That's right: A Brand Spanking new one too...
Must be a veritable hot bed of pumpkin festivals just ripe for terrorist attacks. (snarc)
How about the stats?
Population (2012) 102,851
Land Area: 555 Square miles
66% urban 34% Rural.
Racial Breakdown:
94.49% White, 0.84% Black,
0.23% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.62% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 6.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
With stats like that , surely someone is seeing trouble brewing. Statistically, the job has surely been what anyone would define as high risk. Why?
The Sheriff's dept. has had one on the job Fatality in the last 50 years. It occurred on 8/26/1966. The officer apparently stepped on a hot power line.
Obviously this is reason enough to order a BRAND NEW ASSAULT VEHICLE (Bring your own 50 cal. machine gun).
So what are we buying The WalWorth County Sheriff (Not to be confused with the old Woolworth dept store -RIP) dept 's SWAT team?
The Walworth County G3 on display at the NTOA Conference is a Four Door variant, which offers 5 entry and egress points on the vehicle. This functionality greatly enhances tactical response and rescue capabilities in tight urban settings and Active Shooter scenarios. In addition, this BearCat G3 features Lenco’s Hydraulic RAM and a host of Low Profile lighting and communications equipment. Also included is Lenco’s award winning gas injector unit, which won a 2011 Tactical Innovation Award. Mounted on the vehicle’s hydraulic ram, this unique tool allows for fast delivery of chemical agents into a hostile environment from the safety of an armored BearCat®.Who makes it?
Like all Lenco vehicles, the G3 features only Mil-Spec steel armor plate certified to defeat multi-hit attacks from 7.62 AP / .50 Cal BMG, ceilings and floors that provide enhanced blast and fragmentation protection, and ballistic glass windows with multi-hit defeat and superior clarity.
Pittsfield, MA – Lenco Industries, Inc., the global leader in the design and manufacture of armored police vehicles, will have the latest model BearCat® G3 on display at the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) Tactical Operations Conference & Trade Show, September 22-27 at the Kansas City Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. This 4-Door BearCat® G3 will be en route to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office to join over a dozen other Lenco armored vehicles serving and protecting law enforcement throughout the state of Wisconsin. In total, over 550 Law Enforcement Agencies in the US rely on Lenco BEARs and BearCats every day, including 32 State Police Agencies.(Bold is my emphasis)Lenco Industries designs, develops and manufactures armored security vehicles for law enforcement, military, government and private security forces working to safeguard our nation’s homeland security as well as downrange in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lenco’s client base includes the nation’s most prestigious law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, LA Sheriff Department, Boston Police Department and the New York Police Department. Lenco has also designed and built Special Forces armored vehicles for the US Department of Defense. Lenco is a supplier to the US State Department, Department of Energy, ATF, US Marshals and other high profile government agencies. Lenco’s product line includes the BEAR armored SWAT truck, and several variants of the BearCat, including the G4 M-ATV, MedEvac and VIP armored vehicles. For more information, visit www.LencoArmor.com.
By the way, I didn't see anything about surplus in there. Must be an oversight on my part. I'm sure if someone with a little more time on their hands would search the DoD contract Database, maybe it would shed more light on why a brand spanking new battle tested designed BearCat is on the way.
Obviously, this raises some questions. If it's not surplus? Who is paying for it? How is it procured? Is this through the 1033 program? If so, are there a few things they aren't telling us? Like how is the annual maintenance contract paid for along with all the cool toys that go in it . How about the training? Who pays for that? Maybe they don't need it.
BTW, I tried to get on Bearcat's armor website and it was maxed out all day. Maybe a little luck later eh? Maybe all that free advertising that Jefferson country is providing is making for some heavy duty inquiries.
As I found out in the double ought: If it has to do with the MIC, a huge dose of skepticism is required when we are told (anything) that all of this stuff is merely war surplus.