MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Chatham County Sheriff Department STAR Team is to provide a highly trained and skilled tactical team to be utilized in incidents considered to be a critical or high risk nature. The intent of the STAR Team in this mission is to substantially minimize the potential for the loss of human life or serious bodily injury to citizens, law enforcement officers and suspects.
Law Enforcement is confronted with increasingly hazardous situations which expose officers to overwhelming personal danger. To manage these situations more safely and effectively, a group of highly trained officers has been formed into a Sheriff’s Tactical and Response Team, more commonly referred to as the “STAR Team”.
RESPONSIBILITIES
To respond professionally to incidents involving the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department requiring a tactical response through proper training, planning, and preparation.
- Barricaded Suspects:
- High Risk Arrest/Warrant/Search:
- Protection Detail: The security and protection of dignitaries to include but not limited to:
- Judges
- Elected Officials
- Witness
- Suspects based on threat or potential threat to the well being of those persons
- Special Assignments: Any assignment approved by the Sheriff or his designee.
SELECTION PROCESS
There are certain recognized personality traits and abilities needed by the officers assigned to the STAR Team. Traits include, but are not limited to, courage, maturity, self discipline, initiative, decisiveness, responsibility, good judgment, and the ability to perform under stress. The abilities include mental and physical fitness as well as above average shooting skills. The selection process will seek to measure the applicant against the aforementioned standards.
Basic qualification testing will be in the forms of:
- A written exam measuring applicant’s knowledge of the use of deadly force and force continuum with a minimum score of 98 percent.
- A written exam measuring applicant’s knowledge of weapon retention and response with an edged weapon with a minimum score of 98 percent.
- Each applicant must qualify with his/her primary and secondary weapon as an expert (score of 90 or better).
Once assigned to the STAR Team, all operational members must maintain acceptable standards of performance as outlined in the basic qualification testing.
TRAINING STANDARDS
Training will be based on SWAT specific tactics as this type of training has been proven to be the most effective tactical training available.
The STAR Team will conduct training for a minimum of eight hours each month and will Train on appropriate subjects related to the mission of the Team.
The training program will include regular updates on current legal issues facing tactical operations.
Individual Team members will be re-certified annually on all Team level skills.