The St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office SWAT team led a training course September 18-22, 2023 for DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office Probation and Parole Tactical Team and the USAF Air Support Operations Squadron to broaden these teams’ knowledge of baseline skills necessary to successfully integrate into law enforcement tactical units.

The officers attended the 60-hour course at the shooting range at the Lloyd B. Johnson Law Enforcement Training Center and the Octavio “Ox” Gonzalez SWAT Complex in LaPlace. Among the topics were team missions and capabilities, mission planning, weapons manipulations, equipment set up, perimeter operations/structure dominance and exterior movement techniques.

The course focused on solving problems associated with high risk warrants, armed barricades, and active shooter. Officers also participated in practical exercises including force-on-force scenarios.