6.5-ton armored vehicle to roll through Pennsylvania woods in hunt for suspected cop

[LarryW]

What a great time to be alive! This isn’t considered as militarization of LEOs is it? A D-8 Cat would probably suffice, but these look like a lot more fun.

6.5-ton armored vehicle to roll through Pennsylvania woods in hunt for suspected cop killer

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/09/24...cmp=latestnews

Authorities hunting a survivalist and suspected cop killer in the rugged woods of eastern Pennsylvania say they believe they are closing in on him and have brought in a 6.5-ton armored tactical vehicle dubbed "The Rook" and outfitted with robotic video cameras to assist in a search now entering its 12th day.

Lt. Col. George Bivens told a press conference Wednesday that officers believe they spotted 31-year-old Eric Frein, who is charged with killing one trooper and wounding another, as recently as Tuesday. However the distance and extremely rugged terrain separating the officers from Frein in each sighting meant "he has had the ability to disappear," Bivens told reporters.

Police found empty packs of Serbian-branded cigarettes and soiled diapers believed to have been left by the suspect, Bivens said, helping to cement authorities' belief they are close to him. Police believe Frein is using diapers so he can remain stationary for long periods of time.

The massive ongoing search now includes a 13,000-pound machine that allows officers to gain entry to the second story of a house without a ladder or to deploy snipers to rooftops.

(Cont.)

(More on “The Rook”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhffiiGBD4Q

...maybe one of these...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvGRauxV9_U

So many decisions and so little time.

[The Reaper]

I saw the article.

I fail to see the application, in this case.

Nice toy, but what capability does it bring that they need to find this guy?

Morale booster?

TR

[Flagg]

I'd rather have a couple well experienced close country trackers and a couple TI units than a heavy vehicle that can't access close country terrain.

Although they'd have to be pretty good.....tracking one guy is a lot harder than tracking decent numbers, but he is leaving discardibles.

[Team Sergeant]

Snipers (not police marksmen) would be great right about now..... I'm betting there are more than a few in the Pa National Guard.......

[YM Cating]

I don't understand their thought process. So once they find him, have him surrounded, say in a cabin or whatever. Then sure okay, I could see why they thought "overly massive, armored bulldozer." But while actively searching?

I suppose I have a lot to learn about police work. Maybe it's for the same reason cops need MRAPs and BLM needs MARPAT camo.

Here's what I've seen happening. Everyone is taking a "step up." For instance, cops are wearing military gear, and security guards are wearing cop gear. The other day I'm at the mall right and what do I see? Two security guards in black uniforms, pants tucked into their combat boots, duty belt with everything but the gun, badges, and in big yellow letters on their backs, the word "SECURITY." What happened to the days where they wore dress blue slacks, and a white shirt, carried a flashlight and a baton?

[PokemonMaster]

They should put cow bells on the officer while they are at it.

[YM Cating]

Originally Posted by PokemonMaster

They should put cow bells on the officer while they are at it.

It'll never get close enough to this dude for him to hear it. He'll be miles ahead of this junk if he's in the woods. But hey you and me are paying for it, so we might as well get some comedy value right?

25% of my paycheck goes to crackheads and bullshit...Nice.

Ya know I wonder. If all our tax payer money that went to all the BS R&D went instead to this countries SOF....I wonder how big a threat ISIS would actually be? Assuming our government actually let them do their jobs. Well that's getting off topic. Point made, moving on.

Cheers!

[LarryW]

Imagine when this land leviathan gets high-centered on a tree stump, and they have to call AAA to tow them off, and all the while this crazy asshole is hunkered down watching them squirm and drill deeper into the mud. Will he take a shot from 500 yards away? Wanna bet he wouldn't?

Cow bells? Shit, they already have the bells and the whistles. All they need is a big bass drum and baton twirlers!

Amazing!

[craigepo]

They should trade the thing for a good team of bloodhounds

[Trappertod]

I am waiting to hear he has fired rounds from very long distances at them. This has been my fear for the police all along. They need someone with the same skill set to find him.

