There are moments when SWAT team personnel approaching a tense, urban stand-off with a barricaded, possibly armed suspect in a home, hotel room, office building, gym, school or mall admittedly feel a little exposed - mostly to the unknown.
Is the suspect armed? How many suspects are there? Are there hostages? Where are they hiding in the structure? Have they fortified the entryways and are they set to ambush law enforcement? Do they have firepower that will penetrate standard law enforcement ballistic vests and shields, i.e. high power rifles?
With many of these questions unanswered the suspects in these situations essentially hold home field advantage over law enforcement, leaving SWAT teams with little choice but to approach structures cautiously and slowly, and often at risk to personnel.
Fortunately, a new class of versatile, maneuverable tactical response vehicles is changing the rules of SWAT engagement and allowing law enforcement to regain the upper hand.
Armored Vehicles
Large, military-style armored vehicles with battering rams have been used by law enforcement in urban settings for more than 20 years to take out barred windows, reinforced doors, or to bust through concrete walls at suspected drug houses, for example. However, these machines are all muscle and no finesse. They are not very maneuverable and there are few options beyond its fixed battering ram. Although effective for smashing through the front of a one story house, these armored vehicles don't address the variety of situations and variables that SWAT faces on a regular basis.
The solution, it seems, is a new class of tactical response vehicle that is much more maneuverable and versatile. With a smaller footprint and zero degree turn radius, these vehicles are designed to operate in a variety of settings ranging from dense urban areas to vast rural landscape.
With its TRAC (Tactical Response Armored Car) vehicle, New York-based Dolmen Corp has taken the versatility concept one step further, by providing a virtual laundry list of quick-change attachments designed for its multi-terrain, track vehicle. These attachments range from a sophisticated assault and rescue platform, to an extendible ram unit with mounted wireless cameras, vehicle extraction device, grapple hook, and even custom options.
Utilizing a TRAC vehicle, SWAT personnel are now able to get up close and personal with a suspect barricaded in a multi-level structure while protecting the team with an increased level of ballistic protection.
The need for these vehicles to arrive on scene quickly - and ready for any situation - was addressed by the addition of a highly maneuverable and fully integrated transport vehicle. This transport truck is the ideal solution for dispatching the armored car, along with its attachments, to the scene - as opposed to a trailer system that requires purchasing a vehicle sufficient to tow it. "We can't get these in our hands fast enough," says Chris Governanti, a SWAT team member in Upstate New York. "It gives us capabilities we have never had before."
Barricade Situation
According to Governanti, any individual barricaded in a familiar structure, such as a home or office, presents a unique and dangerous challenge. By isolating himself in a protective environment, the individual is on his own turf. He knows every room, every exit and entrance. He can also choose the most strategic hiding places. "This can put police personnel at a distinct disadvantage. He can barricade one door, then funnel officers through a path of least resistance where they might be vulnerable to attack," says the seven-year veteran.
Typically, law enforcement personnel would surround the perimeter in such an instance, and then slowly and methodically move in - hopefully, without alerting the barricaded individual. "If the suspects don't come out, somebody's got to go in and get them," says Governanti.
The Approach
For SWAT, the approach is a moment of high risk exposure. With no armored vehicle to rely on, officers deploy wearing gear that provides limited ballistic protection, especially vulnerable to rifle fire. While officers wear trauma plates on their chests and backs, it is a very small area for protection against a high power rifle, Governanti says.
Tactical response vehicles provide ballistic protection to SWAT with assault platforms capable of carrying up to 8 officers at ground level, and even raise them up for 2nd floor entry. These platforms come equipped with level II, III, or IV armor plating with matching ballistic glass.
Dolmen's unique assault platform is curved, with three large windows that provide officers an unobstructed view, making direct line-of-sight assessment possible. Designed with quick response in mind, its full-sized sliding assault door is balanced and wheel mounted so it can be opened with the push of a finger. Pole cameras, thermal image cameras, K-9s, less lethal munitions and a host of other options can then be deployed from the assault platform.
Breach Points
If the barricaded subject has the doors secured, the curtains pulled, and there is otherwise no way to look inside, the team must physically create a breach. To create a breach, a battering ram is the ideal tool.
The new armored vehicle, for example, includes a breaching ram with an integrated, wireless camera. Providing over 3,500 psi, the hydraulic ram is strong enough to punch through steel doors and concrete block walls to create a controlled breach. Once inside, the camera at the end of the ram can be used to look around inside the crisis location without exposing officers.
During an incident, SWAT teams may have time to create multiple breach points to provide multiple points of access for an assault while keeping the suspect guessing as to the next move. TRAC vehicles allow team members to make entry directly into rooms, through walls, and windows from the first or 2nd floors - it provides another distinct advantage in regards to the element of surprise and the entry is made with a level of high ballistic cover.
SWAT teams can also use such vehicles to execute a simultaneous breach from the first and second floors to secure the location much faster. Previously, SWAT teams would have to clear the first floor completely, then advance to the second; or split into two teams with one team ascending the first floor stairwell. As officers are aware, stairwells are no friend to law enforcement, and are known as fatal funnels due to the constricted space, and vulnerable position if attacked.
"With the quick-change feature, a battering ram can be used to create multiple breach points. Officers can then replace the ram with the assault platform," says Governanti. "At that point you approach the structure and safely insert six officers directly into the second floor while avoiding stairwells altogether."
Removing/Adding Barricade
A grapple bucket attachment can easily remove burglar bars, security shutters, and other difficult to handle objects. Barricade objects, either natural or placed by the suspect, can also be removed with a grapple bucket. Similarly, a vehicle extraction forklift attachment can pick up, remove, or place vehicles to remove or create a barricade.
"You can use these tools to change the physical environment giving your team the upper hand right in front of the suspect," says Governanti. "At the same time, you can take your time and let the suspect know you are in it for the long haul and that he isn't in control."
Officer/Victim Down - Rescue Platform
A TRAC vehicle could be used to quickly assist a downed officer or a victim. With the shield attachment mounted, the vehicle can be driven into a position between the wounded individual on the ground and the shooter. Officers could then approach from a safe position at the back of the vehicle, load that person onto a back platform and back away to a waiting ambulance in mere minutes.
"By keeping the assault platform between a shooter and downed officer or even a victim, you can shield them from harm while removing them from the scene," adds Governanti.
Choice of Equipment
Although SWAT teams are equipped with the specialized firearms, body armor, and the advanced night vision optics they need, many would benefit from this new class of tactical response vehicle. Primarily for the ballistic protection of personnel in the field, but also for the vast array of attachments and tools that help law enforcement regain the tactical advantage.
Fortunately, a number of options on this type of vehicle help to qualify it for Homeland Security grants. The tactical response vehicle manufacturers, such as Dolmen, are available to provide grant writing resources and assistance upon request.
