I Weapon a PHilLIP L.

DA

AJ~' .. n""" D~

D I

SWAT

(Special Weapons and Tactics)

By

PHILLIP L. DAVIDSON

Metropolitan Policl! DlftxJrtmml NtUhville·DavidJon County, Tennusu

Illustrated. By KAREN W. CARTER

10 all tUltJils of Pul~litlt".,.~!t d"iYe 10 ~t ~I tJnd arU!tic ·hm'Jj,..,I,... 1M. THOMAS

".MN"'~lCPl .• .. , .... 10' .. "ud CWUR' CI goOd

By WAY OF introduction, it sho)J,ld_ptl5~jg~ purpose of this book is. to &ye '1'~"~I!'iIl!l: team members a guide by which to ~~~~rJ)!~ operating procedures. This book is ~()~P.~~~~ catchall for special unit tilctics lay the groundwork for the in~liYi;~w~,,!~~t6 the following pages are the authQr~ ~~Ii!2 suggestions. The reader must decid~

Some areas of the book are R~m~;wJJ1I~4l complete as some readers might nt'fIof...,..

author suggests that if one .• - .... -~~~~~ca information on self-defense. ~1)mlftV~~ ment, etc •• the reader should cJ1(~~ .. ~rrrly;'nTIiii'ti book on the desired subject.

subjects. not dealt with in :~~f)111 the end of this book. The i-

fact that technical subjects of this work as the subjectS

What is a SWAT team. the one Hondo '--UllWDiill1l;III::U

middle 70s? Is it similar is it a bunch of guys JH.~~~·~lmiWl

not well trained but that a SWAT team can be all

pJes and more. For that the SWAT """"!'"'~.O:!f"!~, .. 1'h" .. "h.I"ii1il!i

ized group of pxot:i:etl\pj

intensive ~in!lD;Kd~~ that a regillar

IN WRlTlNG this book I drew heavily infantry officer in Vietnam. The ch:rlPt:~;:Qi.al~(I~ ship is a result of that educational ex'pel:mlec~,-;~g dealing with a format for a standard opera:ti(Jj~)~ leading procedures are taken from lowing both the regular Army and NaliQnaj~)~~~im ples of cover and movement. fire and m('.Y<Q);eDt;l~ formations were first taught to me as an Tennessee State University, riUJrfrc~C:Slpq~~".:~~~5a1 early stages of the Vietnam war.

The crisscross entry shown in the Se(tl[Jii:{~l~W houses was a brainchild of Lieutenant politan Police Department. Nashville_, T:~#ijl_ John Manning of the Metro Nash~illc::'1~9lil~ thought of the idea of the ftashlight ~in-~~'jo~~

rooms. All other tactical principles ... uu .... ""'~

their invention and origins with others ing are credited to those persons and 011~~~

I would like to thank Barbara ..... u,~u,,~

draft of this manuscript.

Lastly. I would like to thank QJIl~;~iiI Ross for helping me in the sell~lof~5t1J~[fl

this book.

Introduction .....•••.••• • •.•••••••••

Acirnowlf!dgmtnt.r •••••••.•••.••• • ••

PAllT I

Chapler

1. THE 'l'L\M .•.•..•..•

2. 'J"H£ LEADER •••••••••

3. TRAINING ••• • • • • • • • • • • • •• ••

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

9. THE SNIPERS •••••••••

10. FREEING HOSTAGES ., ••••• 11.

Suggested Redding List .....

ln~" .

S ELEC'nON is the fun step in terms of importance it C8l1lJ;l(~tl~Ii~~ team is selected on the basis of ~mp; they are "good ole boys" the .re!IillI~·l~ team is all but ordinary. work like a finely tWled,i-lJ;taCJjWilfu'~ other. Individual mem11er:5,\JIlll

team, morale will Cl.i.Siint:egJ~~~~ru words, the prime criteria ~.'.~Jl~!~1 renee.

To select the most COlIllP~~~~"lY:g~1 should be wed:

team in a dteSS inSide. tealI'lS -equipment. .\"'~UWLJ.)I

Tms will allow for

duty with an needed. The less U1~~QfjJi")l~ reasons. Also, all 'Vel1l.icte~j]

stalled if it is not a $OiU1(llm$.~!le(~J'~

The weapons.

