’)If you’d like a highly-specialized career in law enforcement, you may want to become a S.W.A.T. officer. Members of the S.W.A.T. team — an acronym for Special Weapons And Tactics — are police officers that have spent at least three to five years as a patrol officer prior to becoming a S.W.A.T. officer. If you’d like to take the first step toward this career in criminal justice, you can begin by earning your criminal justice degree online.
Requirements for S.W.A.T. Officers
Before attending the police academy, it’s best to earn your Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice online. Because many police academies have a minimum age limit of 21 to apply, individuals who earn their criminal justice degrees prior to admission will graduate from the academy with a higher starting earning potential than those who do not have college degrees.
After attending the police academy, officers will not be considered for the S.W.A.T. until they’ve worked the mandatory number of years as an officer. It’s very important to remain physically fit because the rigors of the job demand it. Also, S.W.A.T. officers are expected to work as a team, so it’s important to develop a teamwork mindset.
S.W.A.T. officers must be able to operate the following weapons:
* Assault RiflesStun Grenades
* High-powered Rifles
* Submachine Guns
* Carbines
S.W.A.T. officers are required to use the following equipment:
* Motion Detectors
* Heavy Body Armor
* Entry Tools
* Armored Vehicles
* Advanced Night Vision Optics
Because S.W.A.T. officers must often work in highly-charged, dangerous situations, it’s critical that they are experts in using firearms, proficient in using specialized equipment, and are able to keep calm in risky situations.
What Does a S.W.A.T. Officer Do?
A S.W.A.T. officer is a member of an elite tactical unit and must perform in high-risk situations. Here are just a few of the situations that a S.W.A.T. officer may find himself or herself face-to-face with the following situations:
* Working With Terrorist Operations
* Suppressing Crime
* Rescuing Hostages
* Stabilizing High-risk Situations
* Stabilizing Situations Dealing with Suicidal Individuals
* Providing Security at Events
* Stabilizing Situations Regarding Barricaded Individuals
* Providing Firepower in Highly-charged Situations
* Assisting With Drug Raids
* Stabilizing Any Violent Situation
S.W.A.T. officers are called to the scene of a crime where reinforcements are necessary to stabilize a situation, protect individuals, and resolve criminal activity.
How Much Money Does a S.W.A.T. Officer Earn?
S.W.A.T. officers earn the same amount of money as patrolmen with the same rank and time in service.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average earnings for patrol officers in 2006 were between $53,900 and $83,940. Pay scales vary according to state where the individual works as well as the type of organization he or she works for.
Earn Your Criminal Justice Degree Online
You can begin your career as a S.W.A.T. officer by pursuing your criminal justice degree online. Online degree programs allow you to study whatever you want wherever you want. If you take a full-time course load of 12-15 credit hours per semester, you can earn a criminal justice degree online in about two years.
If you are interested in working in highly-charged, dangerous criminal situations, you may want to become a S.W.A.T. officer. With the availability of online college degree programs and numerous financial assistance programs available, you can begin your career as a S.W.A.T. officer as soon as your college admissions application is approved.
