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POLICE Department
Special Operations - Special Response Group (Srg)
The Special Response Group consists of a small core group of full time assigned officers and a large group of part time trained officers that can be mobilized with short notice. The SRG consists of one full time lieutenant, one full time sergeant, and three officers who perform administrative and training duties. There are 573 active officers that are assigned to various divisions. The training course is a forty-hour school. The forty-hour school familiarizes officers with formations used contain and disburse large crowds. The school also familiarizes the officer with different chemical munitions and teaches the officer the basics for disaster preparedness. There are 158 officers that have received additional training and belong to the Crowd Disbursement Team (CDT). CDT officers go through a rigorous selection process. The officers attend a three-day tryout that consists of physical activity and agility testing. They are exposed to tear gas and train extensively with non-lethal specialized weapons. They use chemical munitions as well as impact weapons. Upon completion of the three-day tryout, selections are made and the officers become part of the team and continue to receive training.
The SRG is built around the team concept. Officers volunteer to be a part of the group. The only officers that are required to be a part of the SRG are officers assigned to the Special Operations Division. The SRG believes in the team concept and trains that way as well. The officers are broken down into groups known as squads. Several squads make a field force. Squads can be broken down to groups that make arrest teams, react teams, processing, and chemical munitions teams.
The SRG is involved with all protests, demonstrations, rallies, and mass gatherings. They are equipped and prepared to handle any type of situation. The goal of the SRG is to be prepared for any situation and influence a peaceful ending.