SWAT
Mission
The mission of the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team is to save lives.SWAT operations are accomplished by utilizing exceptional discipline, teamwork, knowledge of specialized weapons and equipment, and tactical skills in response to dangerous and often volatile situations. The goal of each mission is to establish control and resolve each incident with the minimum application of force.
Team Members
The SWAT Team consists of a team commander, team leader, assistant team leader, entry team, and react / rescue team. Additionally, many team members have extraordinary expertise in specialized areas, such as weaponless defense, advanced tactical firearms instructors, less-lethal munitions, chemical agents, technical rope or rappel master, sniper, emergency medical technician (EMT), land navigation, and explosives recognition.Each member of the team has other full-time duties within the department. Team member’s full-time assignments may be Patrol, Investigations, Civil / Coroner, or Boat Patrol. Each member of the team must pass a stringent screening process. Upon selection by the sheriff, all team members must attend and pass a rigorous basic SWAT school, where they learn the latest and most innovative techniques.
Training
The SWAT team trains regularly to maintain its skills, as well as to gain exposure to various tactical situations they may encounter. Such situations may include hostage rescue, vehicle assaults, high-risk warrant service, and marijuana eradication in the wilderness.The Sheriff’s SWAT Team provides the department with a highly mobile force capable of neutralizing a dangerous situation with a swift, coordinated tactical effort. Team members agree that SWAT offers a challenging way to learn new skills they inevitably carry with them into other aspects of their law enforcement service for the remainder of their carriers.