Question on SWAT Team Training / Excersises

[D-Man]

On another forum I frequent (non gun-related), a member who is a teacher relayed a story about a SWAT team exercise that was conducted at his school. This was a pre-approved one by the school and parents (from my understanding).

The teacher mentioned that when the SWAT members came into his classroom, one member pointed his rifle at a child yelling at him, and another had his rifle pointed right in the teachers face from a foot away.

Do you know if doing that (pointing rifles directly at people) in a training scenario would be considered appropriate? In an exercise like this, would the SWAT team go in with loaded weapons, or maybe just the rifle with empty magazines?

I understand the realism needed for training, but I also would be concerned that regardless of how skilled the SWAT team is, there is always potential for an accident that could lead to death(s).

 

[Henry Bowman]

Do you know if doing that (pointing rifles directly at people) in a training scenario would be considered appropriate? In an exercise like this, would the SWAT team go in with loaded weapons, or maybe just the rifle with empty magazines?

I understand the realism needed for training, but I also would be concerned that regardless of how skilled the SWAT team is, there is always potential for an accident that could lead to death(s).

Cannot say what they did, but I would expect an exercise involving real kids (even with informed parental consent) to involve nothing but inert "guns," i.e., sold rubber or resin "blue" or "red" guns. Unloaded is not sufficient. Simunitions or airsoft is also insufficient unless all participants have appropriate protective gear (and even then the liability risk of using students <18 is too great for any department or city to accept.

 

[CmpsdNoMore]

I don't know what actually happened or what is their general procedure, but this is how I feel.

I don't think anyone should be subjected to a training like this (being in the specific room) unless they fully consent themselves, know when it's going to happen and have all the safety precautions in advance.
If I were in public school I would agree to help out, but I wouldn't want some random SWAT guys coming into the same room and yelling at me without my knowledge and agreement.

 

[Gunnerpalace]

If I were in public school

That's just it it would have to be parental consent as you have to be 18 to sign off on something like that.

 

[jakemccoy]

Come on guys. We all know a SWAT guy is the "only one professional enough" to handle those types of guns. The Four Safety Rules don't apply to them. You guys might be thinking about about the DEA...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am-Qdx6vky0

 

[Erik]

"Cannot say what they did, but I would expect an exercise involving real kids (even with informed parental consent) to involve nothing but inert "guns," i.e., sold rubber or resin "blue" or "red" guns. Unloaded is not sufficient. Simunitions or airsoft is also insufficient unless all participants have appropriate protective gear (and even then the liability risk of using students <18 is too great for any department or city to accept."

Ditto, adding only that inert guns may come in the form of fairly realistic renditions these days. For example, I've trained with metal filled, wax filled, and "solid barreled" rifles in the past - practically the real thing, but completely inoperable.

 

[Huddog]

I have trouble believing it happened at all.