On December 16th, 2011, nineteen investigators and deputy sheriffs completed OCSD Basic SWAT School #1 at the Katella Training Facility. The graduates are members of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, the Hazardous Devices Squad, and the Sheriff’s K-9 unit.
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and Commander Don Barnes presented each of the graduates with their Certificates of Completion.
The two week course consisted of in-depth classroom instruction, including basic SWAT duties and responsibilities, tactical considerations when dealing with critical incidents, practical application scenarios, and firearms training. The OCSD Basic SWAT course is the first POST certified “SWAT School” offered by an Orange County law enforcement agency.
The class was taught by members of the OCSD SWAT Team and subject matter experts from outside the department. Members of HDS and K-9 were included in the class because SWAT, HDS, and K-9 regularly work together to safely resolve critical incidents. The goal is to achieve the seamless integration of these disciplines during a tactical operation. The graduates of OCSD Basic SWAT School #1 are well on their way to achieving that goal.
Here are some photos of SWAT in action: