Board of Police Commissioners vote in favour of armoured vehicle for Halifax police

The Board of Police Commissioners voted in favour of a purchase of an armoured rescue vehicle.

A member of the Board of Police Commissioners is recommending the Halifax Regional Police acquire an armoured rescue vehicle to tackle what he calls increasing “high-risk scenarios.”

A motion tabled by Commissioner Greg O’Malley got approval from the board to recommend to the chief administrative officer to buy an armoured vehicle for Halifax police. The board voted in favour of the motion at their meeting on Wednesday.

“Increasingly, the Halifax Regional Police (HRP) are called to provide public safety response to high-risk scenarios such as natural disasters, active shooter incidents, and hostage rescue operations, placing officers at high risk of personal injury,” the motion reads. “In 2023, the HRP Emergency Response Team (ERT) responded to 150 events in an official capacity, 55 which were deemed critical incidents, and 46 firearms were recovered in operations conducted by the ERT. The type of firearms ranged from pistols to high-powered assault style rifles.

“These types of events present a high-risk of injury, including the risk of fatalities, to officers and the public. An ARV is a means of mitigating the risk of personal injury to officers and the public in these types of high-risk scenarios.”

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In 2020, council approved an armoured vehicle, but it was cancelled after public criticism.

The motion states Halifax police currently rely on the RCMP’s armoured rescue vehicle, which was reportedly unavailable for use an average of 33 per cent on the time in 2024.

The motion also notes a first-of-its-kind “mass shooting/rapid deployment event” happened last summer within the city limits. In July 2024, five people were shot during an annual festival at Africville Park.

In the 2024-2025 capital budget, the municipality budgeted $410,000 for two armoured F350s.

Halifax council will ultimately decide for or against the motion.

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