Emergency Services

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TACTICAL OPERATIONS (SWAT)

The Emergency Services Response Team, comprised of officers with primary assignments in various sections of the department, handles the containment and apprehension of armed barricaded persons, hostage incidents, found explosives and other potentially volatile situations. The Emergency Services Response Team consists of three units, the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), Negotiations, and the Bomb Squad. Officers take great pride in their equipment, training, and professionalism during crisis incidents.

The SWAT Team, with membership in the National Tactical Officers Association, consists of officers from the Flagstaff Police Department, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and seven Flagstaff Firefighters who serve as team medics. In addition to receiving training, SWAT officers bring training back to their individual squads to better equip fellow officers with their daily duties.

In 2019, SWAT officers received national level training in the areas of basic SWAT tactics and movement and Long-Range Precision Marksmanship. SWAT Officers continued to train in Active Shooter Preparedness, Zone-Based Movement, Open Field Movement and Nighttime operations using Night Vision devices and Firearms.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SWAT Officers deployed as a team to eight callouts this year. Several of the call outs involved armed or suspected to be armed barricaded subjects. In January, SWAT was called out for a subject barricaded in his vehicle in Williams at the Safeway grocery store. The subject was wanted in connection to a kidnapping and was armed with a handgun. The suspect tried to flee the scene and the Tactical Operations Rescue Vehicle was used to ram the vehicle and prevent his escape. Negotiations were initiated and during that time the suspect shot himself in the leg, exited the vehicle and was taken into custody without further incident.

In June, SWAT responded to a remote area near Ashfork regarding a fight between two males that resulted in shots being fired. Upon arrival SWAT aided in securing the area and secured both individuals, resulting in no further violent activity.

In August, SWAT responded to an Officer involved shooting in the Parks area. A subject had fired shots at neighbors and Deputies and had barricaded in his home. Upon arrival SWAT arrested the suspect in the street and cleared the residence.

In September, SWAT responded to a call of an armed suspect barricaded in a Conex box located behind a local restaurant. SWAT set a perimeter and during negotiations the suspect fired rounds at officers and was wounded with return fire and taken into custody.

In October, SWAT responded to a subject who was barricaded inside an 18-wheeler on I-40 who had been involved in a lengthy pursuit with DPS. The suspect had driven the wrong way on the freeway and lethal force had been used to stop the semi. SWAT arrived and provided armed support as the suspect was taken into custody.

Throughout the year, SWAT Officers assisted the Flagstaff METRO Narcotics Squad by covering undercover buys, executing buy/busts and other dynamic types of arrests.

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CRISIS NEGOTIATIONS TEAM

Incidents involving barricaded subjects, hostage takers, or persons threatening suicide are stressful moments for law enforcement personnel who respond to them. Officers responding to these scenes quickly assess the totality of the situation, secure the area, gauge the threat to hostages or bystanders, and request additional resources, as appropriate. Crisis negotiators must establish contact with subjects; identify their demands and work to resolve these tense and volatile standoffs without loss of life. The five members of the Crisis Negotiations Team are on call to diffuse volatile situations through verbal communications with suspects. Officers assigned to this team are trained to work closely with the Tactical Operations Team and with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Department Crisis Response Team.

Accomplishments

The Crisis Negotiations Team responded to four calls in 2020. The first call occurred in January 2020, when the team responded to a suspect barricaded in the residence at a residence in Kachina Village. Negotiators made contact,THE suspect claimed to not be inside house, refused to talk with us as well as lied and said he was not the suspect. Ultimately the suspect was not inside and he was located at a later date and taken into custody. In October of 2020, a law enfrorcemet officer from Clarkdale, who was wanted for questioning in a domestic violence strangulation incident was located inside his apartment on S. Milton. The CNT attempted to make contact with the suspect, but was unsuccessful; when contact could not be made, the SWAT Team started to execute their plan; as they began their movement towards the apartment, the suspect walked outside and was taken into custody.

In December 2020, a domestic violence suspect had taken his girlfriend hostage while driving around in the area of Blue Ridge. Negotiators made contact but the suspect would not provide his location and claimed to be driving home to the valley. He was later located in Holbrook and taken into custody without any parties injured. Also in December 2020, Negotiations was called to assist DPS with a barricade after a pursuit on I-40. Negotiations was on scene as the suspect came out and was taken into custody without injury.

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BOMB SQUAD

The primary mission of the Bomb Squad is to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in the City as well as the safety of all public safety personnel who may be first responders to an explosive-related incident. The Flagstaff Police Department Bomb Squad has been serving the residents of Flagstaff since 1970. The team is comprised of five highly trained bomb technicians who are responsible for handling, transportation and rendering safe all explosive items located within the City and Coconino County. This responsibility extends to the proper handling of abandoned explosives and chemicals that have outlived their life expectancy. The team also assists other local agencies with explosives and the SWAT and Hostage Negotiations Teams with barricaded suspects.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In 2020, The Flagstaff Police Department Bomb Squad responded to approximately fifteen calls for service both inside and outside the City. These included suspicious packages calls, found explosives or devices, hoax devices, protective sweeps, threat calls, and assisting SWAT. In addition, members of the team conducted numerous explosive destructions and inspections, security assignments and dignitary protection details.

In 2020 COVID-19 greatly reduced the amount and number of in-person events that the Bomb Team normally participate in. Annual events such as the Citizen’s Police Academies, Touch-a-Truck, National Night Out, and Flagstaff Leadership Program were not held. The Police Academy training in explosives safety was conducted. The members of the Bomb Squad are required to complete 16 hours a month of proficiency training, one 40-hour class a year and recertify every three years to maintain their certification.

Detective Wotasik was unable to complete his scheduled 6 week Hazardous Device Certification Course in Huntsville, AL, due to COVID-19. He was placed on a waiting list, and scheduled for early 2021. Detective Murray and Sergeant Hernandez attended the week long ADETS (Advanced Demolition and Explosives Symposium) class in Glendale. During COVID, numerous virtual trainings were attended by team members. These trainings were conducted by the Hazardous Devices School (HDS), the FBI, and the BATFE.

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