A Police Captain III serves as the Commanding Officer of Metropolitan Division. Under the direction of the Commanding Officer of Special Operations Bureau (SOB), exercises line command over the operations of Metropolitan Division and the line platoons. The Commanding Officer may authorize the use of explosives during an entry by the SWAT team upon approval from the Commanding Officer, SOB.
There are five field platoons (B, C, D, E, and K-9 Platoons) and an operations platoon (A Platoon); all platoons are supervised by a Lieutenant II. The Operations Platoon performs the administrative and support functions. “B” and “C” Platoons are primarily responsible for crime suppression. Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), “D” Platoon personnel, respond to emergency situations involving barricaded suspects or hostages. “K-9” Platoon and “E” (Mounted Unit) Platoon makes up the remainder of the Division. The Division also maintains a doctor, crisis negotiators and other specialists in weaponry, computer science, and audio-visual technology.
A Platoon personnel provides the support function for the Division. In addition to the administrative duties, they coordinate Metro’s many tactical firearms training programs, ensure compliance with state-mandated (POST) training, and maintain the extensive Metro armory of specialized weapons. Additionally, the Crime Analysis and Deployment Detail utilizes automated repressible crime information Citywide to determine Metro deployment in identified “hot spots.”
“B” and “C” Platoons are primarily responsible for carrying out the crime suppression missions. Their most active function is maintaining selective enforcement details in high frequency crime areas and targeting repeat offenders and criminal predators. Particular efforts are directed to the suppression of burglary, robbery, auto theft, and burglary/theft from motor vehicle. More recently, efforts have been aimed at attacking violent repressible crime.
“D” Platoon (SWAT), in addition to its crime suppression assignments, has the duty of handling situations where SWAT is essential. SWAT provides the Department with 24-hour coverage necessary for immediate response to barricaded suspects, snipers, crisis and hostage negotiation s, potential suicide related situations, and other high-risk incidents. Rapid deployment, surprise, extensive tactics training and thorough planning are the seals of successful SWAT operations.
“E” Platoon (Mounted Unit) began as a volunteer program and was formally integrated into the Department in 1988. The Platoon currently has 32 horses and is located in a state-of-the-art Ahmanson Equestrian Facility. Officers and their horses deploy on City streets or during special events and add to the Department’s professional image. Beyond that, the Mounted Platoon performs crime suppression duties and responds to crowd control incidents
“K-9” Platoon deploys highly trained handlers and their canine partners to conduct searches and apprehend felony suspects. The dogs are agile, well disciplined, and often sacrifice their lives for officer safety. K-9 personnel are deployed around-the-clock, seven days a week. They are available to assist any Department entity with searches for felony suspects. Two K-9 officers have also been trained in search and rescue operations using dogs.
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