Are all the local cops becoming MP's?

It took me a while to digest this latest item and to calm down enough to think clearly on the subject.  It seems the state police in Utah of all places have received a MRAP, an armored vehicle that is bomb and bullet resistant.  They also have received over 1,500 automatic rifles and subsequent ammunition for said rifles.  In addition they now have night vision devices and a number of drones.  All that isn't news, most police departments around the country have received similar gifts from the government.  BTW, at no cost to the police department either.  But now they have received 4 grenade launchers, the exact same weapons that our military is using in their daily activities.  If we question why a Podunk police force in the middle if God's country needs or wants fully automatic weapons and armored vehicles, we have to really be scratching our heads about the grenade launchers.  Are they going to use them to end a car chase or for opening doors while serving an arrest warrant?  Talk about excessive force law suits, this is a ripe field for the lawyers to use to get rich as they sue the departments after the blow some house apart.  And with the history of hitting the wrong house on an arrest warrant by so many departments, this gets really sticky.  And expensive for the tax payers.

I can understand why the government is giving all these toys away to various LEO's.  It's to further tie them to big brothers apron strings and make then beholden to the gift givers.  But I don't understand the reasoning behind the acceptance of these war weapons by the cops.  Is it swat-mania?  Or are they feeling a little weapons envy for the department next door who does accept these "gifts"?  Are they kid-like with their noses pressed against the candy store window as they look at the goodies inside.  In this case it isn't a dentists' dream come true, it's the fulfilled daydream of every Sgt. Rock wannabe wearing a badge.  Whatever the reason, these type of weapons belong on the battle field and not along Main St. USA.  But, when crunch time comes and citizens take to the streets in protest against maobama's latest fiasco, will the cops use them against the citizens or in support?  A very good question that doesn't have an answer right now.  The bad thing is we won't get an answer to the question until it's too late.