Is this necessary for a traffic stop?

My jaw dropped when i saw this, and just had to pass it along..........I double checked who posted it, and it was one of my best friends that is very reliable, old army officer and prior service enlisted. He personally took this photo, not sure if it local, county or state, but is this thing really used for traffic stops?



Here is the quote from my friend:

Hwy 82 Witchita Falls,TX...WTF? This is a Sheriff in a light armored tank with a gun turret pulling people over for speeding. Flashing red/blue lights and all. I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. We are so screwed!

What do you guys and gals think of this one?

I don't think this guy is being pulled over.
There is probably more to the story.
Probably a different story entirely.

It doesnt make sense at all, what if someone decides not to stop? The officer will hardly be able to give chase in an armoured vehicle.

Perhaps it was fun day at that police dept....

Also is it me or does the front wheel of the armoured car look damaged?

Can your friend confirm that the armored vehicle actually pulled the truck over?

Perhaps the truck is the lead vehicle for the armored vehicle in transit. Just like when lead vehicles are used to escort a "wide load" truck.

I'd probably floor it and run like hell.

Cops are suspicious and untrustworthy enough. I can only imagine what kind of psychopaths would be out in one of those things.

I'd run as if my life depended on it.

Here's an incident where the cops used a Bearcat to make a traffic stop:

Cowlitz County Chief Criminal Deputy Charlie Rosenzweig was training in the vehicle when a call came out about a suspected drunk driver involved in a hit and run. Rosenzweig was the only officer in the area and spotted what looked like the suspect vehicle. So he turned on the Bearcat's lights and sirens and pulled the vehicle over.

It turned out not to be the truck officers were looking for, but the driver's and passenger's eyes certainly got big when they saw what he'd pulled them over in, Rosenzweig said with a chuckle Wednesday.

It's funny to terrorize you.

link

i sent him a request for more information about what he actually witnessed.....Bear ~grrrr~ with me

I dont believe this for a second. However, ive seen one of these used by a swat team in a standoff/hostage situation in the middle of i94 at the i whatever junction in milwaukee once. Dude stole an escalade and wouldnt get out when normal cops blocked him in and did a felony stop. They used a bomb diffusing robot to teargas him lol. Whole thing was overkill.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I'd probably floor it and run like hell.

Cops are suspicious and untrustworthy enough. I can only imagine what kind of psychopaths would be out in one of those things.

I'd run as if my life depended on it.

Here's an incident where the cops used a Bearcat to make a traffic stop:

Cowlitz County Chief Criminal Deputy Charlie Rosenzweig was training in the vehicle when a call came out about a suspected drunk driver involved in a hit and run. Rosenzweig was the only officer in the area and spotted what looked like the suspect vehicle. So he turned on the Bearcat's lights and sirens and pulled the vehicle over.

It turned out not to be the truck officers were looking for, but the driver's and passenger's eyes certainly got big when they saw what he'd pulled them over in, Rosenzweig said with a chuckle Wednesday.

It's funny to terrorize you.

link

edit on 9-8-2012 by thisguyrighthere because: (no reason given)

Thank you, glad this is a perception gone wrong.......I was so afraid they were putting these things on the street.....Awesome find.

Maybe they're tired of having their Crown Vics run over by tractors??

What difference does it make if you get pulled over by a tank or a cop car... Their will be alot less high speed chases.. I'd rather see more tanks

I saw this pic somewhere else and it was quickly debunked. The armored vehicle, if you look closely, has a flat left front tire. It is pulled over to address the flat tire. If I remember correctly, I believe the truck also pulled over is merely coincidence and has nothing to do with the armored vehicle.

Originally posted by kozmo
I saw this pic somewhere else and it was quickly debunked. The armored vehicle, if you look closely, has a flat left front tire. It is pulled over to address the flat tire. If I remember correctly, I believe the truck also pulled over is merely coincidence and has nothing to do with the armored vehicle.

Yea it does have a flat tire, Y do people keep taking old videos and pictures and creating stories about them? The same people who are accusing the 'government' and everybody else of lying, when they are the ones lying. I hope these same people get whats comming to them..

reply to post by pointr97


if you squint it almost looks like the red ford is towing the dammaged apc? the front wheel definatly looks messed up in some way or at least crooked like its off the bead or something interesting photo op

reply to post by GmoS719


I totally agree w/ you!!! First of all..would it be lawful and leagle for military to pull over civilians???

I think it's transport...in any case...imho lol

So let me get this straight. A 30 ton tank parks behind some bushes and waits for a speeding car. One comes along doing about 90 mph. The tank driver pops the clutch and starts rambling down the highway in hot pursuit. After several minutes, he reaches a top speed of about 45 mph. The speeder notices flashing lights several miles back and, knowing he's busted, pulls over to the curb and waits for the tank officer to catch up. While waiting he is able to squeeze in a bag lunch and a short nap before the officer arrives to mete out justice.

Yeah ... it could happen.

Originally posted by Shadoefax
So let me get this straight. A 30 ton tank parks behind some bushes and waits for a speeding car. One comes along doing about 90 mph. The tank driver pops the clutch and starts rambling down the highway in hot pursuit. After several minutes, he reaches a top speed of about 45 mph. The speeder notices flashing lights several miles back and, knowing he's busted, pulls over to the curb and waits for the tank officer to catch up. While waiting he is able to squeeze in a bag lunch and a short nap before the officer arrives to mete out justice.

Yeah ... it could happen.

Okay, first, read the thread before posting....as in thisguyrighthere found the story and helped clarify everything.....

Second, do you have any clue how fast these things can go?.......I'm an old tanker, and the M-A1 of the 90s could travel at 70-80 mph full bore, easy. That is a 72 ton tank, these are light armored personnel carriers designed to be light, fast, and maneuverable. Sorry, but unless you have any idea what the capabilities are of a vehicle, keep your comments to yourself. Do you think the military units would use these vehicles in wartime if they putted along, seriously?

Third, have you ever been caught in a highway mass trap?.......They highway patrol will use a pace car, a light plane to clock speed, and then five miles down the road, a funnel into a road block. This would be an effective vehicle in that situation....

There are nowhere near enough of those to replace patrol cars with, to pull over people for speeding in all states. At a unit cost for a vehicle like the Stryker of 3 Million Dollars the police would need a significant ammount of cash to upgrade their patrol cars to that, then there is the MPG those things get.

reply to post by pointr97


I find it absolutely improbable that is a traffic stop. There are plenty of mundane and boring reasons of what is being seen in the photo. But then, that would be..........boring, eh?

Your friend is having one over on you.....