24 Police Officers Selected for SWAT Training

14 October 2009

A selected team of 24 district police officers will be given Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training. The team, which comprises police officers selected from police stations all over Dakshina Kannada, will be trained for commando-style, high-risk operations.

SP Dr. A. S. Rao will lead the SWAT training programme. In 2006, Mr. Rao formed a part of the Indian Crisis Response Team and took intensive SWAT training lasting 6 weeks at Louisiana, United States.

The trained team would be duty bound to rescue hostages, counter terrorist operations, serve high-risk arrest warrants, and face heavily armed criminals. Each SWAT team member would be armed with 2 firearms. According to the toughness of the situation they will have to face, the members of the team would be equipped with AK-47, INSAS assault rifle, or Carbine. They would also be armed with a 9mm pistol.

Mr. Rao said: “The team is not being formed because we perceive some specific threats. The team’s services might never be required; and they might be called in for normal law-enforcement or riot situation.”

The members of the team must wear a blue uniform that will make them look formidable. Mr. Rao remarked that their appearance will help control street violence.