SWAT Teams?

[Steezie]

I've been reading through some stuff on another forum about SWAT teams.

SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) are highly trained police officers who respond to special situations where ordinary police officers need help. They are the 911 for cops. They respond to hostage situations, barricaded suspects, again anything that patrol cant handle.

SWAT rolls generally in five man elements with a variety of tools and weapons for different jobs. Most police departments in major cities have a SWAT team (If not by that name).

They generally try to stick to non-lethal methods and they are trained vigorously in taking down suspects without resorting to lethal force.

But some people object to SWAT teams because they see SWAT teams as a paramilitary force controlled by the police department. SWAT's weapons are hardcore enough to deal with serious firefights (M4A1 assault rifles, long range M40 sniper rifles for SWAT snipers) but they also deploy a great deal of LTL (Less Than Lethal) weapons such as teargas, tasers, beanbag shotguns, and stingball grenades.

Do you think that police departments should have a SWAT team or if SWAT's function or weapons avalible to them should be different?

 

[bunced]

It makes sense to specialise and have bodies of expertise in the police force. Same as you have liaison officers specially trained to deal with the families of victims of crime or counsellors specially trained to deal with the victims, why not have specially trained people to deal with potentially volatile situations?

As long as they are acting within the bounds of the law and operating procedures laid down by government, then there shouldn't be a problem. If there is ambiguity as to their powers, then it becomes necessary for a political debate to occur, but otherwise it is just specialisation taken to a logical conclusion

 

[flicka]

My cousin is on a SWAT team and has actually won awards for his teams abilities. I would definitely want them available if the circumstances required it. It's just a fact that all people can't be good at everything so having a specially trained SWAT team makes sense. As far as the weapons go...whatever it takes.

 

[bunced]

whatever it takes

Within reason

The weapons should be proportional to the threat posed. I'm sure you meant that, but I'm just seeking clarification

 

[flicka]

Within reason

The weapons should be proportional to the threat posed. I'm sure you meant that, but I'm just seeking clarification

Yes

 

[The Nihilist]

But some people object to SWAT teams because they see SWAT teams as a paramilitary force controlled by the police department.

Those people are dumb. SWAT teams are awesome.

 

[DeathMagus]

I think the critical point here is that a SWAT team is a small group of highly trained specialists. While they may be paramilitary, their small group size helps prevent their inappropriate use as a "military enforcement group."

A group I'd be far more worried about is riot police, since they exist in greater numbers and are trained specifically to use their force on civilians.

 

[Ryal Kane]

I have no trouble with their capabilities. Our equivalent is the Armed Offenders Squad.
So long is there is a system of checks and balances to ensure there is no abuse, I have no trouble with their existence.

 

[Domenico]

I think the Armed Offenders Squad are a great idea, mostly because they mean that regular police officers dont get to carry guns around as a matter of course.

In the incidents here of policemen using leathal force in questionable circumtances the AOS has never been at fault - Regular policemen have.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

SWAT teams are great, and a necessity.

 

[katautumn]

I've been reading through some stuff on another forum about SWAT teams.

SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) are highly trained police officers who respond to special situations where ordinary police officers need help. They are the 911 for cops. They respond to hostage situations, barricaded suspects, again anything that patrol cant handle.

SWAT rolls generally in five man elements with a variety of tools and weapons for different jobs. Most police departments in major cities have a SWAT team (If not by that name).

They generally try to stick to non-lethal methods and they are trained vigorously in taking down suspects without resorting to lethal force.

But some people object to SWAT teams because they see SWAT teams as a paramilitary force controlled by the police department. SWAT's weapons are hardcore enough to deal with serious firefights (M4A1 assault rifles, long range M40 sniper rifles for SWAT snipers) but they also deploy a great deal of LTL (Less Than Lethal) weapons such as teargas, tasers, beanbag shotguns, and stingball grenades.

Do you think that police departments should have a SWAT team or if SWAT's function or weapons avalible to them should be different?

Members of SWAT are thoroughly trained, highly skilled people. They are trained in ways that are not available to the average beat cop. They are the ones who go in and risk their lives in high risk scenarios. In most situations they are able to subdue a perpetrator using tactical movement rather than lethal force. Sometimes lethal force is necessary. Either way, I have no problem with SWAT teams.

 

[TimmyPage]

I believe they are required. Some things the police just cant possibly control within their training, and I feel training and equipping all of them like a swat team could be possibly unsafe to the population.

SWAT teams are trained to know when to use what. They know when non-lethal force is required, and they know when full force is required. If you need an Assault rifle to take down a very heavily armed suspect, then you should be using one.

 

[IronManMatt]

SWAT teams are a great resource to the communites that they serve. I am a police officer and used to work as a Trooper in Vermont. I was on scene and witnessed our SWAT team remove an armed barracked person from a residence without harm to anyone invovled. That outcome would have been unlikly without the training an equipment of the SWAT team.
I now work in a county without a SWAT team of any sort so us regular patrol guys try to keep up with basic SWAT techniques. And yes we all carry AR-15 assualt rifles, don't you want the good guys to be armed as well as the bad guys

 

[Paulos23]

SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics)

What most people focus on is the weapons, the forget about the tactics. SWAT teams are trained to defuse situations first, then if that doesn't work to decide the necessary force if needed. Force is suppose to be the last option for them.

SWAT teams are also very highly trained and are trained in groups. Not something you can afford to do with to many people. This keeps SWAT teams small, effectively making them useless when they are facing an overpowering force by numbers. SWAT shouldn't be called out all that often because of this. If they are, then there is a bigger problem either in the police force or the criminal element in the city.

So riot police (at least in the US) are mostly just your average cop with a few extra hours of training (if that) and riot gear. Much larger chance for things to go wrong due to the number of people and/or lack of training of some of the police. They are a much bigger threat to your average citizen then SWAT if the citizen gets caught up in a riot or protest. I have seen this happen in my own city during WTO.