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The Lancaster Police
Department's
Special Response
Team
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The Lancaster Police Department's
Special Response Team was created in 1992 for executing drug offense related
search warrants. Several officers were sent to the Columbus, Ohio Division of
Police SWAT basic school to receive training in tactical techniques.
The success of the Special Response Team in serving search warrants
prompted an expansion of the unit. More officers were trained and assigned to
the team. The team then began to be deployed in hostage / barricade incidents.
The department purchased special weapons and equipment and scheduled monthly
training exercises. Mid-Ohio Ambulance Inc. of Lancaster generously donated a
vehicle, which was modified for use by the team.
The Special Response Team later added a
negotiation component to the unit. The team currently has four trained
negotiators who strive to peacefully resolve all high-risk incidents. The
negotiators maintain a specialized "hostage phone" for communications with
barricaded persons.
Today's team consists of twelve officers, an EMT,
and four negotiators. Team members receive continuing training and participate
in the annual countywide disaster drill. The Special Response Team hosted a
statewide training exercise in May 2001.
Since its inception, the Special Response Team
has successfully executed over one hundred arrest and search warrants. The team
has also successfully resolved over thirty hostage / barricade situations. Team
members are volunteers and agree to be constantly on call in the event of an
emergency within the city.
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Lancaster Ohio Police Department
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