How is this a proper use of a SWAT Team (Dallas SWAT, no less!)?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How is this a proper use of a SWAT Team (Dallas SWAT, no less!)?

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:17:55 PM EDT

I'm watching the 10:00 news, and they reported that a Dallas Wal Mart had announced that a kid's band would be making an appearance for a book signing. Apparently they didn't do much planning, and almost 10,000 kids showed up, with some waiting nearly six hours in line. The news reporter said the crowd became unruly, and the SWAT Team was summoned. The TV report did show a large crowd, but no disturbances.

When they showed TV footage, the SWAT officers were smiling and just waving the kids back, telling them to go home. I can't help but hear that tag line from the TV show "Dallas SWAT," where the one officer says "When citizens need help, they call the police. When the police need help, they call SWAT."

I know I'm paving the way for a real cop bashing thread (although I hope that can be avoided), but how the heck does this situation demand the presence of a SWAT Team? Can't good old regular patrol officers handle this?

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:18:42 PM EDT

[#1]

I guess the cops needed help

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:19:43 PM EDT

[#2]

Sometimes the sight of SWAT officers is enough to diffuse a situation.

People usually regain some sanity when the cops show up.

They usually sober up real quick when they figure out the SWAT team showed up.

Besides, the SWAT team is usually the most experienced with deploying gas and other less-lethals that might come in handy.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:20:25 PM EDT

[#3]

damn... is THAT why they had the cockrell hill exit closed today!

FOR A FREAKING BAND!!!!!!!!

SOMEONE GET ME A SMILEY GIVING THE FINGER!

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:21:12 PM EDT

[#4]

they got to justify all those high speed gofast toys somehow.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:21:16 PM EDT

[#5]

Also i believe those guys a re a full-time team. Use them on the scene and it frees up patrol to handle calls in their areas without babysitting a crowd.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:23:12 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Sometimes the sight of SWAT officers is enough to diffuse a situation.

People usually regain some sanity when the cops show up.

They usually sober up real quick when they figure out the SWAT team showed up.

Besides, the SWAT team is usually the most experienced with deploying gas and other less-lethals that might come in handy.

I agree with what you're saying, but this crowd looked like teenage girls with autograph books. There may be more footage forthcoming that will prove this was a near-riot in the making, but with TV cameras there, you'd think they would have been happy to have shown something like that if it happened.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:23:54 PM EDT

[#7]

Staffing...

When you need a bunch of people quick, you can't call patrol in off the streets. Though not a SWAT function, it was the quickest way to get available bodies to the scene.

When I was on the PD, the trick was to send the traffic units (we did not have a SWAT back then). They could free them up for a quick response.

Both are not the best use of personnel, but both were quick solutions!

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:24:42 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Also i believe those guys a re a full-time team. Use them on the scene and it frees up patrol to handle calls in their areas without babysitting a crowd.

Absolutely.

Not to mention their facility is 6 miles east of there.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:25:49 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I agree with what you're saying, but this crowd looked like teenage girls with autograph books. There may be more footage forthcoming that will prove this was a near-riot in the making, but with TV cameras there, you'd think they would have been happy to have shown something like that if it happened.

Teenage girls can indeed riot, especially when some half fruity idiot who dances and is on TV shows up.

Pubescent, hormonally driven teenage girls by the hundreds/thousands is a special breed of hell, and it might have been one of those "Holy crap! All hands on deck!!" situations where the SWAT guys just happened to be one of many who showed up to try and restore order.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:28:15 PM EDT

[#10]

just drove by there...

the big police RV is still there,,,

and some TV trucks.. but the crowd seemed like the regular walmart crowd..

had to get me some " TACO CABANA "

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:29:46 PM EDT

[#11]

anybody see that video where the SWAT guys broke up the rave? they might just do the trick at a teeny bopper autograph function.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:34:35 PM EDT

[#12]

Breaking News. Dallas SWAT team used to subdue a 21 YO male smoking cigarette on front porch of Walmart. Task force commander JohnInAustin was on site to ensure a smooth transition to a police state as Austin is already complied with the new directive.

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:34:45 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
just drove by there...

the big police RV is still there,,,

and some TV trucks.. but the crowd seemed like the regular walmart crowd..

had to get me some " TACO CABANA "

AAAAAAARRGH!!!

Why did you have to mention Taco Cabana????

Now I am all hungry!

Their gargantuan pile of nachos is AWESOME!!!

Posted: 1/13/2006 7:57:58 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Sometimes the sight of SWAT officers is enough to diffuse a situation.

People usually regain some sanity when the cops show up.

They usually sober up real quick when they figure out the SWAT team showed up.

Besides, the SWAT team is usually the most experienced with deploying gas and other less-lethals that might come in handy.

I'll bet you the Texas ARFCOM l33t krew could have handled that with a lot less grace but just as quickly

Posted: 1/14/2006 1:39:05 AM EDT

[#15]

Why bother to send SWAT?

