By: Al Garber, FBI SWAT Team Commander (ret) and Chief of Police, Champlin, MN (ret) On September 18,2016 a crazed terrorist went on a rampage at the Cross Roads Mall in St. Cloud, MN. He stabbed 10 shoppers before Jason Falconer shot and killed him. Jason is a member of the SMEAC consulting and training group. There … Read more
By: Tim Dolan, Former Chief of Police, Minneapolis, MN (ret). Minneapolis Police are under media attack due to two brawls in the last year in which off-duty officers allegedly used racial slurs. (1, 2) As a former chief of the department, I told officers that there will be days when we would be less proud … Read more
By: Al Garber, FBI SWAT Team Commander (ret) and Chief of Police, Champlin, MN (ret) In the mid 1980s our joint FBI/ Minneapolis Police SWAT team began to experiment with integrating paramedics with the team. We found an innovative medical director at North Memorial Ambulance Services. The concept was to have selected medics train with … Read more
By: S.L. Blackwell, Chief Deputy, Pine County Sheriff’s Office I listened to an experienced tactical SWAT operator tell the details of his SWAT teams recent deadly force incident that almost claimed the lives of two operators, and necessitated the close quarter killing of the suspect. It made me think of several other hostile incidents that … Read more