How a rural US sheriff’s department was able to obtain a military-grade vehicle

A sheriff’s department in a remote rural California county with only 18,000 people, no incorporated cities, few sworn officers and almost no crime, was able to obtain a second military-grade MRAP armored vehicle in 2017 by giving brief answers to a simple questionnaire, according to documents obtained under freedom of information requests.

MRAP stands for mine-resistant ambush protected, though the prospect of encountering mines or being ambushed would seem to be unlikely in even the toughest US police precincts.

The documents, provided to the Guardian by the transparency non-profit Property of the People, show how quickly Donald Trump’s 2017 reversal of the Barack Obama administration’s curtailment of the transfer of battlefield equipment to law enforcement agencies led to their renewed proliferation, and how little agencies had to do to demonstrate any real need for them.

The documents include Mariposa county sheriff’s office (MCSO) application for the second MRAP from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The application in September 2017, about a month after Trump reversed a 2015 Obama executive order which prohibited the transfer of equipment like armored vehicles, grenade launchers and high-caliber weapons to civilian agencies.

With one-line or one-paragraph answers to 15 questions, the rural county sheriff was able to add the vehicle to its already extant Mamba MRAP, acquired in 2014.

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While Trying to Kill Family’s Dog, LAPD Cop Reportedly Shoots His Partner Instead

According to police, the 33-year-old man was holding a pair of scissors when officers arrived. He was accompanied in the home by his wife, mother-in-law and three small children — and the family’s pet Rottweiler.

Police say that during the response, an officer fired a shot which they suggested was directed at the dog. During the firing, a female officer was struck.

During an encounter, a female officer was struck by gunfire in the wrist, but it is unclear what led to the shooting. At some point, a fire extinguisher was used, apparently to try and control the dog. The officer had residue from the extinguisher on her boots, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said, according to KTLA.

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New COVID-19 restrictions will be needed for anti-vaxxers

To anti-vaxxers, I have one message: our tolerance for your wilful ignorance is over. We cannot afford, morally or economically, to give any ground to those who choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Let me be clear. I’m not advocating that we vaccinate people against their will. That would be wrong. We must ensure that the safety of our community is the number one priority. That means that participation in everyday life cannot put others at risk. If you do not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, you ought to bear the consequences of that decision.

As a community, we should consider to what extent we allow organisations to prevent those who object to being vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter their premises, participate in their activities and, in some circumstances, seek their employment.

Governments have gone some way to doing this by implementing policies such as withholding family tax benefits and preventing children from being accepted into childcare unless vaccinations are proven. Further restrictions would be a natural extension of these policies.

Restaurants could be allowed the right to refuse entry to those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. Businesses, especially those involved in the care or service of vulnerable communities, might be allowed the right to refuse employment to those without a COVID-19 vaccination. Organisers of mass gatherings could deny the sale of tickets on this basis.

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New York City to install checkpoints to enforce quarantine for travelers

In addition to the state’s growing travel advisory listing states that are experiencing a seven-day infection rate of over 10 cases per 100,000 people, New York City will impose checkpoints at populous entry points to the city to ensure travelers into the city will comply with the state’s 14-day quarantine mandate. 

Reuters reports that city Mayor Bill DeBlasio (D) made the announcement on Wednesday, saying that visitors from the 35 states on New York’s travel advisory must follow quarantine orders to contain the spread of the virus.

“Travelers coming in from those states will be given information about the quarantine and will be reminded that it is required, not optional,” de Blasio told a news briefing. He noted that given specific circumstances, not following the quarantine order could result in a $10,000 fine.

These checkpoint locations will be installed at high-volume bridge and tunnels leading into New York City, beginning Wednesday.

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Global elites hint that corona restrictions will continue forever

When announcing the promising release of impending vaccines, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the media on Monday there is “no silver bullet at the moment — and there might never be.” One would expect his next sentence to say, “and therefore these measures really don’t work and are unsustainable so we need to go on with our lives and achieve herd immunity through healthier people.” Then he added the following: “The message to people and governments is clear: Do it all. And when it’s under control, keep going.”

In other words, control forever. This was never about waiting until a vaccine, which in itself was an unprecedent illogical strategy. The lockdowns and mask mandates are not viewed even as a means to an end or a necessary evil, but the end itself.

When announcing the immoral, illogical, and dangerous policy of mandating mask wearing on all school children in Ohio on Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine said, “That is what the norm should be.”

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