Charlotte City Council Approves Equipment Purchases for The CMPD
Published on July 10, 2023
Charlotte City Council Approves Equipment Purchases for The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Charlotte, N.C. – (Monday, July 10, 2023) – Tonight, the Charlotte City Council approved the purchase of new equipment for The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, including a new bomb truck, a new helicopter and a contract renewal for the purchase of ballistic gear.
“On behalf of The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, I’d like to thank Charlotte City Council for their continued support and investment in our department,” said CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. “The approval of this critical equipment will help the department continue to protect our community as we continuously strive to make Charlotte a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Since 2020, CMPD’s Bomb Squad has received 315 calls for service, and the bomb truck has been deployed 85 times. The new bomb truck will replace the department’s current bomb truck, which is over 20 years old and has multiple mission-critical items that are broken or unserviceable. The new truck will also come with numerous safety features that are not available on other similar types of vehicles.
In addition to responding to bomb threat or suspicious package calls for service, CMPD’s bomb truck is used for explosive disposal operations, chemical or biological hazard calls for services, monthly trainings, SWAT barricades, major sporting events, dignitary escorts and community engagement events. This vehicle is a regional asset that serves not just Charlotte and Mecklenburg County but also the other 10 counties within the region where CMPD currently is the primary bomb squad response unit. Because of this, CMPD receives Urban Area Security Initiative Program (UASI) funding through the state of N.C. in the amount of $460,000 and funding through the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture in the amount of $540,000 that will be applied to this purchase.
Charlotte City Council also approved the capital purchase of a new helicopter to replace a 25-year-old Bell helicopter in the Aviation Unit’s fleet. The recommended replacement cycle for one of these helicopters is eight years, which means the longer lifespan requires constant repairs and updates. The current helicopter will be used as a partial exchange for the new helicopter, reducing the sale price by approximately $1,375,000. With the exchange, the actual expenditure is estimated to be $5,254,861.
The helicopter will be used by CMPD’s Aviation Unit to continue to enhance public safety through missing person searches, search and rescue, emergency medical evacuations, vehicle and foot pursuits, suspect searches, critical incidents and command and control functions including live video and aerial photography. In 2022, CMPD’s Aviation Unit responded to 2,153 requests for aircraft assistance and had more than 350 direct arrests for charges including Armed Robbery, Sexual Assault, Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling and Auto Thefts.
Additionally, Charlotte City Council approved the renewal of a cooperative contract for the purchase of ballistic vests and protective gear. The CMPD and The Charlotte Fire Department purchase ballistic equipment annually for new recruits and to replace vests after a 5-year expiration cycle. The cooperative purchasing agreement allows local government to leverage economies of scale, such as volume discounts, improved terms and conditions, reduced administrative costs and access to professional and technical expertise.
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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, www.cmpd.org and www.JoinCMPD.com, is a progressive, technology-driven, metropolitan department that believes strongly in the principles of crime management, community collaboration, professional accountability and employee wellness. The department employs more than 1,900 sworn officers, 500 civilian employees and 500 volunteers. If the public has information about a crime, anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com.