Not A Lot of Equipment
On the topic of Tampa’s $50 million federal grant for hosting the RNC:
“We’re not going to buy a lot of equipment with this money,” Tampa Assistant Police Chief Marc Hamlin told the City Council. Still, police do need some upgrades, and those purchases started Thursday. There was $1.18 million for a better video link between police helicopters and ground commanders. Also nearly $273,000 for an armored SWAT vehicle. Really, asked City Council Vice Chairwoman Mary Mulhern. Armor? “Kind of troubling,” she said. “I personally don’t feel like this is a necessity, and I just don’t like the idea of our city becoming militarized (in its) police force.” In addition to the SWAT vehicle they’re buying, police plan to borrow a dozen or more like it from Pinellas, Hillsborough and federal agencies for the convention. Also, up to $2 million will buy about 60 downtown surveillance cameras. [Tampa Bay Times]
(By the way, Charlotte/DNC doesn’t look too different.)
