SWAT Teams Save ‘Countless Lives’

Sharon Dolovich’s Sept. 22 commentary (“Invasion of SWAT Teams Leaves Trauma and Death”) grossly distorts the role of Special Weapons and Tactics teams in law enforcement. Dolovich tries to paint a picture of these highly trained and remarkably effective teams as a bunch of cowboys running amok in our society. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Before we had specialized entry teams, narcotics search warrants and other high-risk warrants had to be served by patrol officers and detectives with little or no training in the tactics of high-risk building entry and search. Experience taught us that search and arrest warrants could be served much more safely by using teams of officers who are specially trained and equipped and who work together regularly.

Today’s specially trained and equipped entry teams that are usually staffed by SWAT members have undoubtedly saved countless lives when serving high-risk search warrants on drug dealers and other violent criminals. The raid on the Branch Davidian compound at Waco is the best argument that can be made for specially trained and equipped entry teams. In that instance, the majority of the officers lacked in-depth special training in high-risk entry tactics and most had never worked together before that day. The death toll on both sides was staggering--and that’s exactly what we aim to prevent from happening again.

JOHN M. QUINZIO

Westminster

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Dolovich’s criticism of SWAT team tactics correctly highlighted one of the most dangerous movements in recent American history: the growing willingness of the government to enforce moral precepts through coercive police tactics. Dolovich is correct to say that the metaphor of a “war on drugs” produces a military style, take-no-prisoners mentality among police agencies.

What she didn’t stress was that SWAT teams across the country, as well as our national moral police force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, are trying to purify America with the same misguided zeal we have so long abhorred in Iranian mullahs and Taliban fundamentalists. With the encouragement of that high priest of moral conduct, Gen. Barry McCaffrey, soon every American will have to urinate in a cup to prove his or her purity, and those found unclean can expect a nighttime knock on the door.

PRESTON ROSE

South Pasadena