SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — The Sevierville Police Department has added two new people to its SWAT team.
The Special Weapons and Tactics team handles high-risk situations that require a specialty unit, according to the police department. SPD has had a swat team for more than 30 years.
Over the past year, a SWAT team has been used 36 times, SPD said. The team is made up of different officers from different divisions, and now it also includes three firefighters.
“It’s definitely a calling, for me personally — my faith and the community around me,” said Steven Russell, a firefighter who just joined SWAT.
Lt. Brit Turner is a firefighter-paramedic and has been with the SWAT team for seven years.
“As the fire service transitioned into rescue taskforce, it kind of got us in the PD training together and sparked an interest of seeing what the SWAT team does and being able to participate and get into a different aspect,” he said.
SWAT Commander Lt. Jamie Roberts said having paramedics on SWAT also adds another level of safety and aid.
“They have the medical training in those events getting that medical assistance would otherwise be delayed," he said.