Editing Fragile:SWAT

=Origins=


The concept of special police squads has been around for a long time, but the first real SWAT unit was derived from D-Platoon of the Los Angeles Police Department. It was a reaction to the turbulence of the 60's, particularly the infamous Texas Tower Sniper of 1966. Initially only a counter-sniper unit, it branched out into responding to other high risk call-outs. Its first operation (1969) targeted two Black Panthers after they made a public threat to kill a police officer. After an hours-long gun battle and siege, the suspects surrendered and SWAT had its first victory.


In the modern age, the concept if not the name has proliferated globally, with most major cities having specially trained tactical-response police teams. There are thousands of teams, ranging from small town units to groups attached to federal agencies. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) follows the American model, which can be traced back to D-Platoon.


=Organization=


SWAT personnel are police, first and foremost, and are taken from the ranks of the department. The teams tend to be small, even in large metropolitan areas. The LAPD's SWAT maintains less than 70 full-time officers; many other cities have half that. With 20 full-time members and a 150 mile radius of jurisdiction, the LVMPD SWAT probably sees action on an almost daily basis. In smaller cities (like Boulder City) SWAT units tend to be part-time and might have a dozen or so officers available. Funding varies, so the equipment also varies. The LVMPD is probably pretty well-funded, so if it doesn't have cutting edge gear, it still outfits its people with decent material.


In terms of jurisdiction, SWAT ops are undertaken by the team whose agency is executing the mission. In the incident that begins our story, the LVMPD is serving a high-risk warrant on the Hallowed Believers compound in connection with a series of ritualistic homicides that the department's Homicide unit is investigating. The Boulder City Police Department (which is pretty small) is providing support, but its the Las Vegas PD's show.


=Training=


Full-time teams spend close to 30-40% of their time training. A lot of this is done in simulated or actual urban environments, such as CQB houses ("kill house" or "shoot house") and closed schools. A big part of the training is getting to know your team mates, down to the subtlest nuances. In Spycraft 2.0 terms, this likely imparts some familiarity with Sense Motive for Innuendo checks.


=Duties=


SWAT tends to be called upon for two types of actions; Emergency and Deliberate. Emergency actions include bank robberies, barricaded suspects, and hostage situations. These are situations where there's little time to prepare and SWAT acts as a reaction force. If the action persists, the team may have time to plan and even rehearse potential assault. Deliberate actions are proactive and SWAT usually has time to plan in advance. Sometimes, as in the opening scene of the game, they have to be taken quickly; the police have just received a tip that Dr. Carpenter is on site at the compound, which could net Homicide evidence and their primary suspect. Carpenter has proven very elusive and the detectives don't want to give the cult time to destroy evidence, so this calls for SWAT.

SWAT teams spend the majority of their time serving high-risk warrants. Search warrants are court orders which authorizes law enforcement to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a criminal offense and seize such items. High-risk warrants like the one for the cult compound involve some degree of danger for the police, who might otherwise just knock on a door and show a badge. Unless its a No-knock warrant, though, SWAT still has to "knock and announce" itself before entering. Warrants are known as "paper" to SWAT officers, and paper is paper to most of them. The warrant the team serves at the compound is not a no-knock warrant.

Other deliberate actions include hostage rescue, dignitary protection, barricaded suspects, breakouts, "suicide by cop" incidents, hijackings and mobile threats. There's a good chance that a veteran full-time SWAT officer has seen most if not all of these in his or her time. Full-time SWAT officers will sometimes engage in other police work when between missions. This is usually done in two-man "buddy teams".


=Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics - LVMPD SWAT=


The LVMPD SWAT unit has 21 men - a lieutenant and two 10-man teams. PC SWAT officers are assumed to be part of the same team. As noted before, teams have a team sergeant, an element leader, two snipers, a grenade specialist, and five assaulters. Most of the team will obviously be NPCs. They receive an average of one call-out per day and use unmarked vehicles carrying personal gear; an equipment van carries heavier firearms and assault gear. Chances are SWAT arrives at the compound in the unmarked vehicles, which will probably be Chevrolet Suburban SUVs. The team also uses a pair of V-100 armored vehicles and a Commando Peacekeeper. Primary weapons are the S&W Model 5906 pistol, H&K MP5A4N submachine gun, Colt M4A1 assault carbine, Remington Model 700 sniper rifle, and Remington Model 870P shotgun. We'll likely use stats for similar weapons from Spycraft 2.0 in case they aren't covered in the gear chapter of the core rulebook.


