The world of law enforcement is forever changing. Officers are forced to adapt and to deal with critical incidents and high-risk encounters, and their tools have adapted to follow that trend. One of modern law enforcement’s most valuable tools for dealing with critical incidents is the Lenco BearCat.
When you’re facing an active shooter, a barricaded suspect, a bomb threat, or beyond, the Lenco BearCat acts as the go-to tool for incident management and officer safety. The BearCat offers mobility and protection, and while it doesn’t fit the profile of a patrol vehicle, it’s an unmatched asset for dangerous situations.
The BearCat is not an offensive weapon; it’s a multi-role armored rescue vehicle that’s more akin to a tool than a tank. It’s designed to preserve life, to save life, and ensure mission success when standard police gear isn’t up to the task.
The BearCat: A History Of Lifesaving
Lenco started life as an armored vehicle manufacturer in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1981. Since then, they’ve become the premier manufacturer of armored vehicles for police use around the world. Over 40 countries have adopted the BearCat.
Prior to the BearCat, Lenco produced the Bear. The Bear was an armored Freightliner truck, which proved too large for dense urban environments. Thus, the BearCat was produced to be highly mobile in any environment.
This isn’t a dedicated military vehicle, although it’s seen some limited military use. Unlike vehicles like an MRAP, the BearCat is built on a commercial frame. The base of the BearCat is a Ford F-550 Super Duty, and it’s available with a V10 gasoline engine or a 6.7-liter turbo diesel.
The BearCat was the brainchild of Lenco and a number of meetings with law enforcement officers and SWAT teams. Their goal was to find out where armored vehicles, namely military surplus, came up short and improve upon that design.
They developed an armored vehicle that protected officers and acted as a mobile shield. Military vehicles are built for a specific purpose, and that’s not typically lifesaving. The BearCat’s design emphasized its utility as a rescue tool in a variety of environments.
What’s a BearCat?
The BearCat is a mobile shield designed to allow officers to close the distance to active threats while remaining safe. The armor can resist up to .50 BMG rounds, and the floor is blast-proof to protect from explosives. The BearCat can withstand a dedicated attack with little effort and outperforms, and can enter environments that would turn a patrol car to Swiss cheese.
These mobile lifesaving shields can accommodate up to 12-person teams, enabling police to respond with overwhelming force. The BearCat can help de-escalate situations by enhancing officers’ safety and expanding their options for addressing threats.
Getting closer allows you to utilize less-lethal tools while preserving officer safety. The vehicle can be fitted with a gas injector to utilize less-lethal gas agents to disable suspects. Negotiators can do their work from a safe location, and the psychological advantage of the BearCat can make it a deterrent unto itself.
The BearCat can immediately close in on an active shooter situation, allowing for the rapid insertion of police officers. Additionally, in an active shooter situation, the BearCat can rescue civilians safely and provide them with bulletproof cover.
The same advantages allow police to serve high-end warrants, react to hostage situations, and deal with barricaded suspects. The BearCat can even be used as a breaching tool when fitted with a ram.
BearCats are even used in non-kinetic situations. In Aurora, Colorado, a blizzard left 108 stranded motorists, and the Aurora Special Response Team utilized the BearCat to rescue these folks.
Beyond the Basic BearCat
Lenco expanded its offerings into an entire family of vehicles with a variety of dedicated tasks. There are models designed for off-road usage, for the deployment of an EOD bot, and more.
Models worth mentioning are the MedCat, a variant that mixes an ambulance with an armored vehicle for emergency extractions and medical care. The Elevated Tactics variant comes with a Mobile Adjustable Ramp to insert police into a variety of multi-story situations. This makes the BearCat a modern siege tower.
They make a FireCat with a V8 engine with water and foam tanks, all controlled via a joystick. This allows first responders to get close to dangerous fires and provide water support without risking firefighting personnel. Lenco produced a Rail Rescue variant to utilize train tracks for train emergencies.
BearCats are modular vehicles, and while we’ve mentioned rams and gas injectors, you can outfit a BearCat for nearly any mission. This includes winches, thermal cameras, spotlights, floodlights, gun ports, running boards, and a remote-controlled turret system.
The Discussion
We cannot discuss armored vehicles without addressing the “militarization of police” discussion. However, the professional consensus maintains that this vehicle fundamentally exists outside of this argument. Its role is strictly defensive.
It’s a ballistic shield on wheels, much like an officer’s body armor or entry shield. It is deployed to mitigate risk, not to escalate conflict.
Let’s hear from the professionals.
Police Chief David Hawkins says it best:
“I often get questioned why we need a Lenco BearCat. It was the specially trained officers with their less lethal options and capabilities that safely resolved this situation. The BearCat kept the officers safe.”
From Sheriff’s Lt. Brice Current of the Famington Police Department:
“The No. 1 goal is to preserve life. Because we knew the SWAT team members were safe inside while the suspect was aiming the rifle at them, we were able to…wait for the opportunity to disarm him safely. I can honestly say that the Lenco BearCat saved the suspect’s life.”
Chief Robert Luna of the Long Beach Police Department had this to say about the BearCat:
“For nearly 20 years, this rescue vehicle has been a key piece of SWAT equipment that has helped bring hundreds of operations to a safe conclusion, including hostage rescues, evacuation and rescue from danger zones, negotiating surrenders, and offering protection to officers under fire.”
The Life Saver
BearCats are life-saving tools for modern police forces to deal with modern threats. It’s a mobile shield to protect officers, civilians, and expand the police’s use of force options. Its popularity around the world is a testament to its capability.
