Issue 624 Do we need SWAT? July 1, 2015

So, do we really need SWAT (special weapon and tactics) teams?  Let us discuss.

SWAT:  SWAT teams are the teams who are the ones conducting the thousands of raids per year.  They go in by breaking down doors and accomplish their mission.  But, does the EPA, or the department of education need SWAT teams?  You are like, they don't have teams!  But alas, they do.  In fact in addition to the 88,000 raids in 2014 and the number rising this year in 2015, SWAT teams are being deployed everywhere including nowhere towns with populations of 300 or less.  As such, they are being used to issue arrest warrants, and other jobs that are frankly in this commentator's opinion very silly and the force used is excessive.

Teams like SWAT are supposed to be used in hostage rescue situations and where criminals are armed in such a way that normal police are out matched.  However, people want a false sense of security, and thus the SWAT teams expansion into areas that regular police normally do.  Issuing of warrants, daylight searches against non-violent offenders, visiting a witnesses or a suspect's homes when retaliation is not expected in the slightest, which are all general officer duties, have been turned over to SWAT.  Frankly, these duties should be returned to regular officers, and SWAT should be reserved for hostage rescue, riots, special teams for bomb disposal, and where their military equipment is needed to take on heavily armed criminals like a gang, the mob or even terrorists.  So we need SWAT, but not in the way they are being used now.

Conclusion:  SWAT teams if used correctly are an asset that protects other police and civilians from being harmed.  But, our desire for security has caused them to be used to do things beyond the scope of their job description and thus place them, other officers and regular people in danger.  The department of education, the EPA and similar do not need SWAT teams, and small towns do not need them unless it is one team serving an entire geographical area.  As such, we need SWAT, but they just need to be used in the right capacity again.