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Specialized Units Supporting Public Safety

Waterbury Police Special Operations include the Emergency Response Team and the Hostage Negotiation Team.

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Specialized Units Serving Waterbury

The Emergency Response Team (ERT) is a highly-skilled, disciplined and well-equipped police tactical unit whose primary objective is to preserve innocent life. The Waterbury Police Department ERT, also referred to as SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) was formed in 1991 and is a regional response team, currently composed of twenty-six active sworn Police Officers from six different agencies.

The ERT may be activated by the Chief of Police, Deputy Police Chief, Assistant Deputy Chief, Shift Commander or in their absence, a designee. ERT missions include:

  • Barricaded persons
  • Hostage situations
  • Suicidal persons
  • Sniper situations
  • Terrorist acts
  • Crowd control
  • VIP security
  • Other incidents beyond the capabilities of the Patrol Division (due to required specialized training or equipment)
Close-up of a Waterbury police Special Operations officer aiming a rifle with a red dot sight

The Hostage Negotiation Team

The Waterbury Police Department’s Hostage Negotiation Team was founded in 1994 and is comprised of officers from various divisions in the department who have special training and experience in communication with armed subjects, suicidal persons, and hostage takers. This is a voluntary on-call unit and all team members have regular duty assignments as well. 

The team is also supported by two dedicated clinical social workers from the Department of Mental Health that are assigned to the department’s Crisis Intervention Team. These clinicians provide on-scene professional mental health evaluations while an incident is progressing and prove to be a great asset for the Hostage Negotiation Team.

The Hostage Negotiation Team concentrates on resolving violent situations through effective communication with those people in crisis, providing them with the means to reach a peaceful resolution. Specific responses range from barricaded persons to suicide interventions and no matter the situation, each requires a calm and deliberate methodology to minimize the effects of the crisis on those involved.

Get In Touch

Lieutenant Tierone Touponse

Vice & Intelligence Commanding Officer

Call: (203) 574-6903

Connect with Our Special Operations Team

Have questions or need assistance? Contact the Waterbury Police Department’s Special Operations team directly:
 

Captain Stephen Alden

ERT/Hostage Negotiation Unit Commander

Call: (203) 574-6937

Contact Our Special Operations Team