Bedford Police Unveil Fancy New Ride

The Bedford Police Department, Tuesday, formally announced the acquisition and operational activation of its new Incident Command Vehicle (ICV) and mobile command post.

No local tax dollars were used to support this project as the purchase was financed entirely by funds received from the U.S. Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Sharing Program.

This long-term project, which was initiated under former Bedford Police Chief David Bailey, came to fruition this spring when Bedford PD took possession of the brand new ICV from Northeast Kustom Kreations of Manchester.

This mobile platform enables Bedford police officers and detectives to operate from an on-scene “office” where the requisite computers, communications and technical equipment, office infra-structure, and supplies are readily available.

The ICV also enables officers and detectives to process and secure essential evidence at the scene to ensure its proper preservation (temperature/humidity, packaging) and chain of custody.

In addition to crime scene processing, the ICV helps facilitate the interview of victims/witnesses immediately at the scene in a safe, secure and contained environment with provisions to conduct on-scene video and audio recorded interviews essential to obtaining the necessary information and evidence in support of the ever-increasing complexity of investigations.

The ICV also affords greater officer security and protection by properly illuminating crime scene and major traffic accidents, and it provides external power to maintain portable radio communications, portable flashlight and cellular telephone capabilities, as well a location for personnel stationed outside for long periods to temporarily escape from the elements and serve as a warming/cooling station to maintain staff at a scene over long periods.  The Bedford Police Department’s Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team (TAR) equipment that measures and computes data at major accidents is stationed onboard the ICV for quick and efficient deployment during accident reconstruction activities.

In the event of a major disaster or major weather event this new platform provides a secure environment with the necessary inter-agency and inter-operable communications equipment where government officials/police/fire/EMS/DPW/Civilian Emergency Response Teams (CERT) can operate from.

The ICV also serves as a temporary or mobile police station in the event the department’s communications center is disabled or unusable. It is equipped with all the necessary back-up communications and telephone systems for continuity of operations to seamlessly restore public safety communications, command and control for police, fire and EMS.  

In more pleasant circumstances, such as large public gatherings, town/school events, it provides all the necessary features to properly coordinate and facilitate public safety and volunteer services as well as serve as the visible exemplification of the highest quality public safety services delivered to the residents of Bedford by its police department.