TheAgitator.com
SWAT Training Video
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008Assuming the description of this video at YouTube is correct, and assuming this training exercise is a reasonable representation of how this particular SWAT team conducts its raids, a couple of things jump out at me.
First, the only demarcation of “police” appears to be on the back of the uniforms. And I don’t see any demarcation at all on the officers who are first to enter the house. If it’s there, it isn’t conspicuous enough to show up in a video taken during daylight.
Second, note that the SWAT team only identify themselves as police after shattering the outer glass door and battering down the main door. Once someone has broken down your door and shattered glass in your home, who’s still listening intently enough to discern that these are police officers?
Third, imagine this raid was at night. Imagine you were asleep in a bedroom. Give what we see and hear in the video, how certain would you be that the men breaking into your home were the police? I don’t know about you, I’d be pretty sympathetic toward someone in that position who might understandably mistake the police for criminal intruders.
I suppose this training video may have been used to correct those problems. But what I see in the video reflects what I’ve been told is pretty standard SWAT procedure when it comes to warrant service.
If we were to videotape all of these raids, as I’ve recommended, I think you’d find that juries would be quite a bit more sympathetic to people like Ryan Frederick.
Thanks to Robert Racansky for the tip.
Only when the casualties start to add up on *their* side will we see a change in policy. Serfs do not matter. Get back to work.
Are they wearing Desert Camo in Massachussetts?
A little Googling provides the fact this is a regional SWAT team, which mean its the “best” guy from several different towns. I wonder if once they got inside the house, they found the obligatory roach in the ashstray and cocaine residue on the kitchen table.
Ya know, as cool as they think they are, that seemed incredibly amateur and ineffectual. There was way more than enough time for someone inside to spot them, it took them forever to get in the door once they started making noise, and they looked like a bunch of high schoolers playing paintball. These guys are playing toy soldier because they like to feel tough and macho. They certainly aren’t any good at it.
Ginger Dan,
I wonder if this regional SWAT team, which takes the best man from each department, has the same level of operational cohesiveness as Pro-Bowl players do when playing in the Pro Bowl.
Having the police incur casualties will do nothing to stop the problem, rather… it will escalate the problem as the police whine and hide behind the “We’re out here risking our lives…” dodge in order to transfer even MORE risk to civilians.
What needs to happen is SWAT needs to not be used in warrant service.
I’d like to see the “Shots fired” rule, which would state that SWAT cannot be deployed unless shots have been fired.
As an aside…
I wonder what the Fire Extinguisher was for.
Are assault rifles the most logical weapons to use when invading a house, or do they use them because they look cool? I would imagine a pistol would be more accurate/agile for such close proximity shootin’, but the intimidation factor would go way down.
Thomasblair,
I think thats a good point, although to these guys, each raid is probably like the Super Bowl to them.
Radley yo make a great point: no human being that has ever walked the earth, if awoken in their bed by loud noises strongly indicating a handful of intruders, would feel anything other than profound terror and fear for their safety and the safety of their family.
Hearing one of those intruders call police, would likely cause a great rush of relief, but your nerves would still be completely fritzed out and you probably wouldn’t stop shaking until after the police asked you about 6 or 7 questions. That’s assuming you could make out “police” over the noises of things being broken and boots stomping, the beat of your own heart in your ear-lobes and your intense inner-monologue spouting out action plans to avoid a painful death.
I’m used to seeing SWAT officers in ninja black and face masks, but that’s the first time I’ve seen them in digital camo. Maybe I’ve just lead a sheltered life, but is the attribution solid on this video?
Anyway, given the number of home invasions by criminals yelling “police,” I think a lot of gun owners who don’t touch drugs or other crimes are starting to think they’ll take their chances on assuming real police would knock and read a warrant. Its a gamble either way, but its one the police have forced on us.
As an Army veteran, it really bothers me to see these wannabe “Rambos” wearing OUR uniform to pull stunts like these. They don’t even wear it properly.
