NYPD can shoot down an airliner?

It's probably just politicians shooting their mouth off. Police forces have no business with that kind of firepower and no means to effectively employ it even if the situation does arrive.

Having MANPADS in police stations will make everyone far less safe as it would be far easier for the wrong people to get their hands on such weapons that way than if they were in an army base.

this was hit on by the guys at Defense tech too but, they debunked it. No, No stingers at the 10th precinct, No They Don't have a T-38 in black and white ( like in the LAPD... At least Movie Dragnet implies they do.[They don't]). the "capability" is actually Barrett M107/M82A3 Rifles firing .50 caliber rounds. The actually effectiveness is doubtful against any large aircraft even on the ground. These weapons would likely effective in smaller incidents against single engine prop powered craft stationary on the ground. More or less this is the media spinning the False Myth of fifty caliber rifles being uber cannons capable of knocking 747's from the skies and leveling whole nations in a manor akin too the old .
Fact: The only known uses of .50-caliber weapons in downing aircraft have been military aircraft usingfully-automatic machine guns spraying fire while in combat against other aircraft, and as sniper fire on stationary aircraft (i.e., on the ground) on enemy airfields. Not even the military’s best sharp shooters are going to ignite a jet’s fuel tank when the jet is flying between 150-500 miles per hour. Only Hollywood has ever managed too Down a aircraft with a sniper rifle and that is a special effect that usually just shows a few streams of smoke as the aircraft streams off screen for a " Implied" or stock footage explosion.

As for fitting a city with SAM sites. well... here's some old news consider it Done, Washington Dc currently is equipped with multiple mobile SAMs in the Form of SL-AMRAAM (Surfaced Launched AMRAAM) based on the Premiere American medium range Aim120 AMRAAM as well as mobile Avenger Air Defense System AN/twq-1 using stingers, and Secret service use of the shoulder launched version of the Stinger is well known as has been for years.
Not too mention the which included and number a deployments near major American cities during the coldest of the cold war. a number of capital cites are virtual hornets nests of Sam sites and triple A.

Finaly the NYPD has a proud history and if they did posses such arms they would be in the hands of the New York City Police Department Emergency Service Unit not in the trunk of your local cruiser nor in the trunk of a detective's car.

Why the hell does the NYDP even need a 50 cal for? Such weapons are stupid to use in densely populated urban cities like, New York for example.

Even if the sniper headshots someone with that, the bullet will still have enough energy to obliterate half a dozen innocent bystanders behind the perp if they were unlucky enough to be in line.

With a weapon that powerful, even the most carefully aimed shots are potentially dangerous, as even if the sniper made damn sure there was no-one behind the perp when he fired, the round has enough energy to punch through most walls and windows and can kill people the sniper has no way of seeing.

That is also why I get so annoyed when I see G36s deployed in UK airports. It's a stupid show-off move that actually puts the public at unnecessary risk when an MP5 would be far better suited for the job. But it's not used because the G36 is more 'sexy'.

plawolf said:

Why the hell does the NYDP even need a 50 cal for? Such weapons are stupid to use in densely populated urban cities like, New York for example.

Even if the sniper headshots someone with that, the bullet will still have enough energy to obliterate half a dozen innocent bystanders behind the perp if they were unlucky enough to be in line.

With a weapon that powerful, even the most carefully aimed shots are potentially dangerous, as even if the sniper made damn sure there was no-one behind the perp when he fired, the round has enough energy to punch through most walls and windows and can kill people the sniper has no way of seeing.

That is also why I get so annoyed when I see G36s deployed in UK airports. It's a stupid show-off move that actually puts the public at unnecessary risk when an MP5 would be far better suited for the job. But it's not used because the G36 is more 'sexy'.

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Anti-material and armour rifle. A .50 BMG bullet is very effective at stopping vehicles by penetrating the engine block.

Pointblank said:

Anti-material and armour rifle. A .50 BMG bullet is very effective at stopping vehicles by penetrating the engine block.

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A 120mm tank round does both of those jobs far more effectively, should the NYPD be deploying Abrams also?

They have stingers (not to be mistaken with the missile) for stopping cars. Those are purpose designed hollow nails on a frame that is pulled across the road and deflates a suspect vehicle's tyres safely allowing to it be easily overtaken and stopped. These things have been in operation for at least a decade now.

If you want to stop a vehicle safely and reliably, that is how you go about it, not taking pot shots with a 50 cal at a car going way above the speed limit and doing violent swerves.

If you equip your city police department with .50 or heavier your preparing for civil war.

First Next Spike Strips ( the technical term for stingers) are not always the best tool for the job. On a number of occasions Police attempted too stop a suspect with them and failed either because they were improperly laid, the suspect avoided them, the car passed at just the right speed too miss them, Run flat tires or my personal favorite the crazed suspect just kept driving grinding the wheels and enjoying the light show. In some situations it is preferable too stop the chase before it begins a .50 cal round into the engine block will do that. In recent years a number of and have employed increasing use of armor Conventional Rounds have difficulty in stopping such, Although Deployment of military style carbines too regular patrol officers will help against individuals wearing north Hollywood style armor, they can do next too nothing against armored vehicles a larger caliber rifle will.
Next they are not always employed against cars, US ports are protected by a combined element of Coast guard, customs, DEA and local Police, having a overlap in capability helps as well the coasties are inspecting a suspect freighter for Terrorist, Illegals and Narcotics the locals can board a houseboat used by a suspect for a local crime. but if they suspect attempts too get away a .50 cal will stop his engine.
Now Vs A tank This is real life not Some . American police Do on occasion deploy armored vehicles but a tank is over kill and would not be used by a police force that responsibility is left too federal hands.

These are not These are not these are at best or some times even single shot rifles.
your' Comparison is very much a mountain out of a mole hill. a fifty cal will place a large hole in a object and yes make a mess of a human but a tank gun would destroy large structures and do cause massive collateral damage. American police are not the only forces employing heavy weapons, both French GIGN and RAID also uses .50 cal rifles, The Germans take it too the next level there GSG-9 employs Antitank Rockets! all three are considered Police agencies.
so give me a break.