The equipment in those photos are over-the-top, especially for small towns. They are Big Boy Toys, and once the departments get them they are itching to use them. After all, what’s the point of having toys if you don’t get to play with them?
This was evident in Watertown, Massachusetts after the Boston Marathon attack. A tank rolling down residential streets in the search for a suspect fleeing on foot, in hindsight, was pretty useless. But they got to play with the toys and intimidate their neighbors!
Not only is the equipment over the top, but it’s an absolute waste of money. So what if it’s free to start with. Those things are not cheap to maintain or operate.