Arpaio brings out the big guns
Sheriff to show new antiterror gear to public
By RAY STERN TRIBUNE -- CONTACT WRITER: (480) 898-6405 or rstern@aztrib.com
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Wednesday will unveil equipment and plans to help counter any potential terrorist attack, including a .50-caliber machine gun to be mounted on the county’s armored personnel carrier. "This is a very highpowered weapon that I have, and if it ever has to be used, we’re ready to use it," Arpaio said Monday. The self-styled "toughest sheriff in America" said obtaining the machine gun was part of a yearlong plan his office has been developing to protect against terrorism. It was bought for $12,000 by money taken from drug dealers, Arpaio said. Other recent purchases include two bomb robots and computer tools that scan irises and recognize facial features. Arpaio plans to display some of the equipment to the public at 2 p.m. Wednesday, just west of the Tent City Jail, 2939 W. Durango St., Phoenix. "I have the responsibility to protect 3.2 million people," Arpaio said. "My oath of office said I will defend the U.S. against all enemies, both foreign and domestic." The Browning M2 belt-fed .50-caliber machine gun should prove a formidable defense, if it were ever needed. The World War IIera weapon can shoot up to 550 high-velocity bullets per minute. It will be mounted on the 11-ton armored vehicle Arpaio’s office bought from the Defense Department in 1998, Arpaio said. The gun’s bullets fly for miles, so it probably would not be used in urban areas, Arpaio said. He envisions situations where his office might need to shoot down a terrorist’s low-flying airplane or tractor-trailer filled with explosives, he said. "This can bring down any terrorist that might be roaming around the desert of Maricopa County or any sensitive area," he said. Arpaio said he would loan it out — along with the deputies trained to use it — if another local law enforcement agency needed it, he said. "I can’t even think of a scenario where we would use it," said Tempe police Sgt. Dan Masters. "But if we exhausted all other options, it’s nice to know it’s there." Despite its heavy-duty firepower, any Arizonan who can pass a federal background check and obtain a special permit can buy the Browning M2 at stores like Mandall Shooting Supply in Scottsdale, which has one available for $20,000. "It’s no big deal," said the store’s owner, Marty Mandall. "I’m sure they will take precautions and use it properly."
NEW WEAPONRY: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says the county is going to mount a .50-caliber machine gun like this on the county’s armored personnel carrier. SUBMITTED PHOTO
