INCIDENT DEBRIEF

In 2023, the Austin (TX) Police Department SWAT team was involved in a Hostage Rescue operation. The suspect had seriously injured three victims, but one of those victims was able to self-evacuate. Patrol officers attempted to make an emergency entry. They were met with gunfire and had to retreat. Upon the arrival of SWAT, an emergency entry was made with a partial team element. One SWAT officer was killed, and another was critically injured. This debrief aims to discuss the actions taken by all involved, address lessons learned, and answer any questions the group may have. The presentation will include patrol-related issues such as the importance of victim interviews, breaching tools, emergency entry training, and more. SWAT-related topics will include intel gathering, the importance of a solid training program, and the officer down/Trama Pit Crew concept. This presentation will walk through the incident and the associated lessons learned and will then transition into a focus on post-incident line-of-duty death factors and lessons learned. Presenters include those who were present during the incident and the wife of the fallen SWAT officer.