That aside, these military-style police raids have got to stop. It’s dangerous for the police and civilians, and it’s largely unnecessary. I know that while overseas, 99% of the time, the best way to get suspected enemy combatants to come with us was to set up support around the house, and then simply go to the door and ask them to come with us. Most said, “let me get my shoes…”
Sadly, I know the adrenaline that these “men” seek. Those are the WORST kind of people to put in positions of authority like police jobs. They should be in the infantry, not policing civilian areas. Oh, wait, they might actually get killed going after people who will fight back…America just can’t get enough war. What a travesty.
Based on the police training videos I’ve seen, this is sadly pretty accurate. They should be made to wear T-shirts that say: “Police Smash! Police Crush! Police Destroy!” Of course, as a libertarian, I’m pretty conflicted about making anybody do anything, but I’ll make an exception for these bozo goons.
And another band name is born…you’re welcome. ; )
I’m also a retired 20 year Army vet, and I’m with Psyop on this uniform thing.
We wore these uniforms to blend into the surroundings to hide from the enemy. Thats what the camouflage is for, it is not for looking like you are tough, or are something you are not, but to hide so you are more effective in a combat situation. Even serving a warrant on a known dangerous person is still not combat, or at least was not until Mr Gates had a good idea that has since been bastardized into these deadly situations.
I’d like to amplify on your observation concerning the demarcation of “police” appearing only on the back of the uniforms; An equally relevant question would be - why don’t SWAT Cops and their counterpart, RIOT Cops, (such as those deployed during the recent political conventions) wear prominently visible and readily identifiable numbers on their uniforms, front and back? That way, once they’re finished, “serving and protecting” anyone who happened to have been standing around watching or filming could readily identify and nominate those who had been most effective at “serving and protecting” for the awards that seem to be so much a part of the aftermath of such events.
Under a legitimate government, juries that were shown evidence collected in a search would also be given the details of the search, and informed that because unreasonable searches are not legitimate, they should thus disregard evidence from searches they find to be unreasonable.
That’d stop this sort of nonsense right quick.
I’d like to relate to you something that happened years ago that compares to what it would be like to awaken to your home being invaded.
When I was 19, and still living with my mommy ;), I had an uncle that was 9 years older then I was. He lived a block away from us in Des Moines, IA. until I was about 15, when we moved to a farm in southern Iowa about 80 miles away. I still saw him at least once a month, or there about since he either came down or we went up to see the relatives. We are a family of Harley riders, and he looked the part to perfection (big, wore leather, long hair, beard), and he had always looked like that. The point of this is he was a very close family member whom I would recognize across a football field in a crowd.
About 1AM on a summer night I was sound asleep when I heard a god awful banging on my bedroom door I stumbled out of bed hit the light switch, and opened the door. Suddenly this 6′1″ 250 lbs ape like mother fucker grabs me yelling something about killing me. Just as quick as he grabbed me I slammed the door on his upper arm. I was pressing all my weight against the door and trying to break his arm while looking around for something to hit this bastard with. All I could see was an aluminum tennis racket which made think I was going to die for sure. This happened in all of maybe 10 to 15 seconds; although it felt like time had stopped. I could hear the ape on the other side of the door screaming that I was breaking his arm, then I realized I had also seen my sister standing beside the ape, and that the ape was my uncle. Of course the fear in my eyes when I slammed the door on his arm was quite the chatter for the family during the remainder of the night.
As I stated this was a man I had known for at least 19 years. A family member to me as my bothers, and sisters are. Yet he was closer to having his arm broke and being beat with a tennis racket then most people would ever be, because I did not have full brain function due to being half asleep, because due to fear, adrenalin was racing through my body like a locomotive, and mostly the due to the fact it was 1AM and apes do not attack during that hour of the night.
I can really relate when people shoot apes errr… cops that are invading their homes during these useless raids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=undefined
Bad video link
Oh shee-it, what a collection of amateurs.
