer money.

  10. RL   17 years ago

    Fallujah is indeed unlikely. Tiananmen Square, on the other hand...

  11. ed   17 years ago

    On the other hand, a 50 cal might be useful when dealing with mortgage delinquents.

  12. thoreau   17 years ago

    Well, if Russia wants to invade Georgia again, you have to be prepared.

    Win.

  13. brotherben   17 years ago

    OTOH, a .50 barrett could be handy against such a thing from 1500 yards

  14. Pain   17 years ago

    "You always hope that you don't have to use it, but this is becoming a fact of life," SWAT commander Lt. Joel Preston said. "You have to be prepared and make the situation safer."

    Safer for who?

    Like I really have to ask.

  15. VM   17 years ago

    mein gott.

    "the friedenspanzer... in case the 90 year old LOL has a deadbolt"

  16. J sub D   17 years ago

    What? No 105mm cannon? What a bunch of pussies!

    So far this year, Cobb's SWAT team has responded to about 50 calls.

    At the American Legion poker game. the college kid selling ounces to his buddies, ...

    I would love to see a breakdown on those 50 incidents that "required" a SWAT team in Cobb county.

  17. ed   17 years ago

    I would love to see a breakdown on those 50 incidents

    Ask and ye shall receive.

    Incident #3: Guy at 7-Eleven has a flat tire. Proceed with caution.

    Incident #17: Girl Scouts selling counterfeit Thin Mints. Swarm! Swarm!

    Incident #21: Pet-walker does not scoop poop from potential pit bull. Load for bear!

  18. CharlesWT   17 years ago

    And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch, and the blood boils with hate, and the mind has closed,..."

    Good thing he didn't have bagpipes.

  19. pgt   17 years ago

    Did anyone else here (including ChrisH before making the first post above) see that photo and think immediately of Michael Dukakis?

  20. Colonel_Angus   17 years ago

    Those fifty calls are probably card games and drug raids based on plea bargain tips.

    Although, 50 sounds like a nice, big, round number to put in the newspaper.

  21. Colonel_Angus   17 years ago

    Oh, and some moonshine businesses, but only because the state government isn't getting its cut.

  22. Cracker\'s Boy   17 years ago

    I live in Cobb County Georgia and saw this on the news when I got home from work yesterday. I had to sit down.

    I am wondering if a valid defense for being caught owning a backpack full of RPGs would be something along the lines of "well, as a member of that well regulated militia, since THEY have armor, WE need something that can effectively counter that armor".

    The police do it all the time. "Since they have assault rifles, we need something that can counter them". Why can't I use that reasoning?

    CB

  23. Kolohe   17 years ago

    Not particularly useful against the Duke boys.

  24. Phillip J. Birmingham   17 years ago

    The sheriff's department out here (McHenry County, IL) has one as well -- they bring it out to the yearly "Touch a Truck" event. I want to ask them what the hell they need it for, but I figure that'll just get me arrested or something.

  25. Mr. Nice Guy   17 years ago

    Jack Russells beware!

  26. Mike Laursen   17 years ago

    Yeah, but do they have one of these?:
    http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/10/church_tank.html

  27. Reinmoose   17 years ago

    I don't know what you all are so concerned about. If you haven't done something wrong, you don't have anything to worry about, right?

  28. anarch   17 years ago

    I don't see why they need it. If they're not doing anything wrong, they have nothing to worry about.

  29. anarch   17 years ago

    Geez, Rein!

  30. J sub D   17 years ago

    I am wondering if a valid defense for being caught owning a backpack full of RPGs would be something along the lines of "well, as a member of that well regulated militia, since THEY have armor, WE need something that can effectively counter that armor".

    *shakes head in exasperation, mutters* Fuckin' civilians.
    RPGs are not that effective against armored vehicles. What you want is a few M-220 Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missiles (TOWs).

    Since this is a fairly low tech piece of hardware the cops in Cobb county are deploying, the TOW upgrades available would be a waste of your money and would invite further escalation of the citizen/cop arms race.

  31. Bingo   17 years ago

    Wow, its almost like you guys really want the terrorists to be victorious. If its good enough for our troops in Iraq, its good enough for our boys in blue. Do you want Osama bin Laden to kill our police in their unarmored Crown Vics? We need to protect our noble officers. Maybe your child can live under sharia law, but that is unacceptable to me.

  32. Bingo   17 years ago

    Do you really want heavily armed drug dealers spiking your childs candy with LSD this halloween? They have AK47s and RPGs, the Taliban give them opium for Christ's sake!!! We need this to keep law and order, the American way!

