MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — The Manitowoc Police Department has a new tool that's helping officers reach places their traditional patrol vehicles can't go.
It might not look like your average patrol vehicle, but a new UTV (utility terrain vehicle) is giving officers a new way to get the job done both on and off the road.
The department received the UTV in May, and it's already proving its value in emergency situations.
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"Saved a lot of time, saved a lot of effort, avoided possibly damaging the squads, the rescue squads or the police squad," Jeremy Kronforst said.
Kronforst, a captain with the Manitowoc Police Department, explained that the vehicle recently helped officers respond to e-bike crashes where the only access was along a narrow pier.
"Luckily we had this and we actually brought EMS out to the person to treat them, and then actually used it to bring the person back to the rescue squad itself," Kronforst said.
The UTV was loaned to the department by TA Motorsports through Yamaha's Law Loan Program, which provides the vehicle at no cost to the community.
"There is zero cost to the local community, it is shared between Yamaha and our dealership," Rich Rothmund said.
Rothmund, general manager at TA Motorsports, emphasized that while the vehicle might look recreational, it's designed for serious work.
"Some people look at like a toy, it is not. I mean it goes places you cannot get with a pick up truck, it goes on the beach, it does a lot of things or can do a lot of things," Rothmund said.
The department says the vehicle will be an important part of its fleet, helping officers reach previously inaccessible areas like Camp Vits, a popular park in Manitowoc.
"It has mountain bike trails so if anybody needed help out there this would be our primary way of getting them.... as opposed to going out there and walking a mile or so of trails to try to find this person," Kronforst said.
The Manitowoc Police Department will have the vehicle until November, when it will return to TA Motorsports to be prepared for resale.
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