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The Waterford Police Department ATV Unit. In November 2003, Officer Strohl and Lt. Nutt met with the Chief of Police at which time the Chief assigned them with a project involving the research into a possible purchase of an All Terrain Vehicle for the department. Chief Pendleton had seen a unit at the annual International Chief’s of Police Conference and believed that a machine of this type may be a valuable purchase consideration as a practical tool for department use. Upon researching multiple agencies and the assorted type of machines available, multiple dealers came to the police department in January of 2004 to explain their all terrain unit. The respective machines were left at the department by the respective dealers for Officer’s testing. Officers of different sizes, strengths and experiences were utilized during this process. In May of 2004 a “2004 Bombardier Traxter 500 cc.” two-up all terrain vehicle was purchased through a grant with the Office of Emergency Management. The unit was purchased though a bid process whereas the bid was awarded to A.T.E. Motorsports out of Colchester, Connecticut. A.T.E. Motorsports being a subsidiary of American Truck formerly of New London, Connecticut.  
 
A “two-up” unit is defined as a unit where the seat can accompany both an operator and a passenger. The decision of this type of unit was made so as you had the ability to transport a back-up officer, as well as transporting a victim and/or emergency medical person or excess equipment to a scene in a secluded wooded/off road area. Though the assistance of a “bombardier factory representative of A.T.E. Motorsports and later the CT. Department of Environmental Protection and in-house trainers, several officers were trained in the operation of the unit. Shortly after training was completed a transport trailer was purchased and the Waterford Police Department Off-Road Response Unit was formed. Several deployments proved the unit to be an asset to the department in many ways. Examples include successful locating of lost/missing Alzheimer patients to include the transport of emergency medical personnel to an area secluded far off-road. The locating of woodland hidden stolen vehicles, investigating of woodland illegal dumping, missing suicidal individuals, power plant security, joint cooperation with the United States Secret Service for perimeter security in relation to Presidential/Vice-Presidential visits to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as well as joint efforts with the Connecticut State Police Trooper One Helicopter and Police K-9 Unit for the immediate tracking of fugitives to name a few. In January of 2006 a second “two-up” Bombardier Outlander” 400 cc all-terrain unit was purchased on a combined grant from the Office of Emergency Management and Department of Homeland Security in addition to a Kawasaki Mule all-terrain unit to compliment the Waterford Police Department Off-Road Response Unit. Each unit is equipped with emergency lights, siren, public address system and various storage for rescue equipment should the need for deployment in this manner arise.
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