New Hope Police Acquire Armored Vehicle
New Hope police now have a new tool to help them fight crime and protect officers, but some have raised concerns about the militarization of police departments.
This week, the New Hope Police Department received an armored vehicle, known as an MRAP (mine-resistant ambush protected), from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The city acquired the MRAP free of charge, thanks to a program that provides law enforcement agencies with former military vehicles. New Hope spent about $65,000 to make the vehicle suitable for the needs of the police department
“As you know, police officers in today’s world are asked to do more and more under more difficult situations than they ever have been before,” said New Hope Police Chief Tim Fournier. “So the military recognizes this. Police administrators such as myself recognize that officers needs as many tools in their toolbox as they can get, and this is an excellent tool.”
The West Metro SWAT Team, consisting of New Hope, Crystal and Robbinsdale, will be the primary users of the MRAP.
The public can see it firsthand at the vehicle fair Saturday morning at the Crystal Community Center, which runs from 10 a.m. to noon.
