Militarization of US Police

[Reebs]

The use of armored vehicles is solely for the protection of the responding officer(s).

Could be true but why are they being used for riot oppression and non-emergency drug busts? I just don't get it.

That would be like asking why they wear ballistic vests under their uniform. 

There’s is no garuntee that what officers face on a daily basis will cause no threat to them so therefore all the necessary precautions are taken. A non-emergency drug bust can quickly turn into a gunfight. A riot is already bad enough as it is, so armored vehicles are used to protect the officers responding. 

That and I think if you saw a 3 ton armored vehicle roll towards you, no matter how scared you are or how many people are in it or what they were carrying, you might want to get the fuck out of its way.