San Joaquin - Index

San Joaquin - may08 - Index

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To every call they also additionally bring an equipment
truck, fondly known as “the bread van.” inside, each officer’s
gear is tucked neatly into a cubbyhole, and weapons stand
ready for use. metal battering rams of several shapes and sizes
that can break down front doors and tear through security
screen doors are also inside; the one-man version weighs
thirty-five pounds. a tool named “the hooligan” can tear
through walls.
The SWaT team has night vision aids and several types
of lethal weapons, including 40-caliber handguns, long rifles,
and shotguns. The equipment truck also carries less lethal
weapons such as tasers, gas, beanbags that can be shot at
suspects, and wooden dowels or skip-rounds that are aimed at
the ground to help break up groups. Unfortunately, less lethal
tactics only work about half the time, according to Sgt. george.
The “peacekeeper” can be used to retrieve a fallen officer
while shielding another that would otherwise be in harm’s way,
or used as a shield to approach a building where high-powered
weaponry is present. The vehicle itself is a 1981 ex-U.S. air
Force Dodge. in addition to the hinged turrets throughout used
for guns, it is equipped with a large shield on top, which a
deputy can stand behind to aim a gun or spotlight.
SWaT calls are not always crisis situations; the SWaT
team is also called upon when ViP protection is needed in
unincorporated areas of the county. This includes the Stockton
airport, where air Force One has flown into on more than one
occasion. Sgt. george says planning with the Cia for this type
of coverage of a sitting president starts months before he ever
sets foot in San Joaquin County.
The Gear
each SWaT team member wears a camouflage vest made
to hold smaller tools, equipped with a strike-plate shield
that weighs close to forty pounds. at times they must wear
the vest for hours, which is one reason many on the team
keep energy bars in their spare pockets (food vendors
don’t deliver to SWaT members crouched behind trees,
Sgt. george teases). much like a fisherman’s vest made
to hold small hooks and baits crucial to the sport, this
unit’s vests hold items much more vital to their task than
snacks. One pocket is sized for a police radio connected to an
inconspicuous earpiece, another small pocket holds a mirror
used for looking around tight corners, while another pocket on
the back of the vest is designed to hook up to a personal gas
mask. although most SWaT members carry a mini flashlight
as part of their arsenal of tools, each of their weapons has
one built in as well. Vest pockets also hold pepper spray, extra
sets of regular police-issued handcuffs, and even mini batons,
another hand-me-down from the military.
The initials D.L.L. are embroidered onto the arm of each
of our local SWaT uniforms to commemorate their only fallen
deputy. Dighton Little was killed in the line of duty in 1989 while
serving a routine narcotics search warrant.
40 san joaquin magazine maY 15 15-JULY - JULY 1 2008