MANSFIELD — Four local law enforcement agencies plan to combine efforts to purchase a new $392,539 armored rescue vehicle that will primarily be used by the Allied Special Operations Response Team.
Richland County commissioners discussed the proposal Tuesday with leaders of the county sheriff’s office, Mansfield Police Department, Ontario Police Department and Shelby Police Department.
Commissioners agreed to spend $96,269.50 toward a new Lenco BearCat L3 vehicle.
Mansfield City Council will be asked to contribute the same amount with lawmakers in Ontario and Shelby each paying $50,000.
It will replace a 2008 BearCat model, which Ontario police Chief Tommy Hill said his department would like to purchase for $50,000, helping defray the cost of the new vehicle.
BearCats are typically used to transport tactical team, i.e. SWAT, officers to and from hostile situations and to assist with the recovery and protection of civilians in harm’s way during terrorist threats, hostage incidents, or encounters with large gatherings of aggressors.
Mansfield police Chief Keith Porch recalled a 2007 incident in which an off-duty city police officer was shot and killed while trying to provide medical assistance to a wounded man, who also died.
“During that incident, it was troubling as the SWAT team was on premises and could not get to them to get them out of the hot zone, to get them to safety, to render medical aid.
“From that horrible incident led to the discussion that an armored vehicle was needed for our multi-jurisdictional SWAT team,” Porch said.
He said the current BearCat has been “phenomenal” for area law enforcement officers.
“I sure I can stand and say for every law enforcement officer in this room, since that BearcCat arrived, it changed SWAT operations for the better. It has absolutely, in my opinion, saved SWAT officers’ lives.
“That vehicle’s probably been shot at least over 20 times in the different incidents that it’s been involved in. Every time the SWAT team is put into operation, that vehicle is also put into operation. So it has definitely changed the way tactics have been done in the SWAT realm,” Porch said.
“The (BearCat) vehicle has been deployed in every jurisdiction within this county,” he said.
He also cited a two-day standoff in 2015 on Randall Road, which also included BearCats from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and City of Columbus.
“I can tell you that it’s just, in my opinion, an absolute necessity that our SWAT operators have this equipment. It is my opinion that we should provide the best tools available for them to do a an extremely tough job,” Porch said.
In terms of improvements over the 2008 model, Porch said the new BearCat model has off-road capabilities and is a four-door model.
“It has different capabilities of listening to audio within the BearCat, not exposing operators to danger. It has the intercom system that we’re able to talk with folks outside of the Bearcat, not exposing operators.
“There’s a module ram that you can put on the front of the BearCat that will allow you to breach a door. Before, it had to be rigged by operators, which cause damage to the old BearCat.
“As certain situations present themselves, our operators have been fantastic in coming up with solutions. But Lenco has those solutions built in to the new Bearcat that are going to be safer for the operators,” Porch said.
The chief said the city has tried unsuccessfully “for the last four or five years” to obtain grant funds to purchase a new BearCat.
His thoughts were echoed by Shelby police Chief Lance Combs and Hill, who cited that city’s large retail district.
“I think Ontario has got an unusually high percentage of having to need the BearCat. That’s the first part of it. The second part is we would like to try to keep the (2008) BearCat here in Richland County, the old one. And that’s because we could use that for what we call a QRF or a quick, quick reaction force,” Hill said.
He said such a quick response force would be deployed and keep officers safe even as the full ASORT team is assembled.
Combs compared the purchase of a new BearCat to an insurance policy.
“I don’t know how many taxpayers have to have a flood insurance policy. I know that a lot of them don’t have to use it, but they still have it. And so for me, for countywide safety, it is just an insurance policy,” Combs said. “It’s something that we can get up front and get another 15, 20, 30 years of use out of, it’s a no-brainer.”
Commissioner Tony Vero said the project would be another example of communities working together.
“This is what our residents want us to do with their tax dollars. Partner and invest in keeping them safe. I understand who’s saying that and how that may come across. That’s just facts, right? We have four law enforcement agencies coming together, partnering,” Vero said.
“To me, this is a no-brainer. I am fully supportive.”
Commissioner Cliff Mears said, “If our citizens are not safe, nothing else matters. That’s why we are here. And the partnership is amazing.”
Commissioner Darrell Banks agreed.
“The safety of our officers is very important,” he said.
Assuming lawmakers in Mansfield, Ontario and Shelby agree to contribute funds for the purchase, delivery will take about a year, according to Porch.
