Worcester County Sheriff's STAR Team

On Saturday of last week I posted that I had received calls from various people in Pocomoke that had witnessed alot of police activity in the Linden/Fourth/Oxford Street areas of town.  At least two officers were standing in the street holding assault rifles and one witness saw an arrest being made.

Because drugs and drug crimes are so present in almost every city and town arcross America it is always easy to jump to the conclusion that this was a drug bust.

As it turns out it quite possibly wasn't a drug bust at all. 

It has been brought to my attention that what some witnessed was the STAR team. (Sheriff  Tactical Armed Response) team serving warrants.  The STAR team is used for many reasons.

Please read:

The Sheriff's Tactical Armed Response Team (STAR) is a 12 man unit that is responsible for handling hostage situations, barricaded gunmen, high risk warrant services and other crisis situations that require the use of the team's special training and skills.

The Worcester County Sheriff's STAR Team was formed in 1991, in response to a growing number of potentially violent incidents that our deputies were called upon to handle. Of primary concern was the number of search warrants generated by the Narcotics Task Force and the growing number of loaded firearms that were being recovered as those warrants were served. Irrespective of the problems associated with narcotics search warrants, it was also recognized that patrol deputies had to deal with armed and barricaded suspects without having the capability of calling upon a specialized unit with the agency. Although at the time the office was capable of calling for specialized assistance from other agencies, such assistance can bring with it certain problems that could be mitigated by having the same capability with our own agency. It was known that any tactical team acts only within the limits of its training and the dictates of existing political dogma that surrounds its agency and team orientation. These problems were eliminated by forming, training, and maintaining our own tactical team. Our Office responsibility and county liability were the key issues.

There have been occasions since the STAR Team was formed when they were called upon to take over tactical situations that were deemed to be overly hazardous for patrol deputies. Knowing the abilities of and having confidence in a team is essential during these situations. We have found that our Team has the ability to take control of a situation and bring it to a conclusion in the most effective means available.

We have also learned since the formation of the team that its constant training in tactics, specialized weaponry, team movement, and organizational unity, have brought with it a built in measure of safety that cannot compare with any other unit with the agency. Because safety is the primary objective of any tactical unit, it is a large part of anything that our team does whether in training or during an actual operation.

With respect to the high risk entries associated with narcotics search warrants, it is obvious that on most occasions the greatest danger is dealing with the unknown. There are several things that we do know about people who deal in illicit drugs. They are often drug user themselves and they are desperate with respect to earning enough money to support their own narcotics habits. They are often paranoid, as a result of their narcotics usage, and they are rarely willing to go to jail. Recognizing these issues the team takes the necessary precautions to safeguard themselves to quickly and effectively subdue narcotics dealers and their associates.

The issue of changing demographics is one we cannot control, however, we must continue to monitor and make adjustments for them. As change continues and safety issues remain, the Worcester County Sheriff's Office finds it necessary to maintain a resource, upon which we can draw during those times when the normal approach is inadequate. The STAR Team has proved itself to be a valuable means by which to bring dangerous situations to a prompt and safe conclusion. Without the availability of this asset, it is believed that our deputies may needlessly be faced with having to place themselves in jeopardy when they might not have to otherwise.

It is hoped that the STAR Team will continue to serve the office in the efforts to provide a safe environment for the citizens of Worcester County. It has done so time and time again since its inception and is dedicated to doing so in the future.

The members of the team are assigned to different divisions of the Worcester County Sheriff's Office as their primary duty assignment. The STAR Team is a secondary assignment for which the members volunteer and are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Deputies that apply to the team for a position must pass a physical fitness test, have a minimum average firearms score of 90 percent, and attend an interview with the current team members. The applicants are then selected by the team members based on their performance in the application process. Deputies interested in serving on the STAR Team must have a minimum of two years experience with the Office and be in excellent physical condition. He or she must pass the basis SWAT training course. He or she must have a good departmental performance record.

Copied from:  http://co.worcester.md.us/wsco/starteam.aspx