If you want to become a swat team member for your respective police department there are some things you must know. First, you must know SWAT team officers are in excellent physical shape so if you’re out of shape, you won’t make it through the selection process.
If you didn’t already know this, SWAT team officers are some of the best trained officers on any given department. They train several times a month, sharp-tuning their techniques for potential high risk situations.
SWAT team member are usually on call 24/7, if you want to become SWAT (especially in big agencies like Chicago Police DEPT, NYPD, LAPD) be prepared to give up some of your free time.
The great thing about being on the SWAT team is you’ll get special unit pay and you’ll get fantastic training to put on your resume if you decide to move on to the federal level later on in your career.
Here are just some of the requirements, qualifications, and a salary outlook for a SWAT team member.
Remember, this may differ from department to department.
Job Description
SWAT Operators are trained specialists who resolve high-risk tactical situations. A SWAT member’s special training and flexibility allow the SWAT team to tackle hostage situations, high-risk warrant service operations, search and rescue operations, tactical waterborne operations, covert and undercover tactical operations, special circumstances such as crowd control and rural searches, and many other high-risk circumstances. The SWAT team is often comprised of some of the most highly trained unit of a police department.
Median Salary
$61,000
Education Requirements
Generally, SWAT operators must have three years minimum experience in their respective department. It is not necessary for a SWAT operators to have a college degree. SWAT operators also are involved in advanced training which includes everything from sniper/counter-sniper operations to helicopter insertion techniques.
Job Outlook
SWAT job outlook differs from department to department. There is a national projected need for 243,000 more police officers, including SWAT operators, ending in the year 2016.
