Based in Western Massachusetts, Lenco designs and manufactures armored vehicles, including its now-infamous "BearCats." Lenco has sold its armored vehicles to hundreds of police departments and Sheriff’s department SWAT teams across US, as well as to the US military, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the FBI.
Massachusetts police departments that have purchased armored vehicles from Lenco include: the Boston Police Department, the Watertown Police Department, the Pittsfield Police Department, and the Cambridge Police Department (a source of ongoing outrage amongst Cambridge residents). Furthermore, Lenco has sold its armored vehicles to multiple regional police collaboration organizations in Massachusetts, which make these vehicles available to the police forces and sheriff's departments who constitute their "member agencies." These include: the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (CEMLEC), the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC), the Central Region Homeland Security Advisory Council, and the Berkshire County Regional Strategic Response Team.
Lenco also sells its armored vehicles to an array of federal agencies, including: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the US Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the US Marines, the US State Department, the US Marshals Service, and the FBI. In total, Lenco has derived $175.7 million to date through federal contracts, with the majority of this total originating from contracts with the US Department of Defense ($63.68 million) along with the US State Department ($43.65 million). Lenco has derived a total of $11.28 million through sales of its armored vehicles to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency responsible for carrying out the US federal government's regime of tracking, detentions, and deportations of Black and Brown migrants.
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The Berkshire County Regional Strategic Response Team obtained a $300,000 grant in 2000, a sizeable portion of which was spent on a "bullet-proof military-style vehicle from Pittsfield-based Lenco Armored Vehicles at the time when Lenco Industries was transforming its military BEAR (Ballistic Engineered Armored Response) truck into a SWAT-friendly BearCat (Counter Attack Truck)."
Central Region Homeland Security Council (CEMLEC) meeting minutes from October 7, 2014 show a motion for "Bear Cat Training for SWAT" for CEMLEC ($11,790). The BearCat is an Armored Vehicle produced by Lenco.
The Central Region Homeland Security Council has a shared equipment list that includes a BearCat Armored Vehicle, held by the Sutton Police Department.
Lenco has received $11.28 million to date through sales of its other armored vehicles and other products to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcmeent (ICE).
Lenco is sole supplier of armored vehicles to the FBI.
Lenco supplies armored vehicles to the US Marshals Service.
Lenco is the sole supplier of armored vehicles to the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives.
Lenco has sold its armored vehicles to the Boston Police Department.
A 2020 Cambridge Police Department report revealed that the Cambridge Police owned one of Lenco's "BearCat" armored vehicles, a source of ongoing outrage amongst Cambridge residents. (See also here)
Lenco has sold its armored vehicles to the Watertown Police Department.
Lenco has sold its armored vehicles to the Pittsfield Police Department.
Lenco is the sole supplier of armored vehicles to "US Navy Strategic Weapons"
Lenco is the sole supplier of armored vehicles to the US Army Military Police.
Lenco is the sole supplier of armored vehicles to the US Border Patrol.
An image from the SEMLEC website concerning its SWAT team shows a Lenco BearCat armored vehicle emblazoned with SEMLEC's name.
Lenco is the sole supplier of armored vehicles to the US Air Force Global Strike Command.