What the team will to consider, Basically team cannol functioQ ~ •. ~'~Y.~\t;~~

A .-uCH POWERED

n~utrafuin.g targets at 1~1&';hH~~~I~ WIll be especially U:K:J;W

serio", fc:lons who sense it PQweud

wea~1L

A SIDEARM. A revolver portance as a back-up weapon fuj:i.ereivtr'teii'i. good side-arm is adequate of clewl1it~il,iHjWi

can be used for self-defense in a tigrIDm~m suggested because of the qUick ~f~9~~;~~~~~r~ll load at night or in limited

11. rope (fur jndi\lidtu~rw.~1j friction tape

12. pin light or flashlight wbJ~i

(see chapter on

13. goggles with "' ....... _ ..... "' .. .0< ... _00"

14. binoculars

B. On the vehicle and easily tJCcMi1JDt~~

1. high powered Hashlight

2. CS or eN gas

3. smoke~en~~.-~ren~~)~m~~ij~

4. extra ammo of all types

5. at least 250 ft. of good rope

6. snap links

7. Porta-power'" tool or bytft,iV

doors; or battering ram

8. bull hom

9. grappling hooks

10. small flashlights for all theireil~.11

11. enough rain gear or potlcbo\1j~.

12. extra gas masks fornoilliiij~l~~11 IS. medical kit (coJIlip'reb,eruiiYw!r~~

14. hard armour for entry teamS

15. military bolt cutters 1 .. .....,~1It

16. extra water and C rationS'

17. an extension ladder

18. periscopes (a must)

19. Lensatic compass

20. starlight scope (#iim~~~

&. mentioned before, all _ __

kept on the vehicle that Ith.·' """

ft)1'

REAR SECURIn" (RS). The Pfi,#~~

to provide rear security for stops. His secondary mission U·?"~'iiJ{~

organic sniper. Since the moves, mainly aiming its hro·i ... ..;hl

sometimes forgotten. For this reason, rear security is:·:fnlDBifiJlii

RS can easily be placed any adversary. in case he is nfi;fOd~~(H~"ifii

in the rear he has less chance of b~~(ffii:j,~m free to move.

'Ualkrs are made not born

LEADERStuP is a learned art, just like any

probably no job is more demanding on a lea~~~iI commanding a SWAT team. If SWJ\ themselves to their new roles they '!riik~,~W~;,jf~fiti'H

Most new SWAT team leaders arc nil"'··",,", police officers. They are the products Q~;~(~aiI1~~~ thinking that has its roots in yeat$ 9f:~~1~J:;91~4~ learning. No matter bow much e'ltllel:ii:Pt~~~~~~ .leader has in previous job _~~JJu.u.~;.u."It,~tte;aarcftJ~ team is different. The leader's nn'!.Vi.ju~~:~~ bearing on his present assigru:n..ent.

situations that a SWAT team .~~c"".-:>"'=

different from that of any ...... --.~ .... must accept the fact that thlf9:';ariibeiNiOO

A SWAT team canLUQ~tc,t:ulD,tj~9J;: it must be led. If lQ(1(Vildu:a.l·1f1i

(0001 under fire). your (filiet feats, call desensitized lU!"uJ.J.Ll.J;, at airborne school wb~~ri~rn:~!O

jeer to flinging the:J:i'J.$eI~I~:()ji,~~

of being urged out 0 afraid. but they jump.

ability to recognize d8Jlli!;t:rt',t- -._ ..... ~.--.% necessary chances. This is dangerousl

thing about. This is ~~~:~~~!JJj~~~

you know you are right.

facing a superior officeI' wh;oi~m~rfi not admit it. Stand up fo:r;~ijU1t1e~~ open for you.

DECJSlVENESS. This ;is;,,tJ(~~}Q~

tact.

U SELFISHNESS. Simpl¥ PUI@lI~~~ile:~t(il~W. innocent civilians above that of 1o.1~~~~~. leading was going to be ea5f.

aptly followed by d~,elQlptil[f(ftl_I~. and 'decisiveness.

sion will thus nOI~fa:ilfl:)X',·l,adt!.Oiie)G~iQl

DEVELOP STANDAllD .oP:w~n1~~tiOli guidelines that will be £0110 $L b.'\J)tQl.l situation arises. The purpese otlllllit~~~

to take the place of direct orders SOP arises, the team will aUI:omla,tiI~~~~~1i order. SOPs are a valuable aid tt»~~~WlM They should be developed by tt'GU!'i~llt'(lft~.~ procedures are those that help ~o~~DpjIUfj~~i team stops while moving tlu:ou:gn,a;IIili1!u~~~~1I her takes up a position C()veringah;fIm~~~iattiti without the team being told, W~UCli;1~I~bljtl$aI

GIVE. ALL ORDERS OFF A standard format for briefing the

sion, the chances are you Will men will know what to expect in

them and you organize thoughts.

Team opnations tn"Mr THE SITUATION. What

A. The Adversary: Giv,ee;~~;;; possible, about who 'u

the crisis.

