SIMSBURY - The Connecticut SWAT Challenge, a sort of tactical team Olympics, where the top SWAT teams in the country spend the week meeting and competing has added a new event.
For the 12th year of the challenge, the top seven teams were engaged in a hostage rescue simulating real life scenarios.
"It's the closest thing they get to a real call out," said Lt. Jeremy Clark, the co-director of the Connecticut SWAT Challenge. "It's something that happens fast and it's the real world," Clark added.
This year the teams were transported from Simsbury to a residence in West Hartford by Eagle One, a Fairfield based chopper, and, arriving at an expansive field by the house, their challenge began.
"The suspect has a hostage and imminent danger is about to happen and they have to act in this scenario very quickly," Clark said. West Hartford officer Shane McAvay said "it provides great training for some great operators from all over the country."
Trooper Rich Silcox, the team leader from the Indiana State Police said, "When we can all get together as law enforcement agencies and train together it makes us better."
This year, 35 teams are attending the Connecticut SWAT Challenge which continues with, team events, physical challenges, and seminars through Thursday.
