SOP

SWAT Unit

Standard Operation Procedure

SWAT Commander: Mia Casella

Character | Respect | Leadership | Authority

I. PURPOSE

• Establish guidelines for the utilization, selection, and training of ISP police employees as Special Operations Command (SOC) SWAT personnel. 

II. POLICY SWAT

• Shall provide the Department with the capability of resolving high risk incidents in a coordinated team effort by utilizing specialized training and equipment, above what is available to other enforcement units. 

III. SWAT COMMAND STRUCTURE

The SWAT Command structure shall consist of; 

• SWAT Head

• SWAT Squad Leaders (Alpha and Bravo) 

• SWAT Team Members

• SWAT Part -Time Members

IV. SWAT RESPONSES 

A. SWAT shall respond, when requested, to:

• Active shooter situations

• Hostage situations

  • When a Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team (HCN) is activated, the SWAT Team would be broken up into different squads

    • Alpha Squad to go forward and gather intelligence along with CID, this Squad will later join Bravo Squad on Scene

    • Bravo Squad to go into the active scenario after receiving intelligence from the Alpha Squad

• Raid situations

  • During Raid situations SWAT Head will work with CID to gather information on the suspect/ are in question and devise an organized plan to raid the establishment in an efficient manner

B. SWAT, with the approval of SWAT command, may also respond to: 

• High-Risk Felons

• Suspects who are at risk of themselves and others

• Specialized VIP Protection

• Prison Disturbances // Breakout 

• Specialized Surveillance Activities

• Rescue Missions

• Barricaded Suspects 

V. ACTIVATION OF SWAT PERSONNEL 

A. Requests for SWAT activation may be made by: 

• Chief of Police

• Head of CID

  • Other detectives with written confirmation from Head of CID

• Judges

• High Command of LSPD

B. Contact and approval of SWAT activation:

• Any and all contact with SWAT should be through SWAT Command

• SWAT requests will be processed and acknowledged by Chief of Police or Deputy Chief BEFORE SWAT Command

• All contact/ requests after being approved will be brought forth to High Command of LSPD

• After approval is set forth the SWAT Command will notify all other members of SWAT to stand-by for a briefing 

  • During this briefing SWAT Command will discuss:

    • Area being affected (Hostage, Raid, other)

    • Brief of the location → Layout/ Schematics

    • Brief of the Individuals in Question → Suspects, Hostages 

    • Brief of who is in what Squad and the operations of the Squads

    • Brief of who is Supporting SWAT through LSPD

V. TEAM ASSIGNMENTS 

• SWAT Command will determine the Team Assignments based on teamwork and cooperation between members of SWAT to best enhance all members skills and attributes

• SWAT Command has ALL rights to change up Team Assignments depending on the active situation

VI. SELECTION PROCESS

• SWAT Command will hold training exercises periodically to keep all individuals trained and ready for any situation

• SWAT Command will open these certain Training Scenarios as an Open Application for all Individuals who wish to Apply for SWAT

• During SWAT Training Applicants must be/show:

  • Senior Officers 

  • Correct Firearm Usage 

  • Teamwork with others → done through Stress and Non Stress Tests

  • Flexibility of scenarios → done through Stress Tests

  • Ability of De Escalating an active situation

• After Training the SWAT Command will reach out to individuals within the next few days and contact whether or not they would get approval or not into SWAT

VII. TRAINING

• SWAT needs to be actively Trained in ALL aspects of regular LSPD 

• When training is held it is MANDATORY to all Active SWAT Members

  • If an Active SWAT Member can not attend they must reach out to SWAT Command Prior to the training being held

SWAT members will be Selected to get GIU Certified, to assist Detectives that are gathering intel for Raids