EUFAULA POLICE TACTICAL TEAM
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT
Many specialized units have been used throughout history. W.E. Bairbairn organized the Shanghai Municipal Police into strike teams that would be recognized today as SWAT teams. This occurred in the nineteen twenties (1920's). "Lightning Squads" were organized in the nineteen forties (1940's) to make raids against heavily armed criminals. After several killings of law enforcement officers, many large cities were forced to look into tactical response plans. The phrase SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) was formed. The team was formed in 1965 as an anti-sniper team as a result of the WATTS riots, in California. The team was on the four man concept but it was formalized into five man tactical units in 1968. Other Departments soon followed suit.
SWAT teams today are considered different in fine tuning and evolution of tactics more than general concept. SWAT teams today must take into account the widespread media coverage of past tactics. Criminals have a wide availability of equipment and training. Drug money provides vast resources to the criminal and many small countries provide grudging support or poor enforcement of laws. These countries, through intimidation, and corrupt politicians/military are staging areas for drug cultivation, manufacture, and shipping. As a result of all of these problems, criminals are also targeting small cities, as well as large ones. This again has challenged small cities to develop SWAT teams also, to prepare for the unexpected. Therefore, in 1995, the Eufaula Police Department formed its first certified tactical team (SWAT), a special unit capable of coping with serious situations ranging from hostage rescue to rapelling. Five officers, from the Police Department were selected by an evaluation process to enroll in a grueling, but rewarding, two week training course setup by the United States Tactical Advisors from Riverside, California. Upon completion of the course, the officers were certified in the use of hot and cold gases, as well as pyrotechnics or distraction devices. They also received training in automatic weapons, and employment of other type devices used by law enforcement officers in special circumstances. The team now trains approximately twice monthly, and they attend various types of additional training to maintain their job skills in hostage rescue, barricaded suspects, and other special assigned duties. Recently the Tactical Team has added trained Tactical Medical Personnel, that train with the team, and carry out missions to assisted injured Team Members or Victims of hostile incidents.
