LAPD's massive 'BatCat' used to protect officers in Sylmar standoff

Investigators on Tuesday were sifting through the scene of a nearly 24-hour standoff in Sylmar between police and a gunman who shot an officer in the face.

Much of Monday's damage to the house in the 13600 block of Dronfield Avenue was caused by the Los Angeles Police Department's latest tool, the "BatCat," a 39,000-pound remote-controlled vehicle that looks like a forklift truck on steroids with a massive telescopic arm.

PHOTOS: Shootout in Sylmar

The BatCat -- formally called the Bomb Assault Tactical Control Assessment Tool -- is part of a new generation of unmanned ground vehicles that operate much like the U.S. Air Force's Predator drones.

It was built on the base of a massive piece of Caterpillar construction equipment known as Telehandler.

The shiny black BatCat can be remotely driven at up to 6 mph. Its massive arm can extend 50 feet horizontally or vertically and can be equipped with a claw, forklift or bucket.

The vehicle, along with a trailer and other accessories, cost the LAPD nearly $1 million. It can tear apart a home in minutes without putting an officer in danger.

The BatCat broke down walls in the Sylmar home, where Sergio O. Salazar was found dead Monday night, a rifle resting near his body. LAPD Officer Steven Jenkins was hospitalized in critical and stable condition following the violence.

Officers used the BatCat to avoid a situation like the one in February 2008 when SWAT Officer Randall Simmons was killed and another officer critically wounded by a gunman who had barricaded himself inside a Reseda home, an LAPD official said.

Although an LAPD report showed that officers acted appropriately in that incident, a department official noted that Simmons was shot after storming through a narrow entryway.

LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said the BatCat was effective in the Sylmar standoff and if they had do it again police would use it the same way to get the gunman.

RELATED:

Man suspected of shooting LAPD officer is found dead with rifle at his side

-- Richard Winton

Photo: The BatCat prepares to move in to assist in driving out the suspect. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[bill lane]

pasadena pd as a tank -- it was part of an economic stimulus / homeland security grant. it hasn't been used on the population yet, the cops haven't had an excuse so far.

[Common Sense]

I really hope the police union doesn't use this fluke incident as a basis for demanding excessive pay and even more unsustainable pensions. Yes, police officers do important work, but they place enormous demands on our government budgets - and their compensation is totally out-of-proportion with their education background and market-wage-equilibrium (based on supply and demand for their labor).

[concerned taxpayer]

the tax payers pay for any damage that these trigger happy cops do

[Christian O]

Who cares about the house. The important thing is that police officers are safe. Before anyone talks about how much money it costs to make such weapons, be happy and proud that there are people willing to protect and serve your community.

[affableman]

Whatever happened to tear gas?

["Old" Fong]

The vehicle is amazing and saves lives. I applaud the LAPD's innovation with leading tech. Remember Darry Gates invented the "batter ram" to combat crack houses in the city. This is the next generation of tools at their disposal to protect the good people of LA.

[Maurice]

What about the hole in the peace officers face???
Let's see, he probably will lose job, hole in face, disabled, social security check for the rest of his life, stress, fear, anxiety, anger, etc. The family of this criminal can fix this fence and just maybe send a card to the officer thanking him for taking a bullet for public safety.

[Joe from HB]

It's not just the cost of the damage to the house! Count the number of police, emergency personnel, the cost of the disruption by the media and lookey loos to all the people in that general area as well. This was probably close to the same amount of people they had to respond to the Hollywood shootout and this whack job only had one rifle. I would definitely say that they only did this to try out their million dollar forklift and yes I am sure in some way, the fine citizens of LA will pick up the tab.

[db]

People are funny. If the suspect was killed people would cry murder. If an innocent person is killed people would cry murder. If a cop is killed people would cry murder. Yet when a new tool is developed to reduce the loss of life, people cry, "um, what about the wall? They murdered the wall!"

wow...just wow.

[Javy]

There goes the real estate values in sylmar.

Thanks LAPD!

[Christian O]

You can always replace materials; however, you can never replace human life. Why are people complaining about the house? People should be happy that we live in a country were we have police officers protecting our children, family members and overall community.