=SWAT Operations=


*Preparations


The first thing a SWAT team does when it arrives is set up a perimeter around the incident site. More than one perimeter is usually established, but the goal is always the same: keep suspects in and bystanders out. In the incident that opens the game, the containment perimeter is to be established at the same time the entry team deploys - suddenly and without warning. This is to reduce the chances of Dr. Carpenter escaping and the cult destroying valuable evidence. The inner perimeter (IP) is the first line of containment, tasked with observing the site and reporting back to the command post (CP). They're the first line of defense and are usually manned by SWAT officers if the department can afford to do so. The perimeter should be close enough for the site and its exits to be visible but far enough away to provide cover or concealment. The IP is usually the site of last cover and concealment (LCC) and the final staging area for the SWAT entry team. Officers guarding the IP stay there while the entry team assaults the building. They communicate changes they witness and practice good radio discipline to listen for updates. IP personnel do not enter the site unless relieved or so ordered, and only fire on the site if they must save an officer or hostage's life.


The outer perimeter (OP) is at a much greater distance from the site, surrounding it and the IP. This is usually manned by patrol officers and seeks to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering the area. It also functions as a backup perimeter to provide a wider ring of containment.


CPs are established as soon as possible, usually in a mobile base like a trailer or van, or in a nearby building. The CP should be close enough for the incident commander and others can see the site but far enough to keep the CP relatively safe. Command for the incident and the SWAT team falls to the incident commander (IC), usually the ranking police officer such as a captain. He assembles a team of assistants and makes the important decisions for the operation, at least up until the point of actual entry. Once the entry has begun, tactical command shifts to the entry team and its team leader; he makes decisions on use of force, room clearing techniques, stealth or dynamic posture, and so on. The IC still makes command level decisions for the exterior of the site, but he may relegate authority to the team leader. There's a wide range of support staff at a CP, including hostage negotiators, PR reps, EMT and fire department reps, etc.


*Gathering Intelligence


Intel is relayed and digested by administrative personnel, support staff, police officers, and SWAT officers. The IC or somebody he's assigned briefs the officers on the scene about the incident as soon as possible, outlining a broad overview on the situation and giving profile sheets for every person known to be involved. Profile sheets collect suspect information for persons of interest who is believed to be on site, be they hostage or suspect. Once a perimeter is established, snipers and observation teams get in place and provide continuing updates on the situation through surveillance. This includes simple visual scanning, but can involve electronic surveillance gear as well.


Chances are the Vegas SWAT team will be briefed on the cultist compound, with a sketch of the building for reference. It'll show doors, windows, and other pertinent details, and some interior features are likely to be suggested. These are based on observation, informant tips and architecture-derived deductions. Building location codes are used by SWAT teams; these are standardized and quick ways of indicating a specific place in the site. It involves numbering the building's sides one through four, beginning with the front and working clockwise. The floors are counted from the ground up, openings from left to right. You can refine the method, distinguishing doors from windows (e.g. "suspect spotted, side 2, floor 2, first window").


*Hostage Negotiation


If the incident becomes a hostage rescue or barricaded suspect situation, chances are the police negotiator will be called on to try and establish communication with the suspect or suspects. This is done through existing telephone lines or with a special crisis phone dropped off by SWAT inside of the site (through a window or open door). The negotiator is there to get the suspect to surrender without harming anyone, and he uses every psychological edge he can come up with to accomplish this. This means a lot of talking, empathizing, and stalling, and requires some level of trust. Negotiators try to establish connections in the community's underworld and reputations for trustworthiness; one bad negotiation can end your career.

=Planning the Assault=


Every plan should cover five primary aspects:


*Situation: intel on the site, suspects, hostages, terrain, etc.
*Objective: goal of the op, specifics on the use of force
*Execution: description of how the mission is to be executed, approach routes, entry points, choices on stealth or dynamic entry
*Logistics: list of personnel and equipment to be used
*Command: chain of command covering who has authority over snipers, assault teams, radio frequencies, radio code names


When possible, the team will rehearse their assault plan. Chances are that SWAT won't have had time to do so in our game.


=CQB Tactics=


Close quarters battle (CQB) is the domain of the assault or entry team, and will be a focus of the game. Most of the PCs will be involved in the physical entry of the compound. The entry team may have personnel who follow them into the site, including officers tasked with making formal arrests of neutralized (handcuffed and searched) suspects, performing first aid, searching rooms, disarming explosives and so on. These personnel are called "trailers", because they trail the SWAT team, and may be called in even during the assault if needed. They never go into an area that SWAT hasn't searched and cleared safe. Female officers are called upon to search female suspects.


