ROCKFORD — Before the big police crackdown on the Hells Angels on July 19, 2013, there was a big breakdown by a Rockford police armored SWAT truck less than a mile away from the motorcycle club’s 1109 Rock St. clubhouse.

“It was really embarrassing,” Chief Chet Epperson said. Another transport vehicle was called to pick up the heavily armed officers before they could proceed with their predawn raid, one of several taking place that morning leading to the arrest of 14 Hells Angels in Winnebago and Boone counties and the condemnation of their clubhouse.

Epperson shared the story Tuesday on the grounds of Rock Valley College, the site of this year’s National Night Out celebration. It was also the public debut of the police department’s newest vehicle: a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle or MRAP.

The vehicle was free as part of the Law Enforcement Support Office’s military surplus program, which makes used military vehicles, equipment and clothing available to law enforcement agencies around the country.

The MRAP, which has 15,057 miles on its odometer, gets about five miles per gallon of fuel. Instead of driving the Texas-based vehicle to Rockford, police decided it was cheaper to have it shipped at a cost of $2,500.

Since its spring arrival, the vehicle has been painted and equipped with lights and sirens.

“It definitely has that ‘wow’ factor,” said Rockford Police Investigator Matthew Krantz, an eight-year SWAT member.

Insurance policy

Also on display at National Night Out was a Humvee, another military surplus vehicle acquired by Rockford police to be used simply for transporting personnel. Its civilian counterpart, the Hummer, has been a part of the mainstream for more than two decades, and hardly stands out from the larger SUVs.

But the MRAP — a tank on wheels — can’t help but be noticed on any city street.

The 40-ton, six-wheeled, blast-resistant beast is topped with a machine gun turret, a heavy-duty winch for a front bumper and sports a new paint job that says “Rockford Police Rescue” on either side. The vehicle, which is still in need of adequate seating, will eventually be able to transport 10 to 12 people.

The MRAP stands over 10 feet tall and is too big to fit in the PSB garage. Instead it is housed at Rockford City Yards, 500 S. Independence Ave.

Krantz said practical applications for an armored truck may include approaching an armed individual barricaded inside a building.

“Instead of running out in the open, we can drive this right up to someone’s front door.”

Assistant Deputy Police Chief Mike Dalke, who heads the 28-member SWAT team, recalled the 1997 L.A. bank robbery in which 11 police officers and seven civilians were injured during a public shootout with two bank robbers covered in body armor and armed with high-powered firearms.

“An officer nearly bled to death because no one could get to him without being shot,” Dalke said. Police commandeered a nearby armored truck to safely retrieve the wounded.

Krantz described the MRAP as an insurance policy.

“Hopefully, this will just be something we’ll use in parades and at National Night Out, and we’ll never need it,” he said.

Too militaristic

The U.S. military ordered a mass production of thousands of MRAPs in 2007 during the Iraq War after the U.S. began losing numerous soldiers — mostly traveling in Humvees — to roadside bombs, mines and improvised explosive devices.

According to an Oct. 02, 2012, Time article, MRAP production surged from 82 vehicles a month in June 2007 to 1,300 a month in December 2007

A new MRAP can cost $500,000 to $800,000.

The armored vehicle of choice of many law enforcement agencies’ SWAT team is a commercial Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck or a BearCat, which cost in excess of $250,000.

Dalke said even a used BearCat can cost $100,000, making military surplus vehicles such as the MRAP even more attractive to civilian law enforcement agencies.

Epperson acknowledged there is a fear police are becoming too militaristic and a vehicle such as a MRAP only fuels that belief.

If the vehicle is intimidating to some, Krantz said, that can be a good thing.

“Hopefully, its presence alone will resolve a lot of situations.”

Another life

As for the police department’s broken down armored SWAT vehicle, it has since been repaired and will have yet another life as a nuisance abatement truck.

Epperson said the armored vehicle will be equipped with several cameras recording video and audio 24/7 and will be parked outside the home of “problem child” residents, whom he described as residents who are constantly disturbing the peace in their neighborhood, be it loud parties or suspected gang and drug activity.

The vehicle, painted white with the words “Rockford Police Nuisance Abatement,” will remain there until the nuisance problems subside.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com @chrisfgreen