Oklahoma Police Departments Compete In SWAT Games

SWAT teams competed in the 2014 Oklahoma SWAT games Wednesday to see who is the best in the state. Tulsa police won last year, so they didn't compete this year, but, did host the competition.

Not only is it a competition to see who's the best SWAT team in the state, but, it's a test of their real life skills, because the bad guys officers face now are better armed and trained than ever before.

The hostage rescue challenge tested team's communication, teamwork and tactical skills in a high stress situation with an innocent life on the line.

They realize, that even in a quiet suburb of Tulsa in the Midwest, criminals and terrorists can operate anywhere, and suspects have more tactical knowledge and high powered weapons than in years past.

BAPD SWAT Commander, Captain John Walls, said, "It's nice to think Mayberry exists, but in fact, it doesn't. Bad people are everywhere. In the world as a whole, we are 16 hours away from anywhere, it just doesn't exist anymore."

The Oklahoma City SWAT team members tested their individual skills on the carbine course.

The idea was to be prepared for any high risk situation, an active shooter in a school, a man with an AK-47 barricaded in a house or a long range sniper situation.

TPD SWAT Commander, Captain Ryan Perkins, said, "The amount of error you can have in an environment like that is so minimal, you have to have a trained group of people ready to deploy and make split second decisions at any moment."

The Bartlesville SWAT members showed off their skills with their police issue handguns, rifles and shotguns, while wearing heavy gear and running from one location to the next.

This year, the Norman Police Department walked away with top honors, followed by the Edmond Police Department then the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Regardless of who won the competition, the citizens are the real winners, because they can feel confident their officers are highly trained, highly skilled and ready to face whatever comes their way.