The Israel Police completed in recent days the purchase of dozens of bulletproof vehicles, which will be allocated across the country's districts.
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On October 7, numerous police officers responded to multiple scenes in southern Israel during the Hamas terrorist attack. Some arrived in unprotected police vehicles, while others used their private cars. The intense fighting resulted in the loss of 58 officers. One of the immediate takeaways from that Saturday was the critical necessity for the police to acquire armored vehicles.
"As of October 7, the police transitioned into a combat-oriented force, in the fullest sense of the term," explained Commander Yuval Zalicha, head of the Traffic Department in the Israel Police. "A significant need for armored vehicles emerged. Simultaneously, there was a limited supply of protected vehicles and during the war we identified as many suitable vehicles as possible, especially as numerous patrol cars were damaged."
Zalicha described how "we began searching worldwide for vehicles suited to our operational needs. The new patrols are divided into two types: civilian armored vehicles and mobile units transporting personnel in a protected manner."
"Among the chosen vehicles are the Ford 550 and the Toyota Land Cruiser. Each armored patrol is estimated to cost some 1.5 million shekels ($402,000), while the lighter vehicles will come with costs of approximately half a million shekels ($135,000). This ensures the continued operational capability of the police and the safeguarding of our personnel to the best of our ability," he said.