Duluth Police Dept. Plans To Purchase Armored Vehicle, Stop Borrowing Superior’s

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa is looking to make his biggest investment yet since becoming chief nearly one year ago – the purchase of an Armored Rescue Vehicle.  Ceynowa says it’s a safety tool his department should no longer be borrowing from the Superior Police Department, as FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports.

From schools, to supermarkets, to churches — mass shootings can happen anywhere in the U.S.  And when they do, bulletproof armored vehicles often move in.

FOX 21’s Dan Hanger talking with Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa

“It protects life and it can protect the life of our officers who may be inside it. It can be used to evacuate citizens and innocent people from an area where there is a threat that could cause harm,” explained Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander.

Alexander’s department is the only agency in the Northland that owns an armored vehicle designed for law enforcement. He says it’s a life-saving shield that can withstand the strongest gunfire or explosives out there.

“To get to the level of protection, say from an AR-15, which is a very fast low-weight projectile, you do need something with significant armor to be able to absorb that energy and having, you know, a reasonable level of protection,” Alexander explained.

Since the vehicle joined Superior’s fleet in 2019, Alexander says the Duluth Police Department has used it more than his own department through a mutual aid agreement.

Data shows Duluth has borrowed Superior’s vehicle 28 times since 2019 compared to Superior’s 13 for incidents like high-risk warrants, armed standoffs, and homicides. Superior has charged Duluth nearly $36,000 so far.

Chief Alexander says his department wants to be a good partner with surrounding agencies, but he says when it comes to his armored vehicle, it’s not ideal.

“The response is a little bit slower because they’re requiring it from another jurisdiction. So they have to make the request, we have to call out our staff to go get it and to bring it to the location to help them with,” Alexander said. “The bigger dilemma would be if there were multiple incidents going on at the same time, in the two cities. The priority would be for calls for service in our own jurisdiction if that situation ever did arise.”

But now, changes are underway. Chief Ceynowa, who’s been the city’s top cop for almost a year now, told FOX 21 the department is positioned to purchase its own Armored Rescue Vehicle for roughly $380,000 by using unanticipated budgetary savings from the department’s staffing shortage.

“It’s critical for me to have my officers feel safe, to feel that they have the equipment necessary to perform the job to perform whatever is thrown in their way,” Ceynowa explained.

Ceynowa says the vehicle is not from a military program. It’s purposely built for law enforcement off of a Ford F 550 chassis.

Superior’s armored vehicle on scene of a Duluth standoff

Ceynowa considers the armored vehicle a specialized piece of equipment comparable to the city’s recent purchase of a $1.3 million fire truck.

“So if you’re thinking about the fire department, they need a ladder truck in order to reach those top floors. To do so safely to get people out to fight the fire. No different for us, when we go to a scene where we have active armed individuals who are either threatening violence or acting violently, we need to have a vehicle that safely gets our officers there allows us to safely sit and negotiate in that situation, to safely evacuate people who are in harm’s way. And like I said, to resolve the situation peacefully,” Ceynowa said.

Ceynowa also says the timing is right because he says the community has seen his department safely and effectively use Superior’s vehicle more than a dozen times over the last four years.

“They’ve seen us use it successfully, on numerous occasions, to get people into the right facility that they need to be in whether that is a jail or into a mental health hospital that try to work on some treatment,” Ceynowa said.

It’s another tool for the Duluth Police Department’s tool box that Chief Ceynowa believes will detour violence and ultimately saves lives.

“National Tactical Officers Association says that in a city of our size, with the capabilities that our Tactical Response Team has and our Crisis Negotiation Team has, that this vehicle should be part of the standard equipment utilized,” Ceynowa said.

Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander

And as for Chief Alexander, he hopes the Duluth City Council will have trust in their chief that an armored vehicle is the right investment for Duluth police.

“A lot of effort and care goes into the selection of police chiefs, and to some degree, I hope, with that comes the confidence from electeds and community members to allow the person that they picked to be their chief to, you know, exercise some discretion in decision making on areas that affect the safety of our staff and our community and, and to have the confidence that, you know, good decisions will be made that way,” Alexander said.

Mayor Emily Larson and the Duluth Police Union released statements to FOX 21 Thursday about the possible purchase of an Armored Rescue Vehicle.

Mayor Larson’s statement reads:

“An Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) is an investment in increased community and officer safety. Alongside the Crisis Response and CORE Teams, an ARV is another tool in crisis response situations that will result in safer outcomes for all. Additionally, quicker response with the ARV and our own officers piloting the vehicle justify this decision for me.”

The Duluth Police Union’s statement reads:

“Duluth Police Union Local 538 welcomes the news that the City is finally moving forward with the purchase of an Armored Rescue Vehicle. Local 538, which represents rank and file officers, investigators and sergeants within the Duluth Police Department, has long advocated for this type of protective equipment to keep both the public and officers safe.”

“Our officers frequently respond to dynamic, challenging and life threatening events. The ability to call upon a protective resource that is managed and operated by our own department should be an expectation that the citizens of Duluth have for their police department. Local 538 is pleased that the safety of our neighbors and our members is being recognized.”

If you’d like to learn more about the Armored Rescue Vehicle and see it up close and personal, a community educational discussion will be held Wed, Aug. 16, at the Evergreen Senior Center in Duluth from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Superior’s armored vehicle will be there to view. All are invited to attend.