Sheriff's SWAT team receives additional training

During the hottest week of the year thus far, members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team (Special Weapons and Tactics) attended additional training at the NC Justice Academy in Salemburg, NC. The course challenged the group with several goals, including carrying over 60 pounds of advanced tactical gear in extreme heat.

The SWAT Team is a specialized unit which is trained to perform dangerous operations, such as serving high-risk arrest warrants, performing hostage rescue and/or armed intervention, and engaging heavily-armed criminals. The SWAT team is equipped with specialized firearms including submachine guns, shotguns, riot control agents, stun grenades, high-powered sniper rifles, night vision optics, advanced entry tools and even night vision optical gear.

The team spent countless hours in triple digit heat along with other SWAT teams from across the State. The Sheriff’s team scored in the ninetieth percentile on the final course exam and was able to take home a revived understanding of how dangerous this job can be and how valuable training is in order to keep our deputies, but more importantly, our citizens safe.