Lethbridge Police have unveiled a new piece of tactical equipment, that will reportedly better protect both police officers and the public during high-risk calls.
The new LPS Armoured Rescue Vehicle replaces the current truck that the service purchased six years ago. The 1993 armoured carrier truck has reportedly become “unreliable” and does not meet the “industry standard.”
The Teradyne Gurhka MPV replaces a 1993 converted armoured carrier truck that was purchased used six years ago, does not meet industry standards and has become unreliable posing a risk to not only public safety but the officers involved.
Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh says having a rescue vehicle that meets industry standards will help save lives.
“Weapon-involved calls are becoming more and more frequent and in the past few years our country has seen a significant increase in the volume of protests and demonstrations as well as an escalation in violence that put police and the public at risk.”
According to police, the new vehicle will provide ballistic coverage that will keep “occupants safe” but also will also allow “police to maintain closer containment to prevent subjects from causing further harm or enter a crisis point to save hostages.”
According to police in the last three years, police have received 12,000 calls involving firearms and other weapons. In 2022 and 2023, the Tactical Team was deployed to 17 calls that involved high-risk warrant executions, subjects who were armed or barricaded inside a building, or large-scale public protests and demonstrations; up from the 12 in reported in 2021 and five in 2020.
The new vehicle cost roughly $500,000 and has an expected work life span of 20 years.
