01.30.12

The Militarization of South Pasadena

Posted in Decline and Fall, Phlogiston, War On Terror at 2:45 pm by George Smith


The deluxe version comes with a year’s supply of injectable anabolic steroids in an on-board mini-fridge. Six gunports provide extra-clear fields of on-demand retaliatory fire.

Wha? Even local shires with no significant history of violent crime or threat try to get into the act. The Los Angeles Times informs today that South Pasadena, generally known for its population of swells, tree-lined streets and swank/genteel bungalow homes has acquired an urban combat vehicle for one dollar, sold off by Burbank, which is trading up on homeland security bucks.

You have to see the piece to believe it.

It’s here.

Reads the newspaper:

These days a dollar can buy a can of soda, a song on iTunes — or, in South Pasadena’s case, an armored vehicle.

Last week the city took delivery of a vehicle known as a Peacekeeper, paying Burbank $1 for the privilege. Burbank originally received the Peacekeeper as surplus from the U.S. Air Force …

The Peacekeeper saw no action during its Burbank years …

“Active shooter training is also a high priority for police officers that are facing a new type of terror threat as was seen in the Mumbai, India, terror attack,” [a South Pasadena city report on the Peacekeeper acquisition] said …

Burbank decided to sell the armored vehicle after it obtained a new BearCat SWAT vehicle in February 2009 through a $275,000 Homeland Security Department grant.

An advert for the Lenco BearCat is here. Grrrrr!

The Peacekeeper is made by arms manufacturer, Textron.

Population of South Pasadena: 25,000

Median home value: $600 — $700,000

Gus’s Barbecue in SouthPas, where I have eaten. Toggle the street view. A fine cigar shop is adjacent to Gus’s on the left.

2 Comments

  1. Christoph Hechl said,

    January 31, 2012 at 12:00 am

    I’m afraid you were wrong:
    I saw it and i still don’t beleive it.
    [quote]
    …a new type of terror threat as was seen in the Mumbai, India,…
    [/quote]
    So i expect South Pasadena will soon be equipped with avalanche protection as well, because of all the casualties these cause all over the planet?
    The mind boggles.

  2. George Smith said,

    January 31, 2012 at 11:01 am

    I do know some people are rightly worried about earthquakes.