Police in Berbice are in a better position to fight crime after they acquired a bulletproof vehicle – the first of its kind in the division – that offers maximum protection.
The vehicle, named the ‘Mahindra Rack shak’ was produced in India and was used in Buxton and Agricola where it withstood heavy gunfire.
It was donated by Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene and arrived in Berbice on Monday.
Commander of ‘B’ Division, Stephen Merai told the media on Tuesday that the vehicle “would enhance our operational and tactical capabilities and anti-crime fights.”
The commander recalled the recent seizure of some high-powered weapons at Canje and said that “as a result we made a case to the commissioner” and he agreed to give the vehicle.
He used the opportunity to express gratitude to the commissioner and to the administration of the force for the vehicle which would be used throughout the division “as needs be.”
Superintendent of Police, Linden Alves, who is said to be an expert in the use of the vehicle, told the media that it is fully fitted with protection for soldiers or police.
He said too that it can withstand 5.56 and 7.6 x 39 warheads which are used exclusively in the M70, the AK-47 or the M 59 rifles as well as the 7.52 x 51 which is the Belgian-made of the Fabric National and the Australian-made SLR rifles.
The vehicle, he said is used exclusively for “insertion or extraction”
[of ranks] and is not a vehicle which can be used specifically for patrol basis because of its capabilities and its weight.”
He pointed out that it is fitted with bullet-proof shields at the top and can offer “some amount of protection” to the officers engaged in confrontations “front-on.”
According to him, if ranks are “pinned down [at a location] and cannot come out” then the vehicle can take in additional resources or can go in just with the driver to bring them out to a safe point.”
It has the capacity to carry the driver, the commander as well as five ranks during an operation and would be deployed as soon as possible.
In the event that the tyres are hit by bullets they are self-inflated.
The vehicle is also equipped with “port-holes” at the sides for the ranks to point their rifles during “engagements.”
