Monroe County New Vehicle

The Monroe County Sheriff's Department has a new tool that will help deputies go the extra mile to keep their neighbors safe.

Arrests.

The monroe county sheriff's department has a new tool that will help deputies go the áextra mileá to keep their neighbors safe..

When zack wilbanks was in the national guard, he drove big trucks and vehicles, so when the monroe county sheriff's department got a mine resistant ambush protected vehicle, known as an mrap, he was the first one in the driver's seat.

The mrap can transport deputies and swat team members safely to situations such as a hostage standoff, it can be used to provide cover for officers if they need to rescue someone or render medical aid, it was used recently to safely rescue a hostage in another county.

It can also drive through up to six feet of water during floods.

"we've got a bad history in monroe county with old rivers rising, flood waters and it helps a lot in that, we reduced the armor to make it a search and rescue vehicle and that's our primary focus."

The vehicle was made for the us marines.

It only had 83 miles on it when it came to monroe county, in fact, some of the seats are still in plastic wrap.

It is not a tank and there are no weapons on the vehicle.

Standup bridge top speed on the mrap is around 55 miles an hour, but realistically, they won't need to go that fast using this vehicle.

"it looks intimidating, and that's a psychological thing, a lot of people misunderstand when you talk about swat, it's not about taking people's lives, it's about saving them, with overwhelming power, artillery, teamwork, as a psychological aspect, we want the bad guy to want to give up."

The mrap cost 10 thousand dollars, and was paid for through private donations and grants.

The sheriff knows some people have concerns about law officers using military equipment and resources.

He says the mrap can help keep the public and officers safe.

"we need this for them, their kids, their grandparents, situation they may end up in, i would hope and think when they saw us coming in it they would be more glad than sad."

The mrap will also be taken to local schools when they are back in session so students can see the sheriff department's newest resource.

In monroe county, allie martin, wcbi news