Training the Swat Trainer: Legal Mandates and Practical Suggestions for Improving Police Tactical Performance

Abstract

Few areas in American law enforcement are characterized by the frequency, quality, and magnitude of innovations as the advances found in tactical operations. To introduce new equipment and methods during an actual operation without adequate instruction, assessment, preparation, and practice not only invites failure but also subjects an entire organizational chain of command to preventable criticism and avoidable litigation. The purpose of this manual is to introduce police instructional personnel to the legal, administrative, and safety issues associated with this very critical area of police