SWAT

[Douglas Correll]

I'm retired now, but my old place (at one time 2198 sworn, now I think around 1350), the Special Operations Group consisted of 3 separate elements: HNT (Negotiators), the Specialist Team (Countersniper/Snipers, perimeter containment, Gas deployment, Exterior Ground Arrest), and SWAT. The Specialist Team had a completely different testing/Selection and training program from the SWAT team. Both tests had PT components, marksmanship tests, and interviews. The SWAT team was a full-time unit of at its height around 50 officers, that conducted training on a weekly basis. The Specialist Team (around 70 sworn at its height) were 'part timers', in that they were assigned to patrol, conducted bi-monthly training (except the 8-10 designated snipers, who trained monthly or more), and responded to critical incident call-outs or assisted SWAT with Search Warrants. Probationary officers with both teams can expect to spend a lot of time with the Command Post element.

Currently, the testing process for both units is undergoing significant change, in support of the 30 by 30 effort. City HR has essentially taken over the process. A former coworker told me that the next SWAT test will be a Pass/Fail PT test, no marksmanship test (you guys are gonna teach them anyway, right?), and will be 'scored' entirely based off of the interview....the panel for which will consist of a female deputy chief, 2 female Commanders, and the captain of the Tactical Unit who has no special operations background but is wondering what he did wrong in his last life to deserve this nightmare. Guess we'll see if the revolution succeeds.

That, sir, sounds like a recipe for very costly disaster. The future of big-city policing is not looking particularly bright.

[Erick Gelhaus]

... and the captain of the Tactical Unit who has no special operations background but is wondering what he did wrong in his last life to deserve this nightmare.

Yeah, poor b*stard!

[paherne]

Yeah, poor b*stard!

He's got three years until retirement. I think he'll be fine.

[blues]

This is making my head hurt. I'm so glad to be retired.

[AMC]

He's got three years until retirement. I think he'll be fine.

Having had to deal with the same personalities....tell him he has my sincere sympathies.

[Mac]

300ish sworn, 40ish guys on the team, part time. You're on probation for a year after completing school. You have to make 3/4 of the call outs during that first year. New guy responsibilities depend on the type of call out. Mobility is always a new guy job, so is containment. That said, if 12 guys show up for a call out and 8 are on probation then you're going to have some new guys on the entry team. Specialty jobs like s/o, breacher, grenadier, require you to have been on the team for at least two years along with several other selection criteria.