Sharpshooters Who Can Do Special Rescues
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 4:14 PM
When their pagers blink, the adrenaline starts pumping.
They are METRO's elite force - a group of police officers who are part of our Special Operations Rescue Team (S.O.R.T.), a highly-skilled force that trains weekly. To the left is Rick Hernandez, S.O.R.T. team leader.
Every Tuesday, they attend a briefing. One week, it may be a hostage at a daycare center. Another week, it may be a bomb on the rail line.
These are mock situations the S.O.R.T. team re-enacts as if they are real-life dramas. They include barricaded suspects, terrorism threats and hostage situations.
As one member suits up - or "kits" another - placing a heavy flak vest over someone's head and tightening it with Velcro belts, there's no chitchat. It's silent as each officer concentrates on the mission ahead. When kitted up correctly with everything in place, the officer signals with a "thumbs up" sign.
Our S.O.R.T. team was in the lobby today with all their equipment on display as part of National Night Out, an anticrime campaign in which neighbors are encouraged to turn their porch lights on and unite against crime and violence. 
The equipment and uniforms for the S.O.R.T. team include headsets and microphones so sensitive that one member can speak in a voice just above a whisper to another, describing the situation. Knee pads and elbow pads are de rigueur.
"We're in one position a long time - two hours minimum," explained Randolph Foster, 17 years at METRO and six years on S.O.R.T. "One time (in a drill), we waited from 3 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., waiting to get word to go take the suspect out."
Called operators, these special officers undergo extra training - both physically and with firearms. Twice a year, they must past a physical test that includes a three-mile run, followed by 50 sit-ups, 50 push-ups and five pull-ups.
The hours of training and hours of waiting during a mock incident all culminate in an operation that's typically over in two minutes.
Observation skills, listening abilities and trust in each colleague are essential for the highly choreographed operation to succeed. Foster says he's in S.O.R.T. for the camaraderie with his team.
"I know in my heart of hearts, they will protect me with their life, so I will protect them with my life," he said. New members are admitted only after a unanimous vote by the team.
Team leader Rick Hernandez, five years on S.O.R.T. and 10 years with MPD, called himself "an adrenaline junkie" who enjoys stepping beyond the routine.
"It's definitely not something your average run-of-the-mill police officer does," said Hernandez.
Two operators on S.O.R.T. are the designated snipers, who usually observe with binoculars and the scope on their rifles what is happening and report to the command center.
"We have to be perfect," said Bobby Croft, a S.O.R.T. sniper. "You only have one shot, and it's the first shot that counts." Croft, who uses a Remington 40XS-308 caliber rifle, said he's never had to shoot in a real-life situation.
In addition to S.O.R.T., we had our bomb robot on display in the lobby. Jimmy Meeks, one of two bomb technicians at METRO, explained that the robot is kept on a special METRO truck and can reach any location on the rail within 10 to 15 minutes - or 25 to 30 minutes in the city of Houston.
"If it's too unsafe to get in with a bomb suit, we'll use the robot," said Meeks, who averages about 15 calls a year. The bomb suits are heavy, loaded with ceramic plates and made of Kevlar. The bomb search suit, worn when Meeks is checking out suspicious packages, for example, weighs 60 pounds. The bomb suit, worn when it's certain there's a bomb at a location, weighs 80 pounds.
"If it's a big bomb, the suit just keeps our body in one piece. It can still kill us," said Meeks, in the photo on the left with the robot.
Amid all the high-tech tools we had on display was our four-legged furry tool - Missy, a K-9 dog who can track explosives and 
is handled by Officer Ted Armstrong. METRO has eight K-9 dogs, trained to detect drugs or bombs and used to help apprehend fleeing criminal suspects. In a playful mood, Missy kissed her handler at right.
Free identification kits for children were given out, along with wheel-type charts that rotate, telling you the best action to take for various emergencies.