State officials are praising the final decision that allows the U.S. Department of Defense to permanently transfer the title of surplus equipment – vehicles with diesel engines -- to local law enforcement and fire departments.
Press releases from Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe and State Representative Mike Sanders approve the decision “that benefit Oklahoma counties, school districts and rural fire departments.” That that decision also restores the transfer of surplus vehicles for law enforcement agencies.
In early July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stopped the transfer of surplus vehicles from the DOD on those vehicles that did not meet emissions regulations.
The outcry from local fire departments was loud. The Oklahoma forestry officials said rural fire departments across Oklahoma would be devastated if the transfer of surplus military vehicles was halted, and Oklahoma government officials called for restoration of the project.
On July 16, U.S. Oklahoma Senator Inhofe announced the EPA and the DOD reached an agreement to continue the vehicle transfers if the vehicles' titles remain under DOD after the transfer. This would allow the vehicles to be tracked and properly destroyed later.
A press release from the DOD’s office of Disposition Services announced the change. Air Force Col. Michael Cannon, the director of DLA Disposition Services, said, “Civilian fire departments and law enforcement agencies that obtain the kinds of vehicles and equipment in question take part in voluntary programs offering that equipment for free.”
On August 13, an announcement by the DOD’s Logistics Agency said that the agency would fully and permanently restore the programs and allow for the state and local agencies to obtain and maintain the titles for the equipment.
The press release from State Representative Mike Sanders says, “Each year, Oklahoma fire departments receive and rely on $13 million to $15 million worth of surplus equipment from the DOD. The cost of the new vehicles falls between $150,000 and $200,000, but the departments are able to take these surplus vehicles and equip them for as low as $30,000.”
A news story by KWTV News 9 indicates there are about 28 gigantic six-wheel, eight-seater, MRAP truck, or Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles in Oklahoma obtained under the DOD program and used by law enforcement agencies, including the Canadian County Sheriff and the Guthrie and Enid police departments. The Canadian County Sheriff’s office says their MRAP truck is not militarized and does not have machine guns strapped to the vehicle, but is used to “protect deputies in high-risk situations.”
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