Special Weapons and Tactics Team

The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team is an elite, 20-man tactical unit trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of our regular deputies.  This includes serving high-risk arrest warrants, barricaded suspects, hostage rescue, and engaging heavily-armed violent criminals. Our SWAT team is equipped with specialized firearms, riot control agents, and a robot for use in barricaded suspects or bomb/EOD applications. We have other specialized equipment including heavy body armor, entry tools, armored vehicles and advanced night vision optics that help aid in the peaceful resolution of any situation.

Being a SWAT Team member is one of self sacrafice and being in the best physical and mental shape you can be in.  "SWAT saves lives" is a motto that applies to the civilian as well as the offender and SWAT makes every effort possible to take suspects into custody with the least amount of force possible.