SNOW HILL – Officials approved the purchase of an armored rescue vehicle for the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office this week.
The Worcester County Commissioners on Wednesday voted 4-3 to spend $321,833 on an armored rescue vehicle for the sheriff’s office. Commissioner Joe Mitrecic, who voted against the purchase, questioned how often the vehicle would be used.
“I don’t think it’s a wise use of county taxpayers’ money,” Mitrecic said.
An armored rescue vehicle has been requested by Sheriff Matt Crisafulli since at least 2021, as he’s described it as something that could be used by law enforcement during hurricanes as well as when there were unruly crowds in Ocean City. While the funding was cut from the county’s budget in previous years, the budget approved by the commissioners last month included $324,000 for the purchase of the rescue vehicle.
Mitrecic told his peers Wednesday he’d talked to Crisafulli about it and didn’t support buying the vehicle.
“For the last few years I’ve been against this purchase,” he said. “I talked with the sheriff about it and got some statistics… I believe he said that it could have been used 41 times in the last 10 years. I’m not sure it’s a wise purchase.”
Mitrecic and Commissioners Diana Purnell and Ted Elder voted against the purchase, which still passed with a majority of commissioners in support.
“I think it’s a smart investment for providing law enforcement with the tools they need to protect and keep safe our community,” Commissioner Chip Bertino said.
According to Sgt. Robert Price of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the county will be purchasing a Lenco Bearcat G3. The armored vehicle is offroad capable and sits lower to the ground than older military style rescue vehicles, making it more maneuverable.
“The purpose of this vehicle is to save lives,” he said.
The sheriff’s office has never had a rescue vehicle and in the past has had to borrow a military rescue vehicle from Wicomico County. The Bearcat G3, however, will be better suited to local needs than some of the military style vehicles.
“This is a smaller, purpose-built vehicle,” he said.
Price said the vehicle has been requested by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Tactical Armed Response (STAR) Team for years.
“It’s armored ballistic protection we just don’t have now,” he said, adding that the vehicle would help save lives. “To anyone who’d say this wasn’t worth the money, if this vehicle saves one person’s life it’s worth every penny.”
