Standing 10-feet tall, weighing 30 tons and sporting bullet-proof windows, the Caiman military truck is a sight to see. But some have questioned whether they want to see it in Appleton.
The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department and the Appleton Police Department announced last month they will share the new vehicle obtained for free through the Department of Defense’s 1033 surplus program. Hundreds of the hulking trucks are being distributed to departments across the country.
The truck, along with a proliferation of the Fox Valley’s SWAT or special weapons and tactics teams, are leading to a creeping militarization of police, some in the community say.