So we are talking about perception above all else?
Great, but there are use cases for armored vehicles. Whether its an MRAP or a Bearcat.
There are always going to be barricaded persons, hostage situations, active shooters, riots, and natural disasters that need responding to and those seem to be the best tools for the job. The goal is to get as close to the subject as possible without anyone getting hurt. From there you can control the scene and use it as a position to de-escalate.
If these tools are being used inappropriately, I am all for legislation to curb that.
The idea that first you roll up in a tank, and then you pretend that you're going to de-escalate, is inherently ludicrous.
"Barricaded person": doesn't need an MRAP, they need a therapist.
"Hostage situation": generally also doesn't need an MRAP, they need a specialized therapist.
"Active shooter": here's note from a company that really wants to sell you training on how to deal with an active shooter -- http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/10-lessons-learned-fro... -- note that even with their spin, they can't come up with any evidence that an MRAP would be helpful.
"Riots" -- There's a list on Wikipedia. What percentage were caused by the police murdering people? 12 of 29 in the last ten years.
"Natural disasters": don't require tanks. Heavy trucks? Rugged 4WD? More investment in firefighting equipment? Sure. Hauling around tons of armor on a vehicle with a high center of gravity? Silly.
Great, but there are use cases for armored vehicles. Whether its an MRAP or a Bearcat.
There are always going to be barricaded persons, hostage situations, active shooters, riots, and natural disasters that need responding to and those seem to be the best tools for the job. The goal is to get as close to the subject as possible without anyone getting hurt. From there you can control the scene and use it as a position to de-escalate.
If these tools are being used inappropriately, I am all for legislation to curb that.