After several killings of law enforcement officers, many large cities were forced to look into tactical response plans. The team was on the four man concept but it was formalized into five man tactical units in 1968. Other Departments soon followed suit. SWAT teams today are considered different in fine tuning and evolution of tactics more than general concept. SWAT teams today must take into account the widespread media coverage of past tactics.
Criminals have a wide availability of equipment and training.
Drug money provides vast resources to the criminal and many small countries provide grudging support or poor enforcement of laws. As a result of all of these problems, criminals are also targeting small cities, as well as large ones. This again has challenged small cities to develop SWAT teams also, to prepare for the unexpected. Five officers, from the Police Department were selected by an evaluation process to enroll in a grueling, but rewarding, two week training course setup by the United States Tactical Advisors from Riverside, California. Upon completion of the course, the officers were certified in the use of hot and cold gases, as well as pyrotechnics or distraction devices.