Police swarmed Fifth Avenue during a four-hour shootout with a man inside a pawnshop. The gun battle would lead to the creation of the city’s first SWAT team.

The San Diego Police Department’s SWAT Team was created soon after the Hub Jewelry and Pawnshop shootout of 1965. Civil unrest of the 1960′s and 70′s also influenced the department’s decision to form a specialized team. Known as the Anti-Sniper Platoon, the first SDPD SWAT team was comprised of patrol officers with military experience. As the team developed, a number of tragedies, including officer fatalities, led to the creation of our Primary Response Team (PRT). The PRT concept has stood the test of time and still today, ensures the rapid response of SWAT resources any time of the day or night.

For many years, the Mc Donald’s massacre of 1984 was the largest mass murder in the history of our country. After this tragedy, it was clear that a dedicated hostage rescue team was a vital component to the unit. The formation of our Special Response Team (SRT) soon followed. SRT is currently made up of veteran SWAT officers averaging over 20 years of law enforcement experience. Because of SRT’s capabilities in Hostage Rescue, Barricaded Suspect, Counter-Terrorism, Dignitary Protection, Explosive Breaching, and numerous other disciplines, the SWAT Unit is ranked as a top level team by National and California police standards.

The Primary Response Team (PRT) is comprised of patrol officers with collateral SWAT duties. These officers are trained in many of the same disciplines as SRT. PRT officers are selected from the most reliable and professional patrol officers the department has to offer.

Among the ranks of PRT are Sniper Team members and sergeants. These SWAT snipers receive ongoing training and are an integral component of all SWAT operations. The SDPD Sniper Team is highly regarded, regularly competing and placing among the top teams in national law enforcement /military competitions.

The Special Trauma and Rescue (STAR) team is the “Tactical Medicine” component of the team. These SDFD firefighter/paramedics are hand selected and attend the same rigorous SWAT academy and training as do SWAT officers. STAR medics are exceptionally dedicated and deploy each and every time the SWAT Team conducts a mission.

All members of the SDPD SWAT and STAR Team are grateful for the opportunity to serve on the unit and serve the community. This site, and the efforts of the team, is dedicated to those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the citizens of our city.