A RISING NUMBER OF ARMED CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN POLICE OFFICERS AND EXTREMIST GROUPS, TERRORISTS, MENTALLY DERANGED PERSONS, AND CRIMINALS HAS REQUIRED ALL BUT THE SMALLEST POLICE FORCES TO DEVELOP SWAT UNITS. THESE ARE SPECIALLY TRAINED AND EQUIPPED TEAMS, PROFICIENT IN THE USE OF TACTICAL TECHNIQUES AND OPERATIONS DESIGNED TO TERMINATE ARMED CONFLICTS WITH MINIMUM USE OF FORCE. EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE SAFE RELEASE OF HOSTAGES AND APPREHENSION OF THE PERPETRATORS THROUGH NEGOTIATION. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN SWAT FUNCTIONS INCLUDE A LACK OF BASIC TRAINING AND ONGOING PROFICIENCY MAINTENANCE FOR SWAT TEAM MEMBERS AND A LACK OF TRAINING PROVIDED A DEPARTMENT'S NONSPECIAL WEAPONS TEAM PERSONNEL. THE SOLUTION ADVOCATED BY THE AUTHOR IS THE SYSTEMS APPROACH, IN WHICH THE POLICE AGENCY IS TREATED AS A WHOLE ENTITY WITH INTERDEPENDENT PARTS, THE SWAT UNIT BEING ONE OF THOSE COMPONENTS AND NOT A SEPARATE, ELITE GROUP. THE CREATION OF THE 'SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT' (SOU) IN THE IRVINE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CALIFORNIA, IS OFFERED AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THIS APPROACH. METHODS OF RECRUITING AND TRAINING SOU PERSONNEL ARE OUTLINED, AS WELL AS WAYS TO ASSURE SUCCESSFUL INTERACTION OF SOU TEAMS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.