New armored vehicle helps Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police respond to more calls

The Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police has a new armored vehicle to help its Special Operations Team respond to calls.

Lighthorse Police say this is a game changer for their team and will help keep officers safe when going into dangerous situations.

The New Terradyne Vehicle

The Terradyne Armored Vehicle is a new tool for Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police to use in situations like armed barricades and manhunts.

“We just slowly and gradually are getting more and more equipment so we can be self-sufficient and handle all situations, not just for the Muscogee Creek Nation, but also for other agencies,” said Jere Lee Smith, the Deputy Chief of Special Operations for the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police.

He knows the new vehicle will help his team and give them the upper hand quickly.

“It’s a big relief when you’re standing at command and you’re sitting there and you’re like, okay, what’s the guy seeing?” said Smith. “What do they see that we don’t know? It kind of eases your mind.”

There are a lot of features, like a fire hose plug in, shields, and cameras that go all the way around.

“This pops up and then you got a 360 around here,” said Smith. “So your guys can stay up here and have a guy up here in what they call a turret.”

All things that can keep them safe.

“Once I hear the all clear on the radio and I see our last guy walk back out of the residence, I’m like, okay,” said Smith. “My stomach’s in knots and everything until then, and then I’m fine after that.”

It will be used in the most unpredictable situations.

“The technology just in the last four years on the Special Operations side is taking leaps and bounds,” said Smith. “It makes the job so much easier and so much safer. Just knowing that these guys can go home to their loved ones at night.”

The new vehicle cost less than a half of a million dollars and was paid for by a grant from Homeland Security.

Lighthorse Police also have a mobile command center that it brings out to calls that might be several hours long.