Does Every City Need its own SWAT Team?
Originating in the late 1960s, specialized units known as Specialized Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams were formed as an answer to violent situations which exceeded police forces' abilities, such as hostage situations or active shooter scenarios. Their purpose was to give police departments access to units which could respond swiftly when rare, yet potentially lethal, situations arose.
In recent years, the militarization of police forces in America has become an ongoing debate. A key discussion point is the use of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams. While having such teams certainly provides undeniable benefits, there can also be significant risks and costs attached. In the near future, this will be increasingly the case. In this post we briefly explore both sides of maintaining such teams to help policymakers like mayors, city managers, and police chiefs make an informed decision about whether their community needs its own SWAT team.
We hold there to be a fundamental principle policymakers should follow closely when considering the need for their own SWAT teams. Stated simply: if you can’t do SWAT the right way, don’t do it! If you don’t have the interest or will to ensure your team is used judiciously, or, if you cannot afford to train and equip the team adequately so as to reduce your liability, you should not have your own SWAT team. The use of ill-trained or under-equipped SWAT teams expose cities and their police departments to significant liability in the form of lawsuits but can also damage the trust and confidence the public has in them.
Here we identify just a few of the most prominent benefits and costs/risks involved in creating or maintaining a SWAT Team.
Benefits of Establishing a competent SWAT Team
Rapid, specialized response to critical incidents: SWAT teams are equipped to respond swiftly and professionally in high-risk situations beyond the capabilities of regular patrol officers. While patrol officers typically receive training for everyday policing duties, SWAT officers receive additional specialized training designed specifically to respond in extraordinary situations like hostage-takings and terrorist threats. By having such specialized teams available they could potentially reduce casualties more efficiently while solving incidents more rapidly.
Advanced Training: SWAT team members undergo advanced training that prepares them for all possible scenarios, while this knowledge can also be transferred across other units within their police department, thus strengthening overall skills levels.
Specialized Equipment and Resources: SWAT teams possess access to equipment not available to standard patrol officers. Armored vehicles, advanced communication devices, less lethal weapons and surveillance tools give SWAT teams an advantage during critical incidents.
Crime Deterrence: Just the presence of a SWAT team can serve as a deterrent against certain forms of criminal activity, making criminals wary about engaging in activities which would necessitate SWAT response more cautious in their activities.
Community Relations: When used effectively, SWAT teams can build community trust in police's ability to handle high-stress situations effectively and reinforce that safety is top priority for local residents.
The Costs and Risks of SWAT Teams
Overuse and Misapplication: One major concern pertaining to SWAT teams is their misuse in routine policing or nonviolent situations. There have been instances in which SWAT teams were deployed for minor drug raids or search warrants that should have been nonviolent, exacerbating what should have been non-violent events. The exposure to financial and community perception risk is substantial in these instances.
Militarization Concerns: The presence of a SWAT team may create the community perception of an over-militarized police force, potentially leading to excessive use of force in situations that don't necessitate it and creating community mistrust in law enforcement.
High Costs: Maintaining a SWAT team can be costly for cities. Equipment, training and operational expenses are significant and can strain budgets. Some critics may very well maintain that the funds dedicated to SWAT should instead be allocated to other pressing community needs.
Accidents and Injuries: The SWAT experience during either training exercises or actual operations is physically demanding. Work-related injuries can occur and have both workforce staffing and financial implications.
Community Relations: Unfortunately, the misuse of SWAT teams can cause harm to the relationship the police have with the communities they protect. Their presence can be intimidating and may not always convey the intended message of "protect and serve." An over-reliance or misuse of SWAT teams can also increase fear in the community. When residents see militarized police on patrol, it may make them feel like they live in a war zone rather than somewhere they should feel safe and protected.
Training Imbalance: SWAT teams must receive specialized training. This training is time consuming and frequently expensive. When the training of such a specialized unit is done at the expense of providing important, “perishable” training for other officers (e.g., de-escalation, implicit bias, use-of-force, etc.) an imbalance is created within the policing organization. This can lead to morale problems, errors and an increased exposure to risk and liability in other parts of the organization.
Determining the Need for a SWAT Team
As there are multiple benefits and risks, how should policymakers determine whether their community needs a SWAT team? Essentially, they should conduct a cost-benefit analysis of this issue. In some cases, the answer to this question will be quite clear. In other cases, policymaker wisdom and commonsense will prevail. Here are a few questions to consider when conducting a SWAT cost-benefit analysis:
The Why: The very first question policymakers should ask themselves is “why do we have a SWAT Team/why are we considering creating a SWAT Team?” The answers will inform the analysis on multiple levels.
Legislative and Legal Requirements: Current and future state legislation or regulations may control the creation and maintaining of SWAT Teams. Stringent guidelines may be placed upon SWAT deployments, training programs, equipment acquisition and inter-agency collaboration. Can the city afford to comply with them? If not, moving forward with the SWAT concept is a high-risk proposition.
