Warwick City Council Bids: New Bear Cat, Engine 15 Bill

WARWICK, RI — Bids up for approval before the Warwick City Council tonight include a new $360,000 Bear Cat armored vehicle for Warwick Police, a $25,000 WFD Engine 15 repair and $359,000 for a city revaluation beginning at year’s end.

The bids are among several to be approved at tonight’s meeting, 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, Council Chambers Warwick City Hall 3275 Post Road. The Council’s regular business agenda includes three resolutions:

• Designating Sept. 20 as Robert Shapiro Day
• Issuing requests for proposals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Projects
• Placing a Yield Sign on the Westerly side of Wellspring Drive where it intersects Eastgate Drive

Council committees begin meeting at 5 p.m., starting with the Finance Committee.

WPD armored Bear Cat request

WPD Maj. Andrew Sullivan’s memo to o Purchasing Agent Francis Gomez requests $360,868 from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to purchase a new armored vehicle to replace the Warwick Police Department’s defunct goverment-surplus armored vehicle.

“This armored  vehicle was antiquated when we received it and had a very short period of usefulness,” Sullivan wrote. The vehicle is now beyond repair and is waiting return to the government. A replacement is necessary given the evolution of modern police work and challenges, he wrote.

“High-risk calls for service continue to increase as the proliferation of firearms in society continues,” Sullivan wrote, “With officer safety being paramount, this vehicle will provide a tremendous advantage for our police department personnel.”

The Bear Cat vehicle, Sullivan wrote, will be used for high-risk SWAT operations, responses to barricaded, armed individuals, and active-shooter calls, Sullivan wrote.

WPD Engine 15 repair bill

According to DPW Director Eric Earls’ memo sent to Gomez, repairs to Engine 15 were necessary following a training accident while recruits were operating the fire truck, striking a telephone pole with it near Station 8 on May 10, 2023. The vehicle was sent to Greenwood Emergency Vehicles for repair on July 12, 2023 and returned Dec. 29, 2023, with a bill for $25,972.43.

Vision Appraisal Revaluation, years-end

Vision Government Solutions will conduct a revaluation of the city’s real estate properties on Dec. 31, 2024, for $359,000 at an eventual cost of about $322,023, with savings, if approved.