A snowball’s chance in hell
by digby
… of this ever being necessary
Southern California is mired in more than three years of drought, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is prepared for snowy conditions after it received 1,600 parkas for camouflage, 500 snowshoes and 132 snow trousers in March from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The gear was listed in data recently released by the department detailing the transfer of surplus military equipment to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies across the country. More than $160 million in equipment has gone to agencies in California, with some small towns like Santa Maria receiving grenade launchers, the data show. The vast majority of the equipment was given since 2006.
California agencies have also received meals, office supplies, night vision goggles, high-powered military rifles, x-ray machines and a boat.
The problem with this is not that Los Angeles is currently undergoing an epic drought and has absolutely no need for snow gear (if it ever did.) The problem is that taxpayers have paid for stuff that isn’t necessary. And if history is any guide, these were probably the most expensive parkas and snow shoes imaginable.
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