New Broken Arrow Police Vehicle

Police officers in Broken Arrow are traveling in a new piece of equipment. It's designed to improve safety, efficiency and will mean getting accident scenes cleared in less time. <br/><br/>News on

Friday, August 11th 2006, 2:32 pm

By: News On 6

Police officers in Broken Arrow are traveling in a new piece of equipment. It's designed to improve safety, efficiency and will mean getting accident scenes cleared in less time.

News on 6 anchor Craig Day says Broken Arrow Police are proud of the new vehicle. It's expected to make a big difference. It may look like an ordinary Ford Expedition with police markings. But it's what you can't see under the hood and inside the vehicle that makes it unique.

Broken Arrow Police Sgt. Ed Ferguson: "It's designed specifically for the rigors of police work. Heavy duty frame, heavy duty suspension." And a whole lot more. This, in police terms, is what is called a Traffic Incident Management Vehicle.

In other words, it's a souped up, loaded down, specialized tool. "The first advantage is it's not a soccer mom vehicle. This vehicle is designed for police work. It can handle the weight of the load we are carrying. Plus it's built for police work which means it can also be used for enforcement."

But mostly it will be used to handle accident scenes. The vehicle is loaded with $15,000 worth of equipment. Including laser guided collision investigation equipment. Officers say having the gear, and vehicle improves officer safety and efficiency.

And a rapid response means scenes are investigated and roads are cleared more quickly. Sgt. Ed Ferguson: "It's extremely important because this vehicle is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can respond within a matter of minutes to just about any type of incident."