CRAWFORD COUNTY (KFSM) -- The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received an armored MRAP military vehicle to help keep law enforcement and civilians safe.
Even though it hasn’t been used for a mission yet, the vehicle isn’t just an armored car for the SWAT team.
“We will probably use it on every highway search warrant,” said Crawford County Sheriff Ron Brown. “Whether we’re assisting another agency or in a rural area of Crawford County”. The sheriff said it’s also a multi-purpose vehicle that can be used for water rescues.
The vehicle cost around $800,000, and the sheriff’s department received the money from an Arkansas Law Enforcement State and Federal Surplus that they applied for back in 2014.
Local police and sheriff offices that participate in the surplus program can search through a Pentagon database for equipment, but have to justify what they request from the Pentagon; particularly tactical equipment, like armored vehicles or air crafts.
The vehicle arrived in November of 2016 and the department said they’re now prepared to put it to use.
“If we use it one time and it rescues someone or saves an officer from getting shot then its paid for itself," Sheriff Brown said.
Right now, the sheriff’s department has two people who are trained to drive the MRAP vehicle, but they’re continuing to train more officers to operate it.