Does Redwood City really think that the bad guys are planting land mines?

I'm hoping this is just a bad joke. Exactly how often would MVPD use military assault rifles and in what circumstances? Yeah I understand this isn't Mayberry but assault rifles sounds like overkill, pardon the pun. Do "firearms used for training" actually get old to the point that they don't function properly?

I'd like to know just how many bullets were fired by MVPD last year.

This is just one more thing in MV City government that is making me shake my head in disbelief. More office! More traffic! More high rises! More guns!

Why does Mountain View need a SWAT team in the first place? This is not Oakland, and you don't need a SWAT team to execute warrants.

A little over a year ago the MVPD grossly over reacted to a MVHS student who wore a gas mask to school as a joke on valentines day because "love was in the air". Every available officer descended upon MVHS assuming an improbable terrorist scenario. Unable to accept that there was nothing to be excited about, they interrogated, arrested, and, as was ultimately determined, falsely charged a student. Given the profound incompetence displayed by the MVPD in this case, imagine how bad it could have been if they were armed to the teeth with military weapons. I have no confidence that our police force would know when not to use such an arsenal.

Since MV does have a SWAT team replacing old rifles for free makes good economic sense.
Guns wear out over time and either need refurbishing or replacement.
MV should get all the gear they can as far as personal equipment, ie vests, gloves, harnesses, etc.
However I do draw the line at armored vehicles like a MRAP.

Replacement rifles as a cost-saver, okay. Anything more than an armored truck, no way.

Not only is Redwood City's MRAP completely over the top, but would local roads even support the weight of the vehicle without damage? I used to live in Redwood City and never once saw the Taliban, al-Queda or ISIS at Safeway... insane to have battlefield equipment in American home towns.

I find the militarization of our police force repugnant.

@Parent,

That's right, I had forgotten about the MVHS incident and the tremendous over-reaction to a kid armed with nothing but a cello. Thank you and all who commented for making some very important arguments against militarizing our local police departments.

One problem that should be addressed is how the militarization of local police departments has changed the attitudes and behavior of police officers and the police chiefs. I have read that research shows that these public employees take on a more us vs. them attitude to the non-police as a whole and their way of approaching all people changes. These acquisitions/receipt of gifts should be something that needs to be approved by the citizens of the city before it can happen.

GOOD maybe this will scrub our town of gang problems, making Mtn View a safer place to live.

For those who grew up in the Detroit area in the late sixties and early seventies it was quite common to see the police use Cadillac Gage wheeled APCs on the streets. ( the newer versions are M1117s for those who want to look it up) They even painted them blue. If the MV police do something similar the citizens automatically benefit. Does anyone thing some criminal gang will take on an APC? Of course not, so we all end up safer.