From time to time, exigent circumstances arise where officers with advanced training and speicalized equipment are required to perform certain tasks. A team comprised of ten highly motivated officers was assembled with the goal of providing a rapid, organized, and disciplined response to contain, control, and mitigate threats and civil disorder within the city. Team leaders have taken substantial steps to identify and acquire the basic training needed to establish an effective team.
The formation of this team conincides with the police department's commitment to the Illinois Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) Regional Distribution Site Security Team. This team, comprised of 42 officers from law enforcement agencies throughout West-Central Illinois, is charged with the task of providing security at national pharmaceutical stockpile distribuiton sites. However, with the philosophy of designing homeland security teams for "dual use", the Distribution Site Security Team could be used for other incidents such as large-scale or sustained civil disorder, natural and manmade disasters, or any other incidents requiring a massive police response. These teams are also designed to be the primary responders for out-of-state Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) requests for assistance. A prime example of an EMAC request was the national law enforcement response to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
During this first year of existence, the Special Response Team very successfully handled a number of situations. The team was used to conduct search warrants on suspected drug houses and on two occasions for large civil disturbances. Additionally, the team was present to help resolve a hostage situation and assisted at the city's two homicides during the year. In one case, the team located and apprehended a homicide suspect. Most importantly, not a single injury was sustained by the public or by any of the team members during their operations.
After attending a three day basic training course in January 2008, the ILEAS team will be functional and will train on a continual basis throughout the year. |
|
