Hollywood movie scenes show Winnipeg Police Service armoured vehicle

The first scenes of a Hollywood movie are showing a local star — the Winnipeg Police Service‘s armoured vehicle.

The police service confirmed ARV1 was used in the filming of Nomis here in Winnipeg last year, but wouldn’t say how many hours or days the vehicle was used or how much, if any money, the police service was given.

Nomis is a film about police tracking an online predator.

The use of the armoured vehicle is raising questions with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“The police force has a job to keep the streets of Winnipeg safe.  If it’s using some of the equipment for other reasons that’s something we have to ask questions about,” prairie director Todd MacKay said. “Honestly we need them to focus on keeping out streets safe rather than making a cool movie scene.”

In a report to the Winnipeg Police Board from September, police chief Danny Smyth said the armoured vehicle was used in three movie shoots in 2016.

Two years ago the armoured vehicle was deployed 34 times for police calls. It was also used for training exercises, community events and the three movie shoots.

When asked Tuesday, Mayor Brian Bowman directed media questions on the use of ARV1 in movies to the police service and the Winnipeg Police Board.

“I’m going to look into it with a bit more detail, I might have more to say later, but right now I would just say the more openness and transparency we can have the better,” Bowman said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I'm going to look into it with a bit more detail, I might have more to say later, but right now I would just say the more openness and transparency we can have the better," Bowman said.

The armoured vehicle isn’t the only police tool that has starred in a Hollywood movie.

Air-1, which is the city’s only police helicopter, spent time in La Salle in December working on an upcoming film starring Aaron Paul from AMC’s TV series Breaking Bad.

No profit was made for the helicopter being used in the movie, and its use was allowed at rate of cost-recovery.

“We aren’t in the business of renting assets for money,” Const. Rob Carver with the Winnipeg police said at the time.

ARV1 was purchased by the police service in June 2016 for $343,000.

The tactical vehicle is bullet-proof, blast-proof and weighs around four times as much as a normal car (15,000 lbs).

When it was purchased, police said the ARV1 was a much needed tool for officer and public safety.