Difficulty Returning Vehicle Among Issues as Moorestown Police Consider MRAP Application

The possibility of being stuck with a large military vehicle it doesn’t need is among the concerns Moorestown Police face while considering whether to pursue an application for a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.

In the wake of images of a police force that looked like it belonged on a battlefield rather than the streets of Ferguson, Missouri as it dealt with mostly peaceful protesters last year, there were calls for some police departments were told to return military equipment obtained through the federal government.

That has not proven as easy as it sounds, according to motherjones.com.

Many agencies have run across problems returning large tactical pieces of military equipment they obtained through the Department of Defense’s 1033 surplus program, according to the report.

To return an item, the police department must first get approval from the Department of Defense. Since the equipment is on loan, it still belongs to the Pentagon. This prevents police departments from selling the equipment, even as the town takes on the cost of maintaining it, according to the report.

Robb Davis, the mayor of Davis, California, told Mother Jones the government uses the program as “low cost storage for the federal government.” Davis was trying to return an MRAP.

Departments in Washington, San Diego, Los Angeles, Michigan and New York are facing similar problems, according to the report.

Those trying to return items claim the Department of Defense wants to keep items in circulation once it loans them out. In many instances, other municipalities end up with equipment departments have attempted to return, according to the report.

The Department of Defense told Mother Jones the only thing that prevents towns from returning equipment is a lack of necessary paperwork or, in some cases, extra certification.

Moorestown Police say this is one thing they’re taking into consideration as they weigh whether or not they should pursue an application for the vehicle through the 1033 program.

“I’ve seen others’ concerns, and it’s not our intention to get something we’re going to want to give back in a couple months,” Lt. Lee Lieber said.

Moorestown has gone through the process before, although not with a large piece of equipment.

Moorestown obtained surplus M-16 rifles in the past, but those rifles were returned when the department purchased its own rifles, Lieber said.

“There was a paperwork process, but it didn’t take an extraordinarily long time,” Lieber said. “Our experience wasn’t that bad, but I know the feds have to be exactly correct. We’re checking all angles and making sure once we get it, we’re not going to return it a month later.”

Lieber has been in touch with several departments over the last few weeks as the department considers its application.

On Monday night, resident Paul Conlow went before Council and asked them to seriously consider the issue as well.

“We are taking this issue very seriously,” Mayor Victoria Napolitano said.

Council said it will ask Lieber to appear at a future meeting and take questions from residents.

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