A Bearcat -- Stamford Police Seek Money to Buy New Vehicle

The Stamford Police Department has many tools in its box to fight criminals who prey upon residents and its visitors.

And there’s one piece of equipment that the Stamford Police Foundation is soliciting public support for a tool they can add to that box.

In a post on the online gofundme fund-raising website, The Stamford Police Department Special Response Team (SRT) is seeking donations to buy what it describes as “an essential tool to provide state-of-the-art protection” — a Lenco Bearcat.

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So far, the foundation has raised $1,950 of the $200,000 needed to purchase the vehicle.

Here is what the Stamford Police Foundation says about the need for the Lenco Bearcat:

“The SRT responds to assist with critical incidents and “as critical incidents continue to increase in frequency and severity, we find ourselves in a position where we need your assistance,” according to the GoFundMe post.

The BearCat is widely used to protect law enforcement and rescue civilian populations in weather-related disasters, high risk warrant service and active shooter scenarios. The BearCat has sufficient ballistic protection to provide a safe working environment for SRT members. Not only does the BearCat protect the police inside the vehicle, but the vehicle has been used to evacuate citizens who lived nearby dangerous incidents. The police have brought civilians inside the BearCat to drive them safely out of harm’s way. It has also been used to rescue wounded personnel and to evacuate citizens from life-threatening situations, such as barricaded suspects and active shooter scenarios.

Stamford is the 4th largest city in Connecticut. Each of the three larger cities: Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford have BearCats currently in service - Hartford and Bridgeport have two to cover their populations. A BearCat in Stamford would not only cover the population of the city, but would be available to neighboring towns during crisis situations.

It is one of the current goals of the Stamford Police Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, to work with Stamford Police Department and the SRT to help procure the funds necessary for the BearCat.”

For more information about the purchase, go to: www.stamfordpolicefoundation.org.

Do you think the department needs this piece of equipment? Let us know in the comments section below.

Photo credit: Stamford Police Foundation via gofundme.comm.