Expert: Dick Rogers - 5/28/2009

Question
hey im chase im 12 and im thinking of joyning swat when im older. But i've been told that i've had to had eather military or poilce exerace to be in the swat beacues I was intersted in being a sniper or some thing im vary good with guns i shoot trap and skeet at my locel club. and i just wanted to know if that was true if you had to have that kind of experence thanks.

Answer
Chase, the main way to get into a swat unit is to become a police officer or sheriff and when you are assigned to patrol, you make it known that you want to qualify to be assigned to a swat unit. I would suggest that you settle on a larger department as there are more  opportunities for you.  The way it is done is like this:  All the officers who indicate that they want to be assigned to the swat unit would be taken to a range (similar to a skeet range) where they would be given a swat rifle and told to shoot a various distances...all the time adjusting their scopes after initial shots, and when the day is done they tally the scores and the high rating shooters would be chosen.  When I was assigned to a special enforcement bureau (which had ten swat teams), I participated in a shoot at our range.  Surprise of surprises. I was the high shooter and was assigned to team number one.  I was never particularly fond of guns, but, like you, I had a lot a experience with a .22 when I was a kid.  Chase, I hope this helps.