California PD's Versatile Command Vehicle Placed in Service

The Costa Mesa, California, Police Department placed its newest vehicle into service earlier this month. The state-of-the-art mobile command vehicle will operate as a centralized location for operational response during natural disasters, standoff situations, and other incidents, department spokesperson Roxi Fyad told Government Fleet. It could be deployed when officers need to respond quickly to events like major protests and demonstrations, multiple vehicle collisions, or SWAT operations.

More commonly, it may be used at DUI checkpoints or community gatherings like National Night Out, where residents can get a close-up look at the technology inside the vehicle.

Years in the Making

Fyad told the Los Angeles Times' Daily Pilot that department leaders and city staff had been in talks about purchasing a vehicle like this for several years, but the pandemic slowed down their efforts.

The Costa Mesa mayor said the new vehicle is a vast improvement over its predecessor -- a large RV that is approximately 30 years old -- which did not have as many amenities. Fyad explained that the old vehicle served the department well during its long tenure, but it was not purpose-made for police use since it was an RV with some modifications. According to the Daily Pilot, it was mobilized most recently during a standoff in October 2022, when a suspect shot at Department of Justice officers attempting to serve a warrant.

The $1.1 million vehicle was primarily financed through a lease-to-own agreement.

About the New Vehicle

The new vehicle, which was manufactured by LDV of Burlington, Wisconsin, was upfitted with special equipment to perform its duties. Those include multiple radios that are used for police, fire, public works frequencies, and amateur radio connections for mobile radios that are run by the Costa Mesa Emergency Services Amateur Communications (MESAC) team. The vehicle also has data connections for several computers and various monitors to see live updates, drone feeds, hold stakeholder meetings, and Zoom meetings to connect with local, state and federal partners who are assisting with an event.