he San Diego Unified School District police received a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) for free through a Defense Department Program in April. The police agency now wants the equipment, and the PR nightmare that came with it, off their hands.
Unfortunately, it's not that easy.
They're not alone. Over 6,000 pieces of hardware distributed via the Defense Department program have been returned, with hundreds of agencies clamoring to return more, according to Mother Jones.
Applications for returns became so overwhelming that the Pentagon temporarily suspended the website that local agencies used to hand back the equipment. The site is slated to reopen October 1, but many will still find returning the items difficult.
While the Defense Department says it's happy to take back the vehicles and other equipment, provided the correct paper work is completed, the experience of law enforcement agencies is very different. Many report that their inquires to return their vehicles go unanswered.
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