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Special Emergency Response Team
The concept of adopting an emergency response team at the Torrington Police Department began in 1998. Several months of planning, organization, and budgetary commitments enabled the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) to become a reality in 1999. Since its inception, our team has been a regional response team and includes members of the Winsted Police Department.
Since this time the team has responded to 17 incidents, has been responsible for 20 apprehensions, has seized 64 weapons and over 20 grams of assorted illegal drugs. Our apprehensions have included 2 arrests for murder, and numerous arrests for narcotics possession and trafficking. Our hostage negotiators have successfully resolved a number of incidents in which despondent individuals have threatened to take their lives, including one involving a teenager who had intentions of a "suicide by cop."
The team consists of one lieutenant, five sergeants, and 13 patrol officers. The team make-up consists of operations, breachers, snipers, and negotiators. Members of the team have trained with a number of other organizations including but no limited to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York City Police Department, and at Smith and Wesson in Massachusetts. Team members train consistently as a team eight hours per month; snipers and negotiators at times train an additional eight hours per month. The team has trained in and developed response plans for local government buildings, including most of the public schools.
Our equipment consists of an equipped response vehicle, special weapons, and hostage negotiation equipment.
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