when was the first swat team formed
The nationâs first SWAT team was formed in 1964 in Philadelphia in response to a rash of bank robberies, according to tactical-life.com. The 100-man team was established to react quickly and decisively to bank robberies as they were in progress using specially trained officers who had superior firepower.. The prestigious SWAT team at the Los Angeles Police Department, was founded primarily by John Nelson, a former Marine and Vietnam War veteran who was a patrol officer at the beginning of his law enforcement career, according to Police Magazine.