via KSBW.com
Multiple military style vehicles were used to bring SWAT teams to Wednesday's attack in San Bernardino. Several similar personnel carriers are in the possession of Monterey and Santa County police departments, following controversial acquisitions.
Following the mass shooting at a center for people with developmental disabilities that left 14 people dead, the shooters fled in their vehicle. Police SWAT teams arrived in Bearcat-style vehicles, and the shooters, a husband and wife, were in their black SUV. While in pursuit, police say they were fired on and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms reported what looked like a bomb was thrown out the SUV.
Armored vehicles were later used to converge on the couple’s vehicle and secure the scene.
It is the kind of use local police departments claim they need their armored vehicles.
This is one example of numerous stories that have been pumped out by the news media after the terrorist attack in San Bernardino. My guess is that the image of two Bearcats being used to block the suspect vehicle AFTER the shootout to check it for possible bombs and to retrieve the terrorist bodies is what's capturing the imagination of these people.
They're wrong.
As usual, instead of doing a proper analysis of the incident they're rushing to think that a few "special ops" LEOs are what carried the day.
Again, it boggles the mind.
The real solution lies in up arming patrolmen. The average LEO on the street doing the job day in and day out. Lets do a quick recap. The first people to enter the building? Street cops. They're trained to confront active shooters...and now terrorists immediately to help lessen the body count.
The people that found the car and engaged in a shootout with the suspects? Street cops.
Pumping more money into SWAT and believing that some "super cops" will carry the day is part of the problem that is muddying the issue for law enforcement. The real solution is to simply do what needs to be done. Every squad car needs to have a Patrol Carbine ready to go with a combat loadout. I'm talking at least 300 rounds of ammo. Plate carriers, helmets, blowout kits and first aid gear in every car ready to be put on when needed. Additionally we need to get real about what we're dealing with. The day will come when cops will be called from home to respond to multiple attacks in one city. That means that this needs to be part of a take home/go bag so that they can deploy from wherever they happen to be if they're off duty.
The real problem is that the real solution isn't simply armored vehicles. Its upping the training, having standardized requirements and continuous testing to make sure that those standards are met and improved funding across the board.
Doing it the right way will be much more expensive than simply getting a few MRAPs from the military. The funny thing? This will militarize the police much more than they are now...but it will be less visible...so easier to get done....if we have the will and Chiefs get smart enough to look at this realistically while explaining the need to the public.
