Members of the Chico Police Department’s SWAT team rappelled down the exterior of Whitney Hall on Wednesday, taking advantage of the empty campus to run a training exercise.
The team, made up of Chico police and Chico Fire Department personnel, used ropes and harnesses to move down the sides of the residence hall in preparation for situations that may occur on campus or throughout the city.
Team members, wearing green uniforms and helmets, took turns rappelling down the sides of the building by themselves and, later, in pairs.
This is the first time Whitney Hall has been used for this type of training, although Butte Hall has been used before by the fire department, said Keith Carter, Chico Fire Department division chief and 10-year veteran of the SWAT team.
The team trains twice monthly with fire personnel on hand for medical support, he said.
“(The Chico Fire Department is) primarily there for the team, but we’re also there to treat anybody we come in contact with,” Carter said.
If a special response team were ever needed on campus, the University Police would contact the Chico SWAT team first, said University Police Lt. Matt Hansen.
Because the SWAT team would serve as the students’ first line of defense in a special response situation, it’s important for the team to train on campus.
“We feel it’s important that we get them familiar with the environment they might be working in,” he said.
Whitney Hall is the tallest building in the north state and it gives Chico police a chance to test their skills in a challenging environment, Hansen said.
University Housing and Food Service agreed to allow the SWAT team use the residence hall because of the apparent importance of the training, he said.
There are practical limitations to what the SWAT team can do from its position on the exterior of a building, Hansen said. Although team members can’t simply crash through the windows like in the movies, they can provide cover for other law enforcement officers who are entering the building, or they can cause a diversion.
However, in order to be effective in real-world situations, the team needs sufficient practice.
Summer break is a good time to hold training exercises on campus because no one is inconvenienced, Hansen said.
“Last year, we did an active shooter drill,” he said. “We’re just trying to make the best out of the downtime.”
People can expect to see more men and women from the Chico Fire Department and Chico Police Department on campus, Hansen said.
There are plans in place for training exercises involving ambulances, transportation of mock patients and other scenarios that help fulfill the campus’ emergency preparedness requirements.
Because of these training exercises, the SWAT team is constantly improving and becoming more prepared, Carter said.
“People want that team as proficient as it can be, and they are very proficient,” he said.
Don Bunce can be reached at:
Newseditor@theorion.com
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