This Peacekeeper was obtained through the Federal Surplus Property Program and the Missouri Surplus Property Program. On this program the Sheriff’s Office can request equipment that the Federal or State Programs no longer needs. The Sheriff’s Office has been on a list for an Armored Personnel Carrier for almost 2 years now. We have received other equipment from the Federal program to include a Humvee and a trailer mounted generator. We have also received equipment from the State Program to include emergency lighting, command center and vehicles used for administrative purposes like the Victim Advocate Program or jail transport.
The Peacekeeper was surplus from the Bureau of Prisons in South Carolina. The vehicle was Free of Charge except for the expense of approximately $1,000 in transportation cost. The vehicle is currently not ready for service as we have several upgrades that will be performed to the vehicle to fit our community needs.
Since I have taken office there have been approximately 20 barricaded or armed standoffs in Bates County. Several incidents have required the response of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s armored vehicle known as the BearCat. In early 2009, while serving a search warrant north of Adrian, a subject shot at Deputies with one round striking a Highway Patrolman. The Patrolman at the time was the only one with proper gear to withstand a riffle round.
Since then the Sheriff’s Office has upgraded all body armor. Deputies have received special training by Strategos International* and have formed a Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. The Team consists of two divisions; first a rapid response team that consists of 10 tactically trained Deputies and 1 tactical Paramedic. The response team carries the duties that range from emergency extractions of injured civilians to serving high risk search warrants. In 2012 a second part of the team was added, the Crisis Negotiation team. The Crisis Negotiation team consists of 4 team members that have received Nationally recognized training in Crisis and Hostage Negotiations. This part of the team is tasked with bringing a situation under control as peaceful as possible.
The addition of the much needed vehicle will allow these men and women to perform their jobs while being able to serve the citizens of Bates County. This vehicle will allow us to rescue innocent people from the evil that we are facing in the world today. This vehicle will also allow us to safely move downed officers or civilians in active shootings situations or just safely move people out of a neighborhood.
We believe that this vehicle will be in service within the next two months at a fraction of the cost of a new one. Purchasing an armor vehicle to meet the needs of law enforcement is currently costing approximately $250,000. Currently the closest armored vehicle to Bates County is out of Kansas City with a past response time of 2 to 4 hours if available.
Sheriff Anderson says, “it’s better to have the vehicle and not need it, then to need it and not have it,”.
