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Terrell SWAT members ready when the need arises
By Tereasa Nims: tereasa_nims@terrelltribune.com
“Police! Everyone get on the ground,” shouts Terrell Police Service Sgt. Ken McKeown Wednesday night as the 10-member special weapons and tactics team prepares to enter a home.
“We're not knocking on the door and asking permission to come in,” he said later.
They are the police department's elite.
“They are always prepared if something happens,” SWAT leader Michael Bulin said.
SWAT is called out anytime there is a situation needing more attention than a patrol officer is trained for or a high-risk situation that requires automatic weapons and sophisticated equipment, Bulin said.
However, McKeown said one of the great things about TPS is that nine of the SWAT members are patrol officers and TPS has 24 patrol officers.
“Many of our patrol officers are tactically trained,” McKeown said.
Dressed in black body armor and helmets and holding high-powered weapons, the SWAT team is called on for hostage situations, felony warrants, active shooters and other potentially deadly situations.
“It's different every time,” said member David Bridges.
Joining SWAT was Bridges' longtime goal.
While Bridges loves the position, he said he might never get used to being on call 24/7, meaning the team could be called out just as they are getting into bed or already sleeping.
The members are trained in shooting, hostage situations, weapons, gas deployment, tactics and stealth.
“We all try to be trained to do the same job,” Bulin said. “For instance, if one of the team members goes down, there has to be someone else able to take over.”
Bulin said team members have to be highly motivated and dedicated.
“They must for excellence,” Bulin said.
Members must also be able to operate under a high mental demand.
For example, Bulin said when they go to a hostage situation, their mental endurance might be tested.
“Sometimes we spend hours just waiting,” Bulin said. “You have to have the mental toughness to have the patience to wait.”
When a spot on the team opens, TPS SWAT Commander, Capt. Arley Sansom and McKeown handpick the applicant for the job.
“We're looking for people who are good under pressure and good at making tactical decisions in a moment's notice,” McKeown said. “When we're called out, it's often a life or death situation. It only takes a second for something to go wrong.”
Sansom and McKeown agree that the team's mission is to save lives and to get people out of crisis situations without anyone getting hurt. They aim to handle the situation without violence, but stand prepared if the situations don't go their way.
“We're not knocking on the door and asking permission to come in,” he said later.
They are the police department's elite.
“They are always prepared if something happens,” SWAT leader Michael Bulin said.
SWAT is called out anytime there is a situation needing more attention than a patrol officer is trained for or a high-risk situation that requires automatic weapons and sophisticated equipment, Bulin said.
However, McKeown said one of the great things about TPS is that nine of the SWAT members are patrol officers and TPS has 24 patrol officers.
“Many of our patrol officers are tactically trained,” McKeown said.
Dressed in black body armor and helmets and holding high-powered weapons, the SWAT team is called on for hostage situations, felony warrants, active shooters and other potentially deadly situations.
“It's different every time,” said member David Bridges.
Joining SWAT was Bridges' longtime goal.
While Bridges loves the position, he said he might never get used to being on call 24/7, meaning the team could be called out just as they are getting into bed or already sleeping.
The members are trained in shooting, hostage situations, weapons, gas deployment, tactics and stealth.
“We all try to be trained to do the same job,” Bulin said. “For instance, if one of the team members goes down, there has to be someone else able to take over.”
Bulin said team members have to be highly motivated and dedicated.
“They must for excellence,” Bulin said.
Members must also be able to operate under a high mental demand.
For example, Bulin said when they go to a hostage situation, their mental endurance might be tested.
“Sometimes we spend hours just waiting,” Bulin said. “You have to have the mental toughness to have the patience to wait.”
When a spot on the team opens, TPS SWAT Commander, Capt. Arley Sansom and McKeown handpick the applicant for the job.
“We're looking for people who are good under pressure and good at making tactical decisions in a moment's notice,” McKeown said. “When we're called out, it's often a life or death situation. It only takes a second for something to go wrong.”
Sansom and McKeown agree that the team's mission is to save lives and to get people out of crisis situations without anyone getting hurt. They aim to handle the situation without violence, but stand prepared if the situations don't go their way.
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Ironman wrote on Feb 29, 2008 12:42 PM: