Flint PD test driving a new car
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flint, Michigan police get respect during test drive of armored vehicle
Posted by Bryn Mickle | The Flint Journal February 27, 2008 17:30PM
Jeana-Dee Allen | The Flint JournalThe Flint Police Department's armored transport truck.
FLINT, MI -- A black behemoth called the Avenger has been rumbling through city neighborhoods on a extended police test drive.
Dubbed by the Flint Police Department as a "community response vehicle," the armored transport truck has eight gun ports, a turret and can withstand attack from 7.62mm bullets.
The Avenger
Weight: 18,000 pounds
Length: 21 feet, 6 inches
Wheelbase: 140 inches
Slogan: "The bad boys don't have a chance!"
Source: Supreme Armored promotional materials
The truck seats about a dozen officers, has 80-pound doors, four-wheel drive and a winch that can rip a steel door off a house.
Its Brinks truck-like appearance apparently is making quite an impression on residents.
"You can't take it out without people looking at you," said Flint police Lt. Phil Smith, who heads the city's special operations unit.
The city has been looking at armored vehicles for about a year and decided to try one out for a couple of months at no cost, said Smith.
The truck carries a price tag of about $100,000 that could go higher depending on add-ons.
Why the need for something so big?
Unlike the van that police usually use for drug raids, the armored truck provides a lot more protection for officers and can be used for other situations such as standoffs in which a suspect might be shooting at officers.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Department already uses armored vehicles, including a six-wheeled amphibious unit called the Colonel.
Not only are they intimidating, but they also allow police to move closer in dangerous situations without added safety risks, said Oakland Sheriff's Lt. Gordon Pizzini.
So far, Flint police have been pretty pleased with the loaner.
"Residents seem to think we mean business," said Smith.
Some people, however, have been slow to catch on.
On the first raid they took it on, Smith said they arrived to find their suspect wasn't home. Since they couldn't exactly hide the armored truck, Smith said they parked in the driveway and waited.
When the alleged drug dealer got home, Smith said he didn't think twice about the truck and later told officers he thought it belonged to a friend who works at a bank.
Acting Flint police Chief Gary Hagler called it a "real eye catcher" but said the department isn't ready to plunk down a deposit.
At a time when the city is dealing with deficits and talking about seeking a $12 million police millage, officials said no decisions have been made on purchasing an armored car.
The test drive is just that, said Hagler.
"It's way too early (to talk about buying one)," said Hagler.
__________________
*Member and Dispatcher for the Fire Notification Network of Michigan paging system - www.fnnm.net
|
Linear Mode
