To: Board of Supervisors
From: David O. Livingston, Sheriff-Coroner
Report Title: Purchase of Lenco BEARCAT Armored Vehicle
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent to execute, on behalf of the Sheriff-Coroner, a purchase order with Lenco Armored Vehicles in an amount not to exceed $415,000 for the purchase of a BEARCAT G3 Pro Armored Vehicle, optional equipment, and warranty.
This equipment qualifies as “military equipment” as defined in Government Code 7070 and, in compliance with AB 481, will be maintained in the annual Office of the Sheriff Military Equipment Inventory if approved.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this request will result in up to $415,000 in capital equipment and vehicle expenditure and will be funded 100% by Police County Service Area PL6 funding. The $415,000 expenditure includes costs for the Bearcat Armored Vehicle, advanced tactical attachments, and warranty.
BACKGROUND:
On September 30, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481) into law, effective January 1, 2022. This bill added Sections 7070-7075 to the Government Code, regulating local law enforcement’s funding, acquisition, and use of defined “military equipment.” Following AB 481, in May 2022, the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff received the Board of Supervisors’ approval for using existing qualifying equipment and acquiring additional equipment. On July 26, 2022, the Sheriff’s Office requested the Board adopt an ordinance as required by AB 481. Consequently, on August 2, 2022, the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance No. 2022-29, approving the Office’s Government Code 7070 Defined Equipment Policy and making findings in line with AB 481.
On July 23, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved the 2024 Government Code Section 7070 Defined Equipment Policy and projected equipment purchases for the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, and renewed the ordinance as required by AB 481. At that time, the Office did not anticipate the need to purchase the BEARCAT Armored Vehicle, so it was not included in the projected acquisitions. The Bearcat Armored Vehicle is military equipment pursuant to Government Code Section 7070(c)(2), a category of equipment which was previously authorized by the Board of Supervisors for Sheriff’s Office use. The intended uses of the armored vehicle are consistent with the Sheriff’s Office’s policy and inventory, previously approved by the Board.
The Office of the Sheriff currently has two Armored Rescue Vehicles, a Lenco BEARCAT G2 and a Lenco BEARCAT G3. The BEARCAT G2, which is currently in use, was manufactured in 2007 and currently has 16,975 miles. It has been operational for approximately 19 years and has recently required multiple parts to be replaced and/or repaired. Over the past year, the BEARCAT G2 has experienced increasing mechanical and operational deficiencies. Multiple locking mechanisms and door handles have required replacement, while the air conditioning system and front seating continue to fail, and windows need to be replaced because they can no longer protect occupants from high-caliber rounds. The intercom system is frequently non-operational, and the emergency lighting system is no longer fully functional. In the last year alone, over $11,000 was spent on maintenance costs, with another $6,000 soon to follow. Overall, the vehicle is in a deteriorated condition and is becoming unreliable for critical operations. Due to repairs and maintenance, the BEARCAT G2 has been unavailable for a month over the past two years.
Additionally, due to the design and construction of this model, the BEARCAT G2 is not configured to accommodate a medical litter, which presents a significant limitation during rescue or casualty extraction operations. Recent evaluations have also identified a vulnerability in the undercarriage due to inadequate ballistic protection. This deficiency increases the risk to personnel from explosive threats and gunfire originating from below the vehicle.
The new BEARCAT G3 Pro will have undercarriage armor protection.
These ongoing issues collectively impact both operational readiness and officer safety, underscoring the need for replacement. If replaced, the current BEARCAT G2 would be taken out of service and sold to another agency.
The Lenco BEARCAT G3 Pro has a unit price of $278,880. The standard Pro Package has a unit price of $128,216, which includes the Off-Road Package, 4-door configuration, vertical gunport upgrade, 360-degree camera system, rear A/C and heating system, hydraulic front-mounted receiver with ram post, gas injector package, roof-mounted remote control spotlight, high-intensity driving lights, takedown light with infrared, armored oil pan, intercom system, and 6 weapons mounts. Lenco has offered the Sheriff’s Office a $15,000 discount on the purchase, bringing the subtotal to $392,096.
Lenco Armored Vehicles have demonstrated a solid satisfaction track record, and many local and State police agencies in the country are existing customers. The Bearcat G3 Pro has been critical for those agencies in confronting complex threats and making tactical operations safer.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Board disapproves, the Office of the Sheriff will be limited in its ability to safely respond to critical incidents, such as barricaded and hostage situations requiring advanced tactics. This could hinder the Office’s ability to protect and rescue civilians and resolve such incidents through negotiated surrender and tactical plans.