Special enforcement team upgrades high-risk arrests

Leave it to this team of proficiently-trained men to bust the most wanted of criminals.

In full force, the 16-member Tactical Response Enforcement Team derived from various divisions under the Department of Public Safety is capable of administering high-risk arrest warrants, specifically of crooks that have defected from the police force.

Crisis scenarios involving armed and dangerous suspects is the game plan they have steadfastly been trained for over seven years now.

TRET’s principal mission is to control high-risk situations in the Commonwealth, that normal patrolmen in the streets were not trained to handle.

The group’s existence has been spawned by a Public Safety interest to create a safer and peaceful island community, especially as team leader Lt. Pete Guerrero disclosed yesterday the Commonwealth as opposed to 20 years ago, has developed into a society of more conflicts and unrest.

A community diversely populated by various ethnic groups and nationalities, unpleasant encounters between peoples of different backgrounds and beliefs have been known to occur.

“This place has changed so much. When I left the place, to be honest, the only people I have seen on the islands are mostly Micronesians. But now we’ve got Koreans, Bangladeshis, and other nationalities. There’s nothing wrong with diversity but the mixing a lot of different people in a small place, something’s is bound to stir,” said the seasoned law enforcer.

“This is why we’re telling police officers that we have to watch ourselves because the entry of all these people that are coming over are not necessarily safe for the community,” he added.

During the first three months of the year, TRET has been involved in at least three high-risk arrest warrant operations targeting former officers of the law.

Foremost in these enforcement officers’ mind is the drive to resolve a crisis incident through communication without violence.

“Talking an individual into surrendering is still the best way. I agree that the least thing we want to do is resort to drastic measures like assault a building because whenever we do that, the chances of any us getting hurt or killed is likely. And I don’t want to take that risk,” said Mr. Guerrero.

Aside from its vital role in nabbing menace elements of society, its jurisdiction extends to safeguarding the welfare of important local and foreign dignitaries.

The expert also added that within the law enforcement community, saving lives sometimes mean having to risk other lives.

“Although we want to save lives not take lives, sometimes it happens,” he said.

Meanwhile, TRET has distanced itself from being labeled as another replica of a US-borne SWAT team.

“We changed our name, we don’t want be known as SWAT due to its bad reputation,” TRET members said.