SWAT: Page 5

Police Shooting Response Tasks San Francisco SWAT with Riot Control

The anarchists' next target was a bank where they smashed a window with a hammer. Followed by a SFPD substation where they threw paint and a hammer at police. Emboldened by their own actions, the "anarchists" continued to the Market and Powell intersection in the heart of the Financial District.

Covert Entry Search Warrants

Traditional search warrants aren't always the best choice, because they require immediate notification. With a covert entry warrant, officers can delay notification, collect evidence, and continue building their case.

When a Traditional Search Warrant May Not Be the Best Choice

With this SWAT blog, we're presenting a scenario that could be presented to a SWAT commander who must make a crucial decision — should the team serve a high-risk search warrant for this complex case?

When Crowds Turn Into Violent Mobs

Flash mobs first gained popularity with their synchronized dancing, mega-pillow fights, and the like. It now appears that the thugs have interjected their own version of flash mobs: large roving bands of predators hunting their next prey.

When Facts Won't Satisfy the LE Critics

After weeks of public and media scrutiny, the actions of the Pima County (Ariz.) Sheriff's SWAT unit were officially ruled "justifiable and reasonable." However, the fallout over the raid is far from over, because many people's minds were made up before the facts were known.

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Perception: The Difference Between Heroes and Villains

The Pima County (Ariz.) Sheriff's Department's May 5 SWAT raid resulted in the death of a Marine at home in front of his family. This tragedy has exploded into one of the most criticized, controversial SWAT incidents in memory.

R Ariz Swa Traid

Active Shooter at Nursing Home: The Answer

With this SWAT blog, we're answering a question proposed in the earlier blog, "Active Shooter at Nursing Home: Engage or Wait for Backup?" You told us how you would handle the active-shooter scenario proposed. Now, we'll give you the actual outcome from the incident.

Let's Keep an Ohio Cop Killer Behind Bars

We can help in the effort to deny parole to this cop killer by signing the online petition to deny parole for Michael Manns by visiting Blockparole.com and clicking on "Featured Case: Cop Killer Up for Parole: Detective Sergeant William Prochazka was brutally killed in the line of duty."

Bedford Heights (Ohio) Police Det. Sgt. William Prochazka. Photo: Blockparole.com.

A Plan Is a Plan, Until...

The Osama bin Laden raid ranks among the most significant raids in modern military history. History is replete with similar military raids — some have been successful, others less so — that reinforce the reality that the vast majority of such operations are rarely ever known outside a circle of the select few on a need-to-know basis.

Active Shooter at Nursing Home: Engage or Wait for Backup?

With this SWAT blog, we're presenting an active-shooter scenario for your consideration. We'd like to know how you would handle it, so please add your comments below. The scenario is based on an actual incident.

Friendly Fire: Operational Considerations

Operational friendly fire erupts suddenly without warning, and once bullets start flying, it's too late. In the old days, before we were trained with "finger OFF the trigger" unless you're shooting, virtually all LEOs had their finger ON the trigger when they had their guns out.

Friendly Fire: Identify Yourself As an Officer

SWAT officers often respond to call-outs while off duty and driving their personal vehicles. And they often arrive before the rest of SWAT. Thought needs to be given to how identifiable they are when arriving on scene, particularly in swirling, chaotic, life-threatening situations, and especially when there's a chance on-scene officers might not know they're SWAT.

The DSM Safety Banner provides instant identification for an officer responding in plainclothes. Photo: DSM Safety Products.

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