Politics & Government
Walnut Creek Bomb Squad May Receive New Armored Vehicle
A federal grant will pay for it. The police department has the only bomb squad in the county and provides mutual aid to other communities.
WALNUT CREEK, CA — The Walnut Creek City Council will decide Tuesday whether the police department can buy a new armored response vehicle for its bomb squad.
The police department received a Homeland Security Grant for the necessary $267,543, which will come as a re-imbursement once the city buys the truck. Any purchases over more than $85,000 must be approved by the council.
The grant goes to $303,804, allowing the department to buy advanced electronic diagnostic equipment, explosive safety equipment and specialized training.
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The vehicle is a seriously modified 2022 Ford F-550, weighing 19,500 pounds and powered by a 6.7 liter, V8, power stroke, turbo-charged diesel engine. The city is buying the armored truck from Florida-based Emergency Vehicles, Inc.
Walnut Creek has the only bomb squad in Contra Costa County and provides investigation and disposal of explosive devices all over the region. According to a city staff report, the new vehicle would "allow the bomb squad to have two equally capable response vehicles, to improve response time and provide redundancy in the event a vehicle become inoperable."
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The report also says the city will establish a fund for the future replacement of the vehicle, with the amount based on the purchase price and prorated over its expected life. Ongoing cost of fuel and maintenance for the truck is estimated to be $1,500 annually.
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