VIDEO: Northville Township police officers and firefighters are learning to navigate off-road terrain with specialized vehicles as they prepare to respond to emergencies in the township’s expanding park system.
The training comes at a crucial time. This year, the township opened Legacy Park on hundreds of acres that once housed a state psychiatric hospital, creating new recreational opportunities alongside existing trails at Maybury Park.
“It’s nice for us to come together and train together so that we’re both familiar with the equipment and know what each other is capable of,” said Joshua Pike, lieutenant with Northville Township Police.
The township recently purchased two utility task vehicles (UTVs) specifically designed to reach areas where traditional emergency vehicles cannot go. The vehicles will be stationed at Legacy parks, which did not have one previously.
“Collectively, that’s almost 1,200 park acres just in those two parks and then over 35 trail miles of various kinds,” said Jesse Marcotte, Deputy Fire Chief for Northville Township Fire Department.