Any “survivalist” worth his salt would’ve wiped out 75% of that team within seconds.
Explosives anyone?
The fire extinguisher is a standard item, because these raids often involve pyrotechnics like flash-bang distraction devices, and/or chemical dispensers that burn hot.
My first thought when watching this video was one of those ROFLMAO moments: “Dude: you’re on an elite he-man SWAT team, and it takes you four shots with the battering ram to get through a glass door? WTF?”
What seems to escape most of the genius commenters talking about this video, whom obviously don’t know anything of tactics or weapons, is that while you are all complaining about this video the gentlemen in it are probably out there trying to take care of all the deviants of our society that would victimize you in a second given the chance. I’d like to see how many of you would criticize these men to their face when they are rescuing you or stopping the criminals when they are after you. Couple of points some of you seem to be to foolish to realize. One in training you use training gear which is not always marked as it is in real life. Also because people don’t stop to read any part of a vest the police scream several times to announce who they are. Which they did about seven times before entering the house. Most people don’t hear through doors or windows when someone is outside yelling, especially when asleep or watching TV. As to the third point of the author of the article, if more than a doesn’t men in full tactical gear come busting into my house yelling police over half a dozen times I know I would not try to fight back like some idiot criminals choose to do.
Matthew- Get a clue genius it’s not about looking cool its about not getting killed they could care less what they look like. Plus its TRAINING.
Bob- They are out there risking there lives you ungrateful fool. In the hope that you have a safer place to live. When’s the last time you risked you life for a stranger? The fire extinguisher is incase of fires. I thought that was common sense.
Nobahdi- Carbine rifles are used in CQB for penetration not to scare. The police never know what is behind the door, if the subjects in the house have armor then pistols won’t do a whole lot except piss the subjects off.
Nick T- They shout “Police” way more than once for that very reason that people not hear the first announcement before entry.
Saladman- Ninja masks? Too much TV for you young man…Your right there have been home invasions by criminals pretending to be police, not over a dozen in full tactical gear. And its those criminals that pretend that forced you into this position not the police who are doing there job.
Psyop- While I respect your service, you sound like just another Military Vets that couldn’t hack it. If you could, then I feel ashamed that you have the same Veteran status that I do. Let me guess you were the guy who got to stand in the back and criticize everyone after the dynamic entry was over. For the ones that are willing to give up you mister nice guy scenario will work. Only problem with your argument is that SWAT teams don’t just do any warrant, They usually do High risk warrants.. Which means most of the time the subjects inside are going to fight back.
Its easy to pick apart every action and mistake after the fact too bad none of you have the guts to do the work yourself. Good luck the next time you need the police.
What is it with people suggesting that anyone who questions the police should lose their protection? If we were talking about policies enacted by public schools would bintherdunthat say “good luck next time you need edumacatin’”?
I thought the fire extinguisher is a really nice touch. The swat team here is concerned about fire safety, but I’d take a house fire over a bunch of guys with assault weapons anyday.
nobahdi: The saying goes, you don’t take a pistol to a gunfight. (I’m not condoning the tactics or kit SWAT uses in the cases Balko routinely cites, just explaining the mindset.)
Wow, “bintherdunthat”. First, I’d gladly give up the “protection” of these guys if it kept them permanently away from me. These raids are not about stopping criminals that are “after” me. They’re about drugs, and it’s the illegal nature of drugs that causes nearly all of the violence associated with drug dealing. I don’t sell or do drugs, so I haven’t had any problem with violent drug dealers at my door. However, many innocent people have had problems with these raids gone awry. Further, in the ridiculously unlikely event that I ever did have a pack of armed drug dealers attack my home, at least I’d only be victimized once. When these guys hit you, whether you fight back or not, you then get raped by the criminal justice system all over again.
Second, “it’s not about looking cool its about not getting killed”…yeah, it DOES sound cool to say stuff like that, doesn’t it?
Lastly, I gotta say, you had me at “more than a doesn’t men”.
The problem is not with SWAT teams- the problem is that instead of special purpose response units, they are being used in everyday raids all over the country, for “fighting” the war on drugs. How will it be before every warrant is served by an assault team?
Radley, I’ve been reading Overkill over lunch for the past couple of weeks…. I can only handle it in small doses, and since I feel ill most of the time anyway when I eat, I figure I may as well read sickening material at the same time.
The band-aid theory at work.
If I had $1000, I’d buy up 100 copies and give them to everyone I know.
Watching this video, a couple things occur to me…
The way they’re lined up, close and tight, reminds me of my first morning in the chowline at boot camp - “Nuts to butts! Make the man in front of you smile!”
As closely bunched as they are, two bad guys with AK’s could take out the whole squad, with a couple long bursts…
Bintherdunthat - does your mama know you’re making an ass of yourself, in public?
bintherdunthat,
I have great respect for those who put their lives on the line everyday to try and keep the public safe. But just because you decide to put your life on the line for relatively crappy pay doesn’t give you a free pass. It doesn’t exempt you from criticism.
Granted, most people very rarely, if ever, has to face the crap a LEO does on a daily basis. While I understand the need for a quick efficient dynamic entry to keep the suspects from destroying/disposing evidence, it is an extremely dangerous tactic.
The number one problem I have with these swat warrant search warrant service raids is the reckless nature that they are performed. The swat teams spend hours and hours honing their skills and planning for every situation. But for some reason, they all too often bust down a door, come rushing in, slap flex cuffs on everyone (in not very gentle way of course) secure the building, only to find out they got the wrong address. Yeah this doesn’t happen as often as people think, very rarely actually, but the fact that it happens at all is completely unacceptable. And frankly it is extremely dangerous/potentially fatal for everyone involved.
Let’s take me for instance. I am very self-defense minded. I am prepared (as much as one can be) for a home invasion situation. I know where hard cover is in my home. I know where my shooting lanes are. I know how to take up a defensive position to protect the lives of my family. I have a plan of what to do for various scenarios. And most of all, I will do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Now let’s say a swat team decides to serve a warrant in my neighborhood at 1 am and mistakenly comes beating down my door. Assuming that they actually do knock and announce (like they are supposed to before going to the battering ram), I will be up heading towards the door with either my daily carry pistol, or my carbine which ever I can get to first. If you think this is extreme, get over it, there is very few valid reasons someone would come calling at 1 am, and all of them should be treated as a threat until proven otherwise, and someone yelling police three or four times doesn’t mean crap. So now, I’m heading down to the front door and someone comes busting through armed to the teeth. You bet your ass I’m going to be up on target and ready to fire, if not already pressing the trigger. Chances are, whether or not I get a shot off, I’m going to be suffering from a severe case of lead poising really quick. Now I’m all shot to hell, someone on the swat team has probably taken one in the ballistic plate (if they are lucky) and all hell has broken loose. The only good thing that would come from this is my wife and kids would be set for life from the lawsuits that would follow.
That may sound like a stretch, but more than one of these “oops, wrong address” searches have ended badly, and some of them have had VERY close calls.
“Its easy to pick apart every action and mistake after the fact too bad none of you have the guts to do the work yourself. Good luck the next time you need the police.”
Your right, it is easy to pick it apart. And it should be picked apart, every time it happens. People that wear badges must be held to a higher standard. As for the guts statement, I wouldn’t bet on it.
Stay safe.
OK “bintherdunthat,” so have I. so here’s my take:
Use different gear for training than for operations? Not if you have any clue what the hell you’re doing, you don’t.
Don’t need markings because they yell? How about if I happen to see a group of heavily-armed men assaulting my house before they get to the door?
High-risk warrants? Like the mayor receiving a box in the mail, and having the audacity to actually take the box into the house?
Sorry, but even the majority of what cops in general and SWAT teams in particular do does not qualify as “protecting” anyone.