The mission of the department’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T.) is to provide an immediate response to specialized emergency situations involving law enforcement public safety incidents, which require personnel, coordination, equipment, and training beyond the scope of regular patrol forces. Formed in late 1997, the SWAT Team provides protection to the residents of Huntington Park by responding to unforeseen and potentially violent incidents within the city.
The primary purpose of the SWAT Team is to save lives. This includes the lives of both law enforcement personnel and members of the community, whose security may be threatened by hazardous situations. This is accomplished through the deployment of selected personnel who are trained in specialized tactics and equipped with the appropriate resources.
The SWAT Team’s objective is centered around controlling armed and, or dangerous subjects through negotiations and the use of special weapons and tactics. Uniforms, weapons, communications, and tactics differ from those utilized by uniformed patrol officers due to the unique nature of the team’s objective.
The goal of our team is to control each and every situation with a minimum level of necessary force and with a minimum of danger to the community. Historically, the vast majority of our team’s operations are successful and accomplished with little or no force. This is the result of training that emphasizes the concept of teamwork, planning, coordination, and conflict resolution.