Lang
6/12/20
Johnson County officials are balking at the Iowa City city council’s expected request that the sheriff’s office get rid of an armored transport vehicle.
Removing such vehicles from the use of local law enforcement agencies is one of the demands from the the group Iowa Freedom Riders, which has been leading protests in Iowa City and Coralville since June 1st. The group issued a list of demands to the Iowa City city council earlier this week, and the council discussed them with an Iowa Freedom Riders representative during a special meting on Tuesday. The council agreed one of the actions it could take quickly was writing a letter to the sheriff’s office asking that it get rid of its Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP. The sheriff’s office acquired the vehicle for free in 2014 under a federal program that distributes military equipment to local law enforcement agencies.
Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek told The Cedar Rapids Gazette he plans to keep the vehicle, which can be used for rescue operations and in dangerous situations. He cited an incident last year when the MRAP was used on Prairie du Chien Road when a man was firing a gun from his residence. The vehicle was used to transport a neighbor to safety, and the shooter gave up as soon as he saw it.
The MRAP has also been used as cover when law enforcement officers have confronted active shooters. It has also rescued residents from flooding.
Johnson County Emergency Management Director Dave Wilson also told The Gazette he thinks the county should keep the vehicle.
Other local law enforcement agencies also have access to the MRAP, if needed, through the sheriff’s office. Iowa City Police Sgt. Doug Hart told The Gazette the vehicle has been useful as cover in situations where officers may face armed subjects. But Hart stopped short of saying whether or not the sheriff’s office should keep the vehicle.