Swat Teams Explosive Face-offs With America's Deadliest Criminals

by Snow, Robert L.

• ISBN13: 9780738202624
• ISBN10: 0738202622
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-12-24
• Publisher: Da Capo Press

Summary

Ever since Charles Whitman gunned down over a dozen innocent people in 1966 from his perch atop the University of Texas clock tower, "SWAT team" has become a household word. In this compelling book, police veteran Robert L. Snow takes us into the midst of the nation's heroic SWAT teams, allowing us to eavesdrop on harrowing negotiations between killers and cops. He gives us a balanced look at what SWAT teams do right and what they do wrong and recommends ways to improve their tactics in future hostage situations. While he gives no-holds-barred analyses of such dire failures as Waco, he also celebrates SWAT's greatest triumphsthousands of incidents in which no one was hurt. No policeman or citizen can afford to miss this harrowing yet hopeful look at society's main weapon against sudden terror.

Author Biography

Captain Robert L. Snow is presently head of the Homicide Branch of the Indianapolis Police Department and has been a police officer in Indianapolis for over 30 years. During this time he has worked as a field officer, field sergeant, field lieutenant, field captain, Coordinator for the Field Training Officer Program, Commander of the Planning and Research Branch, Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Police, Police Department Executive Officer, and Captain of Detectives. He is the acclaimed author of STOPPING A STALKER; FAMILY ABUSE; SWAT TEAMS; and PROTECTING YOUR LIFE, HOME AND PROPERTY; and has contributed articles to a wide variety of publications, including Reader’s Digest, the Writer, Action Digest, the National Enquirer, the Saint Magazine, Law and Order, and Police, among others. Captain Snow graduated summa cum laude from Indiana University with degrees in criminal justice and psychology. He lives with his wife Melanie, a narcotics detective, in Indianapolis.

Table of Contents

Why Have a SWAT Team?	p. 1
Qualities and Selection of SWAT Team Members	p. 19
Snipers	p. 35
Intelligence and Planning	p. 51
Command Post Operations	p. 71
Discipline and Teamwork	p. 81
Equipment	p. 99
Training	p. 123
Perimeters and Security	p. 145
Hostages and Hostage Negotiations	p. 157
Site Assault	p. 181
Mobile Threats and Hijackings	p. 203
High-Risk Warrant Service	p. 219
Interagency Cooperation	p. 233
Some Failures of SWAT	p. 249
The Many Successes of SWAT	p. 273
The Future of SWAT	p. 289
References	p. 293
Index	p. 297
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