Reinforced Peugeot vans take up front line duties with Northumbria Police
12 4-tonne Boxer vans from Peugeot’s Special Vehicle Operations division to be used by officers on crowd control duties
Standard vans converted with reinforced bodywork, glass and tyres, plus hi-visibility markings, lights and sirens
Peugeot vans featuring reinforced bodywork, glass and tyres are to take up front line duties protecting officers at Northumbria Police.
The twelve 4-tonne Boxer vans supplied by Peugeot’s Special Vehicle Operations division will be used as Police Support Unit (PSU) carriers and will transport officers tasked with maintaining public order and crowd control at events such as parades, demonstrations and football matches. They will also be deployed in the event of civil emergencies, working in partnership with other ‘blue light’ services.
Each vehicle is on 24 hour standby, and is specially designed to carry specialised kit that includes protective shields, helmets, uniforms, communications equipment, fire extinguishers and first aid. They will each spend up to five years and around 100,000 miles with the Force’s six Area Command Units from Berwick in the north to Sunderland in the south and Hexham in the west.
The Boxers will also form the force’s front line mutual aid resource, meaning that if Northumbria is called upon to assist another police force, these vehicles will be the ones despatched, and could therefore end up working across the UK, if required.
