The Pullman Police Department acquired an armored vehicle for the Whitman County SWAT Team last week.

Aaron Breshears, Pullman PD operations commander, said they received the new armored vehicle, the Max Pro, through the government surplus program. The vehicle was previously an armored ambulance for the U.S. Military. 

“With the surplus program, we have taken possession of the vehicle on loan from the U.S. government,” Breshears said. “We didn’t have to pay for it, so it’s essentially a long-term loan.”

This is the first armored vehicle that the Pullman Police Department has taken possession of, Breshears said. The Pullman PD is a member of the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team, which includes the Whitman County Sheriff’s Department and WSU Police. The Whitman County Sheriff’s Department also has its own armored vehicle that Pullman PD has utilized in the past. 

“Whitman County’s vehicle is smaller so the new vehicle allows more passengers or officers to be carried because the inside is larger,” he said. 

Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers said Pullman PD’s armored vehicle will be stationed at their department and will drive it to Pullman whenever Pullman PD needs to use it. 

Myers said the need for two armored vehicles is appropriate for the number of members they have on the joint SWAT Team with Pullman. 

“We have 12 to 15 people show up as SWAT members so all these people can’t fit in one vehicle,” Myers said. “Having more than one vehicle increases the safety of those individuals.” 

The Whitman County Sheriff’s Department wants to make sure they have a shielding component that provides another level of safety, he said. The armored vehicles will be deployed in any situation where there’s a high risk of firearms.

“An example of a situation where we would use the vehicle is in a barricade situation where officers need to get in and save civilians,” Myers said. 

Myers said the goal is to have a peaceful outcome and to reduce casualties while rescuing people or officers.

Initially, the Pullman PD was looking to secure funds for an armored vehicle to accompany their SWAT Team in next year’s budget cycle, Breshears said. They moved quickly once the opportunity for the vehicle was available through the government surplus program. 

“Obtaining this vehicle through the surplus program was a big saving to the city of Pullman as far as budgetary expenditure,” Breshears said. “This armored vehicle is really a safety tool, it doesn’t have any weapons on it … We can use it to evacuate people from active shooter events.”