Florida sheriff’s MRAP purchase angers, upsets local residents

A Florida sheriff has angered local citizens by buying a mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle at a delivery cost of $2,500.

The vehicle is needed to help protect officers in dangerous situations, Sheriff Mike Adkinson told the Associated Press. But many in Walton County don’t see it that way.

Upset citizens contend that local law enforcement don’t need an MRAP to fight crime in the largely rural and peaceful community, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported.

Florida’s Department of Emergency Management said law enforcement agencies in the state have actively participated in the Department of Defense’s military surplus sales system, known as the 1033 program, which allows civilian agencies to buy battle-tested equipment at discount prices.