Guelph Police Service purchases armoured vehicle

The Guelph Police Service has a new armoured vehicle available for its Tactics and Rescue Unit.

The service is calling it their Community Rescue Vehicle, and said it will be used to assist officers responding to high risk situations.

"Things like an active shooter situation, an armed barricade situation. we may use it for vehicle interdiction," Staff Sergeant Michael Davis said.

In high-risk situations, officers first look for areas of cover and concealment. The new vehicle can help provide both of those needs.

"The best we could do before was perhaps to use items that were already at the scene. Now when we have those types of situations, we'll be able to deploy this and officers can now provide that cover, that concealment directly from here with a high level of protection," Davis said.

"Something we like to say is we'd rather be looking at the resource than looking for it. In those unique circumstances where it's going to be needed, we're going to have that resource available to us," Inspector Andrew Goody said.

Guelph police said the frequency of incidents with a high risk of violence or where guns may be present is increasing, and it has executed at least 30 high risk warrants in the past few years.

"The justification for this is those high risk but low frequency incidents. We have not had an active shooter incident. but this helps us to be prepared should we have to respond to one," Davis said.

The general public won't see the vehicle on the road often, only when it's needed.

"When we run into these risky situations that are high-risk, low frequency, we're asking our members to engage in activities to help provide public safety. But at the same time, we want to ensure their safety as well. So we try to equip them with the best possible resources they have. This is another one of those resources that will provide that safety for them," Inspector Goody said.

The Guelph Police Service purchased the Ford-based Gurkha LAPV, built by Newmarket-based Terradyne Armoured Vehicles, from the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS). Knowing WRPS was in the market for a new armoured vehicle, GPS managed to save a pretty penny, purchasing the vehicle from WRPS for $20,000.

"New models, depending on the outfit, could be up to $650,000," Davis said.

The funding came from the 2024 Fleet budget which was approved last year, in anticipation of the vehicle becoming available.

According to WRPS, the vehicle sold to Guelph was originally purchased from Ontario Power Generation. WRPS’ current armoured vehicle that went into service at the end of 2023 was purchased from Terradyne Armored Vehicle Inc. for $523,635.00

“Our current tactical armoured vehicle is utilized in high-risk situations that involve elevated risk(s) to the safety of the public, police, and/or subject(s). The vehicle may be deployed in several scenarios, including in hostage rescues, armed barricaded persons, conducting high-risk search warrants, arresting or apprehending subjects believed to have weapons, and responding to calls involving aircraft or elevated areas that our officers would not be able to reach otherwise,” Constable Melissa Quarrie, with WRPS, said in an email.

Guelph police purchased the armoured vehicle earlier this year and became ready for active duty this week. At least 14 members will now be trained to operate it. Despite being nearly 20 years old, the service expects to use it for years to come.