By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Lethbridge Police get nod to purchase rescue vehicle

Jun 28, 2017 | 9:28 PM

LETHBRIDGE  –  Given the number of high risk incidents the police have had to deal with in the last few years, getting the ‘OK’ from the Police Commission (members voted 5-1 in favour) to purchase a specific piece of safety equipment couldn’t come soon enough.  The bonus, is that they won’t have to pay full price.
 
The specialized piece of equipment is a rescue vehicle.  The Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team is in the process of purchasing a new model and has offered their existing vehicle to LPS at a cost of $8,000. A new rescue vehicle is pricey – in the neighborhood of $286,000 to $362,000.
 
The rescue vehicle is an upgraded 1993 International five tonne diesel with ballistic panels that meet tactical requirements and both National Institute of Justice and Centre for Applied Science and Technology standards.

The machine will need some additional financial outlay, such as $250 for a commercial inspection, $5,000 to transport the vehicle to Lethbridge, $2,500 for insurance and $1,000 for annual maintenance by the City’s Fleet Services for a total cost of $16,750 in the first year and $3,500 per year (insurance and maintenance) going forward.

However, all the money needed to purchase the used rescue vehicle are in the existing LPS budget and there will be no additional cost to taxpayers.

The LPS pitch to purchase the vehicle was backed up by Sergeant Kerry Cherpin.

“Over the last number of years, we’ve actually borrowed equipment from Calgary and Medicine Hat to assist us for these types of operations and given the circumstances, we have this opportunity from the greater Victoria emergency response team to purchase a vehicle from them because they are acquiring a new one.”

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It was noted that when the Medicine Hat vehicle is borrowed for specific incidents, it can take a minimum of two-hours for it to arrive in Lethbridge, which is critical time wasted in a dangerous situation

LPS statistics show there are about eight tactical call outs per year which involves members of the Tactical Team, Explosive Disposal Unit, an Incident Commander, negotiators, scribes and K9 in addition to frontline officers.

Cherpin noted that the police service just recently dealt with a barricaded man on the west side, where he was threatening to throw people out of his apartment building, blow up police cars, and shoot everybody.  There was another incident earlier this year where a man threatened to kill members of the public or anyone else who approached, including officers, and there was an incident where a person had committed a homicide and barricaded himself in a residence, and refused to negotiate.

“The preferred outcome is always a negotiated resolution however, we have to be prepared to protect the public, in case that is not something they are interested in.” said Cherpin.

The rescue vehicle will help mitigate risk for all parties involved in a critical incident.  It will allow police to strategically drive between a shooter and potential victims, block vehicles so an armed subject cannot flee and present a greater risk to the public, move negotiators closer to an armed subject to facilitate negotiations and potentially rescue injured civilians and officers.

The vehicle will only be used to respond to critical incidents and will not have weapons installed.

The Police service will share more information about the acquisition once it becomes available.