Medicine Hat Police To Have Military Vehicle On The Streets In 2015

metronews.ca

Medicine Hat police have a new ride, and it’s not sitting well with some citizens.

The town of 61,000 will have a new armoured vehicle on the streets as early as 2015.

The $275,000 investment was asked for in the 2015 police budget, which was then subsequently brought to council in the form of a borrowing bylaw in September as city police needed funding to get their new vehicle.

“We’ve had some incidences in the last couple of years involving firearms” said Insp. Tim McGough, support services at the Medicine Hat Police Service. “It would have ensured, to a greater degree, the safety of the public and the safety of the police officers responding.” McGough added that in the last 18 months there were three shooting incidences and in the past three years police were called to firearm-related incidences 64 times, which is above average. Two of the shootings were officer-involved, which McGough says were the city’s first in years.

But Coun. Bill Cocks voted against the heavy-duty vehicle.

“The joke around town is we’ll see it a lot,” he said Wednesday. “At Canada Day, when they have their public display in the park, you’ll see it in the (city’s annual) stampede parade and occasions like that — that is a bit facetious.”

McGough assured Metro the vehicle would only be used in extreme cases, like when the tactical vehicle is involved.

City staff stated in the bylaw briefing that the armoured vehicle is a needed asset to protect officers. It would be used for calls with armed or barricaded subjects, emotionally disturbed persons calls, hostage situations and high-risk warrant executions.

During a Calgary Police Services press conference Dept. Chief Roger Chaffin said Medicine Hat’s armoured vehicle is just a sign of the times.
Continue Reading