NCJ Number
190833
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2001 Pages: 86-89
Date Published
July 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines the assignment of women to SWAT teams in the Pinellas County, FL, Sheriff's Office.
Abstract
At one time, the necessary requirement to become a Special Weapons and Tactical Team (SWAT) member was brawn. Today's SWAT supervisors look for level headedness, maturity, and analytical ability along with physical fitness. Decision making is crucial to SWAT effectiveness. In addition, a diversity of people has been found to create a more efficient and stronger team. At the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office female deputies are encouraged to try out for SWAT. The Sheriff's Office has two 12-member SWAT teams for an office of about 800 deputies. The article reviewed the credentials and experience of one woman selected for a SWAT team, and gave a brief description of the team's responsibilities. The woman served for 5 years on the narcotics squad, and her normal policing duty was as a narcotics detective. She attended basic SWAT school, a 7-day course. Her SWAT team trains 11 hours per month and annually has a 40-hour block of training. A good part of the team's work involves serving search warrants. The article also examined the career of another female SWAT team member. She has done so well in the physical training aspect of her job that she took first place and three Golds in the Toughest Cop Alive competition, FL, and World Police and Fire Games in Sweden and Australia.