8 N. TX LEO agencies' SWAT teams unite for training.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 08614.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

6 police departments' SWAT teams (Allen, Carrollton, Frisco, Lewisville, McKinney, and Plano)
+ the Collin County and Denton County SWAT teams recently held a large joint training exercise
in Frisco's Dr Pepper Ballpark.

I'm not sure if the Lake Cities 3 PD's (Corinth, Lake Dallas, Hickory Creek) ever got their SWAT
team put together, but they have had some training in hostage situations. I believe the latest
thinking in LEO circles is that if you have an active shooter, the LEO's are supposed to go into the
school/wherever and immediately engage the shooter, versus setting up a perimeter while the shooter
shoots away inside. This was a problem at the Columbine Massacre.

One of the tactics that bad guys use, such as the Amish school shooter, and others, is to chain or otherwise
barricade the doors into a structure. The police were told to go get their police cruiser and crash it through
the door in order for the LEO's to gain entrance. The cars can be fixed later - saving lives is more important.

Does anyone in the peanut gallery have any more insight as to how SWAT teams operate?

The floor is open.

SIA

[chabouk]

Does anyone in the peanut gallery have any more insight as to how SWAT teams operate?

From what I've read, and from ads for "Dallas SWAT" (never actually watched the show), most SWAT teams are used for routine warrant service. Actual hostage/kidnapping/immediate action situations are pretty rare. When agencies get SWAT teams and SWAT tools and SWAT toys, they find ways to use them to justify continued funding.

http://www.cato.org/raidmap/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rex B]

The police trend toward militarization continues.

Used to be a constable would knock on your door mid-morning to serve a warrant.
Now they send the SWAT team at 2:00 AM.

[Keith B]

Now they send the SWAT team at 2:00 AM.

And they don't knock, they KNOCK DOWN!!

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Does anyone know who pays for the damage to a residence when a SWAT team
makes a dramatic entry?

Does it make any difference if the property is owned by the suspect who is arrested,
as opposed to the suspect being a renter?

On the one hand, I can see SWAT gear from the cops' point of view: the LEO's want to
be safe during the operation.

But sometimes they end up at a wrong address and the citizens inside are quite traumatized.

In Atlanta, GA the SWAT team got the wrong house. The elderly woman resident thought she
was being home invaded by bad guys and she was armed. When she started shooting, the LEO's
killed her DRT. Sad, sad, sad.

SIA

[joe817]

I don't know, but I've often wondered the same. I'd hope the agency who made the gross error in targeting the wrong residence would be responsible for paying for the repairs, but I'm clueless there.

And yes. Sad tragedy indeed.

[C-dub]

IIRC, from that one in GA and several others, the police claim they have no responsibility to pay for damages because they were performing their duties ... something something about the law. It's like when you're arrested and name goes in the paper or however and then they release you without any charges or they decide to drop the charges. You're name and reputation is toast now and most times you won't even get an apology or any compensation for whatever time you spent in jail. You may have even lost your job, house, wife, kids, or whatever.

Sometimes they may be shamed into forking over some $$$, but it's all messed up. Look at the one homeowner that was shot by the police.
http://texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_Forum ... er#p329324" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;