Simi SWAT will participate in national competition

FILE PHOTO THE GOOD GUYS- Members of the Simi Valley Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team pose for a picture in November 2005. The current batch of SWAT officers is en route to Castle Rock, Colo., to receive three days of tactical training before facing off against 30 SWAT teams from across the country in a skill competition.

The Simi Valley Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team will leave home this weekend to compete in the U.S. National SWAT Championships in Castle Rock, Colo. from May 19 to 23.

Police Chief Mike Lewis said the first two days of the event will be a rare opportunity for the 10member team to participate in intense training of new SWAT innovations by instructors from around the world.

The third day will be an orientation and safety briefing, followed by two days of competition between a total of 30 SWAT teams.

"It's really invaluable, the training that they're going into," Lewis said. "The competition is almost secondary to the training and experience they're going to get out of participating in this event."

In September 2007 the Simi Valley Police Department's SWAT Team competed in the "Best of the West" SWAT Competition in San Jose.

The team finished second out of 32 teams from across the western United States. Their secondplace finish earned them an invitation to the U.S. National SWAT Championships.

"We are incredibly proud of what they've accomplished," Lewis said. "To be invited is just exceptional- that in of itself was a great accomplishment."

The competition is scheduled to be televised and will include teams from across the United States, Canada and Europe. Each team will use their own equipment and live ammunition, instead of simulated rounds throughout the competition, Lewis said.

The Simi Valley Police Foundation has initiated fundraising efforts to help offset the costs associated with the trip to Colorado.

In April, Simi Valley Police Foundation president Bill Martin presented Lewis and the SWAT Team with a donation of $8,000.

Additionally, Simi Valley Police Officers' Association vice president Bill Daniels presented Lewis and the SWAT Team with a donation of $3,000. Several private citizens have also donated funds and services in support of the SWAT Team.

"It's really been a community effort," Lewis said. "There has just been an outpouring of community support and it means a lot to these officers."