Incidents like the Todd Blair shooting put pressure on judges to deny requests for no-knock warrants. Don't ask for a no-knock warrant unless it really is necessary.
Read More →The murders of Florida officers with the Miami-Dade Police Department and St. Petersburg Police Department rocked their communities, as well as all of law enforcement. In both instances, officers entered buildings to search for suspects without calling for backup from tactical units.
Read More →POLICE SWAT expert and retired LEO Bob O'Brien tells you seven tales from his experiences to teach about the danger of missing a hidden suspect during a search.
Read More →Tunnel rats during the Vietnam War invented and perfected the most effective tunnel tactics and techniques. In law enforcement, you need the right person with the right mindset, training, equipment, weaponry, and lots of experience to be effective.
Read More →It takes a special officer to willingly, capably, and effectively search confined spaces for suspects. During the Vietnam War, "tunnel rats" were employed to search the often elaborate, always extremely hazardous NVA/VC tunnel systems.
Read More →I'd say every SWAT team trains extensively on suspect searches with special emphasis on the terrain they're dealing with. Regardless of terrain type, every SWAT team must be adept at searching buildings and outdoor terrain.
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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.
Read More →Sacramento County Sheriff's SWAT was called out to what turned into a 56-hour standoff—the longest in Sacramento history—at an 82-unit apartment complex. The suspect shot at SWAT officers, a robot, and the Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) on at least eight occasions.
Read More →On Friday at 7 p.m., the tactical team used explosives to open a side wall of the apartment where 26-year-old Anthony Alvarez was holding his cousin's son. Officers then used improved sight lines to shoot Alvarez and safely rescue the infant.
Read More →Avon Protection Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of respiratory protection products, will once again sponsor the 2010 U.S. National SWAT Championships (USNSC) held June 21-26 at the US Shooting Academy in Tulsa, Okla.
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