SWAT and posse comitatus, Part 2

In yesterday's post, I said that because the US military can't easily help local police departments, said departments needed military capability, AKA SWAT teams. Now, to be clear, "easily help" means that at a minimum the local police have a 24/7 point of contact with the military and the military has units on a designated standby. Ideally these units have trained with the police on occasion. But since the law prohibits such activities, the police are on their own.

So SWAT teams are created. Once the teams are formed, various institutional pressures are built up to use said teams. The accounting department wants to see value for money, the team wants to get into the game, and the rank-and-file want to see "those gung-ho guys go earn a living." There's also a pressure on other departments. "Raccoon City has a SWAT team, so should we in Squirrel City." And once the Squirrel City PD has SWAT, these "we need to use it" pressures build.

The problem is you really don't need SWAT that often. The main use of SWAT is hostage situations. Active shooters rarely stick around long enough for SWAT to get there, nor can the police wait for SWAT's arrival. But since we've got this brand-new team with their new-to-us Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP, AKA "wheeled light tank"), we should use them.

Since SWAT is trained to get people out of tight spots, the first logical add-on mission is "high-risk warrants." Basically, if we think Joe Crook might shoot at police, send SWAT in. Since the celebration at the football game might get out of hand, have SWAT handy. Rinse, lather and repeat.