SWAT facts for kids
In the United States, a SWAT team is a special police unit. SWAT stands for Special Weapons And Tactics. These teams are trained and equipped to handle very dangerous situations. Regular police units might not have the training or gear for these events.
SWAT teams deal with things like shootouts, standoffs, raids, hostage situations, and terrorism. They use special weapons and equipment. This includes automatic firearms, powerful sniper rifles, stun grenades, body armor, and armored vehicles. SWAT officers also learn special skills. These include close-quarters combat, breaking into buildings, talking to people in a crisis, and calming down tense situations.
The first SWAT teams started in the 1960s. They helped control riots and handle violent criminals. More SWAT teams were formed in the 1980s and 1990s. This happened after events like the North Hollywood shootout. Their use grew even more after the September 11 attacks in the 2000s to fight terrorism. By 2005, SWAT teams were called out about 50,000 times each year. Most of these times were to serve search warrants. By 2015, SWAT teams were used nearly 80,000 times a year.
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What is a SWAT Team?
The National Tactical Officers Association in the United States describes SWAT like this:
A SWAT team is a special police group. Its members are chosen, trained, and equipped for specific tasks. They handle serious events that threaten public safety. These events are too difficult for regular police officers or investigators to manage alone.
How SWAT Teams Started
Early Days: The 1960s
The term "SWAT" was first used by the Philadelphia Police Department in 1964. They created a 100-person unit called "Special Weapons and Tactics." This unit was made to quickly respond to bank robberies. They used many specially trained officers with strong weapons. This method worked well for other serious crimes too.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) started its own SWAT team in 1967. LAPD Inspector Daryl Gates wanted the name to be "Special Weapons Attack Team." But his deputy chief, Edward M. Davis, chose "Special Weapons and Tactics" instead.
The LAPD promoted SWAT teams for several reasons. After the Watts riots in Los Angeles in 1965, the LAPD needed new ways to handle city unrest. Daryl Gates, who led the police response, said officers faced attacks from "all directions." SWAT teams were seen as a way to deal with such large-scale violence.
Another reason was the fear of armed individuals. Sometimes, a single person with a gun could outmatch regular police. An example was Charles Whitman in Austin.
After the LAPD formed its team, many other police groups in the United States created their own special units. These units had different names. Gates later wrote that he didn't invent SWAT tactics or equipment. But he supported the idea and helped his officers develop it.
An officer named John Nelson had the idea for a special LAPD unit. He wanted a team trained to handle shootings and reduce police injuries. Inspector Gates approved this idea. The first SWAT unit had fifteen teams of four officers, totaling sixty people. These officers received special training each month. They also protected police buildings during civil unrest. The LAPD SWAT units were called "D Platoon" in the Metro division.
One of the first major uses of LAPD SWAT was on December 9, 1969. Police tried to arrest members of the Black Panther Party at their Los Angeles office. This led to a four-hour standoff. The Panthers eventually gave up. Four Panthers and four officers were hurt.
By 1974, SWAT teams were widely accepted as a police resource in Los Angeles.
The 1974 Symbionese Liberation Army Shootout
On May 17, 1974, members of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) were hiding in a house in Los Angeles. The SLA was a group of heavily armed left-wing guerrillas. News channels showed the siege live to millions of people. SWAT teams fought a gun battle with the SLA for several hours. No police officers were hurt. But all six SLA members died when the house caught fire.
After this shootout, SWAT teams changed how they were organized. They had six teams of 10 officers. Each team split into two five-person units, called elements. An element had a leader, two assaulters, a scout, and a rear-guard. They used a sniper rifle, two semi-automatic rifles, and two shotguns. SWAT officers also carried their service revolvers. They had first aid kits, gloves, and military gas masks. At that time, most officers only had revolvers and shotguns. So, police having semi-automatic rifles was a big change. The fight with the heavily armed SLA led to SWAT teams getting body armor and various automatic weapons.
An LAPD report after the SLA shootout explained why SWAT was created. It mentioned riots like the Watts riots. These events showed that police were not ready for tactical situations. It also noted the rise of snipers and the threat of urban guerrilla warfare. The report said SWAT's goal is to "provide protection, support, security, firepower, and rescue to police operations in high personal risk situations." This helps to keep injuries low.
Fighting Crime: The 1980s and 1990s
In 1981, the U.S. Congress passed a law. It allowed police to use military information, buildings, and weapons to fight crime. In 1988, the government encouraged Congress to create a program to help local police. This program made it easier to give money and equipment to police for crime fighting. Police forces also got more help from the DEA. This money helped create many special task forces. SWAT teams became a key part of these forces.
