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County Police Chief Brian Higgins established the unit after identifying “a need to provide enhanced patrol services to the residents in Bergen County.”
The ESU is primarily is designed to “assist in handling high-risk operations that don’t rise to the level of a SWAT callout” and “bridge the gap between patrol and the SWAT Team,” the department said.
It can work as “force multiplier,” with specialized equipment and training, “limiting the number of times the SWAT Team needs to be deployed,” the BCPD said.
The ESU has responded the past year to North Arlington, Dumont and Mahwah.
Five months ago, a North Arlington woman facing eviction barricaded herself and her dog inside her house. Authorities had no evidence of guns, so they sent two ESU members — one armed with a taser and the other a dog snare. Seeing this, the woman surrendered, authorities said.
The unit can handle:
•Tactical high-risk response
•Emotionally disturbed persons situations
•Minor hazmat incidents
•Water search and rescue incidents
•CED (taser) deployment
•Robotic/camera capability
•Animal control
•Medical/fire equipment
•Active shooter events
•Mass arrests
•Combat casualty care
Homeland Security funds paid for the ESU response truck, which contains equipment donated by the Bergen County Fire Academy, Bergen County EMS Training Facility and Bergen County Hazmat.
It also received equipment and other resources from the specialized county police units, including the SWAT Team, Bomb Squad, Water Search and Recovery, Hostage Negotiators, Medical Examiners Unit, and K-9 Teams.
ALL PHOTOS: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PD
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