There's probably a good argument not to do this after Wednesday's attack in San Bernardino.
Nonetheless, as of now, it is happening.
Christina Hall and L.L. Brasier of the Detroit Free Press report that Michigan law enforcement agencies -- and for that matter, agencies around the country -- have to return donated surplus military equipment this month to the federal government, including tracked armored vehicles that metro Detroit sheriff's offices have had for more than a decade. They all have to do this under an order signed by President Obama earlier this year after police in Ferguson were seen riding around in combat gear and military vehicles.
"It really upsets me. We have a great asset. We have not abused it, and in just a blanket order we can no longer have it,” Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said of the tracked armored vehicle his office has had for its SWAT team since 2004, the Freep reports. "Look what’s happening around the country — mass shootings, barricaded gunman. An armored vehicle gives law enforcement the upper hand.”
The Freep writes that on Friday that military vehicle get hauled away to a Department of Defense military training range to use as a more realistic target for aviators and ground forces. Wickersham says he plans to ask Macomb County commissioners if he can buy a wheeled vehicle as a replacement.
The Freep reports:
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office was to lose its vehicle Wednesday and Wayne County Sheriff's Office is to return its vehicle Dec. 7. The three offices are among 15 law enforcement agencies in Michigan affected by the recall after an executive order signed by President Barack Obama earlier this year.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said that after the mass shooting in California, if Obama wants to make America safer, he should rescind the order, the Freep reports.
