The mission of the SWAT team is to provide ready response to situations beyond the capabilities of normally equipped and trained law enforcement agency personnel. Three basic situations call for the skilled resources of SWAT: clearing a building containing barricaded persons, hostages, snipers, etc.; operating in wooded areas in search of fugitives; and apprehending armed criminals who have taken defensive positions. In addition, SWAT can be effectively employed in the protection of dignitaries, countersniper operations in civil disturbances, or in the pursuit of criminals known for violent action. SWAT operations are organized as team efforts; members must be mature, stable individuals, of sound judgment and superior reasoning ability for confronting life and death situations. The basic opponent personalities that SWAT teams confront are the radical activist, the mentally unbalanced, and the criminal. SWAT counterguerrilla principles of operation are either offensive or defensive, but both are reactions to the tactics of guerrilla warfare, which are characterized by obstinance, violence, and reliance upon the surprise element. Prerequisite to a successful operation is planning. Planning should be done according to the Military Operations Order and the Troop Leading Procedure formats. Among the extensive practical guidelines and detailed instructions contained in this manual are considerations of team size, member responsibilities, weapons and special equipment, ambush maneuvers, individuals and team movement, concealment, cover, camouflage, and potentially fatal common pitfalls, such as throwing a shadow or running diagonally across an exposed space. Instructions and special tips are detailed for specific sites, such as hallways, building entrances, winding stairwells, and the exteriors of large buildings. Means of communication vital for maintaining control of the operation include hand signals, whistles, pyrotechnics, radio, and messengers. Additional special skills taught are psychological techniques for hostage situations, adaptation to night vision, boobytrapping, and the Australian crawl for crossing from the top of one building to another by means of a rappelling rope. Extensive illustrations are provided.