Whether the situation is a standoff with a barricaded gunman, a robbery in progress, a high risk arrest, or a felony search warrant, there will be a need for a perimeter.
Many, if not most, police officers and tactical operators might think they’re being left out of the action when they are assigned to the perimeter, but this thinking underestimates the importance of the perimeter.
- The perimeter needs to be secured prior to the entry being made;
- This should be done in such a matter so as not to tip the hand of the police;
- It is critical that members securing the perimeter make their approach and arrival unheard and unseen;
- They must be mentally and physically prepared to deal with the same threats that the entry team might face;
- The perimeter should also provide security against a drive-by shooting directed at police or witnesses at the scene.
Every member of your SWAT team wants to go through the door – it’s in their nature. But one of the basic goals of any SWAT action is to contain the problem. That action is on the perimeter.
