MORE: Monroe police request for armored vehicle met with resistance
The resolution was approved 4-2 with Vice Mayor Suzi Rubin and Councilman Todd Hickman voting against. Councilman Dan Clark was absent from Tuesday’s council meeting.
“The purpose of the request was to give us options to consider,” Police Chief Bob Buchanan said. “We did not want to pass up an opportunity.”
Buchanan made the request at council’s Feb. 14 meeting and City Manager William Brock said the department had created a local response team as well as identifying the need for an armored vehicle for tactical operations.
“Currently there are not armored vehicles sufficient for these operations in the northern part of Butler County,” Brock said. “The department relies on West Chester or Warren County for a tactical armored vehicle, and the wait can be problematic.”
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Buchanan said it can take up to 2½ hours to have such a vehicle respond to a situation in the city.
The surplus vehicle would be provided by the federal government and the city would be responsible for maintenance and upkeep. Buchanan estimated those costs at about $1,500 per year.
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