L15 SWAT

OBJECTIVE: CADETS WILL GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SWAT UNITS SPECIAL MISSION IN FIGHTING CRIME.

Introduction... In 1964, Philadelphia experienced an alarming increase in bank robberies. In response, the Philadelphia Police Department established a one-hundredman team. This unit was created to react quickly and decisively to bank robberies while they were in progress. By utilizing a large number of specially trained officers who had at their disposal a great amount of firepower, police could get the upper hand. The tactic worked. The squads use of Special Weapons and Tactics gave the unit its name: SWAT. A FIRST RESPONDERS BACK UP They carry semi and fully automatic pistols, sub-machine guns, assault rifles, shotguns, and flash-bang grenades and wear heavy body armor. But these are not military commandos -- they are the members of a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, more commonly known as SWAT. They are the "go-to" team in high-risk, volatile situation, when surgical precision and advanced tactics are required. These elite team members train frequently and rigorously, and they must keep current on the ever-changing science of crisis resolution. This is why LAPD SWAT remains the most respected group of its kind. An old saying goes, "When people are in trouble they call the police. When the police are in trouble they call SWAT!"

TRAINING Because SWAT teams are required to perform the most hazardous of tasks, such as freeing hostages, it is of paramount importance that they be well trained.

SWAT teams are on twenty-four-hour call and have a clearly defined call-up procedure that automatically goes into effect whenever a department dispatcher receives a potential SWAT call. Making the Team SWAT teams are staffed by regular police officers selected for the teams after meeting certain stringent criteria: SWAT team members are required to have a normal psychological profile, with emphasis on the ability to work well as a member of a team. Without question, each member must be physically fit and not have any limiting physical characteristics They must be adept in the use of special equipment such as ropes and rappelling paraphernalia, which they can use to enter a structure from a rooftop or from a hovering helicopter. They must be able to use explosives to blast doors, walls, or roofs in order to make a quick and safe entry. Officers must pass a standard physical test that includes a two mile run, push ups, pull ups, and sit ups. They must qualify with department firearms to a higher standard than the non-SWAT patrol officer. The team members train together, as a team, at least once a month, but usually more frequently. Quarterly, the physical and firearms standards must be met by all members of the SWAT team. SWAT officers train on the average of 16 hours per month and must be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

DISCUSS THE COMPONENTS OF A SWAT TEAM Building the perfect SWAT team. Review the following components that make up an effective team: The Command Post The Command Team consists of the Team leader and his lieutenants. They are in constant communication with the other team members by way of state of the art headpieces and must make on-the-spot decisions about the nature of the engagement depending on how the situation plays out. The Negotiator The Negotiation Team consists of members who have been trained in psychology and are able to make a field assessment of any hostage

scenario. They are essential in diffusing a potentially violent and dangerous situation. The Sniper The Sniper Team consists of members who are highly skilled in the arts of camouflage and long distance shooting with state of the art weaponry. While their main task is to provide cover and fire support, they are also instrumental in providing up-to-the-minute intelligence to the Command Post. This information could be crucial in making decisions regarding assault plans and life-threatening situations. They are also known as the perimeter or containment team. The Entry Team The name says it all. This team is comprised of members who are skilled in the art of explosives, forced entry and frontal assault. They are heavily armed with projectile weapons, smoke bombs, flash bombs and tear gas. Performance The true success of a SWAT team, however, is not measured in equipment, but in their performance as a team. A team that is untrained, undisciplined, and inexperienced, is a liability to its community, no matter how well armed and equipped they may be. CONSIDER THE EQUIPMENT USED BY A SWAT TEAM Firepower The weapons of a SWAT team are dictated by tactical necessity. In assaults on defended properties, teams use automatic rifles. A shotgun is usually brought along on every operation to provide long-range delivery for tear gas or smoke. Sharpshooters use high-powered, long-range rifles, usually fitted with high-resolution scopes that can be used day or night. Gear The SWAT team uniform must provide all-weather protection: It must be able to be worn at night without making the officer an easily identifiable target. It must be loose fitting in order to allow the officer freedom of movement. SWAT vests fit around the body and are capable of carrying everything from extra ammunition to water canteens, leg holsters for pistols to allow for quick draw, and high-band, voiceactivated, silent listening radios for instant inter-team communication that may be employed even while a team member is under fire.

Other equipment possessed by teams includes: gas masks for each member starlight scopes for night vision flashlights attached to weaponry for nighttime target acquisition Vehicles Last, teams have special SWAT vehicles, usually vans, that are brought to the scenes of incidents and provide command post and logistic center functions.

Five Emergencies Situations Suited to SWAT Deployment: SWAT teams are used in any of five incidents: 1. In hostage-related incidents, although negotiation is the ideal method of resolution, negotiations sometimes break down and the crisis has to be resolved tactically. 2. Sniper situations pose a great threat to innocent civilians and must be resolved quickly and decisively. 3. Barricaded suspects often have to be overcome or arrested in order for public tranquility to return to a neighborhood or commercial area. 4. Sometimes other police units call upon SWAT teams to aid in the arrest of subjects who are heavily armed. Usually a team will have the upper hand in firepower. 5. Teams are usually called upon to provide anti sniper protection for dignitaries. CONSIDER & DISCUSS WHEN TO DEPLOY A SWAT TEAM? 1. What if youre dispatched to a call of a sniper perched on a tall building? A SWAT sniper is needed here. 2. How about a plane hijacking at your local airport? 3. How about a suspect or domestic terrorist holed up in an apartment complex with enough explosive material to level the apartments? 4. How about an armed suicidal suspect in a crowded fast food joint? 5. How about a Columbine High School situation? All these scenarios call for the expertise of a SWAT team. Social changes, including heavily armed drug traffickers and the increased violence associated with them, are yet another reason to have SWAT on call. These situations require a specially trained unit whose members have trained for months to handle such situations. When Talking is the Best Option

But when might a police negotiator be more appropriate? Your instructor will discuss with you the considerations in that come into play when dealing with critical incidents.