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Chris Fordney: Sheriff: Bearcat is a need
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When I heard that the Warren County Sheriff's Office is getting a $273,000 Lenco Bearcat armored personnel carrier, it reminded me of my nightly runs for coffee over to the 7-Eleven in Strasburg.
Strange connection, I know, but that's when I sometimes see a similar-looking armored vehicle that state police keep at the Strasburg Rescue Squad.
Then there's the armored vehicle from Mount Weather that was actually used in a recent standoff at a church in Warren County. The man in that incident was unarmed and it ended peacefully.
And that begs the question: Do local law enforcement agencies really need such exotic gear when state and federal authorities can field it?
Warren Sheriff Daniel McEathron says yes. "A person who ... doesn't think we need something like this is a fool."
Talking to him and other police officers last week, it comes down to individual police departments wanting to respond quickly to standoff incidents without having to rely on another organization whose equipment may or may not be in position to help.
I don't claim any expertise in police matters, but other people have some of the same concerns. A recent story on Warren County's Bearcat generated 17 comments on the Daily's website, with one person even suggesting that sheriffs be stripped of law enforcement duties and handle only court-related tasks.
McEathron sounded a little defensive when I asked him about all this last week.
"Some of these people don't have a clue what they're talking about," he said, adding that "I hope nothing ever happens" that requires him to deploy the Bearcat.
He dismissed concerns over overtime and maintenance costs associated with the vehicle, saying that even $3,000 to $5,000 a year to take care of a sophisticated piece of equipment with a V-10 engine and its level of protection for his deputies is reasonable.
The Bearcat is being paid for with a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant, prompting one person to comment on nvdaily.com that this amounted to getting it "for free."
Folks, our grandchildren are going to have to pay back the Chinese for every penny we spend on this stuff.
There's obviously a huge amount of money filtering down to small-town police departments amid continuing fears of terrorism. Even Strasburg has a tactical team armed with submachine guns. "What if we have a what-if?" said Lt. Jerome Robinson of the town Police Department.
But he mentioned that a lot of this tactical gear ends up being used in drug busts.
It also contributes to what some call the "militarization" of police, which would seem to be a particular concern with elected sheriffs who don't really answer to anyone outside of budget matters. Perhaps the heavy-duty hardware should be in the hands of state troopers with a chain of command up to the governor.
Our current group of sheriffs in the Northern Shenandoah Valley seems professional and competent. But as recent experience in Page County has shown, there's a fair chance of being stuck with a meathead for four years -- that is, if he doesn't have to be pried out of office and hauled off to the slammer before his term is up.
Again, McEathron dismissed such concerns. "Ain't nobody going to militarize one sheriff," he said.
• Contact Chris Fordney at cfordney@nvdaily.com
I think the Sheriff is the meathead in this case. How many times in the history of the county has something like this been needed? Probably not one time until the church incident. But I would be curious to know.
We have to laugh at McEathron's overly macho outlook he thinks is needed to justify having an armored tank in his arsenal. Does he get his jollies just thinking about busting down walls, knocking over buildings, and driving through living rooms? For what purpose? In case a merry band of terrorists holes up in the bunkhouse with submachine guns? In Warren County? John Wayne must be spinning in his grave.
Danny Boy should circle the wagons and wait for the big kids to arrive with help. Oh, wait. That's what he does now. An armored tank will put a stop to those shenanigans. Glory awaits the conqueror.
What is missing from this debate is a description of exactly how this vehicle would be used and under what circumstances it would be appropriate to deploy. Has the sheriff developed guidelines for appropriate use of this tank? It is a huge step from matchbox cars in the sandbox up to tanks running up your driveway, guns blazing, over an unpaid $20 parking ticket.
McEathron responded foolishly by saying his detractors are fools. It is smart to always beware of those who claim to be the only one with the answers needed to lead fools to nirvana.
This post is absolutely ridiculous! I do understand the recent standoff at the church in Warren County ended peacefully but as you stated before what if that situation was, in fact, a “what if”? What if Warren, or surrounding counties, has a situation where this vehicle is needed and an armored car from Mount Weather cannot respond as quickly? Being a college student and knowing our financial problems, we will (the grandchildren) pay the Chinese until the day we die. That’s something we will have to deal with, due to previous generations’ poor spending. I believe Sheriff McEathron will not be “militarized” as you say. I think your statement is silly and you need to look at it from another viewpoint. I want my children and my children’s’ children to be safe. Even if that means putting my trust in a man who is more dedicated to his job than anyone I know. What frustrates me most, are comments made by people who do not do anything for their community except get on the internet and write their local newspaper and complain about things they, themselves, cannot do.
