What situations call for a SWAT team in Denver?

Maddie Rhodes
·1 min read
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DENVER (KDVR) — When you see the SWAT team around the city, it’s not always because of bomb threats and murderers as you see in crime shows.

The Denver Metro SWAT Team responds to a variety of calls that could potentially pose a greater risk to the public, according to the Denver Police Department. These situations can include anything from exactly what you see on television, like searching a home for a fentanyl pill-making operation, to day-to-day calls, like helping an officer arrest a suspect.

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SWAT is called to the scene to help bring suspects into custody while keeping the community, suspect and officers safe. While SWAT can be called for the worst of the worst, the team is also used for resource management.

“These situations can also require a large amount of resources and time. Utilizing a SWAT team response allows for patrol officers to be able to continue to respond to other calls for service while the incident is ongoing,” Denver police said.

So, when you see a SWAT team around the city, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an escalated situation.

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“If there are any safety issues for the public during a SWAT team operation, notifications are usually made to the public in the area. We also post information on X,” Denver police told FOX31.

If you see SWAT around Denver, the Denver Police Department usually posts updates about the SWAT presence on X. The public can also sign up for Denver 911’s Smart911 program to get alerts of anything going on in their neighborhood.

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