Pubdate: Sat, 17 Sep 2005
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2005 The StarPhoenix
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/starphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Darren Bernhardt

CITY POLICE'S CRACK ERT UNIT LETS SP REPORTER IN ON ACTION

Charging into a house, wielding a submachine gun and kicking open doors is 
not a conventional day in the life of a reporter, but it's not every day 
the police emergency response team invites you over for a play date.

My trigger finger still smells of cordite. And the bridge of my nose is 
covered in a black soot-like substance from the smoke of a flash-bang 
canister grenade set off to disorient the "bad guys" while we stormed a 
dilapidated bungalow at the ERT firearm range north of the city.

The explosive ejects a powder that ignites and burns instantly to produce 
an acoustic pulse and bright flash of light. The pressure wave rattles 
windows and floorboards. Lights on our weapons illuminate the haze and the 
commotion. Within seconds our suspect -- Const. Mike Powiada -- is subdued 
and laying prone on the ground.

As for me, I'm just getting started.

"That was great; let's do it again. This time I'll be the bad guy."

How can it not be exciting? I spent the day playing cops and robbers, 
firing a fully automatic Glock and running around in a 30-pound Kevlar 
vest, bulletproof helmet and goggles.

"That'll stop everything but tank artillery," Const. Ken Kane said about 
the metal plating in the vest's chest. "It's heavy, but better being heavy 
than being dead."

The Saskatoon ERT is the equivalent of the elite SWAT division in the 
United States.

The purpose of Wednesday's exercise was to provide insight and hands-on 
experience in the methods police use to deal with potentially volatile 
situations. It was the first time ever the special tactical unit opened 
wide its doors to the public.

"At different times we've done different things as a demonstration. But 
it's always been done kind of piecemeal -- never to an extent like this," 
said Sgt. Grant Little, a 15-year veteran of the team, which consists of 
about 20 highly trained officers. "People keep telling us, 'You guys should 
explain some of the things you do, you're always so secretive.' We don't 
think we're being secretive, it's just that we don't go around waving our 
hands in the air, saying, 'Look at us, look at us.'

"So we thought, 'Why not? Let's do this,' " Little says as he presses 
nine-millimetre rounds, one by one with a crisp click, into a magazine, 
glancing down every so often to see how full it is.

Still, I wasn't convinced handing high-powered weapons to reporters was 
such a good idea. It's difficult enough to handle a misfiring pen.

We were treated to a rare look at the ERT catalogue: Tear gas, shotguns, 
shields, masks, rappelling equipment, battering rams (painted with dashes 
of White Out to indicate the number of successful uses), gas guns, 
50,000-volt Tasers and a variety of ammunition such as 12-gauge beanbag 
shells and pepper spray.

Members arrive at a scene concealed in black balaclavas, gloves and dark 
uniforms (or camouflage colours). They move precisely, with gestures more 
than words. There is an air of the unknown to the observer, which creates 
that perception of secrecy.

"It's not to make us look like ninjas -- 'cause we're definitely not," said 
Const. Darcel Pittman. "It's more for anonymity and a little bit of 
intimidation, I suppose."

The element of surprise is often more important than the Glock sidearm, 
whose bullets can travel through bones and flesh in a blink.

"If you can do this job without having to use any of this equipment, that's 
a perfect day," said Little, noting in 15 years of action he has never 
discharged a gun in the line of duty.

"No, Grant just bores them to death," commented one team member, forcing a 
smile out of Little, who quickly responded, "Whatever works."

Saskatoon's ERT was formed in 1975. The first such tactical team was 
established in the U.S. in the late 1960s, when patrol officers kept 
engaging in "free-for-all shootouts with bad guys," Little said.

Members are presently all male, although female officers are welcome. It's 
just that guys "seem to be more excited about guns," he said. Every time 
one member finished waxing poetic about his weapon of choice another would 
up the ante.

"Now we'll get into the fun stuff. You're going to really enjoy this," said 
Const. Dean Hoover, holding a MP5 submachine gun like those presently at 
work in Afghanistan and Iraq.

For Const. Wes Ramsay, the Taser is most intimidating. With a rapid 
clackety sound like a hockey card on bicycle spokes, 50,000 volts of 
electricity leap across the gap between two points on the gun's head. It 
will totally incapacitate you, disrupting muscle and electromagnetic nerve 
signals and leaving you in a whimpering heap on the floor, he explained.

"It's like getting hit over the head with a two-by-four. All I remember is 
screaming," Ramsay said, recalling his training experience.

When a reporter asked whether it causes a loss of bladder control, an 
officer at the back of the room offered this: "Everything tightens up so 
bad, you couldn't stuff a grain of rice into your . . . well, you know."

Jokes aside, using a weapon in a real-life situation is terrifying, said 
Little. Dealing with stress through breathing exercises are as much a part 
of training as target practice. Being as prepared as possible cuts down on 
the stress of the unknown, so members train regularly and study situations 
such as the Columbine massacre to see how better things could be handled.

In that situation, had police used long-range, high-powered weapons, the 
gun-toting killers would have been shot long before they killed so many 
students, said Sgt. Glenn Cox. Instead, police used handguns and shotguns, 
which have limited range. As a result of that incident, Saskatoon's ERT 
practices whenever it can in the hallways of local high schools during the 
summer months. Before it was demolished, the Gathercole building was used 
for rehearsing explosive-assisted entries.

When the team is called to action, there's no time for rehearsing the 
playbook. Decisions are made at once; An entire gameplan is set out in 
seconds -- who's first through a door, who's carrying the non-lethal 
ammunition, who's on the scope, who will give an order to kill, if 
necessary -- all without knowing the people and their firepower or the 
layout of the building into which they're rushing.

On the firing range, with safety glasses and ear protection, reporters 
tested the firepower at the ERT's disposal.

I was pretty good until the switch on the Glock was turned to full 
automatic. Then it was like water blasting through a loose hose as bullets 
sprayed across the target, outside the lines and into the gravel-and-grass 
berm.

Next, Const. Kane and I were set to rush one-two into a vacant house as 
part of the flash-bang exercise. He advised me to loudly yell, "Police! Get 
on the ground!" as we burst through the door. Bad guys are usually 
compliant unless they think it's a rival gang so you have to be clear. As 
we rushed the house, I gave Kane a cushion of several feet so he could work 
the room.

Once he had Const. Powiada fully under control I made a valiant effort to 
kick wide a half-open door to an obviously vacant room, clear my throat and 
politely ask anyone present to co-operate. Seeing no one, I went to the 
kitchen and let Const. Grant Linklater pass me. Then I asked him if it was 
all clear.

The day wrapped up after that as I stood outside with an inflated chest as 
though I'd just protected the prime minister. Little thanked us for coming 
out, and I thanked him for making me feel safe about Saskatoon -- and for 
taking the gun out of my hands.
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