Council Approves Purchase of Armored Rescue Vehicle

As expected, Gloucester Township Council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing township officials to enter into a contract to purchase an armored rescue vehicle for the Police Department.

The measure was approved as part of Council's consent agenda. The vote was unanimous.

The township will pay Lenco Industries Inc. $277,986 for the bulletproof police vehicle.

Councilman Dan Hutchison defended the controversial vehicle purchase at the conclusion of Monday's meeting.

"We as a Council, we as a town owe it to our officers to give them every tool that they can possibly have to possibly prevent one of them from being killed," he said. "It is so worth it to purchase this vehicle."

Pittsfield, MA-based Lenco was the lone company to bid for the contract with Gloucester Township.

Deputy Police Chief David Harkins described the armored rescue vehicle, which will be used by the Police Department's Special Response Unit, or SWAT, as "a truck that's built on a Ford F-550 body" but made from "the only thing that's tested and assured to stop bullets" at Council's Feb. 11 meeting.

Police Chief W. Harry Earle came to Council to discuss purchasing the armored rescue vehicle back in early January.

For past coverage of the township's move to purchase the armored rescue vehicle, click on the below links, which are listed in chronological order:

• Council Moves to Purchase Armored Police Vehicle
• Council Permits Bids for Armored Vehicle
• Camden County Refutes Gloucester Twp.'s Claims About Armored Vehicle
• Council Appropriates Money for Armored Police Vehicle
• Officials to Open Bids for Armored Rescue Vehicle Wednesday
• Armored Rescue Vehicle to Cost Township $277,986