Monterey County SWAT trains to handle vehicle assaults

UPDATE 6/17/2016 5:30 PM: Monterey County’s SWAT team trains for all types of situations, because when that call comes in, they have to be ready to jump into action.

Every month the team conducts a different training exercise. Last month it was rescuing hostages from a bus. This month, it involved a “vehicle assault.” SWAT Team Leader Terry Rahiri explained the mock-up drill.

“A person committed a bunch of felonies, the car may have become disabled, whether it be a spike strip or a mechanical malfunction,” Rahiri said. “The guy is armed and patrol has requested SWAT to come.”

On Friday, two dozen SWAT members used “less than lethal” methods like rubber pellets, bean bags and gas. These are generally seen in situations like breaking up a potentially violent crowd, protests or to distract a suspect.

They also practiced busting windows out of a variety of cars. But sometimes it’s not as easy as it seems.

“Depending on the year, make and model of the car, they have different compositions,” Rahiri said. “So we use training like this to find out the materials of the windows. How our less than lethal munitions affect different vehicles, whether or not they’re going to ricochet, whether or not they’re going to work, so we start building an information file.”

Rahiri said it’s been at least or year or two since an exercise like this has played out in real life, but is confident his team will be ready when they get the call.

ORIGINAL POST:

On Friday, Monterey County SWAT ran drills in Salinas and practiced situations involving a suspect inside a car.

“A person committed a bunch of felonies, the car may have became disabled, whether it be a spike strip or a mechanical malfunction. The guy is armed and patrol has requested SWAT to come to a peaceful resolution,” said SWAT team leader Terry Rahiri.

The Sheriff’s Office said its part of the team’s monthly training to make sure their skills are finely tuned and ready to go on a moment’s notice.

KION’s Mariana Hicks will have more on this story at 5 & 6.