Friday, November 16, 2012

SWAT team kill gunman who threatened NJ EMT

Gloucester County Times
HAMMONTON TWP., N.J. — A police chase that started in Deptford Township when a man pulled a weapon on a local EMS worker late Sunday afternoon ended in gunfire early Monday morning.
The New Jersey State Attorney General's Shooting Response Team is handling the investigation of the death of 27-year-old Donald Hoffman of Hammonton. He was fatally shot by a member of the Atlantic County Emergency Response Team just after 4 a.m. on the first floor of the home his mother was renting.
Late Sunday, a police official told the Times that a man had pulled a gun on the EMS worker at 4:30 p.m. at the outbuilding which houses Deptford Police's Emergency Services Unit on Cooper Street at Delsea Drive.
At that time a second EMS worker saw what was happening, radioed county fire dispatch who in turn notified police.
Officers arrived on the scene as Hoffman fled in a white Honda Civic. Two units gave chase through Camden and Atlantic counties to the 200 block of 13th Street in Hammonton where he exited the car armed with the handgun and ran inside the home around 5 p.m.
Police then surrounded the perimeter of the property while Hammonton and Atlantic County SWAT teams responded. Hoffman's mother and others who were inside left the home as did another resident who lives on the second floor.
A police negotiator was called in and communicated sporadically with Hoffman throughout the night in an attempt to get him to surrender. After failed attempts at talking Hoffman out, authorities elected to fire canisters of pepper spray.
Still Hoffman disregarded commands to give himself up. Members of the Atlantic County Emergency Response Team entered the home and fatally shot Hoffman.
Information as to what went on inside is not being released by the Attorney General's Office. The investigation is ongoing.
The Shooting Response Team is comprised of deputy attorneys general, detectives of the Division of Criminal Justice and detectives with the New Jersey State Police Major Crimes Unit.

What Is Required to be on the SWAT Team

What Training Is Required to Become a SWAT Team Member?

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams are comprised of volunteers from within the police force who have advanced rescue, firearms and medical response skills. If you are interested in becoming a SWAT team member, you must meet experience requirements and undergo specialized training. The training requirements for becoming a SWAT team member can be found below. Schools offering Law Enforcement degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

Training Requirements for SWAT Team Members

To become a SWAT team member, you must be a police officer and possess full knowledge of police policies and procedures. You must also be in excellent physical shape and demonstrate advanced firearms proficiency. SWAT teams generally respond to high-risk situations and members may work in a specialized position such as sniper, crisis negotiator, grenadier or tactical emergency medical responder.

Become a Police Officer

The first step to becoming a SWAT team member is to join the police force and complete police academy training. Training usually lasts between 12-14 weeks. You can expect to complete courses in state and federal law, local ordinances, civil rights, accident investigation, traffic control, firearms, emergency response, self-defense and patrol.

Additional Training and Experience

Police departments typically require you to serve on the police force for 1-3 years before applying to the SWAT team. During this period, you can prepare for meeting the minimum SWAT application standards by sharpening your shooting abilities, studying tactical operations and increasing your physical fitness.

Apply to the SWAT Team

After you apply to the SWAT team, you'll undergo several tests during the selection process. You must pass a rigorous physical fitness test and psychological evaluation, plus a firearms test to demonstrate proficiency in firearm usage and knowledge of the weapon's mechanics. You may also be interviewed by a review board and undergo an extensive background check.

SWAT Team Member Training

Once you are selected to participate in the SWAT training process, you'll go through multiple phases of SWAT training, from basic to specialized to advanced. Training includes areas such as crowd control, high-risk arrests, detainment, room clearing, sniping, small arms usage, hostage negotiation and recovery, obstacle courses, rappelling and defensive driving. Most departments require continuous mandatory training as long as you are a member of the SWAT team.
To continue researching, browse the school or degree options below for the course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information.

SWAT Team Training

 Special Weapons & Tactics | SWAT

Special Weapons and Tactics teams (SWAT) are special operations units in civilian law enforcement agencies such as County Police Departments, Sheriff Departments, US Marshall service, the FBI etc. The SWAT team of a given agency may be called the Special Response Team, Emergency Response Team, Emergency Services Unit, Tactical Response Team among others.

SWAT Teams - Role & Training

The exact duties differ depending on the agency and jurisdiction involved although all SWAT units can be characterized as being roled with carrying out high risk operations that would normally be outside of the regular law agency's capabilities.
  • active shooters
    (dealing with shooting sprees)
  • dealing with barricaded suspects
  • hostage rescue scenarios
  • counter terrorism scenarios
  • protection of VIPs
  • high-risk arrests and searches
  • riot control
Civilian SWAT units are analogous in role and tactics to military policetactical teams such as the USMC Special Reaction Team and Air Force Emergency Services Team.
SWAT officers undergo a number of training courses which may include close quarters combat (CQC), explosive entry, sniping, dog handling, negotation techniques and rapelling / fast roping.

SWAT Team - Organization

Size and composition of a SWAT team varies. SWAT teams are typically formed by Law Enforcement Officers serving regular duties who are also on call for SWAT tasking. Many SWAT teams deploy 2 distinct elements on an operation - an entry team tasked with entering and clearing an objective and a sniper / oberserver team that provides overwatch.

SWAT Team - Weapons & Equipment

SWAT team weapons vary from unit to unit. Entry Teams are typically armed with:
  • assault rifle carbines
    AR-15 variants like the M4a1, CQBR, Colt Commando
    Sig Sauger 551 / 552
    HK G36K / G36C

  • sub machine guns
    9mm HK MP5
    10mm MP510
    .40 / .45 HK UMP
    5.7mm FN P90

  • semi-automatic pistols
    Glock and Sig Sauer 9mm and.40 S&W pistols are common, as are
    H&K USPs and
    Beretta 92F 9mm
    Colt 1911 .45acp pistols.
SWAT weapons are often fitted with tactical accessories such as flash lights, laser pointers, foregrips and various optics.
Tactical gear carried by SWAT teams includes flashbang stun grenades, battering rams, haligan tools, ballistic shields, tactical radios and flexi-cuffs. Clothing includes body armor, protective helmets and eye wear, assault webbing for holding magazines, knee pads, gloves and rappeling harnesses.
FBI SWAT
FBI SWAT Team enters and clears a building during training. more info: FBI SWAT teams
U.S. DoD photo

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