NCJ Number
183854
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 48 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2000 Pages: 58-60
Editor(s)
Bruce Cameron
Date Published
May 2000
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Rio Rancho, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, suburb with over 50,000 residents in its 80 square miles, has a Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprising police, fire, and emergency medical services.
Abstract
Personnel are cross-trained, with each officer certified in two of the three fields, to provide flexibility in meeting the responsibilities of the DPS. Although the DPS has more than 100 officers, it does not have a special weapons and tactical (SWAT) unit, but both the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department do. Instead, Rio Rancho has an Emergency Response Team (ERT), a fully equipped and trained entry unit with precision marksman support. Unlike departments in which SWAT officers work both inner and outer perimeters, the ERT uses patrol officers to staff the outer perimeter, thereby making do with less. The ERT consists of eight entry team officers, four precision marksmen, three medics, and one commander. Four crisis negotiators are attached to the ERT but are not part of the team. Equipment includes semi-automatic shotguns, rifles, submachine guns, rifles, and automatic pistols. ERT officers are selected based on their skills, judgment, and ability to handle pressure. Firearms proficiency has to be 90 percent or better. Candidates attend a 2-week basic SWAT school to accustom them to team procedures and pressures they will face. In addition, the ERT trains 2 days a month, practicing house entries, room clearing, and operations coordinated with precision marksmen. To speed response time, ERT members respond directly to the scene instead of reporting to a central point and deploying from there. The ERT has proven it can handle critical situations with limited resources. 3 photographs