After Ferguson, Retro Report digs into the origins of SWAT teams and their 'mission creep'


SWAT teams are in the news after the local and county police in Ferguson, Missouri, used heavy force and military-grade armaments to deal with largely peaceful protests last month. But between "swatting" — where someone calls for a SWAT raid on an acquaintance or celebrity, as a horrible "prank" — and other botched raids, the paramilitary police units had their share of bad press before that.
Retro Report looked back at the "long and complicated history" of SWAT teams, from their beginnings in late-1960s Los Angeles to the "mission creep" that has followed. The name SWAT — Special Weapons and Tactics — was coined by future LAPD chief Daryl Gates (he originally wanted to call it Special Weapons Attack Team, but was dissuaded).
From their start in L.A., SWAT teams spread across the country, gaining cultural relevance with a 1970s TV show — and power in the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan declared "war" on drugs. Now, more than 80 percent of SWAT raids are drug busts — or attempted drug busts — mostly in private homes. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, local police forces got even bigger weapons and more heavily armored transportation.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Retro Report tells its story with the help of Peter Kraska at Eastern Kentucky University, who has studied SWAT teams for more than 20 years, and former LAPD SWAT leader Ron McCarthy. There are pros and cons, and some terrible stories of raids gone wrong. You can read more about the history at Retro Report partner The New York Times. --Peter Weber
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Leonard and Hungry Paul: ‘beautiful, heartfelt’ television
The Week Recommends Julia Roberts narrates this ‘charming’ and ‘unexpectedly profound’ adaptation of Rónán Hession’s novel
-
Inside The Peninsula, London’s first billion-pound hotel
The Week Recommends As the capital’s super-luxury hotel scene continues to expand, the respected brand is still setting the standard
-
AI is making houses more expensive
Under the radar Homebuying is also made trickier by AI-generated internet listings
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leak
Speed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroom
speed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deployment
Speed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ rallies
Speed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified files
Speed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DC
Speed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth