Military vehicle prompts questions at University

MaxxPro model MRAP vehicle. Photo provided by Vincent Kelly via Creative Commons Flickr.

Diego Saldana/Staff Writer

With a curb weight of 37,850 pounds and the ability to withstand improvised explosive devices, rocket propelled grenades, ballistic ammunition and mine blasts; the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle acquired by Ohio State University Department of Public Safety has made national headlines.

According to The Huffington Post, the vehicle is a MaxxPro model MRAP, manufactured by Navistar that was acquired through a military surplus program at no cost to OSU.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, OSU Chief of Police Paul Denton mentioned several ways in which his department plans on deploying the MRAP, including natural disasters, shootings and bomb threats.

University Chief of Police Alexander Casas does not intend on having his department obtain an MRAP like the one at OSU, instead a smaller more maneuverable vehicle.

“One of the things we are looking at getting is an armored vehicle to engage an active shooter or other types of critical incidents. We are not going out at the first thing that’s available,” Casas said. “We have specific requirements. We are looking at getting something a little smaller.”

Casas said University Police Department is on a government-surplus waitlist for unarmored Humvee vehicles. The vehicles would cost $2000 a piece and would be primarily used for flooding situations.

He said the department would consider an armored Humvee should it become available as a dual-use vehicle for both natural disasters and active shooters.

Maria Nunez, international relations junior, sees the possibility of an armored vehicle like Navistar Maxxpro as a “red flag.”

“You’d see these kinds of vehicles being bought if you were preparing for war…not for a University. It doesn’t make sense for Universities to be acquiring these kinds of vehicles,” said Nunez.

Hsiu-Yi Lin, hospitality and tourism management junior, is an army sergeant who served in the 82nd airborne division and whose area of responsibility was vehicle maintenance.

Lin said the vehicles can be used to attack, but are mostly used as personnel carriers. They were integrated to replace Humvees and can perform all of the same tasks.

“Anything that the Humvee can do, the MRAP is supposed to do the same,” said Lin.

Amira Jordan, senior hospitality and tourism management major, said she would not be concerned if UPD obtained an MRAP.

“I wouldn’t be scared, I would just be wowed they got new equipment,” Jordan said.

Jordan agreed that the presence of an MRAP vehicle on University grounds would turn heads.

“I think if we had one, it would confuse people as to what’s really going and maybe might cause a little ruckus and confusion,”  said Jordan.

Lin explained that the use of MRAP vehicles in a university is inconvenient and can cause alarm.

“They are really hard to maintain and their fuel usage is extraordinary,” Lin said. “They are really intimidating. We used these vehicles in downtown Baghdad and it was just too much for the city…you don’t want something like that moving around campus.”

 -new@fiusm.com

About the Author

Diego Saldaña
: Opinion Director, Broadcast Major. Interests: Vintage motorcycles, cycling, collecting vinyl records, history.

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