The Good Life – July-August 2023

The first police vehicle was an electric wagon that
dawdled along the streets in Akron, Ohio, in 1899. As
criminals gained access to faster-moving vehicles police
departments had to up the ante, and by the mid-twentieth
century Ford released its first police package that led
to the creation of the Crown Victoria. But the 90s-style
venerable cruiser is a far cry from the only crime-fighting
machine, and when police officers and sheriff deputies
are thrown into less-than-typical emergencies, access to
wheels (or lack thereof) is invaluable.
Patrolling Beyond the Streets
The Cass County Sheriff's Office added two airboats to its
fleet in 2011 following the historic 2009 Red River flood.
Airboats are flat-bottomed and propelled by an aircraftlike
propeller. The design ingenuity is ideal for floods and
water rescues. “We are certainly very gracious to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard for
coming in and assisting us in 2009 with their airboats
because we did not have the appropriate equipment to
conduct search and rescue missions,” Sheriff Jahner said.
County Sheriff’s Office made a purchase agreement
with the state of North Dakota which included the state
purchasing two airboats for their agency, and in return,
the Cass County Sheriff’s Office would assist anywhere in
the state when other communities flooded.
Rural Rescues on Snow Days
Cass County is 97 percent rural and covers 1,768 square
miles with an average snowfall of 48.0 inches per year.
Due to terrain and potentially adverse weather conditions,
access to vehicles that can handle varying conditions is
imperative. Utility task vehicles (UTVs), all-terrain vehicles
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