SWAT: Page 16

There's a Lot to Learn at a TREXPO Conference

I’ve been going to TREXPO East and TREXPO West for 10 years, and the conferences never disappoint me. They are always timely, relevant, and taught by some of the best, most qualified experts anywhere. This year’s TREXPO West held in Long Beach, Calif., in February ranks at the top of all the TREXPO’s I have attended so far.

Death and Taxes

I checked the Officer Down Memorial Page (odmp.com) to see if there have been any law enforcement fatalities on April 15th. Sure enough, when I clicked on the Website for April 15th, there were 59 law enforcement officer line-of-duty deaths listed from 1857 to 2004—32 from gunfire.

More on Four SWAT Teams in Trouble

Unfortunately, the ones caught in the middle of most controversies are the good guys, the hard-working police officers who only want to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

Four SWAT Teams in Trouble

The knee-jerk reactions of authorities in adopting Draconian practices for their SWAT units are endangering the units, the officers, and the community.

How to Improve the Morale of Your SWAT Team

Recently, I was asked by a SWAT team leader for suggestions on how to “keep his team together.” His concern stems from his team having fallen into a “rut,” with the potential for “falling apart.” Doubly disconcerting is that this was a good team, one of the best in the state.

Sleep Fast

Why is sleep deprivation an issue for police? Because, just like the military, police have unpredictable, changeable, sporadic work and sleep patterns.

Reading Between the Lines of Police Casualty Stats

The fact is the vast majority of law enforcement officers are not killed, assaulted, or injured in the line of duty. The overwhelming majority make it through their careers intact and go on to enjoy richly-deserved retirements.

Officers Down: Three Case Studies

Officer Simmons did what he was trained to do, interjected himself between his downed partner and the threat, and was shot and killed by a bullet to the face. Other LAPD SWAT officers courageously rescued both officers, and also a downed hostage under fire by the suspect.

Take Action in Active Shooter Response

The active shooter phenomenon has a certain "copycat" quality to it — a deadly game won by causing the highest body count in the shortest amount of time before police can stop them.

Can We Stop School Shooters?

At NIU, police responded within two minutes of the first reports. However, the shooter still managed to kill five people then turn the gun on himself all before police could stop him.
It’s difficult to fathom how police can respond faster.

SWAT: Yesterday, Today…Tomorrow?

Cash-strapped agencies cannot afford larger SWAT teams. As a result, today we expect rapid intervention by first responders, who are oftentimes trained by SWAT, and must meet the brunt of the challenge.

Time and Again

The point is all of us were once new, and someday, we'll all retire. But try telling that to a rookie.

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