Mass. Police Acquire Military Surplus Weapons

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (abc40)-- Police are trained to protect the public.

And many departments have added some high powered weapons that were once used in the military to stay ahead of the bad guys.

A report in The Boston Globe says that 82 police departments across the state have received more than one-thousand weapons over the last 15 years. Those weapons included high powered rifles like the M-14's and M-16's.

West Springfield police chief Thomas Burke says his department received two grenade launchers, a sniper rifle, and four M-14 rifles about ten years ago.

Chief Burke says the department received the weapons free as part of the federal program that distributes surplus military weapons.

The grenade launcher he says would be used with tear gas and not lethal ammunition.

Chief Burke says police need to be ready for any emergency situation, "You never know, if you take a look at the things that have happened in the United States such as Virginia Tech, Columbine, those type of situations, who knows when that's going to happen, but we're prepared."

Area residents had mixed feelings about departments getting surplus military weapons. Thomas Swank says he sees no problem, "I think its' good, it will man them with weapons that criminals have on the streets."

But others like Lea Waldbillig say there are already enough weapons, "I think it's a problem, I think these weapons need to be re-cycled and melted back down into different products other than weapons, we don't need any more weapons in our society."

Chief Burke says a special response team trains with the weapons but so far they haven't had any occasion to use them and that he says is good, The bad guys have no rules, we have all the rules, don't worry about us, we're trained, if we need them then we'll use them, if we don't need them we won't use them."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• police
• state
• alex
• jones

[nationalmatch1]

that women is ignorant.

[Signzit]

it's just to introduce you to the idea of federalizing your local cops and to give them Big Boy-Toys to tantalize.

it's cover for when they show up with tanks, riot gear, sound-guns to use on the general public, they will say, "Hey we told all about this, it was even on TV".

[regdawgformerusmc]

that was just an ignorant chick! Who will she call when the bad guys are breaking into hwer house??

[watty924]

cops r good liars just like lawyers,THE LAW SUPPRESSES HUMANITY!!!

[jonestim491]

So dumb. So very very dumb

[matador5135]

@leesherman100 That's your typical liberal idiot for you...

[weadone]

"hey sarge that guy just dropped litter"

"well well, fetch me ma gernade launcher this boy dun need a lesson"

[AGeekWithAShotgun]

@TasuLife

They might be using it for tear gas.

[leesherman100]

OK, here we go again. Destroy, crush everything. Lady, gun control does not work!! The laws we have don't work. The parole system does not work! Don't penalize the average citizen because of what the gang bangers do! Fix the laws. How about, use a gun during a crime, go to jail forever! That might work, but these idiots don't get it anyway, never will!

[michaelf1900]

I think that these weapons should go to the cops, they sure can use them without having to burden their budgets. and the liberal cunt just needs to stop talking and keep her mouth on the dick

[Dmac11a666]

@Furmanjosh Semi auto ak's clones are cheaper then most handguns...lol