  33. J sub D   17 years ago

    If its good enough for our troops in Iraq, its good enough for our boys in blue.

    Have I mentioned this one about our "boys in blue" previously?

    Pending review by the Board of Police Commissioners, a Detroit Police sergeant has been suspended with pay since Monday. He is being held during investigation of a situation that, if found guilty would bear charges of first- degree criminal sexual conduct. The investigation stems from accusations of 2 couples that were allegedly forced to have sex in front of the sergeant while he watched and pleasured himself*.

    That's whacked off for those who are euphemistically challenged.

  34. Naga Sadow   17 years ago

    J sub D,

    RPG's are perfect for light armoured vehicles. I believe the Strykers were given upgrades for just this reason.

  35. brotherben   17 years ago

    fwiw, a deer hunter with a 7mm rem. mag. could hit the pie plate sized area between the mic and the goggles from 500 yards every single time. No rpg's necessary.

  36. J sub D   17 years ago

    Naga Sadow
    They are poorly suited for the task. You will likely require multiple RPG hits to take one out. As I posted,

    RPGs are not that effective against armored vehicles. [emphasis added]

    Didn't you see Die Hard?

  37. Elemenope   17 years ago

    Didn't you see Die Hard?

    "Ah. Looky here, fellas. The LAPD have got themselves an RV."

  38. the innominate one   17 years ago

    Bingo:

    try doing an internet search for "Posse Comitatus Act"

  39. db   17 years ago

    anarch,

    That "quote" you have from Caesar is bogus:

    http://www.snopes.com/quotes/caesar.asp

    Doesn't make it interesting or appropriate; but there's no record of it being said or written by _anyone_ prior to December, 2001.

  40. ed   17 years ago

    Incident #47: Unauthorized weenie roast at Parker and Dixie. Fix bayonets!

  41. alan   17 years ago

    Why don't we just invest in the research to find a way to skip the middle man and train actual pigs to do law enforcement. Anyone looking at the picture believes that cop sitting in the tank belongs to the same species that you do? It's a bit of a stretch.

  42. kablammo   17 years ago

    Awww hell - does this mean I should skip the new BMW and get a Russian T-72 instead?

    http://www.tanksforsale.co.uk/T72_tanks_for_sale_page.htm

  43. anarch   17 years ago

    Thank you, db.

    I recall now that it was grunted by a neolithic prince whose name escapes me at the moment.

    As Mark Twain said, * Sigh *

  44. Aresen   17 years ago

    I see this and wonder how the military is planning to get rid of its surplus nukes....

  45. jackson   17 years ago

    I used to agree with a reason poster who some time ago wrote that we here in the USA were in a grey area--too early to start killing corrupt govt officials, but too late to work within the system for any kinid of real change.

    It just keeps seeming less and less grey.

  46. JW   17 years ago

    Because you never know when you will need to ram a drug-dealing murderous psycopath's brain, deprived of Nuke, installed into a large and heavily armed cybernetic body, into a concrete wall.

  47. brotherben   17 years ago

    this is nsfw but it did make me think Bulgaria would be an alternative when america goea completely off the tracks.

  48. wickscherrycoke   17 years ago

    I like this quote:

    "If officers are tracking a suspect, they can do so from within the vehicle."

    Tracking a suspect??

    Nothing says "inconspicuous" like being tailed by an armormed vehicle

  49. Boston   17 years ago

    Big Boss Man you asshole!

  50. Justen   17 years ago

    Holy crap, it's Johnny 5's roidhound older brother! Check out the face, they're definitely related 🙂

  51. joe   17 years ago

    Can that thing get through the drive-through as Dunkin?

  52. joe   17 years ago

    I say we take up a collection for the first person who tags that vehicle.

  53. tank tagger   17 years ago

    Howzis?

  54. prolefeed   17 years ago

    The police do it all the time. "Since they have assault rifles, we need something that can counter them". Why can't I use that reasoning?

    Because they're the one with the fucking armor, and are willing to use it if anyone steps out of line and goes all anarcho-capitalist on their sorry asses?

    Unless a whole buttload of us go A-C on their sorry asses all at once, kick off the revolution when they finally go a bridge too far on us?

  55. Bingo   17 years ago

    Brotherben:

    Yes. Speaking from experience, yes it is.

  56. prolefeed   17 years ago

    RPGs are not that effective against armored vehicles. What you want is a few M-220 Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missiles (TOWs).

    Course, if they're riding with the hatch open like in the picture, all you really need is a pistol, a couple hand grenades, and cojones the size of grapefruits to take that insane risk.

