jeffmiller:

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So I guess the Tampa police brought this out to face the Occupy protestors down there.  If the movement is looking for something discrete to protest, perhaps they could protest LOCAL POLICE OWNING TANKS.

The Tampa Police Department wins the award for most unnecessary ownership of a tank. Here’s another photo, for those who thought this was Photoshopped. (Our BS-meter was admittedly turned on there.) Here’s a description of the unit from the City of Tampa’s police site: “The 12-ton Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) can drive through five feet of water and withstand winds up to 130 mph helping police operate under the most severe conditions. The carrier, nicknamed “high-top shoe” for its tall silhouette look, can be used for search and rescue during a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. The APC is bullet resistant, can hold 13 passengers and it is virtually unstoppable. On pavement, it can reach speeds of 60 mph. This one of a kind APC was purchased from the military and it was paid for with a Federal security grant.”