17th Annual SWAT Round Up

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, November 15, 1999
17th Annual “SWAT Round Up”

On Sunday, November 7, 1999, ten of the 67 members of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team traveled to Florida to compete in the 17th Annual “SWAT Round Up”. This yearly event was hosted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, located in Orlando, Florida.

This is the largest SWAT event of this type in the world and an international showcase for special operations teams. Referred to by many as the “Tactical Olympics”, teams from Asia, Europe and North America competed in this week-long event. The intensity of this year’s competition was no exception to that of previous years. A total of 75 military and law enforcement teams from the United States of America, Canada, Bosnia, Germany, Hungary, and Kuwait competed against each other in five team events designed to test tactical team’s abilities.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s team comprised of the below listed personnel was selected to represent SWAT based on their performance under pressure, skills, athleticism and tactical abilities. LAPD’s team began training for the event in September 1999, and nothing less than maximum effort would produce the desired result to bring home the gold.

After five days of competition, LAPD’s team accumulated 368 points to secure a 1st place in the overall competition. Second place went to Dallas, Texas SWAT with 367 points, and third to Orlando, Florida SWAT with 345 points.

LAPD’s team was comprised of:

Sergeant II Edward Arneson #20008
Police Officer III+I Michael Olde # 22369
Police Officer III+I Kenneth Thatcher # 17060
Police Officer III William Casey #25537
Police Officer III Steven Gordon #26381
Police Officer III Chester McMillion #25987
Police Officer III Jose Martinez #26581
Police officer III Ken Pickart # 23380
Police Officer III George Ryan #30193
Police Officer III Joe Witty #30076

For Release 7:45 am PST
November 15, 1999