Credit: Photo Courtesy of Twitter

Ohio State University has apparently acquired a new 19-ton mine-resistant ambush-protected military-style vehicle through a state military surplus program:

o-ASDF-570.jpg

  • Photo Courtesy of Twitter

The truck, formally called a “MaxxPro,” is built to withstand ballistic arms fire, mine fields, IEDs, and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical environments, according to its product description.

Why would a college campus need such a truck? one might ask.

OSU Police Chief Paul Denton recently told The Huffington Post that the vehicle was necessary for multi-hazard response, such as natural disasters, bomb threats, and school shootings, all of which the school has dealt with in the past.

“We pride ourselves on being self-sufficient from local authorities,” Denton said, adding that Columbus’ local police force does not have a bomb squad. “Frankly, we have to be. We are the primary responder.”

But an armored truck? Really? Last we checked there weren’t IEDs buried along High Street.

This article appears in Sep 18-24, 2013.

Alaina Nutile is the Web Editor who oversees all digital content and social media initiatives for Cleveland Scene Magazine and Detroit Metro Times. Before joining the staff in June 2013, she interned at Business Insider in New York City, and at La Hora in Quito, Ecuador. Alaina is a graduate of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where she double majored in English and Spanish. Her interests include Japanese food, Breaking Bad, and career development advising.

11 replies on “PHOTO: Ohio State University Has Acquired a Military-Style Armored Truck”

  2. Mina, if you had any idea what you were talking about, you’d know that OSU received that armored vehicle for FREE through the Dept. of Defense 1033 program

  4. Military surplus means it is FREE. The cost was absorbed by the initial deployment of the vehicle, whether protecting our troops in Afghanistan or Iraq. That said, police officers here in the US are not needing the vehicle to protect them from IEDs, but rather deranged lunatics with high-powered rifles. Most departments do not have the funds to purchase armored rescue vehicles, so that is why they applied to receive it from the military surplus program. I commend the Chief for looking out for his officers; this vehicle is no different than a bullet proof vest. It is used to protect the officers from bullets.

  5. Everyone is up in arms that OSU got a truck like this from a surplus program, but I guarantee that if something came up where they needed a truck like this, didn’t have one, and students got hurt as an effect, the lawsuits would be flying all over the place, and OSU would be dishing out millions to settle those suits. So, if you think this is stupid, thank all the idiots who sue over every little damn thing because they’re after easy money.

  6. You dummies, its not called a MaxxPro, MaxxPro is the brand name.
    The truck is called a MRAP for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected.

  8. wirelss.phil and his aluminum foil hat oh no the govment’ will hear my thoughts oh noooooooo

  10. This represents a potentially costly and dangerous expansion of the university police mission at a net cost to taxpayers. Each toy like this requires significant training and maintenance. That doesn’t come free. These types of devices are rarely used and should be relegated to state police. The government should be selling this as war surplus to other countries instead of giving this away to militarize institutions and local police. What’s next, assault vehicles for corporate security?

    The net result of this militarization is a police force that will prefer to assault and kill, rather than negotiate and talk down situations, and most importantly protect and defend the public. That mindset has already permeated too many of the forces where the public at large are considered as potential perps. Eventually we Americans are going to have our belly full of this, where we are required to pay taxes, so that the security state can consider citizens as a threat .

  11. YUP are local police agency has a TANK, so you cant tell me its justified to have these MILITARY vehicles to police CIVILIANS??? That’s not what there gonna be used for????
    HERE’s what there gonna be used for, when are “FUDGE” UP GOV. claims MARTIAL LAW and take are GUN’s away, !!! They’ll be using these vehicles to hunt down local citizens, and put them in the NEW JAIL’s and PRISON’s they are now building buy the 1000’s… If you citizens havn’t noticed, since are great MORTGAGE MELT DOWN… they have not stopped building JAIL’s and PRISON’s ; because are GOV. knows the next REVOLUTION is right around the corner… Tha’ts why all these places are getting MILITARY vehicles and are GOV. is giving them to them;

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