We absolutely need this vehicle! I am tired of going to the local parades viewing the same equipment year after year. We need something new to look at to oogle and ogle over.
Sheriff McEathron: News Flash--"Fools" vote!!!!! and when they're not "fools" but just concerned citizens who have differing opinions from yours, and you call them "Fools" they tend to vote for the other candidate.
Maybe they could get a grant for a snowblower attachment to use it in the winter when we really need it?
Wako Jacko, what do you do for this community to keep it safe? ....just wondering
Arthur...he didn't specifically call you a fool. You have to look at it from his standpoint, a vehicle like this would be needed in certain situations. Trust me...I'm sure he doesn't need your vote anyways.
Little boys with big toys. Warren Co doesn't need this equipment any more than Strasburg needs 30 cops. And, for an elected official to call the public he serves fools if they don't agree with him is wrong. Sounds like the present Federal government that is destroying the country. The cost of this machine isn't important. The world economy is going to collapse next year and there will be no government to pay for law enforcement much less pay back the Chinese.
Wonder no more, my friend. I obey the law.
Good thing...haha because they might have to use this equipment if you don't! haha
Instead of wasting money on this vehicle (that probably will never be used), they should added some experienced officers to the force, or at least ones that don't mind being bothered when a citizen calls.
I do not have a problem with people having an opinion that is contrary to mine or our public officials, I believe that is what makes our country great; we can have open and public debates. But at some point there has to be a certain amount of trust given to those elected to represent us, especially at the local level. The money for this equipment was already spent and was going to go somewhere, why not to our area. Some of the people that offer criticism on this site will be critical not matter what the public official does or does not do. The bloggers are on both sides of every issue and whatever is done is going to be wrong. If McEathron did not seek the grant they would have been critical of that as well.
Maybe the Sheriff can use the new toy to demolish the Afton Inn. This way the public would be getting some true benefit. That would also be good practice for future church storming and possibly even help simulate a potential hostage situation at the post office.
....upon further reflection and consideration, I finally get the full picture. The town and county are going to team up and get tough with the newly passed anti loitering laws and finally deal with the rabble rousers at the Gazebo!
I completely agree with you bigjim…I couldn’t have said it better myself!!
Hey Wacko, do you obey ALL the laws or like all good progressives just the ones you like?
did whacko jacko answer the question?
this vehicle should go perfectly with the decked out segway(?) I saw them towing through Arby's last week!
"bigjim75.....at some point there has to be a certain amount of trust given to those elected to represent us, especially at the local level."
..............uhhhhh has anyone been following the shenanigans of the Town Council???
McEathron has never met a dollar not worth spending.
I remember sitting in the conference room at the Government Center listening to Sheriff McEathron trying to convince the Board of Supervisors to spend a bunch of money ($30,000?) to buy, and a bunch more dollars ($5,000?) a year to maintain, an automatic phone dialing system that would phone residents when Happy Creek was about to overflow its banks during heavy rains. Many remembered the last time the creek overflowed was years ago during a hurricane.
McEathron' s justification presentation was a mumbling, fumbling, stumbling, disjointed string of now familiar what if's and wouldn't it be cools and the all important slam-dunk reason, it would enhance public safety.
Eyes rolled and smirks smirked. McEathron left hat-in-hand.
The Supervisors wisely decided since the creek overflowed once every 20 years or so, maybe police cars driving through the affected neighborhoods with blaring loudspeakers worked better and cheaper.
Now comes McEathron 'needing' an armored vehicle for the familiar reason of improving public safety to solve "what if" situations involving barricaded social misfits. History has shown the power of negotiation works better than brute force to solve social problems.
Extending the McEathron 'what if' argument to more easily understood absurdity, 'what if' a bank robber raced through a school crossing making his escape? Shouldn't we give handguns to the crossing guards to try to stop these robbers?
Do we really need to implement foolish solutions for imaginary problems?
Greg, uhhh "touche" on the local shenanigans. However, I do not lump Sheriff McEathron in with this group. He is simply doing what he feels is best in the interest of public safety, you can agree or not, but there is not other agenda that I can see. Would we expect anything less from a Sheriff other than trying to foresee safety issues and taking steps to prevent or respond to them accordingly?
McEathron is elected, not appointed. Which hat is he wearing? His politician hat or his sheriff hat? How can you tell?
