Police spend half a million dollars to replace 42-year-old armoured vehicle

Black Wolf (image sourced from Cambli Group Facebook page)

Edmonton — The Edmonton Police Service is spending half a million dollars to buy a new armoured rescue vehicle.

The brand new Cambli Black Wolf, which will be named ARV2, is expected to arrive this fall, joining the EPS’ other ARV, named ARV1, which was bought in 2013 at a cost of $315,000.

The $500,000 to purchase the new ARV was approved in 2017 to replace the force’s first ARV, the Grizzly, which was donated to the EPS in 2007 by the Department of National Defence.

The Edmonton police Grizzly vehicle.

The Grizzly was constructed 42 years ago, and was stripped of its weapons system before being donated to the EPS.

“This is a simple process of replacing a critical piece of infrastructure that is necessary to keep citizens and officers safe,” says Chief Dale McFee. “These armoured rescue vehicles only come into play when officers are dealing with armed, violent and dangerous individuals, and unfortunately, in a city as large as ours, with increasing rates of violence and assaults involving weapons, it’s a reality we have to face. We need not look any further back than the recent attack on pedestrians on Jasper Avenue in 2017 or the many gun calls our members face weekly.”

After the death of RCMP Cpl. Jim Galloway in 2004, a public fatality inquiry recommended that all police forces have armoured vehicles to prevent similar tragedies. Before EPS received the Grizzly, officers used a refurbished bank truck at high risk events.

Police said the Grizzly has been used 52 times since 2007, while ARV1 has been used 250 times since 2013.

The Cambri Black Wolf is designed to withstand small arms fire and is supposed to maneuver easily in urban settings.

“Since most buildings have at least two exits, the use of two armoured vehicles is often extremely helpful to maintain safe containment of an armed and dangerous barricaded person,” said Deputy Chief Preston. “Continuing to maintain a fleet of two police rescue vehicles, ARV1 and ARV2, will allow us to do that.”

The old Grizzly vehicle will be taken out of service and disposed of when ARV2 is fully operational. Because of conditions related to the original donation, EPS is not allowed to sell the Grizzly.