WPD vehicle valuable in multiple situations
Every so often in horse racing, a longshot crosses the finish line first.
Waycross Police Chief Tommy Cox saw his horse come in when Homeland Security awarded the WPD a $354,658 grant to better prepare it for combating future crime.
The award was something Chief Cox said the department had sought for “years and years.”
WPD will use the 2025 grant to purchase an armored vehicle which will enhance the department’s ability to respond to a variety of crime situations. The $353,642 purchase was approved last week by the Waycross City Commission.
“Very few in the state have received this (over the years) so we feel very lucky,” Chief Cox told comm issioners when seeking approval for the purchase contract with Lenco Industries, LLC, of Pittsfield, Mass. “I’m very thankful. It will allow us to serve our community during critical incidents. Any scenario where we can better serve our citizens and protect our officers is a plus.”
Chief Cox said he had active shooter situations primarily in mind in the department’s multiple applications for the grant.
“With armored protection you can move into any scene with active shooters where you might have victims down,” he said. “This (vehicle) puts us in position to protect them and our officers and get them inside the vehicle and leave the scene.
“Patrol cars don’t offer much protection from rifle fire.” Chief Cox said the vehicle will be beneficial in multiple situations. He mentioned an event where mass casualties are involved with a need for speedy, safe evacuations, situations with possible explosive devices and others where a negotiating team is involved.
“We could’ve used it the last few months with the bomb threats at the hospital (Memorial Satilla Health),” he said. “We’ve located improvised explosive devices in the past. This would’ve allowed us to get right up on it.
“It could help negotiators get close to an individual to buy some time, de-escalate violent situations where we need a tight perimeter.”
Vehicle production is custom and takes about 18 months for delivery after the contract is accepted, Chief Cox said.
WPD is getting the company’s BearCat G2 model. That vehicle’s all-steel armor construction comes in two- and fourdoor versions, with a 4 x 4 drivetrain from a V-8 turbo diesel engine. It seats 10 to 12 officers in full gear with high-ballistic protection windows.
“It helps law enforcement officers resolve the most challenging scenarios safely and efficiently,” Lenco’s website said. “Since the early 2000s, the BearCat G2 has become a common sight at the frontline of America‘s homeland security and national defense. Unmatched performance, protection and reliability has made the BearCat G2 the preferred tactical armored vehicle of more than 1,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.”
Chief Cox said the version WPD will receive is a staple in the fleets of law enforcement in major metropolitan areas. The vehicle not only will benefit the city, but nearby agencies should the need arise after it arrives.
“Absolutely,” Chief Cox said of the vehicle being part of any mutual aid rendered by WPD elsewhere if it would benefit the situation.
