Twenty nine tactical teams, including three international, participated in Urban Shield 2010, the nation's largest first-responder training hosted by the Alameda County (Calif.) Sheriff's Office. Organizers roll out scenario-based exercises at a variety of venues that teams must respond to during a 48-hour period. With each exercise, the teams must manage and respond to an ongoing critical incident. The exercises "provide opportunities to enhance response efforts and identify training needs in a simulated environment," according to organizers. Photos courtesy of Alameda County Sheriff's Office.
Urban Shield Tests Police Responders
A sergeant with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office gives an interview to a television media outlet about Urban Shield, the nation's largest tactical training event.
The Newark (N.J.) PD's SWAT team participates in Excercise 29 — Open Field Assault. A suspect has taken over an interoperable communications tower and is holding a hostage. Venue: Bay Ric/EBRCS Interoperable Communications Tower.
Members of the Livermore (Calif.) PD and Pleasanton (Calif.) PD also participated in Exercises 6-8 — Multi-Agency Integrated Assault. The agencies coordinated with the Israeli Special Police Force to coordinate an assault on a manufacturing plant. Each agency's officers approach the building from a different angle. Venue: NUMMI Plant in Fremont.
A member of the Israeli Special Police Force uses cover from an armored rescue vehicle to approach a building as part of Exercises 6-8 — Multi-Agency Integrated Assault. Three agencies must coordinate an assault on a manufacturing plant. Venue: NUMMI Plant in Fremont.
Members of the Palo Alto (Calif.) PD don protective gear for Exercise 16 — Mass Transportation Biochemical Attack. Venue: San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI).
San Francisco Sheriff's Department deputies receive a video briefing, prior to attempting Exercise 17 — Hostile Takeover of a Government Facility. Venue: San Francisco City Hall.
Officers from the Livermore (Calif.) PD and Pleasanton (Calif.) PD approach a research facility to dismantle a chemical threat in Exercise 9 — Tactical IED: Regional EOD Bomb Squad Response and Evaluation. Weapons are modified to fire Simunition FX marking cartridges. Venue: NASA Research Facility at Moffett Federal Air Field in Mountain View.
Officers with the Palo Alto (Calif.) PD listens to a de-brief after completing Exercise 18 — Critical Infrastructure, Corprate Security Integration. Venue: Pyramid Center in San Francisco.
Officers from Redwood City (Calif.) PD must identify IEDs and communicate their location to the bomb squad in Exercise 9 — Tactical IED: Regional EOD Bomb Squad Response and Evaluation. Venue: NASA Research Facility at Moffett Federal Air Field in Mountain View.