The City of Madison Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team is comprised of two elements: Tactical Response and Crisis Negotiations. Primary objective of this Team is the preservation of Life. Through the combined use of Skilled Negotiation, and Superior Tactical Deployment, the Emergency Response Team seeks to secure the safety of those in harms way.


Originally formed to respond to Barricaded persons and Hostage situations, the SWAT Team is prepared to assist with law enforcement operations when there is a high degree of risk of violence from weapons and / or violent persons, when the degree of threat present has a high probability of exceeding the capabilities of the personnel available to meet that threat.

Core Values

Professionalism

We are committed to constantly strive for, and seek to maintain the highest level of professionalism in the performance of our duties. We hold our positions with the highest integrity, and realize that Tactical deployment is merely an extension of the City of Madison Police Departments commitment to Community Policing. The presence of a highly trained Tactical Response team engenders increased feelings of safety within the Community, as well as in the officers working with that community to improve its citizen’s quality of life. We will strive to communicate this philosophy whenever possible with the citizens we serve.

Teamwork

We are committed to the principle of Teamwork. We know with moral certainty, that only through teamwork can the performance levels of the Team exceed the sum total performance capability of its members. In this context, individualism is not only discouraged, it is unacceptable. Team members know that they are Madison Police officers first, and members of the SWAT Team second. We strive always to be good team members in this larger context, and to contribute to the larger mission of the Madison Police Department.

Excellence through Training

We are highly committed to Training. We constantly seek to learn the state of the art in police tactical deployment and hostage rescue tactics and to practice and to train diligently, as we know that “you perform only as well as you train”.