[bw]

amazing!!.. now the co-owner will have to sue the city to get the home reconstructed as there's probably a clause in the homeowners insurance excluding damage by a batram... so un necessary.. something the idf would use..

[Astonished]

I just love all those of you who profess to know so much better then the police, how they should go about their business. My guess is the number of you who have actually walked in an officer's shoes is Zero.

As far as I'm concerned this guy used up all his chances when he fired on, and wounded Officer Jenkins. When he failed to give himself up, then he left the LAPD with no other options, especially since it was known he had other high powered guns in the house. As far as I'm concerned they could have fire bombed the house and let him burn so long as no one else was injured.

Maybe the LAPD should call on all you law enforcement experts the next time they have a barricaded suspect, who has no problem spraying the neighborhood with bullets. You can be the first one in line to charge that door! See how many of you want to do that.

[Mufon]

The cop-haters are absolutely hilarious. But, I guess if you use the "police are always wrong" philosophy, you can't miss. If they go in and don't damage the building, they're cowboys and reckless. They damage the building, they're cowboys and reckless. Any accountability assessed to the criminal who shot a police officer in the head? Nahh, let's wait till he calms down, he'll come out. Unbelievable, but fortunately these haters are not taken seriously and are a laughingstock.

[Jeff]

Nice to see that the "Glass is half empty" crowd is still alive, well, and as generous as ever with their opinions.

[JMS]

It would seem to me that this is at least a case where tax dollars weren’t entirely wasted. I mean a million dollars for a remote control “Gradall” is a little steep. But it sure seems to have done its job well. It is sad the innocent family members in this tragedy will be left to pay for the damages, but it is entirely worth it as no other innocents had to pay with their lives! Hopefully this will have a lingering deterrent effect for the next lunatic that finds him/herself barricaded somewhere shooting at innocent people. (Yes he did fire at officers when they began deploying tear gas). It is no longer come out or we’re coming in after you. Now it’s come out or we’ll leave you no place to hide.

[Marc]

The Batcat is driven manually in initial phases of deployment and retreival - on and off of its transporter. Its remotely controlled while "working" on a structure. Interesting question regarding who pays for the damage. I believe that both the insurance company and authorities refused to pay for damages when law enforcement burned down the bomb-laden rented house in San Diego last year.

[Beckstachistan]

Simple: it's all about proportion. and for anyone to say there weren't $millions of equipment and at least 100 people and getting paid for.... sitting around jawing, you're liars or fools, take your pick. Your arguments about armchair quarterbacking, tax-free service, or police lives > property don't hold water. It's no different from reflexively calling those who question our foreign policy somehow "unpatriotic." Strategy and tactics are developed by people who are not always well-informed and dispassionate--so yes, virginia, they can be occasionally dead wrong. As they were in this instance. For them to learn from their mistakes--including stupid butterfly-on-a-wheel responses--is all "we" are asking for.

[Morgan]

They were at it when I woke up (6:30 am) and it took them all day, SWAT and that sledgehammer thingamajiggy to go in after one person only to find him dead. WOW!

Who's paying or all of that?

[Alice Peters]

Cops and their toys.

Interesting, the "need" to paint it black and to add macho logos.

I don't quibble with the need to develop technology that permits going after a suspect without putting cops in harm's way, but here's a classic example of overkill, and the LAPD's infamous pattern of going paramilitary whenever a grant or budget allotment can be squeezed and abused to do so.

This is the great grandchild of Daryl Gates' asinine personnel carrier converted into a battering ram.

[Mtnup1]

When you read some of these asinine comments, you realize that either some folks are so blinded by their hatred for cops that they can no longer think logically or ratnionally, or they're complete MORONS. I tend to believe the latter.

[Rob]

I think they should have burned him out.

Hope the injured cop is doing better

[Ted]

You shoot somebody in the face that's it. Who cares about the home? That's what cardboard boxes under freeway overpasses are for.

[Jack]

Why is everyone concerned about the house being torn down. Get over it because you do not pay for it.

[outsider]

No wonder LA is the cesspool that it has become. Look at the comments from the concerned "Citizens" and it appears your just a couple of years away from Blade Runner. The Dodger gang- bangers represent you well.