Success: Delaware Tactical Unit, a Unified SWAT-Force

By Jim Weiss and Mickey Davis

Formed in 1994, by 2004 the Delaware Tactical Unit (DTU) was a SWAT-trained, multi-agency force made up of deputies from the Delaware County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office, and police officers from the Delaware Police Department, and the Westerville Police Department.

Due to its early success, DTU has grown from its original 16 tactical (SWAT-trained) members and two tactical medics to its current size of 25 tactical SWAT-trained operators and four tactical medics, with the possibility of adding a fifth. Tactical medics are unarmed but receive firearms training should there be a special need where a life is in danger.

A current break down of the partnered agencies and their contributed SWAT-trained DTU members is as follows: the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office (8); the police departments of Delaware City (6); Dublin (3), Powell (1), and Westerville (5); and Genoa Township (2). The four DTU tactical medics are from Westerville Fire (2), Genoa Township (1), and Delaware County EMS (1). Since the sheriff is the chief law enforcement official in the county, he has an active voice concerning the unit.

The primary mission of DTU is “to provide a systematic approach to saving lives in accordance with the priorities of life and the specific standards set forth in the policy manual, in concert with the totality of circumstances presented.” The members of the DTU pledge to be physically and mentally prepared at all times to respond to perilous emerg...