The SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) Team is used to resolve situations that require tactics and weaponry not
normally available to uniform patrol officers. Some of the situations encountered by the SWAT Team are barricaded
gunmen, hostage scenarios, arrests of dangerous individuals, events involving large numbers of people, and threats
to the security of dignitaries. The team also helps execute search warrants where extra security precautions are
necessary to insure the safety of officers and suspects alike.
Monthly training is conducted in various parts of the county. This allows team members to familiarize themselves
with terrain that varies from the open fields and meadows of eastern Boulder County to the rugged, snowcapped peaks
at the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains. Densely populated urban areas, surrounded by ranches and estates
of less populated rural communities, provide the team with a challenge to be ready to handle emergencies in almost
any venue.
The 39 members who staff the SWAT team are themselves a select group. Available positions are filled by
candidates who participate in a competitive selection process with assignments based on the applicant’s area of interest. Possible assignments include the tactical team, the
hostage negotiations team, the paramedic team, tactical dispatchers, and the video team.
