WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) - The Marathon County board gave the sheriff's department enough money Thursday to buy a new armored truck.
The board agreed to give the department $190,000 out of its contingency fund. The department already has $100,000 in grant money to pay for the $289,000 vehicle.
Opponents said the sheriff's department could continue to use a vehicle housed in Oneida County.
But supporters said the vehicle is nearly two hours away and that "timing is of the essence."
Sheriff Randy Hoenisch said having a truck in Marathon County is a matter of "life and death.". He threatened to show up at the front door of board members who voted against the truck with the widow of a sheriff's deputy if one were to be killed because the county did not get its own truck.
The truck, made by Oshkosh Defense, will be fully ballistic capable, meaning it can defend special response team members from high-powered weapons, including military grade rifles.