Mr. Fuddy Duddy,
Your post starts out with "McEathron has never met a dollar not worth spending". I tend to agree with you on the Auto Phone deal. We may have been better served had he done more study and work on the delivery of content to the board. That of course is if it in fact went the way you describe it; mumbling, fumbling, stumbling, etc,etc,. Thats the good thing about perception of a situation by people, we all have our own take on it? It seems to me from reading your post that you may be somewhat critical of Sheriff McEathron's priorities and ability for spending budgeted money? As bigjim75 so eloquently said, "The money for this equipment was already spent and was going to go somewhere, why not to our area. In light of that, I could not agree more. He is talking about Homeland Security Grant monies. This armored vehicle would be mainly bought with a federal grant. You see Mr. Duddy, this vehicle would not cost the taxpayers of Warren much of anything. As far as the "What If's". Please go to the La Crosse Tribune newspaper in Wisconsin and look up an article dated April 5, 2008. The citizens there also criticized the local authorities for purchasing a like vehicle also described as totally unnecessary, and a sign of excessive government spending. Wow!, were they wrong!! On that day it saved many lives, including the suspect that fired over 500 rounds of ammunition, and 15 hand grenades at officers that day just because the suspect owed $5000.00 in back tax money to the county? Smithsburg, Maryland, just last year. One policeman killed during a domestic situation when a man murdered his wife, then the officer. An armored vehicle was brought in. Suspect fired at it repeatedly. Taken into custody, more lives saved. You see Mr. Duddy, these places are not the "Big City" or some far away land. These places that these unfortunate situations happened were small rural areas. Small rural quiet areas, just like the Warren County/Front Royal area. And these incidents are just the ones that we know about. We should be so lucky that we have a person in charge that is truly concerned about public safety, like the Sheriff. You mark my words my friend; it is not a matter of whether it will happen, it's just a matter of when. These are not the good ole days that you and I remember. Times have changed, for the worse. I will pray for you Mr. Duddy that it is not you that becomes a victim of a home invasion where armed thugs force their way into your home and it just happens to be the Sheriff's "foolish solution" that has to come up your driveway to save you and your family. Whacko Jacko- "McEathron", "Danny Boy", very nice way to address elected public officials and shows a great amount of respect for those that really deserve our gratitude. I will pray for you brother that you will find the right way. Just a bit of advice my friend, look to God as he will help you find the way, and also the respect that you so desperately need for yourself. God Bless...
WOW sam, well put....I completely agree!! Thank you!
The Online Survey is hovering around 67% of the votes think Front Royal needing an armored personnel carrier is a bad idea. Descriptions of landslide majority begin when the plurality reaches 60%. When McEathron demonstrates improved administrative, fiscal, and governance skills, he will earn new respect. Until that time comes, if ever, his past poor decisions allow him to reap what he has sown.
Completing this fiasco, somebody from the minority opinion just played the Jesus card and invoked prayer as the cure for what ails those with a different opinion. Searching a country of over 300 million people to find examples of violence to justify spending $273,000 for an armored tank is so phony and so typical of the police mentality that always tries to invoke an example of horrific behavior as justification for their position. TV ads for Brinks Home Security alarm systems exploit the same fears. I submit more people are killed by drunk drivers than killed by home invaders.
The same kind of national search would turn up stories of flying saucers and a need for Tin Foil Hats to stop government mind control. Saying violence in Wisconsin equates to a guarantee that violence is inevitable here in Front Royal is circular logic at its worst. That style of false reasoning means to be safe every small town in the country should spend $273,000 and acquire its very own tank. If there are on average only 1,000 small towns in every state, that's 50,000 tanks @ $273,000 for a total expenditure of almost 14 billion dollars. For what? An imaginary problem receives a foolish remedy and a misguided sheriff can proudly point to his shiny new weapon of destruction and claim we all benefit because he, in his infinite police wisdom, has improved public safety.
Baloney. He needs a new Tin Foil Hat.
Imaginary Problems, Fuddy you are living in a fantasy world my friend. Mayberry perhaps?
According to the Warren County Sheriff's Office website, Sheriff McEathron has an extensive background in law enforcement. He has served our community for over 28 years. I would no more question him about the equipment he acquires, than I would question a doctor about the surgical instruments he chooses. Furthermore, if he chose not to accept this armored vehicle, another locality would have. If you are a naive individual that looks through rose colored glasses and believes that the sheriff is being exteme, I would have to ask you isn't that what you want from your sheriff? A man who is willing to take any extreme measure to keep the residents of Warren County safe.
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