The 2003 Winnebago the Apache Junction Police Department uses as a command van is to be replaced with a nearly $1.8 million Freightliner M2 truck with a tethered drone using American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The Apache Junction City Council at a meeting July 16 is to vote on spending $1,787,302.16 in ARPA funds to purchase the vehicle from Safeware Inc. as part of a cooperative contract. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers, 300 E. Superstition Blvd.
A mobile command vehicle is a specialty vehicle that can be taken to remote areas, Police Chief Michael Pooley said during the council’s July 2 meeting.
“One of the things that it is used for is major investigations; special events; incidents that include things such as homicide investigations, fatal traffic collisions, tactical situations — any major disaster, whether it’s flooding, wildfires,” he said.
The vehicle is an emergency operations center with technology including a dispatch console, Pooley said.
“So we will be able to have our communications mobile if necessary in case of some major investigation or operation or disaster where we need to have some type of mobile radio out there as well,” he said.
“We do currently have a command van. It is a 2003 Winnebago. It’s very outdated. It does not function like it should. Technology is completely outdated,” Pooley said. “We’re hoping to modernize things. We’re looking at this new command van — mobile command vehicle — to really make Apache Junction stand out on these types of investigations.”
The cab and truck are to come with a chassis the same as city dump trucks and water trucks, he said.
“We worked with our public works and our police department to design and build the best vehicle that we can have here in Apache Junction for our city and we feel that this is something that will support our operations and continue to make the Apache Junction Police Department a very capable police department to handle any situation on our own,” Pooley said.
The Safeware quote for the truck shows it has an Axon Fotokite Sigma rooftop mounted box and tethered drone; a Columbia Weather Systems Magellan MX series model MX500 weather station with LCD touch screen display; an underbody compartment with steps for exterior lavatory access; nighttime red lighting mode; a telescoping tripod LED light; motorized retractable lateral arm awning; magnetic dry-erase boards; seating for 10 at two tables and for three people at individual work stations; a galley with a 1.3-cubic-foot microwave, coffee maker and 3.8-cubic-foot refrigerator; backup and perimeter cameras; and a 97db backup alarm.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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