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New vehicle to give cops edge

London Police Services unveiled an $800,000 command vehicle at a media gala last week that will be used to help survey the city.

The state-of-the-art truck stands 12 feet tall and 40 feet long. Inside, there are an assortment of gadgets including a touch-screen computer and communications equipment. Police can also hold meetings inside the 11-foot-long conference room.

“In a serious, large operational call, this vehicle is better equipped to handle the multiple demands of phone, computer traffic, radio traffic and multi-agency response,” Amy Phillipo, media relations officer for London police, said.

She added the truck replaced an 18-year-old predecessor.

“The only thing missing is a diaper changer for the students at Fanshawe,” Bernie MacDonald, Ward 3 councillor, said.

MacDonald called the new truck a “satellite police station on rubber tires.”

The truck may be stationed at large student gatherings, but will not be used as a patrol vehicle.

“Depending on the situation, the command vehicle could be used on Richmond Street [but] really the command vehicle could be used anywhere,” Phillipo explained.

The vehicle’s priority is tactical issues, and will serve as a stationary base for officers to meet, she added.

Chris Bentley, MPP London West, said the vehicle was paid for by a combination of federal and provincial grants.

“The province has a program called the Civil Remedies Act where we seize money and assets from those who do people harm, turning it into cash through the courts and give it to police,” he noted.

In response to cost concerns, Bentley noted vehicles like this are becoming commonplace.

“I don’t think it should be a surprise,” he said. “If there was a hostage taking at a house, you’d want mobile command capacity to manage the operations there.”

Shaunessy Hutchinson, a first-year science student, was initially shocked by the truck’s price tag.

“I don’t think we’d ever use it,” she said.  “Maybe for the next Halloween party?”

MacDonald commented on the disturbance around Fanshawe this past Halloween, where police were called after a group of partygoers flooded the streets.

“If [the police] had just been a little more aggressive, things would not have gone as far as it did,” he said. “It’s like a forest fire: in three minutes everything can just cut loose, and that’s what happened. So with one of these vehicles, it’s going to give us an advantage.”

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