(Culpeper Sheriff Scott Jenkins, a long time local law enforcement veteran, affable leader, and advocate of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) capabilities. Photo Culpeper Country Sheriff’s Department).

We had a blast this weekend- literally. Some pals in the extended Socotra Affinity Group wanted to come down to the farm for some firearms proficiency at the instrumented test range at the Dacha next door, and a thoroughly good time was had by all. Safety is paramount for us, no beverages permitted on the range and proper equipment and hearing protection the order of the day.

Now, bleary on a Monday, it is time to look at the storm clouds that will bring inches of rain our way in time for Thanksgiving. The temperatures are hovering in the twenties as the light comes up, so we are all keeping our fingers crossed that the magic confluence of moist Gulf air, the proximity of the Chesapeake and some errant high altitude cold thread of the Jet Stream doesn’t convert the rain into a foot or more of the dread white stuff.

Anyway, once the guests were gone and the Farm returned to a more silent demeanor, I lit a cheery fire in the fireplace and picked up the Clarion Bugle to see what might be happening in town: the tree lighting, holiday open houses, that sort of thing.

The Bugle comes out on Thursday, the optimal day for the ads to stimulate shopping, and times being what they are, the paper is mostly just advertising now. Local coverage has diminished as costs rise to maintain publication on actual paper, and there was never much of an attempt to catch up with what is happening in Richmond, much less the National Capital which sprawls across the Potomac to the north.

I was interested in the coverage of Sheriff Scott Jenkins address to the public on his first two years as the County’s top law enforcement official.

Sheriffs are an interesting breed. Their office has a history in English Common Law that goes back a millennium. They are the only elected law enforcement officials in America. All the rest of them are appointed, or creatures of the bloated Federal and State bureaucracies. Scott is the last line of defense for the citizens of his county, which is why his predecessor got in trouble over allegations of cozy relations with some of the local meth cookers. Scott is a reform Sheriff, and reportedly an affable keeper of the peace.

Under his young administration, DUI and drug busts are up by a third. Patrols are up 25% from the level maintained by the last Sheriff. There are now four K-9 units, up from zero in 2011, and they have seized $55,000 in contraband. and presumably the public is that much safer.

I am not sure I am a huge fan of increased traffic check points, but I am certainly opposed to highway carnage, which is why when I am down at the farm, I normally stay there.

The coverage of the remarks over at the local Community College reported them to be “cheerful, positive and celebratory,” which is the way I like my law enforcement.

What got my attention was the praise heaped on LT Bryant Arrington, who is head of the Culpeper Special Operations Division. That is apparently where our local Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) capability is resident.

Everyone is concerned with the “active shooter” scenario these days, and the last few horrors have encouraged ordinary citizens to be prepared as well in those jurisdictions that have not imposed severe restrictions.
So, I guess I am pleased about how organized Lt. Arrington is. Well trained and organized is a good thing, I think. But I was very surprised to see exactly what is coming into the Lieutenant’s inventory. In addition to the usual stuff the Feds are handing out for free (grenade launchers, helicopters, military robots, M-16 assault rifles, riverboats, Battle Dress Uniforms and information technology equipment.

Culpeper County is getting a Caiman MRAP (for “Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected”) manufactured by my friends at BAE Systems, the American arm of the British defense giant. Lt. Arrington got a moment in the Sheriff’s update to explain that the vehicle will be used chiefly for “SWAT response to “active shooter” and barricade situations” and as a bonus will be available to neighboring law enforcement agencies.

Just to refresh your memory, the Caiman has some cool features:

18 ton overall combat weight
10-man crew capacity
Tensylon composite armor
Armor enhancement capable
Manned and remote weapons stations
Full-time all wheel drive
Fully automatic transmission
Electronic Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS)
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Class V Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals
V-Shaped hull to deflect blast effects.

The Bugle quoted the Sheriff as saying that “If your officers are under fire, you’ve got to get to the threat.” High-power rifles will shoot bullets that can defeat conventional body armor, so the MRAP is ideal for getting close to deranged deer hunters. There are a few downsides to the Caiman, which the Sheriff did not mention. The heavy weight and large size of the MRAP imposes limitations, including:
· Poor maneuverability makes it difficult and sometimes impossible to use in an urban environment
· Poor off-road performance
· Prone to tipping over
· 70% of world’s bridges can’t hold MRAPs- I do not know if the Sheriff has examined the bridges on the back-country Culpeper roads
· Too wide for many roads- and hopefully the one in front of Refuge Farm
· High fuel consumption—approximately 3 mpg, which is painfully close to gallons per mile as calculated for the M1A1 Abrams main battle tank

Now that we have declared the wars overseas to be over, and the jihadi terrorists on the run, there is a lot of surplus property available from the Federal Government to augment local law enforcement through the “1033 program.” The subsidy program long predates 9/11, and grew up in the War on Drugs. But the availability of materiel and the level of hysteria imposed by the new DHS has poured gas on the fire.

The Culpeper sheriff’s office obtained 20 NVDs through the program, so thankfully the local law enforcement will have a capability roughly equivalent to that of a Marine Force Recon team. According to the Bugle, next year, orders through the overall 1033 program for equipment will be at least 400 percent greater than the DoD request for 2012, so there might be more freebies for the Sheriff’s Department.

I guess the question is: is the heavy armor capability what Sheriff Jenkins really needs to police quaint and picturesque Culpeper? Or, at 18 tons, is the vehicle just a very, very heavy truck the county acquired to protect its SWAT operators?

Or should this be the kind of vehicle we just park on the lawn in front of the Culpeper VFW with the other armor intended for overseas service?

It is a useful thing that Sheriff Scott Jenkins is a good guy- and I do believe that he is “cheerful, positive and celebratory” in the way he carries out his necessary and sometimes very difficult (and dangerous) job.

Still, I am a little uneasy about twenty night-vision-equipped deputies with grenade

in BDUs and armor following that MRAP up the lane with the blue lights flashing, though.

I hope they have the correct address for where they are going, you know?

Copyright 2013 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: #jayare303