CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte area law enforcement agencies could soon have a vehicle that will help in natural disasters and explosive device situations.
With a 6-2 vote, the city of Charlotte approved a funding request from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to apply for funding to purchase a Rook multi-purpose, critical incident response vehicle. The funding request will be sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
CMPD is hoping to secure funding through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant Program, which allows law enforcement agencies within a similar area to request funding for items.
Estimated costs for the Rook are $500,000, however, CMPD assures the funding for the vehicle will not come from the city of Charlotte.
A Rook can be used during natural disasters, search and rescue operations, active violence incidents, armed and barricaded subjects, and to handle explosive devices, according to CMPD. The Rook is similar to a forklift built on a Caterpillar skid-steer platform, according to CMPD.
With a Rook, CMPD's bomb squad would be updated to a "Type I," the highest rating possible, according to the department.
One of the dissenting voters on the Charlotte city council was LaWana Mayfield, an at-large member. Mayfield was skeptical over the reasoning behind needing a Rook vehicle and asked CMPD if there were any instances of the department needing one in the last five years.
In response, a CMPD official at the meeting said they hope they never need to use the Rook but want to have it just in case of an emergency.
Agencies in Charlotte's UASI from Cabarrus, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Lancaster, Mecklenburg, Stanly, Union, and York counties would be eligible to use the Rook if the funding is approved.