Results: Indiana SWAT Challenge

The 2009 Indiana SWAT Challenge is over. What a terrific event this year!! Congratulations to the Indiana State Police ERT for taking home both First and Third places, and to PD Columbus Indiana SWAT for Second Place!

1. ISP ERT - North
2. Columbus (IN) Police SWAT
3. ISP ERT - Central
4. FIAT SWAT Taskforce (IL)

We took Fourth place out of sixteen total teams. The courses proved to be quite challenging on many fronts...physically, mentally, and emotionally. Firearms targets were small. Loads to be carried were heavy. Hills were tall. Gas masks restricted breathing.

We competed against a lot of familiar faces we haven't seen since 2006. And a real suprise was to hear how many of them are following functional fitness routines...many of them following CrossFit mainpage workouts!

Here is a summary of the five team events this year. Each event was completed by five officers out of the six members:

1. Officer Down. Teams began in a SWAT truck. Snipers broke away to take an unknown distance shot at a silhouette target (with head shot being a 90-second bonus! The distance ended up being 388 yards). Operators got into a zodiac boat and crossed a pond. Operators then ran 200 yards, put on gas masks, breached a door with a ram, ran 50 yards to targets, and shot static clay pigeons at 15 yards with handguns. Sniper ran up a hill and shot at a static clay pigeon at 100 yards through a slit opening from a half-squat stance. Operators carried a rescue dummy back 50 yards.
2. Chariots of Fire. Four operators carried an 8-ft telephone pole with the fifth operator "riding" the pole, for 75 yards. All operators then had to shoot targets, and return to the start by carrying the same.
3. The Money Shot. Four operators and a sniper pushed a squad car 50 yards. Then carried an 8-ft telephone pole up and over a range birm, put on gas masks, shot some targets, took off masks, carried the pole up and over another range birm, crawled on elbows and knees, shot more targets while the sniper shot at a challenge coin (size of silver dollar) from 100 yards. Then the team carried the telephone pole 150 yards to the finish.
4. Beaver Creek Run. Teams ran through approx quarter-mile through a creek bed with water ranging from ankles to crotch. Operators then ran 150 yards to silhouette targets and shot on them from behind and over squad cars. Operators then carried ammo cans (approx 25# each) up and over a range birm, shot more targets, carried the ammo cans back up and over, and then crossed the finish line.
5. Obstacle Course. The O-course is always the best challenge, left for the last event. It contained elements such as cargo net, rope climb, rope wall, attic entry, commando line, Jacob's ladder, monkey bars, balance beam, belly-buster, under-over, and more.

All events were challenging. Two officers had to be carted off the courses by ambulance, 0ne more by golf cart, and two carried off by teammates. Our team left banged up and sore, but managed to remain serious injury-free. Functional fitness is an absolute must-have during this week: carrying, lifting, climbing, pulling, dragging, pushing, jumping, and crawling. Officers must be able to perform at near-maximum efforts from the widest in ranges of motion. The O-course yet again is an event that allows officers to GIVE IT ALL. Nothing is left out on that course!

FIAT was hanging in Second and Third place for two days...but dropped to Fourth after some CrossFitting state troopers absolutely smoked the O-course!!

I was fortunate enough to compete this year, and captain a team of some very talented and courageous officers. This was the first competition for two operators and one sniper (who hit the Money Shot and was one of three total snipers who hit 388-yd head bonus!). I am very proud of all your efforts and abilities. I look forward to competing alongside you all again.

FIAT...we got some!