I saw one of these a couple of blocks from my home yesterday.

[kentuck]

Except it had El Paso County Sheriff Dept on the side:

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.337914.1403734290!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_445/tank.jpg

[SummerSnow]

1. That is a scary sight

[kentuck]

6. A chill ran up my spine when I saw it...

and the words El Paso County Sheriff painted on its side. I don't know why?

[5X]

2. The little town close to me, Bixby, Ok. has one as well.

along with dozens of police cars in a town that shuts down
the whole downtown area at 5pm.

[lpbk2713]

3. Peepee Insecurity Squad

... is really what they should have printed on the side of it.

[pinboy3niner]

4. The L.A. County Sheriff's Dept staged one at an Occupy L.A. May Day event a few years ago

It's a common intimidation tactic. There was no hostage situation or other crisis in the area that day, and no violence or threat of violence from the peaceful Occupy marchers.

[Half-Century Man]

5. Beloit Wi has a gun truck (converted Humvee).

Can't afford to paint it so it's still OD green. No police lights. Turret with the mounts for an M-2 50cal Machine gun and a belt fed grenade launcher, look so pitiful without the weapons. No search lights, nothing.

We had a hostage situation recently (resolved peacefully) so the cops brought out the gigantic command post trailer and the gun truck. A platoon of cops (in armor and carrying automatic weapons) sat around in the hot sun and stared at a house while drawing hazard pay for three hours. The dusty OD green gun truck was parked cockeyed between two squad cars; it looked like some some refugee from the Bundy ranch has gotten pulled over going home.
Lottsa mention that the suspect was armed, no mention of the kind of weapon (probability of fire arm, near zero).

[pinboy3niner]

7. The funny thing is that even tiny PDs are getting this stuff, thanks to federal grants

Whether they need them or not. And as you point out, some can't even afford to modify them properly for civilian PD work.

If this stuff is REALLY needed, not every PD needs to have it. It could be staged regionally and quickly airlifted in in the event of an armed standoff, hostage rescue situation, or other exigency. Just handing it out like candy to local PDs only encourages creative authoritarian minds to find uses for them beyond what's really justifiable.

[Half-Century Man]

8. Per county would be fine.

Outfitted for strictly police work. Completely demilitarize each piece before giving it to LEOs. Completely demilitarize law enforcement.

Personally, I do not see any valid reason for law enforcement to have automatic weapons at all.

[d_r]

9. i bet that gets crappy gas mileage

but would be awesome for zombie apocalypse

[GeorgeGist]

10. imagine barney fife ...

with a 'tude.

[ck4829]

11. What is that for, in case a T Rex escapes?

Today's criminals are all wearing power armor, so it's time to even the score?