Exclusive: Winnipeg armoured vehicle used in police promotions almost as often as operations

Chief has no issues using police vehicle at events Winnipeg's police chief said Friday he has no issue with the armoured rescue vehicle being used at community events.

An armoured rescue vehicle purchased by the Winnipeg Police Service last year for $342,800 is used for promotional purposes, such as parades and calendars, almost as often as it’s used on the job, CTV News has learned.

The finding has some people questioning whether the vehicle, which has eight gun ports and weighs more than 7,000 kilograms, was a reasonable expense of taxpayer dollars or simply “a toy” for the force.

CTV News has learned that Winnipeg’s armoured rescue vehicle (ARV1) has been used 15 times for community engagements and 20 times for operations.

Since it was purchased in June 2016, the ARV1 has been profiled in a K-9 calendar, rolled out for a photo-op with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and driven through the city’s annual Santa Claus parade. It also appeared in a public service announcement video to advise shoppers to safely store their Christmas gifts.

Insp. Jon Lutz called the vehicle a “game-changer” that allows police to do their job “faster and safer.”

“Our commitment as a service is to serve our citizens and stuff like that. We want to show them this vehicle. It’s not something we’re trying to hide,” Lutz told CTV News.

Law enforcement agencies across Canada have their own armoured rescue vehicles, which are used in weapons investigations, bomb threats and hostage situations. Calgary Police estimate that they’ve used their armoured rescue vehicle 40 to 50 times each month.

Winnipeg’s ARV1 has been used a total of 50 times since it was purchased eight months ago.

Winnipeg Police say they can’t guess how often the vehicle will be used operationally in the future, but that it will continue to be used in the community.

Todd MacKay, a director with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says the purchase should be closely analyzed.

“(There are) very important questions here to ask about whether this is a necessary piece of safety equipment … or whether this is a toy that is fun to have and not ultimately necessary,” MacKay said.

It’s up to Winnipeg Police and the city’s police board to decide where they will spend budget dollars. But Mayor Brian Bowman says he wants to ensure that “taxpayers are getting that return on investment for any equipment that’s purchased.”

Several Canadian cities have their own armoured vehicles, including Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton.

With a report from CTV Manitoba Bureau Chief Jill Macyshon