Friday, November 03, 2006

OUTGUNNED! REORGANIZE SWAT

Over at Second City Cop they are running a piece about being out gunned at every turn. We have a suggestion of our own that could be used in conjunction with SCC’s suggestion. SCC feels that a gun safe should be installed in the sergeants trunk with 2 shot guns and 2 rifles with the sergeants and additional officers trained in these weapons. They feel that part of the problem is that the time needed for SWAT to respond is way too long and officer safety is compromised.
We couldn't agree more. We would love to see that implemented but taken a step further.
We recall an incident that occurred this summer where two members from SWAT had arrived about a half hour after a barricade incident was resolved. Here is where the problem lies. The first members may arrive within a half hour but for the entire team to be assembled and equipment in place may be up to 1 ½ hours after the first call for their assistance. We feel that the police officers of this department deserve a quicker response from those who are trained in SWAT.
We feel that dedicated SWAT teams should be stationed throughout the city. A possibility could be that each Area have its own team. The response times for a HBT situation would be reduced drastically. We think the city could learn from New York and implement teams much like NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit. These teams are used for high risk entries, SWAT and other emergencies that could confront a street copper in unusual situations.
We shouldn’t have to rely on a team who has the training to respond to a special emergency but is instead patrolling in various parts of the city trying to make a gun/dope pinch. The citizens of this city and the officers of this department deserve a team that can respond in a matter of minutes to our request for help when we are up against an ugly situation.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I forbid any further talk on this gun subject, there is no way I will allow ANY Chicago Police Officer to have any type of rifle or shotgun!! You could kill someone with one of those! You should be thankful that I still let you carry a limited number of handguns as I would like to see a total ban on those dangerous items that just end up creating lawsuits. We are looking into rubber bullets as well........

Anonymous said...

Don't leave the job to the sergeant. I have learned that sergeants won't even carry tasers when they work the street for fear of whatever they are afraid of-only they and God knows. But I think that if you get volunteers, they should be trained and held accountable for the weapons, such as maintenance, etc. That might work-but don't leave it up to the sergeants-they don't all have everyone's best interests taken to heart-for some of them, only their own. Sorry to dump on my own, but it's true, I have to work with these guys/gals everyday.

Anonymous said...

Well spoken Serg.

I think the plan of having two or three gauges and two or three AR-15's available in a Sgt car in every district is a fine idea.

But this is Chicago, where our mayor does not care about our safety and the police brass are too cowardly to confront the mayor about this, and many other, issue(s).

We as a REactive department, not a PROactive one, will have to wait until a few of us P.O.'s are gunned down in the street with .223's before this discussion will even be brought to light by our media.

-Tact Guy

Anonymous said...

Your suggestion of SWAT teams for each area sounds like a winner sarge. But alas,like this one,how many good ideas never see the light of day in this dept. Tac Guy is correct. Some PO's will have to be massacred in a shootout where they're hopelessly outgunned,or a HBT situation that goes out of control leaving multiple citizens dead because it took our one SWAT team too long to respond and set up. I think the set up NYPD has with their ESU personnel would work great in this city.

fillmoreranger said...

lets be realistic here anyone who depends on swat for help is a moron. the unit was stood up and manned while the military members of the dept were off in Afghanistan and Iraq its another clout heavy unit with t shirts thats all.

Anonymous said...

THERE IS NOT ONE SWAT MEMBER THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE IRAQ. THEY WOULD FUCKING SHOOT THEIR OWN FOOT OFF TO GO HOME. TRUST ME. I WANT THE QUIET GUY TO GO THROUGH THAT DOOR. THE SILENT WARRIOR WILL ALWAYS WIN.

Anonymous said...

Having "SOUTH SIDE SWAT," "NORTH SIDE SWAT," and a "WEST SIDE SWAT"
would be impractical, money wise.
But we probably need more SORT cars on the street in each area.
The problem is....ourselves. The officers in those SORT cars won't be allowed to be tied down on arrests, and will not be expected to ride on routine assignments.
The resentment factor would rise considerably. And you know these SORT people won't be in their areas when it's lunchtime. But the "SORT cars by area" theme would probably be the best solution, for now.

Please keep in mind that this is an open blog
that can and is read by people other than Chicago Police Officers.