Isn't that situation exactly what Mall Ninjas are for?

Posted: 1/14/2006 1:56:06 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
...this crowd looked like teenage girls with autograph books... ...a near-riot in the making...

Why did they need SWAT? Well... duh.

Posted: 1/14/2006 2:00:42 AM EDT

[#17]

They may not have a separate "riot squad."

Posted: 1/14/2006 2:15:40 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Breaking News. Dallas SWAT team used to subdue a 21 YO male smoking cigarette on front porch of Walmart. Task force commander JohnInAustin was on site to ensure a smooth transition to a police state as Austin is already complied with the new directive.

Posted: 1/14/2006 2:37:59 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
...this crowd looked like teenage girls with autograph books... ...a near-riot in the making...

Why did they need SWAT? Well... duh.

Could have been the country's biggest catfight! SWAT had to ruin it........

Posted: 1/14/2006 2:46:29 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Sometimes the sight of SWAT officers is enough to diffuse a situation.

'Uh, move along kids...there's nothing to see here.'

Eric The(EverSuspicious)Hun

Posted: 1/14/2006 2:55:34 AM EDT

[#21]

What was the name of the band ?

Posted: 1/14/2006 4:13:37 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
What was the name of the band ?

Dookey Stikk and the Brutal Fruits.

Posted: 1/14/2006 4:50:11 AM EDT

[#23]

[hijack]What kind of optics is mounted on the ATF guys HK?[hijack]

Posted: 1/14/2006 4:52:54 AM EDT

[#24]

Damn, Dallas swat shops at Cheaper than Dirt.

Posted: 1/14/2006 5:45:23 AM EDT

[#25]

Posted: 1/14/2006 7:03:42 AM EDT

[#26]

Are those snowboarding helmets?

Posted: 1/14/2006 9:00:16 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Sometimes the sight of SWAT officers is enough to diffuse a situation.

ericthehun.zoto.com/img/45/2b7254a8bde1254e41f613069fad35bf-.jpg

'Uh, move along kids...there's nothing to see here.'

Eric The(EverSuspicious)Hun

Does that Treasury agent have a SEMI AUTO MP5? (well semi auto triggerpack anyway)

Posted: 1/14/2006 9:14:30 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Are those snowboarding helmets?

- Probably Pro-Tec helmets. Those were the standard for the longest time

Posted: 1/14/2006 9:31:36 AM EDT

[#29]

They only tell you the beginning. The truth is, only one of those SWAT guys got out alive. He was found in a ditch, kneeling in the fetal position while rocking back and forth slowly, chanting something unintelligible. He has made a full recovery, but he still refuses to discuss anything about the "incident".

Posted: 1/14/2006 10:06:43 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
ericthehun.zoto.com/img/45/2b7254a8bde1254e41f613069fad35bf-.jpg

Damn, Dallas swat shops at Cheaper than Dirt.

That is an ATF agent.

Posted: 1/14/2006 10:25:58 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
damn... is THAT why they had the cockrell hill exit closed today!

FOR A FREAKING BAND!!!!!!!!

SOMEONE GET ME A SMILEY GIVING THE FINGER!

hows that

Posted: 1/14/2006 11:47:20 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Breaking News. Dallas SWAT team used to subdue a 21 YO male smoking cigarette on front porch of Walmart. Task force commander JohnInAustin was on site to ensure a smooth transition to a police state as Austin is already complied with the new directive.

Posted: 1/14/2006 11:51:34 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Sometimes the sight of SWAT officers is enough to diffuse a situation.

ericthehun.zoto.com/img/45/2b7254a8bde1254e41f613069fad35bf-.jpg

'Uh, move along kids...there's nothing to see here.'

Eric The(EverSuspicious)Hun

Does that Treasury agent have a SEMI AUTO MP5? (well semi auto triggerpack anyway)

You'd be surprised to find that a lot of LEO weapons are semi- even some SWAT

imagine that.

Posted: 1/14/2006 12:15:47 PM EDT

[#34]

Maybe the SWAT Team needed some practice planting fake drugs on innocent people.

The Dallas PD is still trying to come out from under the fake drugs scandal. Several LEOs have gone to prison and many, many hundreds of thousands have been paid out in restitution to people who were set up and then sent up.

Posted: 1/14/2006 12:25:36 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
They only tell you the beginning. The truth is, only one of those SWAT guys got out alive. He was found in a ditch, kneeling in the fetal position while rocking back and forth slowly, chanting something unintelligible. He has made a full recovery, but he still refuses to discuss anything about the "incident".

The Girl Scouts must have been selling cookies next to the band. The cookie comandos strike again.

Posted: 1/14/2006 12:51:01 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Maybe the SWAT Team needed some practice planting fake drugs on innocent people.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How is this a proper use of a SWAT Team (Dallas SWAT, no less!)?

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