6:46 p.m. - Dec. 19, 2012BLOOMSBURG -- An armored vehicle that would look more at home on the war-torn streets of Iraq or Afghanistan will now be stationed in town.
The $362,000 Bearcat can fit 10 officers, and it's built so a SWAT team could use it to approach a house with a gunman barricaded inside, said Bloomsburg Police Chief Leo Sokoloski.
It has gunports on either side that officers could fire from while shielding themselves from gunfire. It also has a turret on top with a round entrance that flips up to provide an officer with an armored shield while shooting.
The Bearcat can spray chemicals like tear gas through an extendable arm without officers having to leave the protection of the vehicle. It also has sensors on board that can "sniff" for radiation and explosive gases in case of a chemical, biological or nuclear release. And there's a thermal camera to provide infrared images to those inside.
The East Central Pennsylvania Regional Task Force purchased the Bearcat for use in Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Wyoming counties, using federal Homeland Security grant money, Sokoloski said.
Ted Stout, Millville Police chief and head of the Columbia-Montour SWAT team, said he hopes "that we never have to use this outside of training."
But authorities have faced situations involving barricaded gunmen before, in Millville, South Centre Township and other areas, Stout said.
The Bearcat could also be used in raids of illegal drug labs, according to a task force press release. And with its large tires and high ground clearance, the vehicle could be utilized for evacuations during flooding and other natural disasters.It's big, heavyThe Bearcat is 21 feet long, 8 feet wide and 9 feet tall.
The roughly 17,000-pound vehicle is powered by a 6.8L V-10 diesel engine that provides 360 horsepower and 650 foot-pounds of torque, according to manufacturer specifications and military websites.
Sokoloski wasn't sure how many miles it gets per gallon, but he doesn't think it's any higher than 15 mpg. It has a top speed of about 60 mph.
Look for more on the vehicle -- and more photos -- in Thursday's edition.By Peter Kendron - Press Enterprise writerFor all breaking news alerts and updates, follow us on Twitter.