Editorial: Antioch Would be Foolish to Decommission Rescue Vehicle

In what should be considered yet another unintelligent demand by Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe, or perhaps we just call it “Thorpism” going forward, he is requesting support of the city council to decommission the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.

This is both foolish and opportunistic in nature so he finally gets his wish to rid the police department of its rescue vehicle.

In what can be nothing more than politically motivated in nature, he is suggesting, per his letter, the reasoning has to do with “deep institutional racism” and believes “the tank sends the wrong message to the community and absolutely sends the wrong message to prospective police office candidates.”

Note to Thorpe, Antioch Police received their vehicle through President Obama’s 1033 Program. Does one really think Obama would allow this if this was a racist program? Furthermore, is Thorpe implying that any police agency who uses an MRAP or similar vehicle is involved in promoting “deep institutional racism”? I would hope he doesn’t believe that.

The decommissioning of the MRAP does nothing to address racism nor sending any message except its safe for dangerous criminals to hide out in Antioch because there are no armored vehicle to protect officers and the community in high risk situations. Or, perhaps potential law enforcement applicants will feel safer and supported by city leadership in other cities and bypass Antioch all together when trying to become a cop, which keeps staffing levels low.

Let’s be clear about this request from he mayor, it comes down to preference, not racism or messaging or even peoples hurt feelings–the Mayor should just say its his preference, not turn the debate into something it is not.

Antioch Police in July 2021 on a 6-hour standoff after male allegedly pistol-whipped his girlfriend and beat her, led police on a pursuit and entered his apartment while being possibly armed with a firearm and threatening to shoot police and that he wasn’t going back to jail.

Do I like the fact the Antioch Police Department uses an MRAP? Absolutely not. They should be on the battlefield–I do agree with the mayor there, but that is it.

But we have to acknowledge that there are very dangerous people in this world and in some cases they have more firepower than police officers, perhaps the mayor should realize that too and simply admit it—such as Operation Windstar when at a press conference former Oakland Police chief LaRonne Armstrong apologized to Antioch for the amount of gang activity going on in Antioch and they showed the 40+ firearms recovered plus 50 arrests.

Do I wish they had a police standard rescue vehicle in a Bearcat instead? Absolutely.

But Antioch does not have $400k to buy one as the city is spending more than it takes in–anyone can look at the budget and see a real problem coming down the pike. Currently, the MRAP cost the city nothing except for maintenance and gas.  They might as well use it until it breaks down and no longer of use.

According to Tuesdays staff report, which highlights its annual military equipment use, the MRAP was used a total of five times in 2022.

1. Search Warrant on a firearm manufacturing and firearm sales case
2. Arrest warrant for an armed robbery and elder abuse case (Hayward PD)
3. Arrest and search warrant for subject wanted for assault with a deadly weapon and firearms possession (San Francisco PD)
4. Arrest and search warrant for subject related to firearm manufacturing and firearm sales case (with CHP and San Francisco PD)
5. Arrest and Search warrant related to gang related homicide.

I would love to hear the mayor provide a plan of how to approach these homes and suspects without any sort of tactical advantage on a major operation while dealing with some very dangerous people. The last thing this city council should want to deal with is a line of duty death.

Or, god forbid there is an act of political violence against this council, violence against a citizen or any other situation arises that needs an immediate response. One would think this council would want all tools available to the Antioch Police Department to respond, if and when needed–again, I hope this never happens nor am I advocating for that but we have seen this in other places.

Back to the data and reasons for the MRAP.

Chief Tammany Brooks reported to the council in February of 2021 that the MRAP is utilized less than a dozen times a year while stating it is used on high risk search warrants and arrest warrants for people who typically pose a risk due to weapon violations and the knowledge they have as being currently armed and dangerous for crimes such as murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

“The rescue vehicle is not an offensive vehicle. I’ve heard a couple people refer to it as a tank. Its actually on a chassis that’s built also for dump trucks and cement mixes, fire trucks, the body is military grade,” explained Brooks. “Its not a tank. Its not meant for offensive purposes. It provides a high level of ballistic resistance when officers are in situations in which they could face fire from people that we are trying to arrest in those high-risk situations.”

Back in November of 2014, former Antioch Police Chief Allen Cantando told the community why they have the MRAP.

