We hope our newest—and most expensive—vehicle spends most of its time parked in a garage. Its beauty does not come from sleek lines, good looks, or a flashy paint color. We won’t measure its value by the miles on its odometer, its speed, or its fuel efficiency. We only care that it is ready and available when the rare emergencies arise that ordinary patrol vehicles simply can’t handle. If this vehicle becomes the busiest in our fleet, something has gone terribly wrong.
A Bearcat is an armored rescue vehicle, designed for law enforcement and public safety use. It is specialized protective equipment, much like turnout gear for firefighters. It helps first responders get into and back out of the relatively uncommon situations when lives are at stake, protecting both those in peril and those working to rescue them.
Other nearby agencies have used Bearcats to provide ballistic protection while transporting officers closer to an active shooter. We all shudder to imagine an armed suspect in one of our schools. If we face that situation, we will need more than a patrol car to drive across the playground or parking lot while he or she fires at us. These vehicles are also useful in hostage situations, during the service of high-risk warrants, when recovering a wounded deputy from an active crime scene, or rescuing civilians from dangerous places such as amid an unruly crowd or from under a crumbling bridge…