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Mich. police to get surplus DOD gear

The Flint Journal

FENTON, Mich. Argentine Township police may be acquiring rifles, defibrillators, body armor and even a boat without having to pay a dime.

Police Chief Daniel Allen has signed the department up with the Michigan Law Enforcement Support program through the Department of Defense. It’s mainly an online program, where law enforcement agencies can select items that are no longer used by the military and slated to be destroyed.

“They are all items being replaced by the military,” Allen said. “The military replaces things all the time.”

He wants his department to be fully armed and ready for any situation, including a barricaded gunman standoff.

“We’re looking at getting patrol rifles,” Allen said. “Most of the police use handguns or shotguns but the rifles have more range and are more selective on target.”

He said he saw a boat on the program’s Web site which would be ideal in local waters.

“It was a boat at Cape Canaveral in mint condition,” he said. “All we would have to do is lay claim to it and accept it. This is something that would be way out of our budget.”

Copyright 2007 Flint Journal

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