Agenda Packets - 2004/09/07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 8 Meeting Date: September 7, 2004 Type of Business: WK Administrator Review: _____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Mike Sommer, Chief of Police Item Title/Subject: Participation on the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T.) Background: The Ramsey County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T.) has approached the Mounds View Police Department and other Ramsey County suburban police agencies to request their participation on the countywide S.E.R.T. team whose mission is to support all of Ramsey County’s law-enforcement agencies with tactical assistance during critical incidents, while maintaining the highest regard for human life and property in attempting to bring a peaceful resolution to these high-risk situations. The S. E. R. T. team serves the following functions: • Responds to hostage situations upon request. • Responds to barricaded suspect situations upon request. • Assists with dignitaries’ protection upon request. • Responds to high-risk warrant service upon request. • Responds to civil disturbances upon request. • Provides ongoing tactical training for Ramsey County law-enforcement agencies upon request. • Responds to situations in which a supervisor on the scene determines that S. E. R. T. can assist. • Responds/ assists with other situations requiring a higher level of security or tactical response. Discussion: A police officer from a Ramsey County suburban law-enforcement agency that serves on the S. E. R. T. team must commit to one day per month of training with the team and would be subject to call outs, with an understanding that their first priority lies with their home department. Call out time is paid to an employee serving on the S. E. R. T. team by their home department, however much of this time can be reimbursed through homeland security grants through Ramsey County. A Mounds View police officer serving on the S. E. R. T. team would receive invaluable training that would not otherwise be available to them. This training would not only benefit Ramsey County but would also serve to increase the abilities of the Mounds View Police Department. Opening up a position for a Mounds View police officer would also provide an opportunity for job enhancement that is not otherwise available within the Mounds View Police Department.