=Roles/Duties=


*Team leader: This is the leader of the "element" or team that makes the assault. Usually a sergeant or lieutenant, often the most experienced member of the team. He makes command decisions while the team is inside the site and has to maintain tactical awareness from his place in the middle of the team. Possibly an NPC, possibly a PC, depending.


*Scout/Point Man: At the front of the "stack", the point man enters rooms first, as low as possible, allowing his partner to enter directly after him and fire over him if necessary. Usually armed with a one handed weapon (pistol, light SMG) so he can mirror or carry a shield. Mirroring is the use of a mirror or optic camera to check under doors, around corners, through ceiling panels, or tiny holes drilled in the wall. He may double as "key man", whose task is to open the door. In this case, he's the last man through the door as he has to take time to ready his weapon. He may open the door while his partner deploys a flash-bang.


*Assaulters: Generic entry personnel, they make up the bulk of the SWAT team. Rarely first in the door, almost never last. Tasked with covering a particular area of responsibility (AOR) such as a door, hallway, staircase, etc. They provide cover for other personnel who have specialized tasks.


*Breachers: Opening the door by whatever means are called for (simple doorknob, using a ram or "key", breaching charge, breaching shotgun), the breacher is the last man to enter a room and may be the point man, one "key man", breaching team, or rear guard. They need to be strong and to know something about building construction to enable them to know how to best open a door. They often carry a shotgun with breaching rounds.


*Rear Guard: The last man on the entry team who watches the team's back, walking backward at times to make certain no threats sneak up; often the breacher with shotgun or ram. Often stronger than the others and tasked with carrying spare gear such as ammo and grenades.


*Snipers: Can be dedicated snipers, cross-trained entry personnel, or officers at the IP. Most of their job is simply watching the site and providing updates to the CP, with the rare shot at a threatening and visible suspect. More likely a role for NPCs given the relative lack of physical involvement.


*Grenade specialist: Not covered in the book, but I assume this is the SWAT guy who carries a grenade launcher for putting tear gas (CS) in a room. Unlikely to have regular 40mm explosive rounds, but he might have "non-lethal" ammo such as baton rounds. Needs to have the Tactical and Indirect weapon proficiencies.


=The Assault=


Assault has three elements:


*Surprise: If you can surprise suspects, they'll be unprepared or out of position, which is to your advantage. Surprise can involve a countdown with multiple participants with different angles of approach or entry, timed so that they act at specific ticks of the clock in a particular sequence prepared beforehand. In Spycraft 2.0, surprise is gained through an opposed Blend or Stealth check.


*Shock: A shocked enemy poses far less threat to an incoming assault team than one in complete control of his senses. Shock can be achieved through speed and sudden action, and snipers and the black faceless look of SWAT outfits can help. Shock is covered by Resolve/Morale checks and things like stress damage.


*Violence of Action: Assault teams need to be able to dole out enough force to neutralize a suspect and the suspect needs to be aware of this fact and believe SWAT can win through sheer force. Numbers are a factor here, as is appearance, firearms, and simultaneous action. This has to do with Intimidation and simple logistics.


=Preparations and Stacking=


The team starts at the LCC, close to their entry point but safe from enemy line of sight. Also known as the rally point or final assault position, also used for safe entry and hostage egress. As they prepare to enter, they line up or "stack up" and prepare to move in together in the proper order (point man, cover man, team leader and assaulters, rear guard). The method of stacking can vary with terrain and features of the entry point, in one line or two lines on opposing sides. Stacked teams often lay off-hands on the shoulder of the officer ahead of him for silent communication. A nod of the head means "ready to go", reciprocal squeeze of the shoulder returns the sentiment. When the covering man lifts his hand from his partner, it is generally to steady his weapon, a warning to his partner.


SWAT teams use two-man elements or "buddy teams" composed of two officers who work and train together for long periods to get to know each other and work as point man or point cover man (covers the point man as he does his job). SWAT PCs can decide on who you want as your buddy once I've made final approval; I'd prefer PCs to be buddies with other PCs, but may need to make exceptions.


Vegas SWAT will assault with two elements composed of five man teams, common in the U.S., each with a team leader with two two-man elements. The elements can split off if the team needs to spread out and cover a wider area, the team leader going with one or the other and staying in the middle of the stack. PCs are probably going to be on the same team while NPCs compose the other one, entering from another point. If we end up with six or seven SWAT guys, this could change.


When entering, the team needs to decide on covert or dynamic entry. Covert or stealth entry means that the team tries to enter silently and unnoticed, concealing themselves and moving slow and methodically. This requires Stealth checks. Dynamic entry refers to loud, fast, and sudden entrance, meant to take advantage of surprise and shock. You behave aggressive and forceful, attempt to saturate the building, covering all rooms as quickly as possible, but never working alone. This is the likely entry method for the Vegas SWAT at the compound.


