KOKOMO, Ind. — Officers on Kokomo’s SWAT Team have been bringing home quite a bit of hardware lately.
Several of the officers have placed in the Tactical Games competitions around the country.
The Tactical Games tests skills and readiness for law enforcement officers. It operates much like a CrossFit competition, but also includes tests specific to law enforcement.
In a regional last month in Meridian, Mississippi, Kokomo Police Capt. Austin McClain came in first place in the intermediate competition.
Lt. Zach Rodman finished second in the Elite Division.
“They get you to where you want to quit and then they hold you there,” said Rodman.
Now, several other officers on the department are also training and taking part in competitions. Officers get together several times a week to go through grueling workouts in preparation.
They appreciate the challenge it brings, but also say the work makes them better police officers.
“When you are confident in your training and you're confident in your fitness, your decision making becomes a lot better,” said Rodman. “We compete, we learn, we come back and we get better.”
The teams plan to take part in at least a couple more competitions this year.