The case was a particularly nasty one. The man in the house was an ex-cop who had guns of his own, as well as a bulletproof vest. But what it was really counting on was its negotiation team. Speaking from outside the white frame house, the negotiators persuaded the man to let the three women go. By mid-morning the next day, tear gas and more talk finally brought the man out of the house.
Lethal force is a last resort.
Our team was formed in 1979, around the time that a lot of people were watching SWAT on television. We try to use our skills rather than force. You have these tools, but you hope you never use them. Critics say SWAT-style policing just sends a message to criminals that the guy with the biggest gun wins. But police say the best thing about SWAT teams is that in many situations, as in Brattleboro, they ward off violent outcomes.