Hamilton police seeking funding for active attacker equipment, an armoured vehicle and new marine vessel over the next 10 years

The Hamilton Police Services Board plans to ask the City of Hamilton to approve a number of expenditures that will occur between 2024 and 2033, with the police service hoping to maintain and enhance existing facilities and upgrade or replace some significant pieces of equipment. 

According to an Oct. 18 report, the board approved a list of recommended expenditures at a Sept. 28 meeting. The report contains 26 projects totalling $13.3 million, with items ranging from roof replacements and parking lot repairs to a prisoner escort vehicle and an armoured vehicle. 

While the report lists expenses that will be considered over the next 10 years, police are asking the city to fund nine projects in 2024. Some of the projects that require more immediate funding include:

• A standby generator diesel fuel system upgrade at the Central Station – $300,000
• Personal issued portable radios replacement – $1,400,000
• A prisoner escort vehicle – $190,000
• CSPA active attacker equipment – $1,877,000

According to the report, the generator fuel system at the Central Station does not meet current safety standards and requires repairs and upgrades to be legislatively compliant. 

As for the active attacker equipment, the report says that in response to the mass shooting incident in Nova Scotia, police who might respond to an incident involving an active attacker are required to have access to hard body armour, a semi-automatic rifle (carbine) and breaching tool packs. The report says the police’s current armour is designed to stop handgun ammunition and that the service is considering deploying ballistic armour plates to officers. 

Other items included in the report that will need funding over the next 10 years include:

• 2025: Marine Vessel – Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) – $350,000
• 2031: Armoured Vehicle – $530,000 
• 2033 – Marine Vessel – Interceptor – $1,000,000

According to the report, Hamilton police’s current interceptor vessel was purchased in 2019 and will be at the end of its life in 2034. The service’s current armoured vehicle, which provides ballistic protection, was purchased in 2013 and is expected to last about 15 years. 

Other items needed more immediately include converting .40-caliber magazines to Glocks ($183,060 in 2024 and $549,180 total), electric vehicle charging stations ($100,000) and upgrading the digital storage system ($164,500). 

The report will come before the board on Oct. 26.