  57. joe   17 years ago

    Perhaps the pink didn't convey the proper sense of menace to the would-be taggers.

  58. Or else...   17 years ago

    ...it conveyed an improper sense of menace.

  59. clown   17 years ago

    "Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, the APC will be on display at Marietta's town square."

    Someone needs to get an Asian mannequin, dress him conservatively, give him a grocery bag, and stand him up facing the front of the tank while it is on display.

    Then again the point would probably be lost.

  60. CSI   17 years ago

    Perhaps all budding revolutionaries could hire former Iraqi insurgents as advisors? They must be amongst the world's experts at blowing up armored vehicles on the cheap.

    Can that thing get through the drive-through as Dunkin?

    Well it may only be a light armored vehicle, but I bet it would still demolish half of the local Dunkins if these Keystone Kops tried it 🙂

  61. light armored vehicle, no suga   17 years ago

    Don't stir!

  62. BakedPenguin   17 years ago

    Someone needs to get an Asian mannequin, dress him conservatively, give him a grocery bag, and stand him up facing the front of the tank while it is on display.

    QFMFT.

  63. Heinrick   17 years ago

    I will feel so much safer when the cops here get one. We have people that use drugs.

  64. thoreau   17 years ago

    Can that thing get through the drive-through as Dunkin?

    Made of the finest win.

  65. Karvey Heitel   17 years ago

    Americans should be calling for the overthrow of municipal governments that use fucking TANKS to bully suspects in misdemeanor cases. Non-violent protest my ass, we are now officially living in a police state - a cop in a tank sees ANY protest as violent.

  66. a name before submitting the f   17 years ago

    Check out Transformers Decepticon Onslaught.

    He's cool.

  67. rastajenk   17 years ago

    Thank God it's Friday!!!

  68. ed   17 years ago

    Someone needs to get an Asian mannequin, dress him conservatively, give him a grocery bag, and stand him up facing the front of the tank while it is on display.

    Like this you mean?

  69. VM   17 years ago

    rastajenk | October 12, 2008, 8:38am | #
    Thank God it's Friday!!!

    FRESH, WHOLESOME MILK

  70. juris imprudent   17 years ago

    J sub D sez The investigation stems from accusations of 2 couples that were allegedly forced to have sex in front of the sergeant while he watched and pleasured himself*.

    Obviously the man is bucking for promotion to The Bad Lieutenant.

  71. me   17 years ago

    Well, think about it. The constitution forbids the military an active roll in policing us. Our "leaders" want a military presence to keep us in line as they run us into eternal debt. So, make the police we have into a military organization. Problem solved.

  72. the innominate one   17 years ago

    VM | October 12, 2008, 9:19am | #

    rastajenk | October 12, 2008, 8:38am | #
    Thank God it's Friday!!!

    FRESH, WHOLESOME MILK

    I prefer fresh, wholesome MILF.

  73. VM   17 years ago

    shakes head
    got milf?

  74. Jennifer   17 years ago

    More than ever I'm glad I don't have children, because I wouldn't want to condemn them to live in the America they'd find upon reaching adulthood.

  75. the innominate one   17 years ago

    I'm sure you'll feel differently when you're a MILF, Jennifer.

    Right, Mr. Moose?

  76. joe   17 years ago

    I'm sure you'll feel differently when you're a MILF, Jennifer.

    They have exercises for that.

  77. Tanks just the same   17 years ago

    The constitution forbids the military an active roll in policing us.

  78. Aresen   17 years ago

    Tanks just the same | October 12, 2008, 8:27pm | #

    The constitution forbids the military an active roll in policing us.

    Well, I'll be!!

    Someone who actually believes the Constitution still means something.

    How quaint.

  79. Sean Healy   17 years ago

    Just so we're clear: the only thing upsetting anyone here is that its says 'police' on this thing. If it said NRA we'd be cool with that, right?

  80. GG   17 years ago

    In related news:

    One in three recent Atlanta Police Academy graduates have criminal records

  81. Lance   17 years ago

    I just passed one of these (similar) that was being police escorted near the E. Palo Alto side of the Dumbarton Bridge (Bay Area, CA).

    The police escort gave me major attitude in his stare as he saw me shake my head and read my lips saying "why?" as I turned in front of their red light.

    ~Lance

  82. haha   16 years ago

    Fuck cops, and fuck their tank. You aren't trying to "protect and serve", you're trying to intimidate and threaten. But your day is coming, piggies...

  83. wizard of oz books   15 years ago

    With many new announcement about the wizard of oz movies in the news, you might want to consider starting to obtain Wizard of Oz book series either as collectible or investment at RareOzBooks.com.

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