AFTER SOME DEBATE, THE SIOUX CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE PURCHASE MONDAY OF A LENCO BEARCAT ARMORED RESCUE VEHICLE FOR THE CITY’S POLICE DEPARTMENT.
CAPTAIN RYAN BERTRAND EXPLAINED TO THE COUNCIL THAT THE VEHICLE IS NEEDED FOR PROTECTION OF OFFICERS DURING INCIDENTS INVOLVING ARMED SUSPECTS.
HE SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN 27 LOCAL SWAT DEPLOYMENTS SINCE 2023:
BEARCAT1 OC……..BEEN A DISASTER. :21
CAPTAIN BERTRAND SAYS THE VEHICLE IS LIGHTER AND MORE MANEUVERABLE THAN THE MILITARY ARMORED VEHICLE THE DEPARTMENT OBTAINED SEVERAL YEARS AGO FROM ARMY SURPLUS:
BEARCAT2 OC…….DANGEROUS AREAS. :27
MAYOR BOB SCOTT EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE PUBLIC REACTION TO SUCH A VEHICLE AND WHY THE CITY COULDN’T SHARE A VEHICLE WITH WOODBURY COUNTY:
BEARCAT3 OC……..WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. :13
CAPTAIN BERTRAND RESPONDED THAT OFFICERS ARE BEING SHOT AT DURING SOME INCIDENTS:
BEARCAT4 OC………EASY SOLUTION. ;10
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR AT A COST OF $404,875.
THE PURCHASE WAS APPROVED AS PART OF THE COUNCIL’S CONSENT AGENDA.
IT WILL TAKE AROUND 18 MONTHS FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE BUILT AND DELIVERED BECAUSE OF A HIGH DEMAND FOR THEM.
THE SIOUX CITY VEHICLE WILL LOOK SIMILAR TO THE PICTURED MODEL CURRENTLY USED BY U.S. CAPITOL POLICE.
