Special Response Team

The Special Response Team - SRT - is tasked with responding to and resolving high risk incidents that are generally beyond the scope of the average patrol call. These incidents include barricaded subjects, hostage incidents, jail disturbances/riots, warrant service on high risk subjects, as well as security for high profile public figures. The deputies assigned to the SRT also conduct surveillance assignments, participate in manhunts and respond at the request of other law enforcement agencies that do not have tactical teams of their own.

The SRT is comprised of deputies from each of the districts, resulting in a team response time comparable to other areas in the country, including large urban areas. These deputies are all highly trained volunteers that are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond anywhere in the 11,000 square miles that comprises Apache County in addition to their normal agency assignments.

The Apache County Sheriff's Office SRT is one of two fully staffed tactical teams in the White Mountains. They are available at the request of any agency in the region and have assisted law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Forest Service, Navajo Nation Law Enforcement Division, White Mountain Apache Tribal Police, as well as the local city police departments and neighboring county Sheriff's Offices.

The members of the SRT are all certified in the deployment of less lethal devices, chemical agents, and TASERS. Deputies assigned to the SRT are expected to achieve AZPOST General Instructor certification, because they are often assigned to instruct other officers and deputies in high risk tactics, advanced firearms skills, comprising the core of the agency's training cadre. The team members include experienced outdoors man and guides whose tracking skills are a tremendous asset to the team during rural operations. Additionally, the SRT has three certified crisis negotiators assigned to it. The Apache County Sheriff's Office SRT is also the only team equipped and certified in explosive breaching in northeast Arizona. This capability provides for the fastest, safest entry into a location with the least risk of injury to the suspects, victims, officers and bystanders.