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The South Portland, Maine Police Department is one of seven police departments to acquire a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) vehicle. According to KeepMeCurrent.com, municipal police departments in Brunswick, Sanford and Old Orchard Beach also recently received MRAPs, as well as sheriff’s departments in Cumberland, Franklin and Oxford Counties.

The MaxxPro MRAP acquired by South Portland police is designed to carry a two-man crew, four to six passengers, and a turret-topping “gunner”, KeepMeCurrent.com reports. It is 21 feet long and has an 8.7-liter turbocharged diesel engine.

“We are very fortunate to have this asset,” said Police Chief Ed Googins. “To have local property taxes support an acquisition like this, even for the less expensive civilian versions Portland and the state police have, it just wouldn’t happen.”

Googins said that the MRAP will be utilized by the Regional Special Reaction team — essentially a SWAT team — in conjunction with the Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough Police Departments. It deploys roughly six times per year, Googins added.

Read more: http://www.keepmecurrent.com