Spotted on my drive to work the other day, was the "NIPAS" (Northern Illinois Police Alarm System) Mobile Field Force vehicle. Similar in build to
an ambulance, it's basically a command vehicle, and was sitting in the drive of a fire department. They've been around since 1994, but this was the
first time I had seen them (then looked up NIPAS, and found this)
NIPAS
Now, I've always understood that organizations like FEMA, etc., DO serve a useful purpose, but can also be co-opted toward nefarious ends. NIPAS,
essentially is a group police force, consisting of resources from 107 Chicago suburban forces (resources meaning personnel, equipment, and funding.)
The primary raison d'être of NIPAS is to respond to "major civil disturbances."
The NIPAS Mobile Field Force was created in the Spring of 1994 to maximized the effectiveness of initial response efforts by police when a major civil
disturbance occurs. Civil disturbances, union conflicts, public demonstrations, and other events involving large or disorderly crowds require skillful
response by police agencies.
and
The NIPAS Mobile Field Force provides its member agencies with a planned, organized, and rapid response to: control unruly crowds (either hostile or
passive); seal off problem areas, regardless of size; rescue citizens or officers from crowds; clear an area of hostile individuals by use of
proactive tactics; and apprehend multiple offenders, if required.
Now this, in and of itself, again, is not a BAD thing, but of course, NIPAS could be used to "control" crowds beyond what is necessary and
appropriate (read - stifle dissent.) My concern, however, is that it seems that all too often when "exercises" are being run, it tends to be
because something is planned - or, TPTB know something is going to happen which is going to require such a response. The FEMA drills in NYC on
9/10/01, the drills in London before the subway bombing, etc.
I'm CERTAIN there are plenty of drills which don't preceed an event, but it's the possibility, and what that may mean - this one being in my
general geographic area, makes me at least a little bit concerned.
Anyhow, after seeing the NIPAS Mobile Field Force vehicle, there were also several helicopters (far more than normal) flying the area, and a
significant number of state and county police vehicles (besides municipal.) We don't see many state and county police on our roads, because our
municipal police forces are enormous compared to their workloads. I know several police officers in the area, and most of them are bored out of their
minds most of the time, because their coverage area is so small and uneventful.
So, there must have been some kind of exercise, practice, whatever going on, and it may have been 100% innocent. Then again, it may have been
"gearing up" for being put to use in the near future. This doesn't mean the participants are in on any grand conspiracy, but those up above may be
planning on a need to put them to use in the near future.