The City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 7, unanimously approved the purchase of an armored vehicle for the Tracy Police Department SWAT team. The vehicle costs $282,000 and can stop bullets from handguns and most rifles, according to police Chief Gary Hampton.
Hampton anticipates the vehicle will be ready to roll in about six months.
Arrayed with armor plating, gun ports and infrared capabilities, the vehicle would be used to serve drug and gang warrants, during standoffs and to evacuate residents in dangerous situations, Hampton said Monday, Aug. 6.
Hampton said the police department’s most recent armored vehicle, an old armored truck once used by banks to transport money, “died several years ago.”
He said the department has sought a replacement for about five years, and preferred a new vehicle to a used bank model, as those can typically come to a police department with a few hundred thousand miles on them.
The SUV-style vehicle the council approved is specifically designed to carry people, Hampton said, unlike the old bank models, which are difficult to quickly load and unload.
Since the department’s old model broke down, Hampton said Tracy has had a mutual aid agreement with law-enforcement agencies in Stanislaus County if such a vehicle is needed. Stockton Police Department added an armored vehicle in May.
Hampton said since January 2012, the Tracy police have asked for outside help on at least six occasions.
“When you’re deploying a special weapons and tactics team, not having a ballistics-rated vehicle really reduces the capability of that team,” he said.
Hampton said it’s become fairly common for cities of Tracy’s size to provide them for SWAT teams. For years, he said, Tracy police have improvised by retrofitting armored cars used to deliver money to banks.
“We’re a little bit behind the game,” he said. “A lot of cities our size added this to their capabilities probably within the last four or five years.”
Phyllis Gerstenfeld, the director of the criminal justice department at California State University, Stanislaus, said though American law enforcement “tends to be less militarized” than those in other places in the world, the presence of increasingly advanced weapons and high-profile standoffs makes advanced defensive technology a natural response.
“You don’t know who’s walking around with what,” said Gerstenfeld, who has studied criminal justice issues for more than 25 years.
“It’s not common that people go around using the really horrible weapons, but it can happen somewhere,” she added, citing the Aug. 5 shooting at a Milwaukee, Wis., Sikh temple that killed six worshippers, and the July 20 massacre in Aurora, Colo., that killed 12 moviegoers .
A federal Department of Homeland Security grant allocated by the California governor’s office will cover the first $100,000. The rest will ultimately be paid for by the asset forfeiture proceeds account, which contains items and cash seized by Tracy police during law enforcement activities, including drug raids.
Hampton said that money can only be used to further the department’s drug-fighting capabilities.
“(The purchase) does not impact the (city of Tracy’s) general fund budget,” Hampton said.
• Contact Jon Mendelson at 831-4231 or jmendelson@tracypress.com.
At a glance
• WHAT: City Council regular meeting
• WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7
• WHERE: City Hall, 333 Civic Center Plaza
• DETAILS: Mayor Brent Ives and councilmen Steve Abercrombie, Bob Elliott, Michael Maciel and Robert Rickman were present.
I believe the vehicle will be used much more than you might think. The article clearly says local police departments have agreements with each other. If this is not used today, it will be used as part of a partnership tomorrow. And ultimately, I actually hope you were right that it will not be used. But the Sherrif of today looks nothing like Mayberry.
The truth is, if they were willing to lie about the small things they most certainly would lie about the big things as well.
Your need to be direct is nice but keep in mind our US Constitution provides each of us with the freedom of speech, which means we "all" have the right to state our opinions. Whether, or not, you choose to believe them does not have any effect on the truth, that is simply your opinion, which is also welcome.
"Do Not" expect anyone to back down from their beliefs just because you feel the need to make a claim of accuracy or inaccuracy because when you make that claim the burden of proof rests on you, not the person making the initial statement.
In simpler terms, if you think the statements made by myself or anyone else are false you need to prove you are correct. Otherwise you are guilty of the claims you are leveling at others.
The onus and responsibility lies with you.
If you continue to refuse to bring forth your alleged proof that they "cooked the books" I see no reason for you to act surprised.
Let me ask you one question. Are you willing to resolve this here and now by stating that you believe any previous chiefs changed the ranking?
I may have good reason to be skeptical of your comments, but if you can prove it, I am willing to listen. I'm being very direct, here.
It is your responsibility to prove my comments were inaccurate and to provide proof of your belief. I will offer this bit of information, the crime statistics are only as accurate as the people who report them. Since the former police chief directed her staff to change the method they used for reporting crime statistics; ie: when to take reports and when not to take reports, the fact is she manipulated the information to make Tracy look better than it actually is.
