Indiana sheriff’s office gets ‘big bulletproof vest’ on wheels
MARION, Ind. (WISH) — It’s called a mine-resistant ambush protection vehicle, or an MRAP, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday touted that it’s activated its own.
The U.S. Department of Defense loans the equipment to law enforcement agencies across the nation with no cost other than a transfer fee, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Grant County’s vehicle, valued at $689,000, arrived in the fall. Since then, the sheriff’s office sent the MRAP to a company for modifications including paint, decals, lights, a siren, a 360-degree camera system, a water supply for firefighting, and a breaching device. The news release from the sheriff and chief deputy didn’t list the cost of the modifications.
The sheriff’s office noted the MRAP can be used during or after severe weather, in the rescue of injured people during violent situations, and for the resolution of violent acts. The MRAP can also help other agencies in rescue or tactical emergencies.
Sheriff Del Garcia said in a statement in the news release, “This is just a big bulletproof vest. My job is to protect everyone, including my deputies, in this situation.”
“We hope that the only use we ever get out of it is in parades, but preparing for the worst is my job as your Sheriff; with the cost of what it takes to equip a new police vehicle fully, it was an easy decision to obtain this.”
The news release also noted that the MRAP won’t be used an offensive weapon.
Grant County has about 66,200. Its county seat, Marion, is about an 80-minute drive northeast of downtown Indianapolis.
