Options: Many people are under the impression that being a SWAT team member is a full time position. In 99% of departments, it is not, it is what we call a secondary position. That means that you are a patrol police officer or detective or whatever position you are serving in and a SWAT member second. You carry all the SWAT gear in your assigned vehicle or it is carried in the SWAT response vehicle, and when you are needed for a SWAT call out, they notify you and you respond to the location and become a SWAT team member.
For most secondary positions you have to serve a number of years on the department before you can put in to be a member of one of these, but sometimes, if you have special talents (military sniper, EOD training, Dive Master…etc…) you can get a waiver based on departmental need. Don’t count on getting on any special team before you’re off probation though (usually your first 6 months to 1 year).
Here is a list of just some of the additional units available in the police department:
Aviation Unit
Bicycle Patrol
Bomb Squad
Canine Unit
Child Protective Investigations Section
Contractor Licensing and Fraud Unit
Crime Scene and Crime Lab
Crime Stoppers Unit
DUI Unit
Economic Crime Unit
Evidence Unit
Marine Unit and Dive Team
Mass Transit Unit
Motorcycle Unit
Mounted Patrol
Regional Investigations Division
School Resource Deputy Unit
SWAT Team
Victim Services Unit
That’s not all of them. Inquire with the agency you wish to join for further information.
