Brownsville Motorcycle Officers Get M4 Carbines



Posted: Jun 18, 2013 7:07 PM Updated: Jun 18, 2013 11:06 PM


BROWNSVILLE - Motorcycle officers in Brownsville are now armed with M4 carbines.
The Brownsville Police Department chief said the weapons will allow officers to stand up to cross-border violence.
Motorcycle Police Officer Lupe Itzaguirre said officers need the firepower as cartel violence continues to grow.
"Being that we are so close to the border, we do have to compete with these high-powered rifles and guns that we are being confronted with now," the 12-year veteran police said.
Itzaguirre said he may be the first to arrive at a shootout involving cartel members. He said it's important to have the firepower available.
"We carry several other magazines within the motorcycle. It gives us extra ammunition in the event we need it," Itzaguirre said.
"We do practice making the deployment. We do try to do it as quick as possible," he said.
Itzaguirre said it's a challenge to carry the carbine on his motorcycle. The weapon is always exposed. He said officers had to come up with a custom security system.
"It is well-secured, and we always try to be close to it at all times. It does have a combination lock which only the operator of the motorcycle knows ... that's the only way the rifle can be deployed from the rifle rack," Itzaguirre said.
The Brownsville police motorcycle unit is the only one in the Rio Grande Valley armed with M4 carbines.

http://www.krgv.com/news/brownsville-motorcycle-officers-get-m4-carbines/