WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |National SWAT Team Commander trains Gonzales Police

National SWAT Team Commander trains Gonzales Police

By Cheryl Mercedes - bio | email

GONZALES, LA (WAFB) - A SWAT Team Commander, known in the law enforcement community as one of the best in the country, is sharing his talents and techniques with the Gonzales Police Department.

Commander Gene Paul Smith, who is a member or the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, is teaching the Gonzales SWAT Team how to react in some of the most dangerous situations.  The drills start by suiting up in heavy protective gear and guns. Once they are dressed in full SWAT uniform, they wait for their orders.

These guys work as a unit. One of their drills is called a "speed run." In this senario, the officers try to serve a warrant. As they rummage through the house, they run into two armed suspects. They have less than a second to react. In training, they do it on very little sleep. "(This is to find out) can they still move, shoot, and communicate when they're tired," explained SWAT Commander Gene Paul Smith.

Officer Derek LeBlanc says, "the heat is the most challenging part." These officers have been at it for a week. Most of them have done it before. But, Commander Smith says recent crimes have forced him to tighten up on tactical traning. "The bad guys are getting more violent," said Smith.

The good news is the SWAT team members are learning to combat most any real-life situation in a controlled environment, where they are allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. But, in the real world, things are much different. Gonzales Police Chief Sherman Jackson was in their shoes before. He knows firsthand timing and team work is everything. "If you know what to do and how to do it, it all fits together," explained Jackson.

Smith says the Gonzales Police Department ranks in the top five percentile of teams he has trained in the country.

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