As the team moves through a building, they enter and clear each room with at least two officers per room and preferably more. Each man has an AOR or area of operation (AO) to cover; a part of a room, hallway, balcony, etc. This reduces the chance of friendly fire and provides security for the team as it moves through the building. You should maintain your AOR even when under fire, as you may hit teammates as they move to engage or leave them open to fire from your AOR. The point man is responsible for the entire room as he steps through the doorway, choosing his AOR dynamically as he assesses threats, then moves in the direction of his choice. His partner discerns this based on body language and chooses a complimentary AOR. AORs tend to follow the same pattern for the rest of the team, as determined in drills.


When there is evidence or a need for extra caution, a team may perform a deliberate or "slow" clear in which they painstakingly go over the entirety of a room before announcing that it is clear. It can take over an hour and involves one officer covering the other as he thoroughly examines an area.


There are many methods for entering a room, and because doorways ("the fatal funnel") are very dangerous in CQB, each has certain advantages and disadvantages. The book has diagrams but I don't, so this may be a bit abstract and hard to visualize:


*Buttonhook entry is a fast technique for reduced silhouette time; two men stack up on opposite sides of a door, then enter and hook 180 degrees, moving along the room wall, each man's AOR being his half of the room.


*Cross entry is for advance view of the AOR and straight line movement; double stack on the door, enter one at a time, crossing into the opposite part of the room from their stack (crossing over). Must be well rehearsed to work.


*Cross-hook entry is often used for entrances close to a perpendicular wall; the team stacks up at the door and then enters one at a time, point man buttonhooks, cover man crosses, and each following man alternates hooking and crossing.


*Cross-lean entry is for entry under fire; similar to the cross-hook, but the hooking officer does not actually enter the room, instead leaning with his weapon and upper body around the corner while the partner crosses the room. Allows both men to bring their weapons to bear while also giving cover for at least one.


*Slicing the pie is not an entry method so much as a general technique; the officer moves methodically and smoothly, laterally around an obstacle, sweeping his weapon and line-of-site through the room, covering his "slice" or AOR. Always used on corners.


Clearing a room involves something called an "OODA Loop". OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act.


'''Observe''' refers to scanning a room for suspects, hostages, and other notable features. In Spycraft 2.0, it refers to a combination of Notice and Search, opposed by Blend or Sneak if there's something concealed in the room.


'''Orient''' refers to processing the facts so an officer can make sense of what he or she sees. In Spycraft 2.0, this can refer to the Anticipate combat action (p. 354).


'''Decide''' refers to making the decision to use non-lethal or lethal force. It happens in a split second and depends on many factors, chief most being whether or not a suspect is threatening the officer, his team mates, or a hostage. This is entirely in the hands of the player based on what his PCs knows.


'''Action''' refers to taking action based on this decision, be it non-lethal or lethal. The most common non-lethal action begins with shouting compliance orders ("Down on the floor! LVMPD! Drop the gun! Drop it motherfucker!" etc), which is covered by Intimidate/Coercion and combat actions such as Threaten. The officer can move forward and physically subdue the suspect if they do not comply. This can mean punching or hitting the suspect in melee, spraying their face with mace, tasering them, or, if lethal action is called for, shooting them. Grappling with a suspect is ill advised as it means there's one less SWAT team member with an available weapon and because it can often result in a prolonged struggle. If the suspect complies after non-lethal action, they are disarmed, searched, and handcuffed ("neutralized") for later arrest and processing by trailers. An officer should report that the suspect is neutralized so CP knows ("suspect in custody"). If the suspect is shot or otherwise out of action by lethal force, an officer reports this to CP ("suspect down"). If a hostage or an officer is wounded or killed, an officer should also report this.

=Hostages=

Hostages are treated as suspects without weapons, because they may not be compliant, might be confused, or could be suspects pretending to be hostages. SWAT teams take special care with explosives, flash-bangs, and breaching charges before entering a room, and must be careful in distinguishing friend from foe after. Hostages should be searched and handcuffed before the room is announced safe, "proned out" (forced to lay down with hands behind their head) or at least made to kneel with their hands with fingers laced behind their head. Once a room is clear but before an incident is resolved, SWAT officers or trailers can escort secured suspects or hostages from the building for processing and debriefing. This varies depending on the situation. Egress should not be attempted with hostages in tow if it means moving through hostile or unknown parts of the building.

