For several years, law enforcement agencies have been purchasing or receiving armored vehicles from the military to be used for policing. Much of the funding for these specialized vehicles was from federal grants. Recently, there has been a lot of push back against using military-type vehicles for policing. I get that; who wants armored vehicles and officers armed with rifles patrolling our streets? During the height of this push against military-type equipment, in 2020, officers were restricted from using the force necessary to suppress the riots, and that resulted in the unnecessary loss of life, injuries, and untold millions in property damage. Now the pendulum seems to be swinging back.
Policing in America has changed significantly in recent years. Violence against officers is historically unparallelled, not just during riots, but on daily, routine, police operations. Earlier this year, on April 29, four law enforcement officers were fatally shot in a single incident in Charlotte, NC. This marked the fifth time in American Law Enforcement history that four or more officers were shot and killed in a single event. It might surprise you that the first time four or more officers were murdered in one incident was after almost two hundred years of American policing. It was on April 5, 1970, when four California State Police officers were gunned down by two ex-convicts at a traffic stop. The tragedy became known as the Newhall Incident. The event shook the law enforcement community, and as a result, police policies, tactics, and training all changed.
The next incident took place nearly 40 years after the Newhall Incident. On March 21, 2009, when four Oakland, CA officers were fatally shot by a convicted felon. The suspect shot and killed two officers on a traffic stop and then hours later murdered two SWAT officers who were attempting to arrest him. The suspect was shot and killed by other officers on the team. The third incident took place only a few months later, on November 29, 2009. A lone gunman entered a coffee shop in Pierce County, WA and fatally shot four Lakewood officers. The gunman was himself shot but escaped only to be shot and killed two days later by a Seattle officer. On July 7, 2016, a gunman armed with a rifle and pistol ambushed nine Dallas area officers, killing five. Four were with the Dallas PD and one was a Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer. The gunman was later killed with a police-deployed robot after he refused to give up.
Greater violence against officers necessitates equipment that will protect them. In February, there was a shooting in Burnsville, MN where two officers and an EMS technician were fatally shot. An armored vehicle that was used to recover the causalities as well as help save other officers, sustained 41 rifle shots. Without the availability of the armored vehicle, who knows how many others would have died. America’s streets have turned into a war zone and officers need weapons of war to effectively respond.
On the Road
Last month Sherry and I were honored to speak at a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in Blackfoot, ID, just south of Idaho Falls. There was a great turn out with nearly 200 in attendance. Thanks to Glen Pierpoint and the generosity of the Blackfoot community, we gave away 75 books. This month we’ll be presenting the SBLF at The Falls Church in Idaho Falls.
Next month it’s off to Protector’s Peak (https://www.protectorspeak.com) in the Saint Joseph Mountains of northern Idaho to help with a military retreat. Protector’s Peak is a retreat center for first responders and military members and their spouses. Because of donations, the retreats are free to guests. The only costs are a $50 registration fee and transportation to the retreat center. Nate Harder (former Marine and retired LEO) and his wife Becky are the hosts and live on the site year-round. Volunteers, like Sherry and me, help Nate and Becky to keep overhead down so guests can enjoy the time without worrying about expenses. For more information, click on the link.
After Protector’s Peak, we’ll be on the road again for nearly all of September and October.
Pray for your police.
