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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP Bearcat ReportP a g e 1 | 3 Commission Memorandum REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission FROM: Steve Crawford, Chief of Police SUBJECT: Bearcat Armored Response and Rescue Vehicle – First Year’s Use MEETING DATE: September 21, 2015 AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Special Report RECOMMENDATION: As recommended by the Commission BACKGROUND: Through actions taken on October 6, 2014, and subsequently adopted in Commission Resolution No. 4570 on November 17, 2014, the City Commission adopted three specific procedural steps with regards to the Bearcat Armored Response and Rescue Vehicle: 1. The Commission directed that in October 2015, the Police Chief will submit a report to the City Manager and City Commission detailing the first year’s use, costs of maintenance, and any other activities pertinent to its operation. 2. The Commission directed that the Bearcat will not be re-equipped and/or modified without prior notification and approval of the City Commission. For the purposes of this resolution, “re-equipped and/or modified” meant the addition of equipment or options that modify the Bearcat in any way from its current state as of the date of the resolution. 3. The commission directed that any changes in protocol for use of the vehicle be reviewed and approved by the Commission prior to implementation. Additionally, the Commission will be immediately informed of any breaches in protocol during the reporting period. REPORT: Below is a breakdown detailing the first year’s use and operation of the Bearcat Armored Response and Rescue Vehicle, to include the vehicle’s use, cost of maintenance and any other activities pertinent to its operation: Vehicle use during reporting period The vehicle was used for training and was also required for three Special Response Team activations during the reporting period. 106 P a g e 2 | 3 Training: The vehicle was used on the following dates for training on the listed topics: October 9, 2014: Downed officer/civilian rescue training 6 hours November 10, 2014: Hostage rescue tactics and barricade subject response (residential) 6 hours December 11, 2014: Live fire rescues 3 hours April 10, 2015: Hostage rescue, vehicle assaults and vehicle barricaded subjects 6 hours April 27, 2015: Hostage rescue tactics 3 hours July 8, 2015: Live fire rescues 1 hour August 14, 2015: Downed officer/civilian rescue training 8 hours Special Response Team Call Outs: January 18, 2015 7:12 pm: Suicidal Barricaded Subject with a rifle in the 1800 block of West Olive Street, Bozeman  7 hour standoff with an armed and barricaded subject in a densely populated area  Subject was armed with a bolt action rifle threatening to harm himself  Special Response Team was activated to safely contain the situation due to the danger to surrounding residents  The vehicle was used to protect negotiators, team members and medics as negotiators tried to communicate with the subject by using the vehicle’s loudspeaker system  At various times the subject could be seen or heard working the action on the rifle  Communications were sporadic with the subject and at times he threatened that things were “not going to end well”  Towards the end of the event, the subject gave an “18 minute countdown” and advised that he was going force officers to shoot him and that if anyone came into the residence he would kill them  Through negotiations, the subject came out un-armed at 2:24 am and was taken into custody without incident. June 16, 2015 1:18 am: Armed Barricaded subject with a small child in a room of the Microtel Inn, Bozeman  6 hour standoff with an armed and barricaded subject with a small child in a hotel room  Call started with a small child calling 911 from the Microtel Inn saying “I’m scared” and there was a “bad guy” in the room  Responding patrol officers contacted a male in the hotel hallway who ran back into a room and subsequently fired a shot from a handgun within the room  A small child could be seen in the room with the armed male by officers. It was unknown if the child was being held hostage  The male refused to answer officers or come out of the room  SRT responded due to the potential hostage and the danger to child and other hotel occupants  Lengthy negotiations with the male were conducted by an SRT Negotiator.  The vehicle was used for containment of the exterior of the hotel room to prevent the escape of the suspect and protect the team members on the outside of the hotel.  At one point during negotiations, the suspect apparently looked outside the hotel and saw the vehicle and made a statement to the effect of “oh [expletive] you guys are serious”  The negotiator later reported that he felt that the point at which the suspect saw the vehicle was a turning point in negotiations and led to him decide to exit the hotel room. 107 P a g e 3 | 3  At approximately 7:13 am the suspect exited the room and was taken into custody without incident. The child was unharmed. September 7 - 8, 2015: Agency Assist to Lewis and Clark County for an armed homicide suspect at large in a rural mountainous area by Hauser Lake.  Multi-day search for a suspect armed with a handgun who was suspected of killing a person in Great Falls as well as a subsequent kidnapping and car-jacking in Lewis and Clark County  The Bearcat was used to safely transport team members within a large unsecured area where the suspect was at large  SRT members utilized the vehicle to deploy from as they checked multiple properties and residences for the suspect  The vehicle offered protection to members in an area that was unsecured in all directions  The suspect was ultimately apprehended by Lewis and Clark County on September 9, 2015. Vehicle Costs Fuel costs: Repairs: Two repairs were conducted at no charge. 10/14 $21.32 1. Driver’s door handle replaced at no charge 12/14 $29.58 2. Ford recall: Reprogram powertrain control module, 4/15 $26.58 updated at no charge. 6/15 $26.14 8/14 $42.20 9/8 $35.23 Total fuel cost: $181.05 Activities The vehicle was used at three (3) community events. It was used at the department’s Citizen Police Academy, the City’s “Touch a Truck” event for kids, and at the department’s National Night Out Event at Lindley Park.  April 29, 2015: Citizen Police Academy 3 hours  June 27, 2015: Touch a Truck Event 1 hour  August 4, 2015: National Night Out Event 3 hours Vehicle Modifications The vehicle was not “re-equipped or modified” in any way during the reporting period. Changes or breaches in protocol There have been no changes in protocol with regards to the vehicle’s use and there have been no breaches of protocol during the reporting period. UNRESOLVED ISSUES: None ALTERNATIVES: As recommended by the Commission. FISCAL EFFECTS: None ATTACHMENTS: Special Response Team Armored Rescue Vehicle Use and Operations Protocol REPORT COMPILED ON: September 10, 2015 108 Special Response Team Bozeman Police / Gallatin County Sheriff ______________________________________________ 1 Effective October 7, 2014 Special Response Team Armored Rescue Vehicle Use and Operations Purpose: The LENCO Bearcat Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) will only be used in high risk incidents that require the activation of the city-county Special Response Team (SRT). The purpose of SRT is to respond to high risk incidents such as: A. Hostage situations B. Armed barricade situations C. Sniper situations D. High-risk apprehensions E. High-risk warrant service F. VIP personal protection details G. Other situations exceeding the capabilities of responding patrol officers or deputies. Protocol: 1. The ARV is a defensive resource that will only be used in high risk incidents that require the activation of SRT. 2. The ARV’s use during a callout will be in situations requiring armored protection of citizens, evacuation of citizens, and/or protection of law enforcement / medical personnel. 3. Decisions to use the ARV will rest with the Team Leader and/or Team Commander with oversight by the Incident Commander (IC). 4. SRT will conduct regular training with the ARV and maintain proficiency in its use. The ARV will only be operated by trained members of SRT. 5. The ARV is prohibited from use in any form of crowd control or other non-emergent police activities. 6. Use outside the scope of the above (eg. public education events) requires the approval of the Sheriff or Chief of Police. 109