In addition to uniformed police officers and members of the Estes Park Police Auxiliary, an added measure of security protected the costumed ghosts and ghouls who trick-or-treated up and down Elkhorn Avenue Friday night.
A fleet of eight new Archer 1200 barriers capable of stopping a 2,430-pound vehicle traveling at 30 mph protected the east end of Estes Park’s main downtown street. A fire truck blocked the west end of the street, which was closed off for the traditional holiday festivities, which drew an estimated 2,000 people.
Estes Park Police Chief Ian Stewart was on hand to interact with the community and provide information about the new steel barriers, manufactured by Meridian, a mobile barrier security provider, which were recently acquired with the help of a Northeast All-Hazards Region grant funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The vehicle barriers and the trailer needed to transport them cost about $75,000, said Stewart in an interview with the Estes Valley Voice.
Stewart wanted this particular brand of vehicle barriers because they can be used in a lending program with other municipalities that have the same equipment. The barriers can be loaded onto a trailer and transported from community to community and shared on an as-needed basis.
In selecting the Meridan barriers, one feature Stewart particularly liked is that the units can be linked together using cables to provide coverage over a larger area, such as blocking access to a street to secure a perimeter from a vehicle incursion.
The barriers were originally designed and engineered as anti-vehicle barriers for war zones. Over the past decade, there have been more than 200 incidents where a perpetrator deliberately used a vehicle as a weapon to attack a crowd.
An additional feature that appealed to Stewart is that the barriers carry several certifications, including one by the International Organization for Standardization, which means they meet recognized standards for quality, safety, efficiency, and other benchmarks. They also have a seal of approval from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the SAFETY Act as Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology.
According to the Mineta Transportation Institute, a research and education center at San José State University named for Norman Mineta, a former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, since 2012, the United States has recorded 85 vehicle-ramming attacks, followed by Israel and the Palestinian Territories with 70, China with 20, the U.K. with 14, and France with 12.
Most recently, on Sunday, Sept. 28, a man drove a pickup truck into a Mormon church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, before using firearms and also creating a fire. Five people were killed in the melee, including the assailant, and nine others were injured.
According to Robert Penfold, media representative of Meridian Rapid Defense Group, “the barriers should be spaced four feet apart to prevent a vehicle from entering an area and to allow pedestrians and a golf court to move through freely.”
“The barriers can also be set up and removed quickly, as opposed to concrete or water barriers,” Penfold.
Stewart wanted to be personally present on Friday night to discuss the new vehicle barricades with residents and answer any questions they had. He said the feedback he received about the safety devices was positive.
The barricades will be employed for the Catch the Glow parade on Nov. 28 to protect the crowd of onlookers, said Stewart.