“ Teammate Selection”

By Sergeant D. Kaleb Moore
Statesboro Police Department
Statesboro, Ga
2008

A question has come to my mind since I have become the team leader of my agencies SWAT team. What do I look for when it comes to selecting team members? I work for a small town police department. So a lot of times I am limited when it comes to people to select from. This has not come easy for me and I am sure that I am not the only team leader out there that has this same problem.

Our team has a selection process that starts with the officer meeting the minimum qualifications. First the officer must be off a one year probation period or have at least one year prior law enforcement experience with another agency. Also, the officer must be in good standing with the agency. Next the officer must request through his watch commander a letter of recommendation to apply. Next the officer must apply in writing to be able to try out to be on the team. The officer must then complete the physical agility test. The test consists of 60 push-ups, 60 sit-ups; a one mile run, obstacle course and then they must be able to shoot back to back 90% scores on the mandated pistol course. All this is done with very little time between evolutions’s to recover. After completing that the officer must then pass a written test covering team policies and procedures. The officer then has to go through an oral interview board comprised of the team leader, assistant team leader and at least one team member. The interview is where the selection process really starts for me.

You know you can have an officer that does a really good job on the street. He or she can also be in good physical condition. They can also be good with a firearm. Even still they may know the procedure manual front and back. But does that really make them a good candidate to be on a SWAT team? After all, the person has to be a good “teammate”. The other guys on the team have to trust this person 100%. Like I say the oral interview is where the process really starts for me.

Going into the interview I tell people to think about each question and tell me how they really feel. I don’t want to the candidate to telling us what he or she thinks I want to hear. People often will tell you exactly that, what they think we want to hear. I want answers from the heart. We ask some pretty in depth questions you are not likely to hear on your basic job interviews. I have had some officer’s try and snow ball us. Nothing turns me off worse. It is like the person is trying to impress us. Hey, you impressed us getting this far in the process. This is where it really counts. Don’t let the person fake you. I like to feel as if I am getting to know the person in front of me. I need to know the person is being honest. This is the most invaluable tool in our selection process.

We then sit down as a whole team and discuss the candidate. This is sometimes done before the physical agility test. My teammates’ input is invaluable also. They too need to feel comfortable with this person also. Bad chemistry between two teammates can cause some major problems on a team. Other teammates may also have some inside story on this candidate that did not come out during the interview. And you better listen to your teammates. Make them also feel as if their input is being taken seriously. Not only do you have to make sure that you as team leader can work with person but that the candidate can work the other teammates as well. Finally, if the team accepts this person the chief of police has the final say so. After all he is the boss.

The candidate then is allowed to serve on the team with a six month probationary period. During that time the officer is issued his gear, and is taught the basics until the officer is sent to a state approved SWAT level one school. During that six month time I strongly suggest using that time to really evaluate the candidate. A lot of times departments will not expel an officer that is not up to par during their probationary period. Kick ‘em out if they don’t cut the mustard so to speak. Don’t allow a cancer to mess up your chemistry on your team. In such a high liability field you can’t afford a slacker or an “individualist”. What I mean by “individualist” is people or officers who are on SWAT just because it is good for them. A team is bigger than one person. These people are in it to get the schools, the extra pay, the extra training, or even to build a resume.

I have served with numerous teammates while on SWAT. Yes, I have served with people and officers who were in it for themselves. They never show up for team outings, teammates special occasions, or times when they are down and need a friend. I have been at the hospital when teammates’ wives have had babies and times when they have had their gallbladder removed. I have held teammates when they have cried during their toughest decisions in life. I know their families and know their personal needs and wants. As the saying goes on our team “what happens on SWAT, stays on SWAT”. Teammates need to know that they can trust one another.

To me a teammate should not only be a skilled operator but be a friend to everyone around him on the team and everyone on SWAT before them. The team should be a family apart from the one at home. I love each and every teammate on our team like a brother. Granted all of our team positions may not be full all the time. Then again, I would rather have no team at all than lower our standards and take just any “Joe Blow” officer that comes along. Our team has a long history of great teammates. Each one that has left the team and gone on to other agencies is still a brother to me. Even though I never served with some of these men I still treat them as brothers in SWAT. After all, they paved the way for me to be able to follow in their foot steps. SWAT is not only a brotherhood world wide but a true family no matter what agency they serve.

During your selection process make sure that you have a person who has a true passion about SWAT. Don’t just take a person in because they look the part or talk the part, but officers who truly live for the team and the teammates around them. Selecting a new teammate should appeal to all the members of the team. This issue may not be a problem for larger teams but it certainly will make a difference on a smaller team. Keep to your teams standards and never lower them to meet a miniscule need. Quality teammates are the most essential part of any team.