OILDALE, Calif. (KERO) — Checkmate! KCSO's armored critical incident vehicle is saving lives, good and bad
- The 'Rook' and all of its attachments and accessories cost the County around $450,000
- The armored vehicle is designed to deliver SWAT team members into dangerous locations safely
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Law enforcement is constantly looking for equipment that can reinforce officers with a higher level of safety. The Sheriff's Department acquired the 'Rook' about three years ago... an armor-plated critical incident vehicle... that changed the way this game is played.
It weighs 14,000 pounds...
Reached a top speed of 8 mph...
It's the latest 'tool' the Sheriff's SWAT team can bring out in a potentially deadly situation. "The SWAT team needs better protection, they do," said Sheriff Donny Youngblood, "and so does the public and even the bad guy."
Deputy Justin Sanchez is a member of the SWAT team and said the Rook can place operators into areas where other armored vehicles can't... and remain behind armor to maintain their advantage.
"This platform transports four operators, detach and place in fortified position, floor-to-ceiling armor-plated walls," said Sanchez.
"It also gives the chance to negotiate up close and observe a safer situation," said Youngblood, "before we went in with hand-held armor. It's not foolproof, tech increases our safety." It comes with rifle ports, sliders, flood lights, and video cameras. The driver has display screens where he can see what's going on outside. The purchase was approved just a few months after Deputy Phillip Campus was killed in a SWAT standoff in Waso in July of 2021.
"Phillip Campas would probably still be alive today if we had done it differently," said Youngblood. Most recently, the Rook was brought out for a barricaded subject with a gun on Ray Street... and it ended with the machine using various attachments... to take the building apart... forcing the suspect to retreat, when he was ultimately taken into custody. "In the same situation, we'd handle it the same way," said Youngblood, "where no one was killed or injured."
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