BearCat Armored Vehicle Takes You For A Ride [VIDEO]

There are some situations that make me say, "Yes, I truly love my job!" This was one of those experiences.

I had the pleasure of meeting with a member of the Special Response Team at the Laramie Police Department and learning all about their BearCat Armored Vehicle. As if seeing the beast wasn't enough, they even took me for a ride!

I'm not a huge fan of vehicles and would never pretend to be an expert on such things, but I can assure you that the BearCat is incredible.

The BearCat, or Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck (ya, I'll just stick to BearCat), started out as a Ford F550 Super Duty. It is heavily armored (the hood alone is about 200 pounds!) and can take multiple impacts from .50 caliber rounds. Needless to say, I felt very safe riding around in the truck.

The officer who conducted the demonstration with me and shall remain nameless, didn't seem surprised when I asked why the LPD would need such a thing. In fact, they get that question all the time.

He says many people think of it as a military vehicle. Several have described it as a "tank". It is neither. It is designed specifically for police actions, not military ones. The purpose of the BearCat is for rescue. It is used to keep the public safe and remove them from harm's way, if needed.

Hopefully you never have to get in the BearCat to escape a dangerous situation. Instead, join me as I take the ride in this video. It includes a first person perspective as a passenger, as well as the street view from the passenger side mirror.

It's demonstration time!