DELAWARE STATE POLICE SPECIAL OPERATIONS RESPONSE TEAM (SORT)
Sergeant Alfred W. Parton Jr.
The Special Operations Response Team (S.O.R.T.) provides the Division with a tactical response to the following: hostage incidents, armed barricade incidents, high risk warrant service, high risk vehicle stops, dignitary protection, surveillance assistance and any crisis situation deemed appropriate by the Executive Staff. During 2008, the team continued at a pace rivaling some full-time tactical teams. Deploying 101 times, the team reacted to armed barricades, numerous high-risk warrants and vehicle stops. The majority of the team deployments involved high-risk warrant execution and vehicle stops for the state wide Special Investigations Unit. Critical incident deployments increased from 2007 with a total of 8 barricaded incidents. Barricades in 2008 took on a very violent character and as a result shots were fired by suspects during four incidents resulting in the death of three suspects: one suicide and two fatal interdictions by Sniper-Observers. Training and the use of specialty equipment such as the Explosive Ordnance Device robot and BEARCAT no doubt prevented serious injury or death to one or more team members.
In March 2008, the entire team was equipped with either the HK 416 or M-4 assault rifle. The decision to make the rifle the primary weapon system for entry was based on the ability to respond to active shooter and potential terrorist threats. A comprehensive three day course was developed by team rifle instructors to transition/train the team. The training days ranged from 10 - 14 hours culminating in a night proficiency course of fire using night vision. The course addressed basic marksmanship fundamentals, use of optics, position shooting, stress training, moving and shooting, low percentage shots (hostage), night vision as well as many other topics. At the end of three days each team member demonstrated an advanced level of proficiency as required for the mission. Monthly training continued to focus on the rifle to insure skills were maintained and improved.
To address the current terrorist threat against the United States, the Department of Homeland Security developed a typing system (I, II and III) for SWAT teams to insure inter-operability across the nation. One aspect of the typing system involves advanced training to develop skill sets associated with corresponding types. The Government Training Institute (GTI) in Boise, Idaho developed the first advanced curriculum to address these skill sets. Instructors were subject matter experts from both law enforcement and military Special Operations Groups. Techniques taught during this course have been battle tested and the instructors possessed real world experience fighting terrorists.
During 2008, a two year collaborative effort spearheaded by DSP came to a successful conclusion. In 2006, the first nine students graduated from the only DHS Advanced SWAT course in the nation taught by GTI. Five of those graduates came from Delaware to include DSP, Dover PD and Wilmington PD. Realizing an opportunity existed to bring quality anti-terrorism training to Delaware a project was begun to make this reality. In order to do this a quality training site would need to be developed to host this training. The goal was to train every existing SWAT member in the State of Delaware to the same standard using the DHS model provided by GTI. Coincidentally, Colonel Mac Leish attended an IACP conference in Boston and returned with the solution. Colonel Mac Leish observed a demo by General Dynamics spotlighting a Mobile Tactical Training System (MTTS) that uses modified shipping containers to create a real world tactical training environment. The project information was given to Major Papili and no later than May 2009 the State of Delaware will own a state of the art training system. Funded by the Delaware DHS WMD Committee the system will be available for all state and local law enforcement to conduct Advanced SWAT training, Active Shooter training, EOD training, Recruit training as well as departmental training. By mid-summer Delaware will enter into a three year agreement with GTI, hosting Advanced DHS SWAT and DHS Active Shooter training at the Smyrna Range using the MTTS. The end result, 170 plus SWAT members throughout the state will be trained at the same level to promote inter-operability among all jurisdictions.
The team continued to provide support operations to the division at a tempo few can endure while maintaining high standards at their individual assignments. Since 2001 the Special Operations Response Team has deployed over 800 times on high-risk missions. The operational tempo of the team continues to rival that of full-time teams across the country with the anticipation of 2009 being no different. The training demands have also increased significantly with the introduction of advanced equipment and skill sets. The Special Operations Response Team will continue to react to the mission with enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism. First and foremost, the team will train and conduct operations to fulfill our motto: “Everybody In, Everybody Out”
- Information obtained from 2008 DSP Annual Report -
