ERU Frequently Asked Questions
ERU Home page
Over the past several years, the ERU has received a number of questions regarding the job duties, training necessary and qualifications for becoming a special unit officer. The following represents some of the more common questions, as well as a few in depth questions.
What kind of training is necessary for your
career? (years of schooling, licensing,degrees?) How
did you got interested in this kind of work? What do
you do in a typical work day? What do you like best about
your job? What do you like least about your job? What
classes did you take in high school which are related to your career today?
What is the salary range for this kind of job? What
should I be doing in high school to prepare myself for this career? Should
I be taking certain classes, participating in certain activities, working
or volunteering somewhere? Do you foresee opportunities
for young people to enter your career in the near future?
Is there any other information that you can tell me that would help me
further explore this career? What is your name? Company
Name? Thank you.
My name is Sgt. Pete Rangel and my current assignment is team leader for the Gilbert SWAT Team. There is a significant amount of training that a SWAT Officer must undergo and maintain. Typically, a SWAT Officer will test for their agency SWAT team which could include physical fitness, firearms proficiency and tactical problem solving. After passing the entry tests, the SWAT Officer will be sent to a basic SWAT school which can be one to two weeks long (40hrs-80hrs) depending on the SWAT school.
A typical day for a SWAT Officer may include intelligence gathering on suspects and locations, surveillance, search/arrest warrant execution, physical fitness training, firearms training, administrative paperwork (report writing), and training other officers within the department. My favorite part of the job is serving search/arrest warrants and firearms training. My least favorite is the administrative paperwork that must be done for documentation.
You can prepare for a law enforcement career starting in high school. Some high schools offer criminal justice classes that can prepare you for college if you are interested in a criminal justice degree. Communication skills are very important for a Police Officer and a SWAT Officer, so its a good idea to have strong writing skills and verbal skills. If you are interested in learning more about police work you can check with your local police department and see if there is a Police Explorer program for the department. The Police Explorer program is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America and is designed to introduce police work to young people who are interested in police work.
For school I have to do a project on the career I want to do. I want to be on the SWAT team. I also have to do a report on the Swat team. Can you give me a basic Job Description?
A SWAT Officer has multiple duties when serving on a SWAT team. He/She will respond to high risk tactical scenarios and provide/assist with a tactical response to render a situation safe. A SWAT Officer will execute high risk warrants to persons or environments that are too dangerous to serve without a tactical resolution in place. Other duties could include dignitary protection, security for public functions, provide advanced tactical training and advanced firearms training to other officers and provide demonstrations for civic and public safety groups. SWAT Officers are required to maintain a higher level of fitness than regular officers and are tested on their fitness every year. They are required to maintain and operate several weapon systems and must qualify with these weapons every year also.
I don't know much about it, but I'm considering moving to a bigger city *just* so that if I joined SWAT, I'd see more action. I'm considering going to college or University and taking courses such as Criminology, P.E., Physics, Theology, and Philosophy, I know, weird mix. But what else should I do to get in the proper path to join SWAT? I apply to be a police officer, and just ask right away if they could possibly place me as SWAT?
You do have an interesting mix of courses. Any curriculum involving criminal justice studies will assist in pursuing a police career. Due to the high volume of writing required, it is highly recommended to emphasize strong writing skills and knowledge of computers. Generally officers who graduate from a police academy must complete a minimum amount of time in patrol before moving to a specialty assignment such as SWAT. Gilbert PD requires officers to complete their probationary period (1.5 years) before being eligible to test for SWAT. Alternate police departments require two or more years in patrol before being eligible to test. There should also have a physical conditioning regiment that includes strength and cardio training.
What is the salary of a swat team member?
Gilbert SWAT is a volunteer, part-time position and officers on the team do not receive addition pay for serving on the team. Each officer is paid based on their current full-time assignment, and number of years worked for the department. Starting salary for an officer is $19.10-$26.73 per hour. Each officer will receive an annual evaluation and based on the evaluation the officer could get a merit raise. Bottom line, officers serving on SWAT do it because they love doing SWAT work and not for the money.
Hello there. I am curious about the training methods of the ERU team. Do they use Simunitions, MILES, or Airsoft? Or do they just have targets in the selected training area?
The Gilbert ERU uses a variety of training methods that include Simunitions, Airsoft and static targets. Simunitions and Airsoft are used for training commonly referred to as "Force on Force." This is as close to real life gun fights as you can get without using live ammo. Scenarios are played out using actors who have the option of using simulated deadly force on officers. The officers get a better understanding of what it feels like to encounter a deadly force situation and make split second decisions to apply the proper tactic and force option to overcome the attacker. And yes, Simunitions does hurt if you are hit in a non-padded area. We use static targets are on the shooting range for qualifications and training drills using live ammo. We have not had the opportunity to use the Miles gear that is commonly used in military training exercises. Thanks for the question.
At what velocity do the Simunitions travel? Do they offer simunitions for a sniper rifle? Does Gilbert ERU have a sniper team/unit? What are the requirements for that? And finally, being the airsoft junkie that I am, does Gilbert ERU have internal upgrades on the airsoft weapons? If so, which upgrades and at what FPS do they run, or are they stock?
