KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasSWAT: Behind the Fury Part 2
If there is one place in Southern Nevada that potential terrorists would want to target first, it's the headquarters of Metro's elite SWAT team. It's one reason the police keep the location very quiet. The inside of the SWAT headquarters is filled with specialized equipment, almost like the fictional "Bat Cave."
The I-Team recently got an inside look at the "Bat Cave" as part of a month-long shadowing of the local SWAT unit. For several weeks, Metro's SWAT team allowed the I-Team to tag along on their missions, on their training, and to document their clandestine headquarters.
This unit is one of the two or three best SWAT teams in the country, and it shows. They go out on hundreds of missions each year, but you never hear about most of them.
No matter how it gets to the scene of the crime, the Metro SWAT team sure knows how to make an entrance. It might seem to criminals as if SWAT materializes out of nowhere, but the team has a clandestine lair.
George Knapp asked, "Okay to call it the bat cave?"
Sgt. Bret Empey, Metro SWAT, replied, "Oh yeah. It's kinda like the bat cave it is..."
As with its' fictional counterpart, the location of this bat cave is kept quiet and it too is packed with specialized equipment, gadgets, and vehicles. Since superheroes need to stay in shape, the place has its own gym, the equipment donated. The bat cave is home to all manner of modified vehicles, for instance, vans with special railings that allow for quick deployment. An entire squad is quite a load.
Sgt. Empey says, "When the guys gear up, they put on 60-70 pounds of gear. I'm 240. With my gear I'm about 315."
Less conspicuous vehicles are vital in the protection of visiting dignitaries, which is another of SWAT's jobs. The team has an assortment of heavy-duty, armored vehicles that can go over -- or through -- almost anything. Two other armored vehicles are military surplus from the Vietnam era. They're great when they're running but often aren't.
SWAT members pride themselves on being innovative. They designed and built a hook contraption that can rip off any iron door they've ever faced. They cut corners to keep their older vehicles on the road. Two things they don't economize on are protective gear and weaponry.
Guns are not stored at the bat cave. An armory is located elsewhere, but each SWAT member is responsible for his own guns and for having them near at all times. Four times each year, team members must be certified on the shooting range for pistols, shotguns and machine guns. Weapons differ from man to man based on his job. Twenty-five percent of SWAT's time is spent in training like that, analyzing different scenarios, preparing for the worst, preparing to save lives.
Lt. Larry Burns says, "It's more dangerous today in law enforcement than it's ever been before. In our business, if we're not capable of handling a situation the next option is to call in an air strike from Nellis. That's not going to happen."
The lethal capabilities of the bad guys are one reason the location of SWAT's shop is kept quiet. Experts warn that taking out a SWAT team is a logical goal for terrorist cells. Burns says his team has contingency plans for terrorist attacks at almost every potential target in town.
Lt. Burns said, "So that we don't prepare a response after the fact. I won't go into details but we have trained and are prepared for that."
In addition to handling crisis situations, SWAT helps serve hundreds of high-risk search warrants each year. They provide extra security at major events, guard the courthouse during dangerous trials and help to train other SWAT teams from all over the country.
Metro SWAT is considered tops in the country in its use of explosives to enter crime scenes. Considering their high profile role, it's understandable why some resentment existed in previous years among other officers. But the SWAT guys know theirs is a support role, not the other way around.
Sgt. Empey says, "Those guys don't call us unless they need us. They can handle most situations on their own."
Clark County Sheriff Bill Young said, "I think the regular officers in other units who depend on these guys say we're glad they're here. It's called respect."
In the nearly 30-year history of Metro SWAT, there have been only 138 members. What that says is that once someone joins the team, they tend to stick around. While many SWAT members have been wounded in the line of duty, not one has ever been killed -- a testament to their training.
When the public is in trouble, they call the police. When the police are in trouble, they call SWAT. Go along with the I-Team for an inside look at Metro SWAT. More>>
