Page 35 - July August 2019 TPA Journal

portion of the SWAT team deployed for they were able to use the element of surprise
containment and immediate action if needed. and take him into custody without injury to
Since the hotel was designed with identical anyone involved in the situation including
rooms throughout the building, the remaining Stewart and Ms. Madera.
members of the SWAT team formed an entry
team and used an empty room with a similar Conclusion
floorplan, furniture, and furnishings for Practice as an element of training is usually
practice purposes. With a thorough given too little attention in terms of resources,
understanding of the room’s nuances such as allocated time, supervision, or organizational
which way each door opened, the entry team support. Too often it is assumed that an initial
performed a series of “walk-throughs” at a exposure during a training session will be
progressively faster and more efficient pace. sufficient. However, much of police work,
Meanwhile the negotiators were able to gain even the most routine aspects, is based on the
valuable information about his exact location use of perishable skills. Not only does practice
in the room, his medical and mental condition, make perfect, it prevents the deterioration of
his anxiety level, and his ability to increase the skills, abilities and knowledge bases.
gravity of the situation.

When Stewart claimed that he was capable 1 Arnold Palmer, arguably one of the greatest golfers of
of shooting at aircraft in the hotel’s vicinity, the all time was once confronted by a news reporter who
decision was made to enter the room with the claimed that he was a lucky golfer. Mr. Palmer admitted
use of a distraction device. Because of the that indeed he was a lucky golfer and that the more he
trained and practiced, the luckier he became.
officers’ familiarity with the layout of the room,

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