B. FrienciJ: What ~i~ij~dDlll being brought .~.,_ ...• __ ,,,,.

C. Civilians: e.g. nQS!ta~e!.J1~~~.

that ort upon risky actions by Pbltice~,.tl,tl_~~

sion's first rule should be attitude in your thinkirrg. ge1~fOJ~tlfi~~lItI '~~ Tu team letJd~ f!NKeiJ.ures

Whenever a leader is begin to employ the team ,I. .. ,,"..u.uIK:ip~~41gl!i1i like SOP's for leaders in t'· ... :u..u·~6 AA!~~tf~~ lowing them makes planninf!~sillDpl~La.t!·g1!l~c;A1lli1l

RECEIVE THE MlSSION. on a mission depends on the At!~~~'~~.s There are many various mem(JQ5.··-·;.,~,rgq~Sl to keep a SWAT team on duty at 4.l'I'l··- ...... ,I...,;w;,~ radios. Others have the team on a·~~tmp:Jj.~ procedures only while the team is Q~;y9,I~I!!»~Y! the systematic phone call-up. leave a phone number where ~~!f,.~J~~~~!»j while oJf duty. Each member. is,'--~I~I5!~i't.~~

calling another member. It is ~!:~~}~~~I~~ii each member be assigned a

action there will be constant coiU!IJ~\oolf~ best method is the beeper cvcl~r:-r~~~~~i1 a beeper that will be activated

call is ordered. Again. +:~;~~;~,~~~~~.!1.1

is that once the Ieader gets

immediately_

IssU.E A PRELIMINARY 'cf~~~ti~~11

at the assembly area Der,on:::.an leader, a prc:~li'llij~:!ry .,Ol1di times this ~ exist. appoiti.t

weapons. cu; ... · • .QC}.!~lQ

mission.

or the leader might ha e to ,O~I,U.'·~'~'J,I,!

CoMPLETE TH& pU • By no' .... ":w .... ,

tion the leader can totmWate taken into account but in the U~~I!_W~

ble so the plan must be his.

IssUE THE ORDER. ~-.-:,'-"--

next step is to give the team thc~ir·~·~ij~m~ point should be mentioned criticism from team of the plan plan and also might bring to thought of. But, the suggestions final decision must be made. On~[Qi~

made it should be final. There can '~;IOm

one leader pushing it.

SUPERVISE THE srruerros, The lead~}~ijj~8:i supervision to see that the plan i" ,ciJcjic:&ifliJijl situation changes. he should be :fIe:IC.iHiI~teDi[ft action as it comes. No plan will.?i4:limmlli

TRAININC is the backbone of all will only be as good as it ·traitd:~~l~.~ initially trained, then allowed to\liei,fal:1~Mfrt'dl costly mistakes on actual missions. 'nlmWllitUiifiJI thing.

One thing is evident from all-$IIIla.llf.UIlitJ~diJ~~ er is responsible for training his men HO':lilcr.lW

to go the whole nine yards with the :~~gq,ji How can a leader not train with hiiJ,:~tm.=.~lJJ lead them in the field? It jwt 'cal:~:tWtr~ld( bers will lose all respect for a leadeIl shows up for the games.

Training can be bn)kcn.dlo'WIIllij:~~(@!;I~

1. Tactical

2. Physical

3. Hands on ~~~~~w1mllll

4. FireaI'Ill$

5. =7:~;~~'~~i~r~'~1N

6. lie

?·~~p~~m_.

CoMMUNlCA"TIONS. The im:IPO'I:'Wtt:&1'~.mll rioOS' cannot be stressed enou~ ~W,~~~ municate with each other dttOOJtililti,~rm

inside buildings) and dUlmat>.UI·~~l plait. One guiding principle mJeoU~IiIjW

All team members mUlt Any team. that goes into an ()tR:tatllOaV,W.

an adversary with an empty procedures is Invaluable, CIIp~';tnl~

team should have its own private ""I}~~~

reasons.

While radios are essential. the p~~~~~~ tions should be nonverbal during .~1Y.~~Q_~~ ings. Once contact is made with ~~~i~~g. an operational neceasity.

In conslderiag coI~unilQltiQD~b~~m~ hinuelf several questions:

1. How do yOu COJlIlDl1Lilii,cat~~~PBm movement?

2. How do you COD~)~#t(~~1S!~~it radios?

3. How do you ~t~~~~

while tryi.Qg tn·,t·lMr>wv-.m

4. ~ow do }'9u O)Jl~tJP).l~

When a team stops ey~ ,I.J;lI~~~~~9J;.H\m area of security.

The FBI suggests Pniia-l)Qv.r~(to.g~~~ and hydrajelS that use would be more useful in doors are usually stronger

instances a small blasting .~~-'.JJJL1~~1j

locked door. If a door nail with a piano wire atl~l~9:J~'~

door opening with the u, .. IIL.",_",k-"GirJ'. .... ,~~~ open.

Once the door lSfOtJ~rir~}~Pffi;mml