SWAT
A SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team is an elite tactical unit in American and some international police departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers, including serving high-risk arrest warrants, barricaded suspects, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, and engaging heavily-armed criminals. A SWAT team is often equipped with specialized firearms including assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, carbines, riot control agents, stun grenades, and high-powered rifles for snipers. They have specialized equipment including heavy body armor, entry tools, armored vehicles, advanced night vision optics, and motion detectors for covertly determining the positions of hostages or hostage takers inside of an enclosed structure.
The first SWAT team was established in the Los Angeles Police Department in 1968. Since then, many American police departments, especially in major cities and at the federal and state-levels of government, have established their own elite units under various names; these units, despite their official name, are referred to collectively as SWAT teams in colloquial usage.
SWAT duties include:
– Hostage rescue.
– Crime suppression.
– Perimeter security against snipers for visiting dignitaries.
– Providing superior assault firepower in certain situations, e.g. barricaded suspects.
– Rescuing officers and citizens captured or endangered by gunfire.
– Countering terrorist operations in U.S. cities.
– Resolve high-risk situations with a minimum loss of life, injury or property damage.
– Resolve situations involving barricaded subjects, (specifically covered by a Hostage Barricade Team).
– Stabilize situations involving high-risk suicidal subjects.
– Provide assistance on drug raids, arrest warrant and search warrant service.
– Provide additional security at special events.
– Stabilizing dangerous situations dealing with violent criminals (such as rapists, serial killers or gangs).