A national debate on whether the militarized approach from police forces in the riots in Ferguson, Mo., is appropriate has prompted Sheriff J.D. “Danny” Diggs to speak in support of the armored vehicle the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office recently acquired.
Diggs posted a message Thursday on the office’s Facebook page defending the acquisition of the MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle.
In his message, he called out national media and its “lack of responsibility of reporting facts” for making matters worse in Ferguson, where violence has sparked between police and civilians since an unarmed black man was shot and killed by a white police officer Aug. 9.
His message delineated several reasons for requesting the MRAP: it’s bullet-resistant; it can travel in up to 3 feet of water; it can help transport people in search-and-rescue scenarios.
“It’s just a tool, just like the guns we wear every day. We have the authority to take a life at any time, under the right set of circumstances as provided by law and that which is morally correct,” he wrote. “Don’t blame the gun, or the MRAP, or any other piece of equipment. It is how it is used.”
YPSO received the MRAP in June through a Pentagon military program seeking to repurpose surplus equipment. Diggs told WYDaily in a June interview YPSO plans on using the armored vehicle in severe storms when citizens may be stranded in high water, or to easily clear the roadway of fallen trees.
The vehicle was given to YPSO for free and transported to York County using $6,000 in assets seized from drug dealers. The office will pay for the MRAP’s fuel and regular maintenance.
Diggs spoke with WYDaily two hours after posting his message, which had already received more than 20 comments. He said he weighed the pros and cons of posting something with his deputies and decided it was the right thing to do.
“It’s a worthy topic of discussion so that people can completely understand what we’re doing,” he said.
He said he could have gone on to say more in his message but wanted to make sure he asked Facebook followers the real question of discussion: “Do you trust us?”
“I think part of the problem that drives this mistrust of police is lack of communication,” Diggs said. “It needed to be said for our community.”
He said he has yet to see any improper use of military equipment but would not be surprised if the government were to re-examine the program and revoke military equipment from local law enforcement.
“The government is famous for knee-jerk reactions to inflated problems,” he said.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday the program has supplied police departments in the U.S. with more than $4.3 billion in military equipment since 1997.
To read the full letter from Diggs, click here.
Related Coverage:
