Team History

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team was formed in 1975, under the direction of Lieutenant’s Hogue and Hansen. The Team was comprised of 2 Sergeants and 8 Deputies. The original equipment consisted of weapons confiscated from property and evidence. Training consisted of one day per month. The original SWAT vehicle, still in use today, was purchased from an auto dealer’s lot in 1976.

The current SWAT Team consists of a 1 Lieutenant (Team Commander), 3 Sergeants (Team Leaders), 16 Deputies, and a Crisis Negotiations Team. The SWAT Team is a part-time unit and Team members are assigned to various Bureaus’ throughout the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The SWAT Team trains twice monthly 8 to 10 hours a day in many different disciplines and is on call 24 hours a day.

Some of the SWAT Team disciplines include, but are not limited to:

• Critical Decision Making
• Communication Skills
• Indoor Search Techniques and Philosophy
• Outdoor Search Techniques and Philosophy
• Entry Techniques and Philosophy
• Active Counter Measures
• Less Lethal
• Weapon Retention
• Aviation (Helicopter Deployment)
• Rappelling
• Special Weapons
• Ordinance
• Hostage Rescue
• Officer Rescue
• Vehicle/Bus Assault
• Mental and Physical Disciplines

Mission Statement

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team is a support resource within the Sheriff’s Office. It shall be responsive to the needs of the entire Sheriff’s Office, and shall also be available to any local, regional, state or federal law enforcement agency upon request and approval of the Sheriff or his/her designated representative.

The services of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team are specifically directed towards situations of demonstrated violence and force, or potential violence and force recognized as necessitating a disciplined team effort utilizing specialized training, tactics and equipment.

The primary objective of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team shall be to solve the problem as quick as possible, using whatever means are available, whatever force is reasonable and necessary, with minimal risk to all involved.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team shall be committed to community and officer safety.

 The following are examples of situations that, by their potentially violent and/or specialized nature, indicate the recommendation of SWAT Team mobilization.

• Armed suspect(s) with hostages.
• Rescue of hostages(s), trapped or isolated officers.
• Sniper or suspected sniper.
• Barricaded gunman or suspected barricaded gunman.
• Use of chemical agents.
• Service of search warrants on violent or potentially violent suspect(s).
• Arrest of violent or potentially violent suspect(s).
• Protection of police and firefighter personnel or equipment involved in the suppression of civil disorder.
• Riot or potential riot.
• Civil disorder.
• VIP security.
• Any situation that requires or potentially requires the use of the SWAT Teams specialized training, tactics, and equipment.