Officer Friendly is getting more unfriendly every day.
The Dallas sheriff has acquired an MRAP (Drudge calls it a tank, but it isn’t), an armored SUV straight off the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ll use it for, uh, serving warrants:
“‘Having a tactical vehicle will not only provide warrants execution with the equipment to assist in performing their jobs but will provide an overall safety arch,’ Chief Deputy Marlin Suell wrote to commissioners.”
Meanwhile, Austin PD has thankfully fired a trigger-happy cop for shooting at a traffic stop back in May. Instead of waiting behind the wheel, the stoppee stupidly got out and approached the officer. But, come on, that deserves a warning shot? And where else might the bullet have gone?
Like I’ve said before, these days the safest way to approach Officer Friendly—if you absolutely have to—is with both your hands in the air. But in a traffic stop, stay in your car, stupid!
And it would be smart to put both hands on the top of the steering wheel where they can be seen. Officer Friendly is really touchy.
UPDATE: Another example of police militarization and, once more, it’s in Texas. Although I sometimes wonder about Dallas County.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 