MERCER, Pa. - Mercer County law enforcement adds a nine thousand pound armored vehicle to it's arsenal.

The Bear Cat is a four-wheel drive, 450 horse power, armored rescue vehicle, and it now belongs to C.I.R.T. the Mercer County Critical Incident Response Team.

The vehicle offers added protection for officers in situations where a normal patrol car would be vulnerable.

"We recognized the need for an armored response vehicle due to the amount of high risk barricaded incidents that we've had involving firearms and weapons" Mercer county Sheriff Gary Hartman said 

The vehicle is equipped with special capabilities for incidents involving active shooters and hostage rescue.

"It has a 40 power camera that zooms in and out,  it also has thermal imaging that will pick up heat signatures in wooded areas of heavily dense areas" said Hartman.

The Bear Cat has a price tag of 350-thousand dollars, but grant money is covering 100 percent of the cost.  Mercer county Director Of Public Safety Frank Jannetti says this is now the sixth Bear Cat operating in Homeland Security Region 13. 

"Mercer county is the northern most county in Region 13, so obviously we wanted some protection up in this area" said Jannetti.

The Sheriff says members of law enforcement and the  community will be safer with the Bear Cat on the job.