Proponents of the Bearcat purchase describe situations in which the vehicle would save lives. The problem is: not one of the situations they describe is of a nature where the police would know in advance that an armored vehicle would be needed, not one, not the two murdered officers, the mad woman with a knife, nor any other hypothetical situation that Santa Cruz is ever likely to encounter. If the police department had an armored vehicle on standby, when would they take it out, under what conditions? Would it ever be out on patrol? In what part of town? If the city ever does acquired this thing, it should definitely be painted white, as in elephant.