Gotta pay for that hammer somehow...

Continuing from a previous post.


Here's some of Tam's thoughts on the overuse of SWAT. It's a problem of lack of training (dynamic entry is hard and requires constant training to not be dangerous), and there's just not that many times you need to go after armed people who have taken hostages. But you've spent the coin on all these shiny toys...

The net result is that, using various rationalizations from "officer safety" to "preventing the destruction of evidence", tactics and techniques originally developed to allow professionals to resolve a hostage crisis are being used by part-timers, sometimes for reasons as trivial as recovering a bag of dope, often with predictable results.

Montie a policeman with several decades on the force comments on these changes.

When I first got into police work in 1985, many of the larger cities had already formed some sort of special response team. When they are truly professional and have the time to train constantly and are not overused for things like warrant service, etc. they can be a good thing. however, they are only cost effective if you have at least three or four hostage / barracaded suspect calls a year.

....

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT DYNAMIC ENTRIES SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. WAY TOO MUCH CAN GO WRONG. That drug warrant should have been done in the daytime. The guy was married with a small child, thank God only the dogs were shot.

Reat it all.

The rest of Montie's comments are good too.