First things first: I am not on our tactical team (we call it the Emergency Response Unit; you may call it SWAT, ERT, or SRT). I have to put that out front for two reasons. One, I owe you honesty…I haven’t been on a tactical team, nor have I trained with one. Two, I don’t want any of our ERU guys getting upset with me. They can run seven miles in combat gear; I cannot. They can shoot 46 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition into a five-inch target from 10 yards; I cannot. Frankly, if our ERU guys thought that I tried to pass myself off as a tactical officer, they’d probably squish me like a bug.
That said, though, I do know a bit about thermal imaging and how it can benefit tactical teams. The thermal imager can bring advantages unobtainable with night vision goggles (NVG). When equipped with certain accessories, the TI can improve officer safety, as well as information gathering.
More than NVG
Frequently, thermal imagers are seen as the equivalent to NVG. While both can “see” in low-light conditions, the TI does have certain advantages for a tactical team that aren’t available with NVG. First, a thermal imager can see through smoke. A tactical team can lay a smoke screen outside to cover movement, and then use the TI to monitor their advancement, as well as the movements of the suspects. Depending on the density inside a house, a TI can also see through the fog of obscurants and chemical agents that may have been deployed inside a building. Obviously, officer safety can be dramatically improved if the tactical team has the ability to see while the suspects’ vision is impaired.
In addition, NVG require some amount of ambient light to function. If there is not ambient light, then special illuminators must be used. This can be a hindrance in no-light situations. For example, when a tactical team must operate in a basement or a manufacturing facility without windows, controlling the lights can be difficult. By using a TI to monitor or scan an area, the tactical team can look for the suspect’s heat source without giving him the ability to see or target the team members.
While NVG and a TI are both passive, sometimes an illuminator is needed for the NVG. The TI, however, is totally passive. That means that it sends out no signals that it is in use, pointing no type of light or energy towards the target. The suspect has no idea that the imager is monitoring him. This gives the tactical officer the advantage of knowing where the suspect is and what he is doing, without alerting the suspect that he is being watched. The balance tips in the team’s favor.
Accessories for Tactical Teams
Depending on the make and model of thermal imager, you will have a number of different options. Most have a video out capability. This means that the video signal can be run via cable to an external monitor and/or recording system. Therefore, a team can set up a TI to scan a room, building or area and monitor it from a safe position. This could mean anything from securing a perimeter to placing a thermal imager in a crawl space or attic. Attaching the TI to a pole or handle gives the tactical officer the ability to turn and direct the TI as needed, while the output is viewed by the team outside of the danger zone.
Some TIs can be equipped with a wireless video transmitter. This option can give tactical teams all sorts of advantages. First, the TI can be deployed for remote viewing, using the wireless video link rather than the video out cable. This can bring flexibility to the application and be less cumbersome. Second, the entry team can use the TI to send real-time imagery and information out to the commander. He can see exactly what his team encounters, regardless of the light conditions within a building. This can provide additional information for deploying other team members, or merely reassure the commander that the original plan is proceeding as intended.
Conclusion
A thermal imager can give a tactical team a number of advantages, all of which will improve officer safety. Officers can view an area without alerting the suspect that the team is watching; because the TI only sees heat, this capability can be used in any environment, including a smoky or hazy one, where eyesight is normally impaired. By utilizing various accessories, tactical officers can also monitor an area or scan for suspects, but do so remotely while watching the video output remotely. This can remove officers from danger areas until the exact location of the suspect is determined.
All of these benefits can give the tactical team a greater advantage. Some may wonder if those super-human tactical guys need any more of an advantage against a random maniacal nut job…but, the good guys should have as much of an advantage as possible. It helps ensure that we all go home at the end of the shift.
And that’s the goal of every officer, whether or not he can run 7 miles in combat gear.
