Lessons Learned: Tactical Jobs Need Tactical Teams

[helicopper 1,050]

In the most tragic type of lesson, we learn from both these incidents that during two high-risk fugitive warrant executions, SWAT teams were not called until after it was too late. We've all probably seen the same dramatic TV shows where investigating officers pop their trunks, don body armor and tactical holsters, and then bust into a home to arrest drug dealers, fugitives or whomever. It may make for good TV but the reality is that these are not sound police tactics.

Police officers and detectives are not trained in SWAT tactics nor do they routinely practice the dynamic entries that make SWAT teams successful. Perhaps some of these "task forces" do receive some training but that is not their primary focus and they shouldn't be executing warrants without SWAT. These same investigators wouldn't allow a patrol officer to interrogate their suspect or apply for a search warrant but they have no problem performing skills outside their area of expertise.

I've seen instances of the same phenomenon locally where non-SWAT cops execute warrants and break down doors (if they need to break down the door, they should probably use SWAT but that's just me). They maintain that it's their investigation so they're doing the warrant. I've even heard criticism of the SWAT team because they have a different priority than the investigators. Meanwhile trained tactical operators sit idly by or could be mobilized to do the entry for them but egos or attitudes prevail and complacency rules the day.

These two incidents in Florida should stand as a vivid reminder to all of us in law enforcement that high-risk warrants are high-risk and that is exactly what we have SWAT teams for. I'm pretty sure that there are enough SWAT assets to execute these warrants without putting non-tactical cops at risk doing something for which they are not trained and improperly equipped.

Don't let the deaths of these heroes be in vain. Learn from their tragic stories and don't repeat their mistakes.

Stay safe and God bless those who give us these lessons learned.

As thousands paid their final respects to two murdered Miami-Dade police officers Monday morning, two other officers on the West Coast of Florida were gunned down in an eerily similar way: searching for a career criminal.

Both incidents began with detectives assigned to a U.S. Marshals Service task force that tracks and arrests dangerous fugitives. A SWAT team was not alerted during the fatal shootings in Miami. One was mobilized for the St. Petersburg incident -- after the officers had been shot.

Read more: http://www.miamihera...##ixzz1EWsFZZWY

[v85 212]

I agree that the best trained, and most appropriate resources should be used for any job, in this case, it is using a SWAT/ESU team to serve high risk warrants.

I do want to ask, though, and I know the situation may be different, because search warrants can be somewhat planned in advance, about a situation that I know of involving a hostage situation/barricaded person.

This situation occured about 10 years ago, when I was in either late elementary or early middle school. The local police got a call that an 3 armed men broke into the home of a woman, and had her tied up as they were burglarizing the residence. The local police responded and set up a perimeter and contacted the State Police MRT Team, who at the time, was the only tactical team in the county. State Police informed them that they had a 4 hour ETA. Eventually, I believe that a few of the officers who had tactical training, but weren't an actual team, made entry and found that the suspects had escaped out a back window prior to the perimeter being established. I was just wondering what would, and should have happened in that circumstance?

[joetnymedic 43]

So get this here in North Branford cops and marshals went to go get a wanted suspect and are being criticized for using swat.

http://www.nhregiste...41056340221.txt

you have to read the comments section. unbelievable

[helicopper 1,050]

<br />I agree that the best trained, and most appropriate resources should be used for any job, in this case, it is using a SWAT/ESU team to serve high risk warrants.<br /><br />I do want to ask, though, and I know the situation may be different, because search warrants can be somewhat planned in advance, about a situation that I know of involving a hostage situation/barricaded person.  <br /><br /><br />This situation occured about 10 years ago, when I was in either late elementary or early middle school.  The local police got a call that an 3 armed men broke into the home of a woman, and had her tied up as they were burglarizing the residence.  The local police responded and set up a perimeter and contacted the State Police MRT Team, who at the time, was the only tactical team in the county.  State Police informed them that they had a 4 hour ETA. Eventually, I believe that a few of the officers who had tactical training, but weren't an actual team, made entry and found that the suspects had escaped out a back window prior to the perimeter being established.  I was just wondering what would, and should have happened in that circumstance?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

A lot has changed in 10 years but there are probably still parts of the country that will take some time to assemble and deploy a tactical team. The local PD has the responsibility to come up with a plan to deal with such situations. Today the SORT (reincarnation of MRT) has much better response times even to remote areas and more and more counties have their own tactical teams.

We're not talking about remote areas in these two cases though. We're talking about two major metropolitan areas with available tactical teams that were inexplicably not utilized.

[helicopper 1,050]

<br />I agree that the best trained, and most appropriate resources should be used for any job, in this case, it is using a SWAT/ESU team to serve high risk warrants.<br /><br />I do want to ask, though, and I know the situation may be different, because search warrants can be somewhat planned in advance, about a situation that I know of involving a hostage situation/barricaded person.  <br /><br /><br />This situation occured about 10 years ago, when I was in either late elementary or early middle school.  The local police got a call that an 3 armed men broke into the home of a woman, and had her tied up as they were burglarizing the residence.  The local police responded and set up a perimeter and contacted the State Police MRT Team, who at the time, was the only tactical team in the county.  State Police informed them that they had a 4 hour ETA. Eventually, I believe that a few of the officers who had tactical training, but weren't an actual team, made entry and found that the suspects had escaped out a back window prior to the perimeter being established.  I was just wondering what would, and should have happened in that circumstance?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

A lot has changed in 10 years but there are probably still parts of the country that will take some time to assemble and deploy a tactical team. The local PD has the responsibility to come up with a plan to deal with such situations. Today the SORT (reincarnation of MRT) has much better response times even to remote areas and more and more counties have their own tactical teams.

We're not talking about remote areas in these two cases though. We're talking about two major metropolitan areas with available tactical teams that were inexplicably not utilized.

[Guest jcnyc]

One of those cops from St Petersburg was originally from Putnam Valley, on Quincy Rd. The last Brother from Hillsborough County wasn't wearing a vest!

[FFBlaser 24]

Here, our swat guys are on patrol...... We are lucky here to have a county team and a city team..... all of whom have RMPs and patrol just like traffic officers... as well as our EOD team.