If you see a military-grade vehicle cruising the streets of Prosper, Texas, don’t worry. These emergency response vehicles serve many purposes and just about every police department has something similar.
In a Facebook post on June 1, 2024, several police officers were posed next to a large Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) and many residents expressed their concerns about why the department owns one and where the funding for the vehicle came from.
According to the town of Prosper’s Communications and Media Relations Manager Todd Rice, Prosper Police Department’s emergency rescue vehicle has attended most of the town’s events since it was purchased in 2019.
The armored vehicle was acquired at no cost to the town or its taxpayers through the Federal 1033 program. “Valued at $689,000, its ability to serve in high water rescues, active shooter situations, hostage or barricaded person rescues and any other critical incidents involving our officers or officers in nearby communities, is invaluable,” Rice told Local Profile.
The department also occasionally uses the vehicle for public safety displays in the town of Prosper. Per the Federal 1033 program, the town can continue using the vehicle through an annual renewal agreement signed by the town manager or mayor.
“The Prosper Police Department is committed to keeping our Town safe and this vehicle is a vital part of that mission,” Prosper police said in the Facebook post.
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