# Blackwater/Xe front "American Police Force" to run big jail (& be the police?) in small Montana town **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 2, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302 "2009-10-02T01:01:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/1 "2009-10-02T01:01:01Z")
[This appeared in Raw Story recently:](http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/09/mysterious-unregistered-security-firm-policing-montana-town/) > [@](#): > > The Two Rivers Detention Center was promoted as the largest economic development project in decades in the small town of Hardin when the jail was built two years ago. But it has been vacant ever since. > > City officials have searched from Vermont to Alaska for inmate contracts to fill the jail, only to be turned down at every turn and see the bonds that financed its construction fall into default. They even floated the idea of housing prisoners from Guantanamo Bay at the jail. > > So when Hardin officials announced this week that they had signed a deal with a California company to fill the empty jail, it was naturally a cause for celebration. Town officials talked about throwing a party to mark the occasion, their dreams of economic salvation a step closer to being realized. > > But questions are emerging over the legitimacy of the company, American Police Force. > > Government contract databases show no record of the company. Security industry representatives and federal officials said they had never heard of it. On its Web site, the company lists as its headquarters a building in Washington near the White House that holds “virtual offices.” A spokeswoman for the building said American Police Force never completed its application to use the address. > > \ What I actually find most disturbing about this story is its beginning: An economically depressed town’s government counting on incarceration as a growth industry! Is this what America has come to?! :eek::(:mad: The above is from an AP story within the Raw Story report. Based on the latter, it also appears APF is somehow becoming the police force of the town of Hardin, or at least pretending to be: > [@](#): > > A mysterious, reportedly unregistered and almost entirely unknown private security firm by the name “American Police Force” is causing a stir in a small Montana town for apparently impersonating local police. > > According to a local media report, APF representatives were recently seen in the tiny town of Hardin, Montana, driving black SUV’s with a peculiar logo and, inexplicably, “City of Hardin Police Department” stamped on the door. > > However, Hardin does not have a police force. > > The town instead contracts with the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Department for patrols, according to KULR 8 in Billings, Montana. Curiouser and curiouser. Anyway, recently [a Democratic Underground blogger did some more digging:](http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6667901) > [@](#): > > Well, a little sleuthing and a nod and cough/cough from Torn\_Scorned\_Ignored (thank you!)pointed to the formerly unknown company’s (American Police Force) webpage: > > [http://www.americanpolicegroup.com/special.html](http://www.americanpolicegroup.com/special.html) > > This is the text and the giveaway: > > OUR (my emphasis) extensive tactical firearms training facility, THE U.S. TRAINING CENTER (my emphasis) is capable of providing a wide range of instruction and training for all types of law enforcement organizations. From basic firearms training to complex SWAT tactics our corps of instructors can meet all your training requirements. > > So, I went to the U.S. Training Center site: > > [http://www.ustraining.com/new/index.asp](http://www.ustraining.com/new/index.asp) > > Well, the U.S. Training Center while careful to not use the Blackwater name throughout the U.S. Training Center site (other then a mention about Blackwater having no wrongdoing in overcharging the government for contracting, otherwise, the name Blackwater is strangely absent. But, when I saw the one reference to Blackwater, I did a yahoo search under U.S. Training Center & Blackwater with the following result: > > Contact page for Blackwater. > US Training Center. PO Box 1029. Moyock, NC 27958. Xe Services, LLC. Moyock, NC … US Training Center North. PO Box 33. Mount Carroll, IL 61053. E-Mail Directory … > [www.blackwaterusa.com/contact\_us.html](http://www.blackwaterusa.com/contact_us.html) - Cached (NOTE CACHED MEANS HIDDEN FROM MAIN SITE - MY NOTE) > > Go to the website, and what do you find… > > You are right at the U.S. Training Center’s Contact Page. > > U.S. Training Center being the training facility for the new BLACKWATER front group, American Police Group. So, if this conclusion is accurate . . . why does Blackwater apparently see the need to hide its name under several layers of other names? Wasn’t the change to “Xe” enough of the duck-and-cover? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/2 "2009-10-02T01:16:27Z")
At first they were gonna call themselves _White_water, but then they decided it was too Clintonesque. I hope the town offias had a really good lawyer look at the contract they signed, or it might be that the town DOES have a new police force, much to its surprise. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/3 "2009-10-02T01:20:24Z")
