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SWAT Team Trains on Mobile Vehicle Assaults

The South Metro Area SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) Team spent the day Wednesday, June 13th, learning how to handle subjects who are barricaded in a vehicle. The Mobile Vehicle Assault training was an eight hour session which addressed best practices in situations where a person(s) may be inside a vehicle (car, van, truck, or bus) with potential hostages. Chief Stacey said, "The Mobile Vehicle Assault scenario is one of the most dangerous items the team is tasked with due to the many intangibles and the fact that the vehicle in question as the potential to become mobile."

Metro Area Transit gave the team full access to one of their buses for the training. Lt Mark Elbert stated, "Although the team has worked with such buses in past training it is very beneficial to have a refresher on the operating systems of such a bus." Elbert also expressed his appreciation to Metro Area Transit for providing the bus to the team.

The SWAT Team is made up of 28 officers from Bellevue, LaVista, Papillion, Plattsmouth and Ralston. 17 of the members are Bellevue officers. The SWAT Team members are required to attend a minimum of 8 hours of training every month. Training topics cover new skills or refresh current skills and may include such things as negotiation tactics, high risk warrant service, firearms training, dignitary protection, hostage situations, or barricaded gunmen.