The Manchester Police Department SWAT Team was established in 1975. The SWAT team is one of four units assigned to the department’s Special Enforcement Division. Every position assigned to the SWAT Unit is a collateral duty assignment and there are nofull time SWAT positions. The three main components in SWAT include the Entry Team, the Crisis Negotiator Unit and the Sniper Unit. Tactical activations for the SWAT Team are primarily for high-risk warrant service operations. Most of the warrant service requests come from the Special Investigations Unit. Requests for high-risk warrant service have also been received from the FBI, DEA and ATF. In 2008, the SWAT Team was activated on 24 occasions, consisting primarily of high risk warrant service operations. Other callouts consisted of barricaded subjects as well as “buy bust” high risk motor vehicle take downs.
The Team is well trained and supervised, having a solid foundation built on the quality of previous training received through years past. As tactical concepts, principles and violence in our society continue to evolve, it is imperative that team commanders, team leaders and negotiators continue to attend credible training courses and bring back the most current tactics and information to their teams.
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