S.W.A.T.

The Chelan County Regional SWAT team is a multi-agency tactical response team covering many cities in Chelan County and surrounding areas such as Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Chelan, as well as responding to outside agencies through mutual aid requests. The team operators have collateral duties within their respective departments and are activated as needed.  The team is led by SWAT Commander Mike Harris (CCSO Chief of Patrol).  The team consists of 17 operators from Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (1 Commander, 2 Element Leaders, 1 Sniper, and 3 Operators), Wenatchee Police Department (1 Team Leader, 1 Asst Team Leader, 1 Sniper Team Leader, and 3 Operators) and 2 Tactical Medics (1 from Lake Chelan EMS and 1 from Whidbey Island).

Every team member is an operator, but many have specialty training:  i.e., sniper/observer, chemical agent operations, less lethal, breaching, hostage negotiations and shield specialist.  Many of the operators are also certified instructors in firearms, high angle rescue techniques, defensive tactics, less lethal weapons and K-9.

The Chelan County Regional SWAT Team’s primary weapons are the M4 assault rifle and Glock pistol (.40 or .45 caliber).   Snipers carry Remington 700 .308 rifles.  The team utilizes two personnel carriers with ballistic protection (LAV-150 [Renny] and an armored transport vehicle [Farrah] ), a SUV, and a CCSO OH-58 helicopter for air support.   Some specialized equipment that the team uses in deployments are: 37mm & 40mm launch platforms (for gas delivery), Noise Flash Diversionary Devices, pole camera, night vision, shields, and helmet cameras.

Team members undergo a strict testing process which includes; physical fitness test, firearms proficiency, firearms mock scenario, comprehensive arrest scenario, and oral board.   Once a member of the team, operators must pass a physical standards test (2 times yearly) and firearms (4 times yearly for pistol and M4 rifle and 6 times for snipers) standards.  The team’s mission is to save lives and to support area law enforcement agencies with a tactical response to critical incidents and high risk operations.  The team trains monthly to handle these situations, which include high risk search warrants, active shooter response, hostage situations, barricaded subjects, positive pressure vehicle take downs, train assaults, hydroelectric dam intervention, bus assaults, tactical man tracking and marijuana eradication.

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A SWAT Teams main purpose is to save lives. This is the most vital and important job as members of the law enforcement community. SWAT teams are part of law enforcement. In today's day and age there are extremely violent criminals, large drug cartels, heavily armed gangs, and terrorists. These trained and capable SWAT units need to exist to protect the public and enforce the law.