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	Podcast:		Maine Things Considered
	Episode:		Sanford Chief Says Armored Vehicle Used Only In 'Very Limited And Specific Set Of Circumstances'
	Category:		Government & Organizations
	Duration:		00:05:22
	Publish Date:		2020-06-15 17:04:58
	Description:		Back in the 1990s, Congress authorized the transfer of certain excess military equipment to law enforcement agencies around the U.S., including many local police departments. Under the federal 1033 program, a number of police departments in Maine have acquired equipment including rifle scopes, computers, night vision goggles and armored vehicles. The southern Maine town of Sanford has ordered more than $1.5 million worth of gear, including two mine-resistant armored vehicles designed for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. At a time when the militarization of law enforcement agencies is under intense scrutiny, Sanford Police Chief Thomas Connolly is defending the usefulness of the vehicles. He told All Things Considered host Nora Flaherty that his department is the primary agency for the Southern Maine Special Response Team, which is called in to deal with high-risk situations, often involving armed and dangerous suspects who have barricaded themselves inside a building. This interview
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