1. the JOB Despite the Prolific Use of SWAT in Our Modern Times, Specialized Police Squads Have Not Always Been As Well-Equipped and Well-Organized As They Are Today
1. THE JOB Despite the prolific use of SWAT in our modern times, specialized police squads have not always been as well-equipped and well-organized as they are today. From the days of Elliot Ness’ Untouchables to the counter-terrorist forces of today’s hostage rescue teams, SWAT has evolved into a highly structured, well-trained, and elite organization. The Evolution of SWAT The earliest special police squads were often little more than aggressive and independent officers that banded together to deal with increasingly dangerous threats using whatever methods they could find. Strongarm and Gunman Squads In the latter part of the 19th Century, in an effort to deal with increasing crime, New York City formed officers into small groups called “strongarm squads.” These squads, armed only with billyclubs, were tasked with anti-crime and crime suppression activities, and received special training in teamwork and tactics. By the 1920s, law enforcement agencies faced a new threat – organized crime. Prohibition-era gangsters carried dangerous weapons (including the ubiquitous “Tommy Gun”), and billyclub-wielding cops were no longer sufficient. In 1925, the New York Police Department formed the Emergency Services Unit (ESU). Part of the ESU included the elite Firearms Battalion (FB) – colloquially called the “machine-gun squad” or “gunman squad” – a specialized group of officers armed with handguns, shotguns, rifles, and submachine-guns. The FB patrolled NYC in green trucks, targeting gangs and gang-related crimes. They became the Mobile Security Unit (MSU) in the late 1940s, and formed the Stakeout Squad in the 60s. The Stakeout Squad received automatic weapons and counter-terrorist training in the 1970s, and the entire MSU was reintegrated into ESU in the 1980s.
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