I will pose a couple of questions to you;
If Tracy is truly safer than it was before then why do we need an armoured vehicle.
If Tracy is not safer than it was before then we may need the armoured vehicle; but they why has the PD been reporting that crimes are down?
These statements cannot both be true so can you explain them?
I asked you a direct question (if our ranking was changed) and you tell us another lie to "prove" your first lie.
Nobody ever said we are safer.
They simply changed how crimes are reported. If someone breaks into three cars, the person is charged one time.
Most cities do this.
The vehicle is a replacement. Many cities have them.
You are either a liar, or you do not know how to read.
I am being very direct with you. I think the prolem is both.
As a member of the department's SWAT team, Gerardo was one of the first on scene.
In those first few minutes, officers struggled to find cover as they traded gunfire with Hydra Lacy Jr., who shot and killed two of their comrades, K-9 Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz and Sgt. Tom Baitinger.
St. Petersburg police did not have an armored truck so SWAT team members had to crouch behind a commandeered dump truck until armored vehicles from other Tampa Bay area agencies arrived.
"I can tell you it was too long," Gerardo said. "In a bad situation, minutes matter."
Since that day, the department has worked to upgrade the tactical equipment available to officers. Over the past several months, officers have gotten better shields, vests and weapons.
On Tuesday, the department unveiled its newest tool: a 19,500-pound armored rescue truck called the BearCat.
"This is the final piece of the puzzle," police spokesman Mike Puetz said. "This is one of those purchases you hope you never have to deploy.
This type of thinking is exactly why salaries for local government officials are out of control, why expenditures in local government are out of control and why our State and Cities are all facing deficits. Because the general mentality of most local government employees is this;
"If someone else has it then we must need it so lets justify why we need it then make the public pay for it."
It's government out of control.
If you want to "prove your opinion we dont need one" that is your perogative.
I see no reason why we should believe your opinions, over the experts, after you made baseless accusations about Tracy Police "cooking the books".
You may have a few good opinions, but you obviously believe the end justifies the means.
With dishonest people like you in this world, it certainly does not lend credance to you platform.
Good grief, I should have known.
We are rapidly transitioning into a "police state."
Seems like this happened in Europe back in the mid to late 1930's. I am affraid the outcome will be the same if people don't speak out against the government.
Timmy bahama, you still haven't answered my question. What makes you more qualified to make a decitions about that vehicle then the experts? What stats show we don't need it, other than those in your little mind.
Your reasoning is sound, and if we go by your reasoning.... Show me the numbers that support your position that the vehicle isn't needed, since you apparently "know" the vehicle isn't needed because of "cooked books", and while your at it please explain why you are more qualified to make that decision than the experts in the field?
Your little snake buddy sure isn't qualified to make that call, but why don't you two put your heads together and try to form a intelligent reply?
My memory reminds me that information ONLY came from tommybahama, when he made those allegations over a year ago, on the TracyPress.com website.
What tommybahama calls "logic" is his own opinions being heralded as his so-called proof. There is no "logic" to anything tommybahama ever said.
I do not believe the TPD ever "cooked the books". But I am sure tommybahama's quest for others to "prove" him wrong is why the TracyPress.com allows him to make up lies on their website.
Goofballs like tommybahama sell newspapers. So, let's help keep the TracyPress.com from going bankrupt, by feeding tommybahama more fodder to wallow in.
Those situations occur quite frequently.. When a husband beats his wife and she calls 911, and he threatens to kill her and the kids cause he's had one too many, and he's been laid off, or he found her "new Facebook friend" and he went off. That is considered a barricaded suspect, You want to walk up to the front door and knock on it?
Just because you don't read about it or hear about it doesn't mean it's not happening every day in Tracy.
You need to talk to Juan before making incorrect Statements when it comes to police procedures. He can ask a real cop and report back to you next time.
Oh, that's right, we can't get that information and guarantee that it's accurate because we all know the TPD has a history of cooking the books when it comes to crime statistics.
I may not agree with 100% of your comments, but you are spot on WRT the need for this vehicle.
Don't worry too much about tommybahama. He made stuff up about police statistics and tried to tell people it was proof they "cooked the books".
You can count on one thing, in the TracyPress.com - we all know tommybahama is very good at lying about the Tracy Police.
I mean, everybody is a liar but yourself.
Grow up, tommybahama, you commented on the TracyPress.com and read articles about bank robberies, where the TracyPress.com showed pictures of SWAT teams.
The thing that dissapoints me about you is this. I don't think you do it because of the money or because you care about what is best for the community.
You do it shamefully, for political gain. And you do not even do a very good job at that, because you are dishonest and misleading.
