Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Omaha council approves purchase of armored 'rook' skid steer for tactical teams
Summary
The council approved a police purchase of an armored skid steer known as a 'rook,' funded through equitable sharing; Captain Mark Dessler said a borrowed device was shot at during a recent local incident and protected officers.
The Omaha City Council on June 8 approved the purchase of an up-armored skid steer loader (referred to at the meeting as a 'rook') for tactical operations, funded through equitable-sharing proceeds and with the approval of the chief of police.
Captain Mark Dessler of the Omaha Police Department described the device as a smaller, nimble armored vehicle that assists tactical teams in making safe entries into closed or open-air environments. “That vehicle was shot at while we were making an approach to a house,” Dessler said, adding that because it was armored “it was able to keep the operator safe, and we were able to continue and do our job in that particular incident without putting officers' lives in danger.”
Dessler said these devices are used by other agencies around the country and that the department had borrowed one from a neighboring agency during a recent incident. He emphasized the purchase is not a budget item but would be funded through equitable sharing consistent with the police department’s approval processes.
Council members asked brief clarifying questions and approved the purchase by roll call 7–0.
The city did not provide procurement cost details during the discussion on the council floor; Dessler said the devices are smaller than full armored trucks and have been in service around the country for several years.
