Springfield police will use federal forfeiture funds to buy armored vehicle

The Springfield Police Department is using $467,000 in federal forfeiture funds — money that’s available after the government takes property because of its connection to crime — to purchase an armored rescue vehicle to respond to high-risk incidents, city records show. 

The police department has chosen a Lenco BearCat G3, a four-wheel-drive off-road armored vehicle. 

In a memo to the City Council requesting approval to purchase the vehicle, Springfield Police Lt. Justin Myers says the department has had an increase in critical incidents supported by the Special Weapons and Tactics team over the last several years. He cites the 1998 Thurston High School shooting, a 2018 fire and shooting on Oakdale Avenue, a 2023 gunshot wound to a Springfield police officer and a house fire with gunshots on 36th Street in July.

“These are high profile examples, with many lesser-known calls in between, that demonstrate the increase in gun-related incidents within our community,” Myers wrote in the memo.

The council approved the purchase request as part of the consent calendar at its Oct. 6 meeting. Councilors did not make any comments related to the purchase.

House fire with shots fired a ‘catalyst’

Springfield police have and will continue to use an armored Chevrolet Suburban, according to the memo. The Suburban provides some level of armor without the overt appearance of an armored rescue vehicle. Myers writes that the vehicle has disadvantages, including limited off-road capability and space for no more than five officers wearing body armor. The new vehicle fits 12 or more officers.

The department has borrowed armored vehicles from other agencies, but Myers says that relying on outside agencies during a critical incident increases the risk to the community and first responders.

He cites the 36th Street incident on July 3 as the catalyst for the armored vehicle request. Officers arrived at a house fire where a suspect was firing a gun. Firefighters were forced to wait to fight the blaze. Springfield police tried to use the department’s current armored Suburban, but due to its size it was not useful in shielding fire apparatus from gunfire.

Myers says police requested armored rescue vehicles from the Eugene Police Department and the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, but they had to wait about 20 minutes for the vehicles to arrive, during which the suspect fired more gunshots and the fire grew.

In addition, Myers says, the BearCat G3 could be used during natural disasters to rescue people trapped by floods, heavy snow and downed trees.

Springfield police’s “deployment of the (armored rescue vehicle) would be limited to high-risk critical incidents, disaster scenarios and community events (Touch-a-Truck),” he says. 

The vehicle is being purchased by federal forfeiture funds, according to the memo. 

Asset forfeiture occurs when the government takes property without compensation because of the property’s connection to criminal activity, according to a 2024 Federal Guide to Equitable Sharing. The government shares federal forfeiture proceeds in appropriate cases with cooperating local law enforcement agencies.

Agencies may use shared funds only for law enforcement purposes that directly supplement the agency’s appropriated resources, according to the guide. 

The Springfield City Council approved the purchase of the armored Suburban in 2017. It also was purchased with federal forfeiture funds.