Local Crime Trends: Does the city experience sufficient high-risk incidents that regular officers cannot manage, such as high-risk shooting incidents that regular officers cannot deal with, to justify having a SWAT team?
Tolerance for Risk: Is the level of risk (legal and reputational) something the city’s policymakers and the community can tolerate? Cities clearly incur greater liabilities when they have their own SWAT Teams and conduct their own SWAT operations (as opposed to outsourcing the SWAT responsibilities) that could impact when and how frequently SWAT teams are deployed.
Budget Analysis: Can the city afford training, equipment and operational costs associated with their own SWAT Team? Are the true costs accurately identified? What won’t the city be able to afford if it has its own SWAT Team?
Community Feedback: How does the community feel about the city having its own SWAT Team? Engaging the community on this issue can provide invaluable insights into their perceptions and concerns. If a majority feels unsafe due to inadequacies in law enforcement's ability to deal with threats effectively, this might call for the creation of a SWAT team.
Community Policing Initiatives: Will the creation or maintaining of a SWAT Team strengthen or weaken local community policing initiatives? Cities should consider prioritize strengthening community police initiatives before creating a SWAT team. Strengthening police-community relationships prior to the creation of a SWAT Team will result in greater community understanding and acceptance of a local SWAT capacity.
Police Department Capabilities and Existing Resources: Are the police department’s current capabilities in alignment with creating a SWAT Team? Are there sufficient qualified officers available to staff a team if one is created? Policymakers should ensure that an inventory of existing equipment, vehicles, and facilities that might provide the basis for creating a SWAT unit is conducted. If there's already significant investment in SWAT-like equipment the cost of creating a team might be reduced.
Regional Collaboration: Does it make more sense to create a regional SWAT Team made up of officers from a variety of regional police agencies instead of each city having their own SWAT team? It might be possible for neighboring cities to join together to form a regional SWAT Team, sharing costs while still offering specialization options without one city being left holding all the responsibility alone.
Unintended Consequences: Have the unintended consequences of creating or maintaining a local SWAT team been considered? Have a variety of possible scenarios – good and bad – been considered to assess the community or city level of tolerance to their occurrence?
The importance of continually evaluating the need for a SWAT Team
Should a SWAT team be formed (or maintained), regular reviews are key to assess its performance and justify its continued existence in light of evolving circumstances and data. Regular assessments allow officials to ascertain if it's being utilized effectively and appropriately and whether its existence still justifies itself based on evolving situations and data.
When it comes to assessing the need for a SWAT team, an impartial expert third party could offer invaluable perspective. By using a qualified third-party subject matter expert local policymakers can have a higher level of confidence in an analysis free of bias or vested interests.
Future Implications for SWAT Teams
Over time, factors relating to SWAT team formation and maintenance can change due to various influences and circumstances. Here are some potential issues that might impact the SWAT function:
Drones and Robotics: Drones and robots are becoming an ever-increasing part of tactical operations. SWAT teams may increasingly rely on them for surveillance, negotiations, and threat neutralization - potentially eliminating human officers in high-risk scenarios and thus mitigating potential harm to officers themselves.
Non-lethal Technologies: As non-lethal weapons and technologies advance, SWAT teams will have more tools at their disposal that allow them to de-escalate situations without inflicting injury - potentially decreasing controversies arising from the use of excessive force.
Cybersecurity Threats: With cybercrimes and digital threats increasing, resources may shift from tactical policing units like SWAT teams toward cybersecurity functions.
Evolving Nature of Threats: Terrorism, bioterrorism and other unconventional threats could necessitate more specialized teams than typical SWAT capabilities for protection - potentially necessitating an expansion or creation of these units or new specialized groups.
Police Reforms: In the future, proposals to reform police tactics could impact the structure, training and deployment of SWAT teams.
Public Perception: As public attitudes shift regarding police militarization, SWAT operations could come under greater scrutiny and that may prompt changes to their mandate and operational guidelines.
Budget Constraints: Economic recession or fiscal crises in cities could force policymakers to consider cutting budgets for special units like SWAT. This may require them to reassess whether these units remain worthwhile in terms of personnel costs and effectiveness.
Public-Private Partnerships: In the future, there may be an increased reliance on private security firms or partnerships to supplement or even replace traditional SWAT operations in certain situations.
Conclusion
Establishing or maintaining a SWAT team involves multiple considerations. While being ready to respond quickly in extreme situations is vitally important, its long-term financial and social impacts must also be carefully considered. Transparency, regular assessments, community involvement and data-driven decisions must all play key roles. In the future, key leaders must make sure any use of a SWAT team deemed necessary is limited to situations which necessitate their unique skill set and equipment for maximum safety and trust among their constituents.