The Tracy Police have said time and time again that we are the safest community around. Yes, they also said we have crime and have deployed an armored vehicle. And they do report statistics to global data collecting agencies to compare against other cities.
You have absolutely no proof they lied about their ranking.
You made that all up, as an ex cop, you disgust me.
If that sounds like anything else, to you, you are welcome to your opinion.
I do not care much of what you say. I'm being very candid with you.
I would not like to see a police officer hurt because this vehicle was on the freeway, en route from Modesto.
Either the things tommybahama says are right on
or
The things said by tommybahama worry you because they are true.
Either way, you spend way to much time worrying about what tommybahama says and not enough time suring up your argument.
With that out of the way. It is not my "argument".
The TracyPress.com has articles which include photos of the SWAT teams.
And if you believe the TPD Chiefi is lying about how we are ranking, that's "your argument".
If you want to disagree with him, then in essence he is telling everyone in Tracy, you are a liar.
Not just me.
Your attempted appeal to authority doesn't make your argument valid. The only thing that will validate your argument would be to prove that the vehicle is necessary and you have yet to do that.
Yes, of course I discussed "ranking". The Police Chief compared us to other cities who need this vehicle. Take it up with the Police Chief if you do not believe him.
It's "your argument".
One day, just for fun Jon Mendelson ought to ask it to be removed from the consent calendar.
Because the result of nobody commenting on it would be the best article he ever wrote.
Can't wait for Jon's second thoughts.
I agree there will be a cost for fuel and upkeep, but let me explain the advantages of having such a vehicle in your fleet. I have been a Police Officer in the Bay Area for over 20 years and have lived in Tracy for over 10 years now.
If one of your family members is trapped or needs to be rescued from a robbery gone bad or an active shooter, do you want to wait for an armored vehicle from another city?
I'm not a SWAT guy never been, but I tell you there is no better tool than to have an armored vehicle pull up on a front lawn of a target in order to have protection from the unknown threat in a house.
We use our vehicle numerous times a month and it sure is nice to have it roll from the station than from another city. Think about if your the one that needs to be rescued by TPD do you want to wait because of an armored vehicle coming from another city?
If you think a situation like I have described cannot happen in Tracy, then you are the perfect victim. I know money is tight, but remember this is not general fund money.
There are more important things to do today than discuss this any further with you.
I hope it never gets that way too, but they have requested it six times already. What happens when the next bank robber faces off and they call the Governor and ask him to send one down I-5 (and stop releasing criminals)?
I did not mention radio controlled helicopters, but I would not worry about it too much. I personally bought one and the battery lasted less than two hours. When it landed the propeller and the landing gear both snapped off.
I'm asking about a small remote controlled manned/unmanned device that can enter and difuse potentially danderous situations whithout harming a police officer.
Some people are going complaining about paying cop's salary and retirement. Add disability.
I really doubt Tracy is part of the Illumanidi theory.
Case and Point. You are a cop in the BAY AREA. aka "The Hood". Of course you need an armored vehicle. You should probably get 3 or 4. You make it sound like "if a member is trapped" you are going to use it to drive through a building. Unless you can tell me that the damn thing climbs walls, shoots suspects on its own through a building and saves all of the hostages, then I still am not sold on why we need one. TPD can just continue to earn their money the old fashioned way. Show up and come up with a game plan.
Oh yeah, and its sad that you guys have to use your vehicle "numerous times a month". I hope tracy will never get that way.
This is the first part of.my post. It was cut off. Sorry...
Then there is all the gadgets the police department will have to have to go along with it. How are they going to pay for those things as well.
It appears this is a clear example of spending public money on toys.
BEWARE OF THE OF THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX...
See here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY
I do believe that they should get it. It not coming from general fund and upkeep and maintenance is a small price to pay.
How about giving the damn money for that stupid unnecessary thing to the SCHOOLS where we need it!?
Chief says this won't impact the general fund? DHS is popping for $100K, but where are we getting the remaining $182K?
Something smells to high heaven. Consent items never get much attention. This is BS!
Chief also reported that our crime rate is down. If that's the case then why do we need this vehicle?
Obviously the one that needs to be replaced( according to the PD) is unsafe or they could continue to use it.
If it is still safe then why do they need to replace it?
My reading of the article, is that the Police Chief is saying TPD borrowed one of these vehicles, at least six times.
In fact, why not do like they did with the motor home the south county cities purchased about 8 years ago and buy one for the entire region then simply share it when the need arises?
It doesn't make sense for the city to spend $290K on something that might only get used once in a while. Besides, I thought Tracy was a safe community. If so why do we need an armoured vehicle?