The Simunitions we use travel at approximately 360-490 fps. There is Simunitions for the M-16/AR-15. However, we do not use Simunitions in our sniper rifles. Our sniper rifles are a precision instrument and can only fire factory ammunition with each round recorded by the shooter.
Gilbert SWAT has five precision riflemen making two rifle teams (two per team) and one alternate. Each team has a .308 bolt rifle operator and a .223 ppc operator. The requirements to be a precision rifle person is to first attend basic SWAT school, and complete a one year probationary period/Field training as a SWAT operator. The next step is to attend a sniper school that is approximately one week long and covers basic sniper craft. Generally a precision rifle person is physically fit, has excellent basic marksmanship skills and has the ability to wait long periods of time in a prone position and make split second decisions to shoot or don't shoot.
The Airsoft guns we use are stock Glock models. The Airsoft pellet will travel approximately 300 fps and we do not use any internal upgrades. Thanks for the great questions.
What does the word "SWAT" means?
Special Weapons and Tactics-The word was created in the late sixties, early seventies by the LA Police Department where the first SWAT teams came into existence. The SWAT teams were created to handle police situations that exceeded the training and equipment of patrol officers. Most officers serving on these teams had prior military training from the Vietnam War. The training and tactics used in SWAT today have changed from those used by the first SWAT teams but most of the basic principles are still the same.
Is it hard to be a Swat Team member?
Being a SWAT member can be very difficult at times. SWAT officers must be very physically fit and must be able to work in heavy equipment for several hours at a time. This means that SWAT officers must exercise often to keep themselves in shape. Additionally, SWAT officers are subject to call-out 24 hours a day, so sometimes, an officer may be called to duty in the middle of the night.
On the other hand, SWAT work can be very rewarding. While sometimes the work can be dangerous and difficult, the SWAT officers enjoy working on a team of well trained officers. The SWAT officers enjoy the close friendship of the other team members and they enjoy helping people who are endangered. SWAT officers are called out when someone's life is endangered, so although the work is hard, the reward is that we sometimes save a person life.
Do you have 'internships' like the fire department has with "Fire Explorers" where a student can go with the ERU team? About how many calls does the ERU respond to every week? And my final question, Does each officer get to select his weapon and accessories to them? Thanks for your time!
To answer your first question, Yes, Gilbert Police Department does have an Explorer Program. The Explorer Program is designed to educate and prepare young people from 15 to 20 years old in their goals toward a police career. The Explorer program is not specifically connected to SWAT, however the Explorers often volunteer to assist in SWAT training and occasionally they will assist in actual operations in administrative capacities assisting patrol officers.
The ERU team is only used for very serious emergencies which exceed the abilities of our normal patrol response. Because our patrol force is extremely well trained, it is often able to handle almost all the emergencies that arise. This means that the SWAT team is only needed once every several weeks although we train and are ready at all times.
Finally, Each SWAT officer is issued identical equipment and body armor protection. All of the SWAT officers are equipped with weapons that will assist them in the specific mission they will be given. For example, Entry officers (SWAT officers who will actually enter and contact suspects) are issued shotguns and other short range weapons that are designed to be used inside a building. Precision Rifleman who stay outside of the building and report what they see, are issued a long range rifle with a scope. All of the SWAT officers and negotiators carry the same pistol and all SWAT officers are issued a medium range rifle similar to the military M-16.
I hope I was able to answer your questions. Please feel free to contact the Police Department if you have further interest in the Police Explorer program.
Do you have an Informational packet on the SWAT, Also what is the percentage on people that make it onto the Swat Team?
Currently, the ERU team shares information through the Town of Gilbert web-site. This information has been found to be suitable for public use and you may feel free use it for information purposes.
Regarding the second portion of your question, SWAT is not for all for all Police Officers. SWAT training is extremely physically demanding and the SWAT members make a substantial time commitment to SWAT which can sometimes make their family life difficult. As such, very few officers will ever test for the SWAT team. Of those that do test, approximately half of those will be accepted for training. If an Officer is not accepted, he may test again when a new position on the team comes open again. This means that sometimes, an Officer may test 2 or even 3 times before being accepted.
How much do ERU's get paid for salary, and do you have to be an police officer before you can be on the ERU?
Officers assigned to the Emergency Response Unit are already fully sworn police officers with primary duties in other areas of the Police Department. As such they are paid as police officers and their hourly salary is the standard salary paid to all sworn police officers with small adjustments made due to seniority. When a SWAT Officer or Crisis Negotiator is "called out" for a crisis situation, they are paid an overtime wage above their normal salary which is equivalent to 1.5 hours of normal time worked. In other words, if an officer is normally paid $20.00 per hour for normal duties, he would earn $30.00 for every hour worked during the callout.
As mentioned before, all SWAT members are already police officers. Most SWAT members are senior officers with the average officer having approximately 4-6 years as a policeman. All of the ERU leadership have over 10 years in law enforcement.