Studies show that the number of police paramilitary units grew ten times between the early 1980s and late 1990s. This shows how much SWAT teams became a normal part of policing.
After 9/11: The 2000s
After the September 11 attacks, SWAT policing grew a lot. Some people think this was because police became more like the military. Others argue it was a response to fears about crime and terrorism. SWAT teams also started hiring more military veterans. This influenced their tactics and how they saw their role.
By 2005, SWAT teams in the United States were used 50,000 times each year. A study found that almost 80% of these uses were to serve arrest warrants. Officers often say safety is the main reason for using SWAT teams. They are called if there's a chance a suspect might be armed.
On February 7, 2008, a shootout happened in Los Angeles. This led to the first death of an LAPD SWAT team member in 41 years.
Some experts have raised concerns about the increased use of SWAT teams. They argue that more SWAT raids have led to more no-knock raids. This can put innocent people and suspects in greater danger.
How SWAT Teams Work
SWAT officers are highly trained and equipped. But they aren't always waiting for an emergency. In many police departments, SWAT officers do regular police duties. They are called for SWAT missions using pagers, phones, or radios. Even in big police agencies, SWAT personnel might work in crime prevention. This is more dangerous than regular patrol, but they don't carry their special armor and weapons all the time.
Since officers need to be ready for calls, they might be assigned to regular patrol. To respond faster, SWAT equipment is often kept in special lockers in police cars. This means officers don't have to go back to the station to get their gear.
For example, in 2003, the LAPD's SWAT units were called 255 times. This included 133 SWAT calls and 122 times to serve high-risk warrants. The NYPD's Emergency Service Unit is one of the few special police units that works 24 hours a day. This unit also does many other jobs besides SWAT. These include search and rescue, and helping with car accidents. These jobs are usually done by fire departments.
It takes time to call all the officers, get them ready, and brief them. This means there's a delay between an emergency and when SWAT arrives. After the Columbine High School massacre, police changed their response. Now, regular officers often go in quickly to deal with an active shooter. They don't always wait for SWAT to arrive.
SWAT Equipment
SWAT teams use special equipment for different situations. This includes close-quarters combat (CQC) in cities. The exact gear varies, but some things are common. Much of their equipment is similar to what the military uses.
Clothing
SWAT officers wear uniforms like military personnel. Traditional SWAT uniforms are usually dark blue, black, gray, tan, or olive green. Since the 2000s, some SWAT units also use uniforms with military camouflage.
Early SWAT units used different types of headgear. This included M1 helmets, motorcycle helmets, or even soft patrol caps. Modern SWAT units use helmets similar to those used by the U.S. military. They might also use riot helmets or soft caps. Balaclavas and goggles are often used. They protect the face and keep team members' identities private. Ballistic vests are standard. These vests often say "POLICE," "SHERIFF," or "SWAT" for easy identification.
Weapons and Tools
SWAT units have special weapons that regular police don't normally use. These are often military firearms. Examples include assault rifles, submachine guns, riot shotguns, and sniper rifles. They also use riot control agents, smoke grenades, and stun grenades. Even though they have military-like weapons, SWAT teams are still police. Their main job is to make arrests. So, they also use less-lethal weapons. These include tasers, pepper spray, pepperballs, and rubber bullets. These help them stop suspects without causing serious harm.
Many SWAT units also have special tools. These include ballistic shields, tools for breaking into doors, battering rams, armored vehicles, thermal and night-vision devices, and motion detectors. Police dogs may also work with SWAT teams.
Vehicles
SWAT units often use special armored vehicles. These are called "armored rescue vehicles" (ARV). They use them to get to a scene, move around, and rescue people who might be in danger. Common armored SWAT vehicles include the Lenco BearCat and Lenco BEAR. Some police departments use old military vehicles. Sometimes, SWAT teams use unmarked police cars. This helps them respond faster, move more easily, or avoid being noticed.
Police aircraft, like helicopters, are used for looking from above. They can also drop officers into a location using rappelling or fast-roping.
The use of armored vehicles by SWAT teams is sometimes debated. Some people say these vehicles can make situations more tense. Even small police departments sometimes get armored vehicles. This happens even if they don't have many incidents that would need them.
See also
In Spanish: SWAT para niños
- List of police tactical units
- Emergency Service Unit
- Special reaction team (U.S. military police)
- Riot police
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