Mayor Mark Spaetzel | City of Avon Lake
Mayor Mark Spaetzel | City of Avon Lake
The municipalities of Avon, Avon Lake, and North Ridgeville have decided to pool resources for the acquisition and upkeep of an armored specialty rescue vehicle. This vehicle will be at the disposal of the multi-jurisdictional Tactical Response Team, providing support during violent criminal incidents and high-risk operations.
Each city has pledged to contribute $175,000 towards the purchase of a Lenco BearCat G3 armored specialty rescue vehicle, as per the agenda of the Avon Lake City Council meeting held on February 26. The total cost of this vehicle is estimated at $358,387. The surplus funds will be allocated to a fund balance for the Eastern Lorain County Emergency Response Team (ELCERT) to cover ongoing maintenance costs, repairs, and equipment.
According to the same council meeting's agenda, police chiefs from all three cities have expressed their agreement on the necessity of this vehicle. It will be housed in an indoor facility at the Avon Police Department's garage due to its central location relative to all three cities.
The Avon Lake City Council agenda also confirmed that this vehicle would be solely utilized by ELCERT.
"The ability to safely control, contain, and resolve criminal conduct that may include civil disobedience, armed confrontations, barricaded subjects, hostage-taking incidents, and high-risk arrest and search warrants oftentimes requires a response from police officers who have received specialized tactical training and equipment," said the multi-jurisdictional agreement justifying the purchase.
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