DeKalb County expands Special Response Team (SRT)

DeKalb County expands Special Response Team (SRT)

PHOTO: DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris swears in new members of the Special Response Team. (DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)

By Staff Reports

FORT PAYNE, Ala.  — The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team (SRT) expands with new members from the Fort Payne Police Department and the Fort Payne Fire Department. The new members were sworn in on December 16, 2016.

“The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Special Response Team was started in April 2007 after I was sworn in of the same year. The establishment of this team was for high risk felony situations and for possible active shooter situations in schools and businesses," said Sheriff Jimmy Harris. 

"It is also a vital step toward eradication of the widespread and deadly drug problem that envelops our County.  With the prevalence of drug use, gangs, violence, and terrorist activity, there is a high probability that at some point in our lives, one of us will have some type of problem with them, either directly or indirectly,” added Harris. 

Sheriff Harris formed the SRT in an attempt to combat these problems.  The officers participating in the SRT are some of the most talented and hard-working in our County.  The team is led by Investigator Gary Hill.  

The SRT undergoes training which consists of building assaults, vehicle assaults, bus assaults, equipment training, and basic team skills.

The team will be instrumental in incidents such as hostage situations, serious school problems, and/or other serious business and residential incidents. 

“We are continuing to build our SRT from other departments, we have two others from the Geraldine Police Department that will be joining the team later on this month. It will now operate under the umbrella of my SRT and the DeKalb County Major Crimes Unit. All of these men and women have the same SRT training to be able to handle situations in the same manner,” added Sheriff Harris.