NCJ Number
172995
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 65 Issue: 3 Dated: March 1998 Pages: 38-41
Date Published
1998
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Tactical medical services can and should be integrated into all departments, regardless of size, that deploy their officers in critical, highly volatile scenarios.
Abstract
Based in part on the military field medical model, the need for such support for Special Weapons and Tactics teams has taken on considerable importance in the police service, since injuries occur during training as well as deployment. Access to immediate medical and dental care can often reduce the consequences of the injuries and provide front-line life-saving measures when necessary. Medical personnel also help to fill the role of preventive medicine officer and safety officer, ensuring that the team leaders are aware of environmental conditions or situations with the potential to degrade performance. Further, unit morale is often positively affected because of the presence of unit- level medical personnel. The tactical medic's roles include, but are not limited to the following: "medicine across the barricade," assessment of barricaded subjects and hostage takers during negotiations, information on medications used by subjects, assessment of subjects post-surrender, preventive medicine for negotiators, consultation concerning intelligence information obtained on subjects, medical care for negotiators, consultation on medical options for the subject, remote assessments of subjects when visual contact is possible, and threat assessments related to location of the negotiations. This article provides guidelines for adapting tactical emergency medical support for smaller departments.