By: Diane Benjamin
More on this story: https://blnnews.com/2023/08/14/is-the-safe-t-act-causing-police-to-militarize/
Side note: The country has gone from defunding the police and sending out social workers to dangerous situations to buying armored vehicles to protect police. In Illinois suspects will be released without bail beginning September 1st. Since police can’t be everywhere, who protects citizens?
Since the Police Chief is not on the video from Monday’s Bloomington Council meeting, locating his comment is difficult without re-listening to the echoing audio. The camera never moved from showing the entire Council, other speakers are not shown. Normally I can scan a video and find the person I want to hear quickly.
Chief Simington stated his department will not be receiving the vehicle for around a year. It isn’t built yet. If you see one next week it isn’t Bloomington’s.
A reader posted this link in response to the Public Comment about the W Washington closure: https://bloomingtonsite.info/
If you want to find the Chief’s comment – have fun:
The Chief stated that this is not a military vehicle. He also said that the military has different operating procedures. I did listen to it. I also spoke to my son who is active military and saw my posts and laughed. He basically stated that this is not a military piece of equipment. Why are people blowing up about this?
Because of how it looked at is and the videos in my he packet.