“We are not driving over mines, we are not. But being on the SWAT team when someone is shooting a gun at you, it doesn’t matter if it’s a mine, a gun, an automatic gun or a sniper rifle, you do not want to get hit,” stated Cantando. “If you are in vehicle that will stop those things, that is a great deal of safety and I want to knock on wood that I have been here 28-years and we have not lost an officer and hope it never happens.”

He explained the MRAP is just one of many things they are doing to further protect officers and ensure safety of the community.

Meanwhile, prior to his retirement, Brentwood Police Chief Tom Hansen advocated back in August for the Brentwood City Council to the purchase a MedEvac G2 rescue vehicle for the Brentwood Police Department (unanimously approved at a cost of $368k) in an effort to preserve life and enhance the safety of citizens and other. The cost is $367,907.

Chief Tom Hansen explained to the council that people will ask why does Brentwood need an armored rescue vehicle:

“I am sorry that I am here asking you for that, I wish I never had to but I think we all know that incidents have been escalating in our communities throughout the United States,” said Hansen. “They are not just a little bit, they are escalating 50-to-60 percent a year. We are seeing more incidents of active shooters, hostage situations and people putting themselves in positions where they are harming innocent folks.”

It is rather ironic that three police chiefs are talking about protecting the community and police officer as reasons to have a rescue vehicle. Thorpe, on the other hand, is talking about text messages and appearances as reasons to get rid of them while misleading people in calling it a “tank”.

The mayor is either forgetful, ignorant, doesn’t care, or is hell bent on purposely misleading people in the uses of the MRAP.  It’s not like Antioch Police are entering this vehicle in car shows, cruising down Lone Tree Way waving at people on Cruise Night or using it to make traffic stops or break up protests.

They have said time and time again just what they are using it for, which is to combat very dangerous situations for both officers and the community.

Take for instance the  December 10, 2021 incident on Dove Ct. when Guadalupe Zavala fired 30-rounds before setting the house on fire while wearing body armor. It was stated the MRAP was struck at least 10-times by Zavala’s rifle. The MRAP was utilized to evacuate residents and mobilize officers into position.

I could name a dozen similar incidents like this locally, and unfortunately, hundreds nationally where rescue vehicles are needed–its a very sad reality. It’s also been useful in the City of Brentwood and recently in the City of Oakley on suspect wanted in multiple shootings.

While Thorpe’s request is for Antioch, the Antioch City Council will impact all of Contra Costa County. Without an MRAP available in Antioch, now the burden falls on Pittsburg Police to provide its Bearcat. If Pittsburg is not available, now law enforcement and citizens are waiting for a response out of central county–think Walnut Creek Bomb Squad response time. That is not okay given seconds matter, especially if its an active scene with an active shooter, barricaded subject or any other type of incident.

The MRAP is not my first choice, but its what they have right now. With that said, I urge the mayor and the council to be pragmatic about this decision versus a knee jerk reaction. Instead, come up with a wind-down plan towards decommission.

Here are a few suggestions before going all “cold turkey” or possible timelines:

1. Wait until the FBI/District Attorney investigation is over to see who remains on a SWAT team.
2. Refine the policy to limit MRAP use to the most extreme incidents
3. MRAP stays in commission until Antioch is able to secure its own Bearcat
4. See if the sheriff’s office will provide a Bearcat to be located in East County
5. MRAP stays in commission until the Brentwood Police receive their Bearcat in the fall/winter of 2023.

At the end of the day, the argument is not about the actual vehicle itself, its about whether or not this city council wants to provide a tool to protect its officers with ballistic protection and protect the community in the worst of situations. Or, take away a valuable asset all in the name of false rhetoric.

The most comical part in this whole request is Thorpe knows full well with the amount of officers on leave, Antioch Police doesn’t even have a full SWAT team available so the vehicle is staying put anyway except for an extreme incident–so there is not even a need to take action. Unless of course, phase two is ridding the police of its SWAT team which is a whole other can of worms.

I would hope the city council is mindful of how foolish the mayors request is without a plan and how it will not only impact the city of Antioch, but will have a major impact on public safety for all of Contra Costa County. Perhaps other elected officials should take notice and chime in as this will impact their cities in the future and their officers.

Of course, Thorpe’s standard response will likely be loud “I don’t give a damn” as he typically does every few meetings or so.

It is time for the city council to be less concerned what a piece of equipment the police department uses, what it looks, gas mileage and instead be focused on rebuilding services and providing tools to save lives across the county.

Mike Burkholder
Publisher of ContraCosta.news
[email protected]