Umm, small towns have looked at prisons as industry for years. It’s not new. If it’s what America has come to, it’s what America came to over a century ago. Prisons employ people, in a small town a prison is often the biggest industry. The real crime is that the felons who cannot vote are counted as residents thus weighting the votes in prison districts significantly. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/4 "2009-10-02T01:21:30Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I hope the town officials had a really good lawyer look at the contract they signed, or it might be that the town DOES have a new police force, much to its surprise. In which case, fire them immediately, void the contract, and dare them to sue. Then shoot every single one of them the second the cross the city limits. Then shoot them again to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/5 "2009-10-02T01:25:11Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Umm, small towns have looked at prisons as industry for years. It’s not new. If it’s what America has come to, it’s what America came to over a century ago. Prisons employ people, in a small town a prison is often the biggest industry. Then why is everybody screaming blue murder about just possibly having Gitmo “terrorist”-prisoners in their back yards? I mean, every prison in America is full of dangerous people, but they’re **locked up,** that’s the point of a prison. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/6 "2009-10-02T01:30:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In which case, fire them immediately, void the contract, and dare them to sue. Then shoot every single one of them the second the cross the city limits. Then shoot them again to be sure. Not a chance. They will hole up in the prison and they have all the armored vehicles they need to make grocery runs. 🙂 > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Then why is everybody screaming blue murder about just possibly having Gitmo “terrorist”-prisoners in their back yards? I mean, every prison in America is full of dangerous people, but they’re **locked up,** that’s the point of a prison. Because they are furrin’ raghead terrorists who don’t even know the Bible, not the all-American rapists and murderers they would be more comfortable with. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/7 "2009-10-02T01:32:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Then why is everybody screaming blue murder about just possibly having Gitmo “terrorist”-prisoners in their back yards? I mean, every prison in America is full of dangerous people, but they’re **locked up,** that’s the point of a prison. From what I have read they’re not in the town. I’ve heard the protestations are coming from the rest of Montana. Which is stupid, terrorists in prison are no more dangerous than rapists and murderers in prison. It’s not like they are radioactive. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/8 "2009-10-02T01:47:21Z")
The plot [thickens](http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_8c78ef7a-ae3e-11de-a00d-001cc4c002e0.html). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/9 "2009-10-02T01:47:59Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > It’s not like they are radioactive. That can be arranged. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/10 "2009-10-02T01:54:41Z")
**BrainGlutton** , that first quote was a bit long, so I cut the last part of it. No warning issued. **Gfactor** Pit Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/11 "2009-10-02T02:01:41Z")
> [@C3](#): > > The plot [thickens](http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_8c78ef7a-ae3e-11de-a00d-001cc4c002e0.html). Pretty funny if this guy turns out to be a Serbian war criminal fleeing from a World Court inditement. I wonder if there are any pictures of these guys posted somewhere online. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/12 "2009-10-02T02:05:07Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So, if this conclusion is accurate . . . why does Blackwater apparently see the need to hide its name under several layers of other names? Wasn’t the change to “Xe” enough of the duck-and-cover? :dubious: Well, the copyright notice at the bottom of the page says, "© 2009 US Training Center - All Rights Reserved [webmaster@ustraining.com](mailto:webmaster@ustraining.com). An Xe company. " So I’d say they’re not exactly hiding their affiliation with vigorous effort. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/13 "2009-10-02T02:36:30Z")
This has the makings of a good movie - Crazy Montanan separatists with hearts of gold stand up to the corrupt mega corporation that just took over the small town’s police force and is running roughshod over the liberties of Free Citizens… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/14 "2009-10-02T02:53:31Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > This has the makings of a good movie - Crazy Montanan separatists with hearts of gold stand up to the corrupt mega corporation that just took over the small town’s police force and is running roughshod over the liberties of Free Citizens… You forgot the part of the fleeing Serbian war crimal hired as the chief… _Walking Tall II: in Big Sky Country_. The Rock would be an awesome hero to kick some Serbian and Blackwater ass. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/15 "2009-10-02T02:56:31Z")
[Tristan called it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=533556) ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/16 "2009-10-02T03:05:30Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In which case, fire them immediately, void the contract, and dare them to sue. Then shoot every single one of them the second the cross the city limits. Then shoot them again to be sure. And that makes you better than them how? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/17 "2009-10-02T03:07:34Z")
[Gomer Pyle] Citizen’s ar-RAY-est! Citizen’s ar-RAY-est! [/Gomer Pyle] ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/18 "2009-10-02T03:15:56Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > And that makes you better than them how? Last man standing wins. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/19 "2009-10-02T03:20:04Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > And that makes you better than them how? The most imprtant thing is to be a better shot. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302/20 "2009-10-02T03:31:52Z")
Exactly. I’m not better than them, but I’m me, and they aren’t. Die, mutherfuckers, die! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-xe-front-american-police-force-to-run-big-jail-be-the-police-in-small-montana-town/512302.md?page=2)