In addition to the other operational units, MetroLEC also oversees a tactical component. Nearly four (4) years ago, following a large-scale strike that had taken place in Braintree, a number of police chiefs from Norfolk County formed the Norfolk County Special Tactics and Response team (NORSTAR). At the time, each of the participating agencies contributed personnel to form a tactical police force which presently consists of some 25+ officers. The special weapons and tactics team is comprised of officers who are specially trained to respond to critical law enforcement incidents. The tactical police force can be activated by any member community in responding to an incident that would ordinarily exceed the resources and capabilities of the requesting community. These officers train on a regular basis and have been extensively trained in high-risk building entry, hostage crisis and the execution of warrants for suspect(s) where there is a high-likelihood of subjects being armed.
This arm of the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council requires dedicated and highly-trained officers, who must work diligently to hone their skills. This type of training, and the equipment that is necessary, is an unrealistic expense for any small community to handle alone. However, under the MetroLEC community, there is a sharing of specialized personnel, equipment and/or resources that allow this much needed force to be successful.
The SWAT Team is available to all MetroLEC communities for the execution of high-risk raids, building searches, hostage situations and the like. The SWAT team works closely with the K-9 Unit, CNT and the RRT and act as another option available to critical incident commanders during difficult emergencies.
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