Is the ERU unit a full time job or do officers on ERU have other duties as well?
The Emergency Response Unit has approximately 20 members including SWAT and Crisis Negotiators. Currently, there are no full-time members. All of the team members are sworn officers in the department and all have primary assignments outside of ERU. Most of the members are patrolmen, but a few members are Motorcycle Officers, School Resource Officers and even Detectives. All of the members are subject to callout from their primary duties 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How long can an officer be in a SWAT unit before being transferred to another division within a department?
The Gilbert Police Department has about 140 police officers and our SWAT team is not a full time assignment. All of our tactical officers and negotiators are also assigned duties in other areas of the department. Most work in patrol, while others work in special assignments such as Motorcycle Traffic Enforcement, Investigations and even the DARE Program. This means that although an officer is serving on SWAT, he may still be able to serve in other special assignments within the department and even seek promotion to the rank of Sergeant. Generally speaking, when an officer is chosen for the SWAT team or any special assignment, he is required to serve 2 years within that assignment. However, due to the immensity of knowledge and training required for SWAT, most officers coming to SWAT make a personal commitment to the team to serve for a minimum of 5 years.
Can you explain the physical requirements for being in SWAT?
Currently, our department is in the process of implementing a department wide fitness standard. This standard is similar to the Cooper standards but tailored specific to our agency. The exercises involved are:
- 1.5 mile run to measure aerobic endurance
- 300 meter sprint
- Number of correct pushups in an unlimited time without resting
- Number of correct sit-ups in one minute without resting
We have a set minimum standard for all of these exercises based on an actual study we conducted within our own agency and with other agencies in our state. By the end of next year, our entire department (sworn) will be required to participate in this test and must meet minimum standards to continue in a full duty capacity.
During the study which the department participated in, a second study was done which measured the levels of tactical officers along side of regular patrol officers. What we found was that our average SWAT officer routinely performed 20% higher than the average patrolmen in all areas. With that in mind, minimum SWAT PT standards have been set at a level equivalent to 20% above the minimum standards of patrolmen.
The numbers look something like this:
- 1.5 mile run: 12:30
- 300 yard run: 56 seconds
- Pushups: 58
- Sit-ups: 35
Additionally... New SWAT candidates must complete a grueling 3 minute obstacle course while wearing full level 4 body armor
While these numbers may seem low, keep in mind that SWAT officers must be balanced in all areas. The SWAT officer has to be able to be strong enough to carry all the weight of tactical gear and weapons while still being lean enough to run 1.5 miles in 12 1/2 minutes.
Can women be in SWAT?
Women can not only be in SWAT, but in any special detail at the department. Absolutely no distinction is made between men and women in special details. SWAT does not have different testing standards for men and women; Everyone must be able to perform the same essential functions.
As a matter of history, one of the eight founding members of the Gilbert Police Department SWAT team (in 1993) was Sergeant Nancy Gardner. During her eight years in SWAT, Sgt. Gardner outperformed many of her teammates and was appointed as an Assistant Team Leader before she left the detail.
An Assistant Team Leader fills in for the Team Leader in his/her absence. The Team Leader is responsible for developing tactical plans for review by the Commander and for the movement and operation of the SWAT officers at the crisis site.
Now a Lieutenant, Gardner maintains an active interest in SWAT command.
How long is the average wait from academy graduation to eligibility for the S.W.A.T academy?
The average SWAT officer in Gilbert has served between 3 to 5 years before testing for SWAT. Reasons for this vary, but the main issue has to do with the probationary requirement.
All officers who test for an opening on SWAT must be off their regular probation. This "test" period starts when the recruit begins the academy and continues a minimum of one year AFTER graduation from the academy. During this time, the officer must demonstrate sound judgment and successfully meet hundreds of specific requirements.
After their initial probationary period, officers are allowed to test for specialty assignments (SWAT is one of these). Most officers need a few years in the field before they have the knowledge and skills necessary to function in the SWAT environment.
SWAT demands extreme levels of physical and mental ability. These can take, depending on the person, years to develop. The SWAT Commander in Gilbert has over 17 years in law enforcement. The Team Leader has 12.
I am an explorer and I was wondering, How long do you have to be a police officer with the department before you can join SWAT?
Thank you for your question. The minimum time to test for SWAT is 18 months. This 18 months includes the 6 months of basic level training at the academy and initial street training with a Field training officer. The next year is a probation period. Once an officer has completed their probation they are permitted to request assignment to any position which they chose. SWAT is considered a specialty position with several months of training. To join SWAT, an officer must make a commitment to serve on the team for 5 years. During this 5 years, the officer will not be permitted to serve in any other specialty position such as Detective or Motor-cycle officer. To join SWAT an officer must go through an extensive testing regiment and maintain very high standards of physical fitness and weapons proficiency. Each SWAT member is handpicked by the team. Most officers don't make the team their first try. Although the minimum time is only 18 months, the average SWAT officer has about 5 years of experience before they are selected.