Denton, TX – A sniper pinned down five law enforcement officers with a barrage from a high-powered rifle one night last year on Smiley Road. Once officer was shot and another was in a precarious position with bullets smashing all the way through the squad car he was using for cover. Several other officers risked their lives pushing another squad car up to rescue them. It was one of the most dangerous situations law enforcement officials have faced in recent years, officials agree.
Denton County’s (Texas) new armored personnel carrier is designed to protect officers who need to go into gunfire in situations like that. But it’s also deigned for use in drug raids and SWAT team assignments. “It will drive through fences,” said Sheriff’s Capt. Jeff Wawro. “It has a winch on the front to pull down barricades, and tires that keep going even if a bullet penetrates them. This is a vehicle that is going to make our jobs a lot safer.”