Navy vet flips off officer in APC and gets pulled over. What are your thoughts on the militarization of our police force?

Sir,
I'll try to address some of this:

1. Why does the Myrtle Beach Police Dept (MBPD) need a mine resistant vehicle?

They don't, however, the FEDERAL government gives them these items at such a good deal, they would be stupid not to take them. When you can buy them for pennies on the dollar, AND get REAL (like actual Law Enforcement) training for free to go with it, it becomes a no brainer. You take the gear to get the other stuff. You take the "package deal" to get 2-3 things you really want, and end up with a bunch of other stuff. That doesn't mean you won't use what you have though.

2. While it may have been given free as part of a gov't surplus program aimed at protecting our police officers, were any strings attached?

Absolutely. See above. But as Robert Heinlein said "TANSTAAFL - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch." Taking the gear obligates you to assist Federal agencies when Federal investigations happen in your "yard."

3. Should these vehicles have been given to the National Guard rather than the local police forces?

Yes & no. The idea is to get them off "Federal" books. If they are on Federal books, they are one "color of money," but if they are State/Local, they are another "color of money" which means they don't have the same oversight. It's a political trick. A good one.

4. In the long run, are we not fiscally better off using squadcars and motorcycles and calling in the National Guard to work with the police when the situation warrants?

Absolutely, but... this is an "accounting trick." It's like mothballing equipment instead of destroying it. If you destroy it, it's gone. If you mothball it, you have to account for it on your ledgers. But if you "sell it" to the state/local governments, it becomes their problem. Now what happens is, they use their budget to buy $1M of equipment for $100k and get lots of free training. Sure they could buy $100k worth of squadcars.. but what would you do, if you were an accountant?

5. Does this militarization of local law enforcement cause the police to power trip and react differently, and treat the public as the enemy?

Yes. I'd love to give a more in-depth answer, but it does. If you carry a .38 with 5 rounds, you react differently than if you carry a 9mm with 17+1, or if you carry a M16 with 30rd. The more firepower you have, the more you are WILLING to escalate, because the more you are ABLE to escalate.

Mixed emotions on this one, boss. I've been a cop for a long long time, but was a combat vet first. As a vet I would never flip off a cop, and believe me I've seen some cops act like horses a$$'s. But I guess it's all perspective. One retard cop screws up a lot for hundreds if not thousands of good cops. With my army pension& disability I could just sit on my butt and not worry about what is going on in my community or my state or my country, but I'd probably be dead in two years. I feel like my dad now when I'm counseling young rookie type cops. I usually fall back on my old line that if ya want to make it in this business you better figure out quick that we can help people. Kids get molested daily. Women get beaten sometimes murdered daily. Old people are abused daily. Patrol and detective work are not Dirty Harry or CHIPS. Policing is like a combat tour in some ways...days and days of boredom for a few moments of terror and a split second to hopefully save a life and not be killed in the process.

I've only used my duty weapon twice in all theses years, and I'm proud of that fact. I'm usually the guy with an arm around a kid or helping a lady change a tire on a roadside. I've only lost one partner in all these years and i still miss him. I wish I had been in a different position that day and closer to where he was. In a way I think the police would be militarized/"martial law" deployed much less likely as the 82nd Airborne or the 101st (my old outfit). Not that those wonderful Officers and NCOs would participate in such colossal illegality, I'm just saying that their training and standards are high enough to actually make it work, if they were inclined.

And if I ever got an order to go house to house to take guns from my people like dad or granddad here with my fellow Tennesseans, I'd quit this job. Probably slap whoever gave me so illegal/unconstitutional an order in the mouth. Might get in a jam myself, but I've tried to stand for the right my whole adult life. Not gonna stop now. I've met so many wonderful law men and gals thru the years, that I feel these sentiments are in the majority of all career law officers. Certainly don't want to ruffle any feathers of folk with differing views, but trust you enough Capt Jeff S. to tell you the truth.

As always, thanks for your leadershp and your example. Thank you for discussing something that is probably on a lots of hearts lately. Blessings to you and family and all vets.

Apparently, I have the constitutional right to flip off cops. That is just spiffy, but I would never do that in a million years. I guess had a surplus of a brazillion MRAP's and other up armored toys that we brought back from Iraqistan. Instead of putting them next to my beloved OH-58D in the open desert's boneyard, we sold them to state government agencies for $1. If a cop in getting fired at by a threat that warrants it, by all means use your new toy as you deem necessary to ensure that our protectors are protected. No matter what force is applied, cops shall be held to the highest levels of scrutiny and be accountable for their actions. Was the "tank" patrolling the neighborhood or en route to somewhere? If they are using it to patrol, that is just the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. If it was in a well known drug area, where shootouts are a daily occurrence, have that bad boy cued up and ready to go! Some neighborhoods are armed to the teeth. In Philly, during the 80's, there were neighborhoods so dangerous that the cops just waited for cars to leave the area and then search for drugs. AK's "choppers" were on the street and a dime a dozen; cops had shotguns. I wish they had 100 of these "tanks" and went to town!
So keep flipping off those cops, America. Show us what you are made of. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it should be done. It is also your constitutional right to yell at and spit on the lions when the cage door unlocked. It is also your constitutional right to burn the American flag in front of a bunch of drunk service members who just redeployed and are at the bar toasting their fallen buddies. Good luck with all of that, and God bless America.