The Garland Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team's primary mission is to respond to incidents such as barricaded persons, hostage situations and other situations that require special skills, equipment and training.  In addition, the SWAT Team also executes search warrants and arrest warrants that are deemed "high risk," with a possibility of armed resistance.

The SWAT Team is composed of approximately 40 officers who are drawn from across the department. SWAT personnel fill positions such as assault, marksman (sniper), negotiators and intelligence.  The officer's skill, knowledge, training and expertise are factors when assignments are made within the Team. 

In addition to their regular assigned duties, SWAT personnel train 16 hours each month on a variety of tactics, and are required to train for a 40-hour period each quarter. Training consists of dynamic assaults, covert assault, buy-bust, downed officer rescue, hostage rescue and many other tactics. Personnel assigned to SWAT are subject to "call out," 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to handle any SWAT related incident. >> next