Sniper Tower in Walmart Parking Lot... Has it gotten that bad?

[Blackhawk]

Was in New Orleans a couple of nights ago and happened to stop at the Walmart in Chalmette (on Claiborne?). As we pulled in to the Walmart parking lot there was a trailer-mounted tower with an observation post on top, sitting in the parking lot, nearer to the parking lot entrance than to the store. Had a flashing blue light on top, and a police vehicle sitting at the base of the tower. The observation booth was about 20 ft up in the air. I was with a bunch of military guys and all were remarking (halfway serious) of how ludicrous to have a sniper tower in the Walmart parking lot. There were at least two other police vehicles parked near the entrance to the store, but nothing going on inside.

Any idea what such a tower is really used for?

 

[XD-GEM]

There's one in the new Home Depot at Earhart and Claiborne. That place is also surrounded by a security fence that makes Angola's look like a pre-school.

 

[f350drvr]

I have seen them in a lot of walmarts across south la during the holiday season.

 

[whitsend]

Like this one?



http://www.militaryphotos.net/forum...son-Guard-Towers-Coming-to-a-Walmart-near-You

 

[Cat]

The Disney area has them in their parking lots. Usually around Downtown Disney. I'd say they were a measure of security against smash and grab theft. People know this time of the year (and tourist areas) that cars are loaded with goodies that are easily taken.

 

[machinedrummer]

They will be used in the FEMA camps right after the next election.

 

[Speedlace]

There's one in the new Home Depot at Earhart and Claiborne. That place is also surrounded by a security fence that makes Angola's look like a pre-school.

Do you know how long has it been there?

Has it been a couple of years?

Sometime NOPD has one @ Canal and Bourbon.

 

[Ironman26]

Da man wanna keep ya down..... Crowd control for people and older kids who dont know to act like people,or should I say,a little bit mature.....aint it sad what the world has come to

 

[SpeedRacer]

It's just an observation tower, they've had one at the Home Depot in New Orleans for years. I would be willing to bet 80% of the time no one is in it, but it sure makes for a good deterrent.

 

[Storm52]

Does someone sit inside the box or is it a remote feed to a command center? I wouldn't want to be up in that thing in the case of run amok crowd.

 

[Leonidas]

I seem to remember a similar thread about these things in Baton Rouge last year.

 

[Btl_Rkt_Sci]

I have a relative who is a detective with BRSO. On busier days (like Black Friday) they'll actually have an officer in it and he's pretty much there to have a good view of the area and communicate with officers on the ground in case an issue arises. Sometimes they aren't even manned and they just use it for the cameras.

 

[LongGoneDays]

Didn't we just go over this a few weeks ago? Maybe that was somewhere else *shrugs*

 

[gonepecan]

Yeah, that one's been there since the start of December. There's usually at least 1 patrol car underneath.

 

[Bayoupiper]

EBR has had theirs out at the Mall of Louisiana the last couple of weeks.




.

 

[themcfarland]

almost a police state

 

[Skiney]

almost a police state

Come on now; take the hint stay out of WAL-Mark, Home Dummies, Big Box Stores, etc. shop local home town small businesses where crime and folks up to evil things don't frequent!!

Pay the extra 1-3% for a piece of mind. Please help stop the large/ giant retailers from becoming the real american terrorist:}

Merry (SHOP LOCAL) Christmas

 

[glimmerman]

A couple of years ago, Pecanland Mall in Monroe, La. had tower blinds used for deer hunting scattered around the parking lots. Couldn't tell if anyone was inside them or not.

 

[John58]

The officer inside is issued a minigun for crowd control.

 

[CEHollier]

Does someone sit inside the box or is it a remote feed to a command center? I wouldn't want to be up in that thing in the case of run amok crowd.

Doesn't look hard to flip.