[YM Cating]

Originally Posted by Trappertod

I am waiting to hear he has fired rounds from very long distances at them. This has been my fear for the police all along. They need someone with the same skill set to find him.

yeah...skills. Forget about that. Skills are obsolete and have been replaced with shiny toys mixed with an ample dose of technology.

The standard crime threat hasn't changed. We've always been able to deal with it in the end, yet we keep trying innovate on something that will not change. Instead of a step forward it's just two steps back, except this time two steps back means cooler stuff. Bad men will now and again get the drop on good men. It will happen and it sucks and it sucks hard. But an armored toy won't fix it. And honestly I doubt this thing will save lives in the long run.

a SWAT team against one lone gunmen? With or without this thing I'd say the team is relatively safe as long as they keep it tight. Now let's say its 6 guys with AKs and high-end body armor? I don't see this thing making a difference either. At the end of the day officers will have to engage the threat one way or another and short of mounting an m2 on this thing isn't going to change that.

In my opinion it's just a distraction for the team on the ground. As someone above mentioned a "morale booster."

After watching the video again. Here's what I will say. I think this would have practical application in disaster relief. It's tough enough that it could get slammed by shrapnel getting whipped up by hurricane winds, without causing problems. And it also has the tools necessary to bust through collapsed structures, lift vehicles, and remove debris. Other than that, well, you know my feelings on the thing.

[therunningwolf]

Originally Posted by YM Cating

I don't understand their thought process. So once they find him, have him surrounded, say in a cabin or whatever. Then sure okay, I could see why they thought "overly massive, armored bulldozer." But while actively searching?

I suppose I have a lot to learn about police work. Maybe it's for the same reason cops need MRAPs and BLM needs MARPAT camo.

Here's what I've seen happening. Everyone is taking a "step up." For instance, cops are wearing military gear, and security guards are wearing cop gear. The other day I'm at the mall right and what do I see? Two security guards in black uniforms, pants tucked into their combat boots, duty belt with everything but the gun, badges, and in big yellow letters on their backs, the word "SECURITY." What happened to the days where they wore dress blue slacks, and a white shirt, carried a flashlight and a baton?

I think it's a case of "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." The most likely case is these guys have no idea what they are doing and are compensating for it by bringing out all these shiny toys to make the locals believe they have everything under control, in that sense I can't blame them to much, with police operations making the public feel safe takes a huge priority. A lot can be said for creating the illusion of security.

I think they will find things to go much better by pulling the search teams out of the cordon and focusing on perimeter security, then call up the local NG unit and request assistance in tracking this dirt bag. I think a smaller team of people that know what they are doing will be much more effective then 100+ clueless officers, no offense to the department but being a cop doesn't make you the king of all trackers. People that have no idea what they are doing in the woods tend to make way to much noise, you can hear them coming a mile away. From what I have been hearing in the LEO circles, this guy has been toying with them for a couple days, I have the feeling this is gonna end ugly. I don't care about the dirt bag let him die but I do not want to see any of my northern countrymen or brothers in blue getting hurt, this needs to end quickly.

Call in some NG trackers, let them find this guy, after everything is said and done get with the NG unit and request they perform a tracking course for the department SRT. Heck ask some of those NG guys to join the SO or PD as reserves, then you will have the skill set in the future without having to ask for NG assistance. Reserves don't get paid here, I would assume most departments work similar so the county won't be out much.

Just my .02

[The Reaper]

To me, the logical thing to do is to keep the LEOs working streets and municipalities for containment and intel, try to establish a perimeter, use the SWAT teams to form a QRF, get the air units or the Guard in the air scanning with thermals, and get the Department of Corrections or other search trained units on the ground moving to track or drive him into the net.

Leave the HSLD Bobcat on the trailer.

Of course, I am just an old SF guy, what do I know?

TR

[rubberneck]

Deer season starts in a couple weeks. Could be interesting.

[grog18b]

Thermals don't work well in heavy forest canopy.

We had a special ed run away, and called the helo to help look for him. They tried the therms, and could not fiind him. We ended up catching him when he came out onto the interstate... He told us every time the helo came over, he hid behind a tree... simple to evade something with rotor noise.