TELL US: Do the Concord Police Need a Bearcat Armored Vehicle?

The Concord City Council will be voting on a $260,000 federal grant for a new Lenco Bearcat armored vehicle for the Concord Police Department, to be used with its Central New Hampshire tactical police unit. If approved, the Bearcat will replace an aging Peacekeeper the department has been using since 1981.

Some say that the police in Concord don’t need to be militarized even if they already have an armored vehicle, AR-15 assault weapons, and other tactical gear. 

Others say that the vehicle will help protect officers in a time of crisis and is needed. 

Critics have been upset by the grant application offered by the police chief that noted that he was worried about certain elements with the Occupy and Free State Project movements. 

The chief later offered an apology for a poor choice of words in the grant application.

What do you think the Concord City Council should do on Monday? Leave a note in the comment section below.