KPD to get SWAT vehicle

The Daily Inter Lake

The Kalispell Police Department's SWAT team is getting a new ride. And it's a monster.

The almost $300,000 fully ballistic armored tactical vehicle is being donated by Donald Abbey, a part-time resident of Flathead County. It is set to arrive in January.

"This vehicle will give us the opportunity to respond more quickly to situations and have our officers properly prepared when they get there," said Kalispell Police Department Chief Roger Nasset.

The armored SWAT vehicle may be the only such vehicle in Montana and one of a very few in the Northwest.

"This type of vehicle, with its technology and its capabilities, is almost never an option for a police department of our size," Nasset said.

The armored vehicle will give the Kalispell Police Department the opportunity to help other law enforcement agencies, exposing the SWAT team to wider tactical experiences, Nasset said.

"We'll have the opportunity to train in real life scenarios," he said.

The SWAT team currently uses an off-the-lot Chevrolet Suburban.

The armored vehicle, which holds up to 15 officers and can act as a mobile command center, is not a tool of aggression, Nasset said.

"It's designed to protect people and save lives," he said.

In 2005, Abbey donated bulletproof vests to replace the Special Response Team's outdated body armor.

"The Kalispell Police Department would like to thank Mr. Abbey for his generosity which helps the Kalispell Police Department purchase the necessary equipment to better protect our community," Nasset said in a statement.