In an unprecedented move of Pied Piper proportions, it has been revealed that the Perth Police of Western Australia have ditched their truncheons and rainy-day gumboots for something that has certainly turned a few heads in the sleepy suburbs of Cockburn and Mandurah – tanks. Yes, you read it right, tanks. The now millennial police force have decided to embrace their inner action hero, opting for armored tanks rather than their trusty bicycles and nifty Segways. According to Constable Kenny Kangaroo, "We just couldn't resist the opportunity to make a significant upgrade. Besides, sometimes you need something a bit chunkier to intimidate those jaywalking teenagers in downtown Fremantle." Moving further towards the Tom Cruise-cinematic-trilogy approach to law enforcement, other alternative equipment has also been considered. Suggestions have included elephant tranquilisers for crowd control, but these were dismissed as potentially too destructive to the local flora and fauna. Not to mention a possible logistical nightmare in the procurement of jumbo-sized refrigerators to store the tranquilisers. The shift may be unprecedented, but it subscribes to the psychological principle of 'Shock and Awe.' According to psychologist, Dr. Sheila Dingo, "It's all about creating such a level of fear that would-be criminals think twice before leaving their home with unlaced shoes or an unpaid Netflix subscription." However, the apparent attempt to up the ante on funds' usage has several council members scratching their heads. Councillor Bruce Koala said, "I was under the impression that we were voting on TANK tops for the community sports day-- not actual war machines." Meanwhile, Councillor Kylie Kookaburra was more concerned about the tanks' parking spaces, noting that Perth already has a serious lack of parking spaces for civilian vehicles, let alone military-grade machinery. The Perth Police Department remained oddly optimistic, promising to instigate “flash-mob-style tank parades” on public holidays and involve tanks in suitable community events, like pancake races or Christmas fairs, in order to ingrain them into the local culture. Supporting the initiative, Constable Kenny Kangaroo said, “We’d like the public to see these tanks not as terrifying armoured vehicles that could crush their hatchback but as Perth’s new favourite mascot. Think of them like sunscreen… but for potential crime.” It’s yet to be seen how this monumental shift in policing will fare, but one thing's for certain - Perth Police are certainly adding a flaming red exclamation mark to the term ‘Strong arm of the law!’ Intent on being the tango-dancing, tank-driving, crime-fighting force of Australia, Perth officers now also add “capable of scaring off a mob of grumpy grannies” to their CVs. Truly, the only thing left for the Perth Police to up the ante would be to swap their quintessential police radios for carrier pigeons just for the sheer novelty of it. Until then, we urge Perth residents to keep an eye out for low-flying, crime-fighting tanks in their suburb.