=Hazards=

SWAT officers are taught to watch out for obstacles to entry. These can include darkness, motion-sensors, guard dogs or family pets, and booby traps. Improvised traps can include fish hooks hung at face level (gah!), nails in flat boards under leaves or grass, razor blades embedded in stalks of marijuana to injure those pulling them out, aluminum cans hung to make noise. More sophisticated criminals may have other surprises for entry teams, especially if they have access to explosives. Other hazards to consider are collapsing floors or stairwells, cramped hallways, and flammable chemicals, such as those used in drug labs.


The book doesn't mention it, but SWAT teams are often taught a number of firing drills for shooting under specific circumstances and positions. These include the Mozambique Drill (or Failure Drill) for shooting a suspect twice in the chest and once in the head to ensure that they go down, and drills for firing one-handed, kneeling, or prone at a variety of angles. CQB can bring you into close contact with fists, knives (or other melee implements), handguns, automatic weapons, or even military-grade firearms. These encounters can be initiated from almost anywhere around you, and they usually happen very fast. As a result of these factors, its one of the more dangerous kinds of combat encounters; hence the specialized training. Nothing frightens a SWAT officer more than a dark enclosed space with well-armed, desperate suspects, sharp corners and poor cover. This is exactly the kind of environment the Vegas SWAT team is about to find itself in... 

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 The book doesn't mention it, but SWAT teams are often taught a number of firing drills for shooting under specific circumstances and positions. These include the Mozambique Drill (or Failure Drill) for shooting a suspect twice in the chest and once in the head to ensure that they go down, and drills for firing one-handed, kneeling, or prone at a variety of angles. CQB can bring you into close contact with fists, knives (or other melee implements), handguns, automatic weapons, or even military-grade firearms. These encounters can be initiated from almost anywhere around you, and they usually happen very fast. As a result of these factors, its one of the more dangerous kinds of combat encounters; hence the specialized training. Nothing frightens a SWAT officer more than a dark enclosed space with well-armed, desperate suspects, sharp corners and poor cover. This is exactly the kind of environment the Vegas SWAT team is about to find itself in...
-=Glossary of SWAT Terms=
-Assaulter: A member of an entry team or element.
-AO: Area of Operation. The specific spot or feature that an officer is responsible for covering. Also called AOR.
-AOR: Area of Responsibility. The specific spot or feature that an officer is responsible for covering. Also called AO.
-Breacher: Officer who opens doors, by normal means or through force.
-Compliance: Getting a suspect to surrender to the police. "Shouting compliance orders" refers to verbally intimidating a suspect into submission.
-CP: Command Post. The place where the IC commands from.
-CQB: Close Quarters Battle. The kind of conflict that SWAT units specialize in, taking place in urban environments or indoors.
-Down: As in "suspect down" or "officer down". Used when reporting to CP that someone has been incapacitated or killed.
-Element: A SWAT entry team.
-The Fatal Funnel: Any doorway. So named because most casualties occur while crossing the threshold.
-IC: Incident Commander. The person who calls the shots for action taken outside of the incident site. Typically the ranking police officer on the scene.
-IP: Inner Perimeter. Perimeter established closest to the incident site.
-Key: A battering ram.
-Key Man: Officer in charge of a ram.
-Knock and Announce: Approaching an incident site, knocking on a door, and then verbally announcing oneself as a police officer. Most warrants are knock and announce warrants.
-LCC: Last Cover and Concealment. A point that is as close to the incident site as possible while remaining out of the line of sight of any suspects. Used as a rally point and a point of egress for an entry team.
-LVMPD: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Also referred to as simply Metro or Metro Police.
-Metro: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Also referred to as LVMPD.
-Mirror: To scan around a corner or other obstruction with a mirror or a fiberscope. Typically the task of the scout or point man.
-Mozambique Drill: The shooting drill of firing two rounds into a suspect's chest and then one into the head. Also known as the Failure Drill.
-Neutralized: Refers to a suspect who has been disarmed, searched, and handcuffed. Does NOT mean killed/injured.
-OODA: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. The thought loop that an entry team member goes through while clearing a room.
-OP: Outer Perimeter. Perimeter surrounding the IP and the incident site; much further back.
-Paper: A warrant of some kind.
-Point Man: Officer who first checks and then enters a room once its door is open. Also known as scout.
-Scout: Officer who first checks and then enters a room once its door is open. Also known as point man.
-Stack: To line up by an entrance before the actual entry (stacking), or the line itself (a stack).
-SWAT: Special Weapons And Tactics. Term coined for the first tactical police team, now universal for describing such units.
-Trailers: Personnel authorized to enter a site after it has been cleared.
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