Cherry Hill Police Department Tactical Response Team

In 1983 the Cherry Hill Police Department's Tactical Response Team was created by general order. Its creation was in response to an increase in the number of critical incidents that required the skills of specially trained officers.

Today the Tactical Response Team is a specialized unit within the department's Special Operations Group. Its fifteen members and three Sergeants train constantly throughout the calendar year and are tasked with dignitary protection, serving high-risk warrants, resolving barricaded and/or hostage situations, and dealing with suicidal individuals to name a few of their assignments.

The Tactical Response Team's training encompassess recon and perimeter work, shield deployment drills, commercial and high-rise building assaults, rapid deployment drills and vehicle assaults.

Each team member must go through an extremely competitive selection process. This selection process is divided into three phases. Phase one is the information portion of the process and consists of calls for service, arrests, sick time use, firearms scores, performance evaluations and personnel appraisals. Phase two involves completing a military confidence course, push ups, sit ups, pull-ups and a timed mile run which must be completed within eight minutes. The final phase includes an oral interview before the Special Operations Group Commander and the Tactical Response Team Supervisors as well as a written test. Each phase is weighted and scored with the candidates being selected from this final ranking.

The Tactical Response Team stands ready to meet the challenges of the future as they develop and advance ever-changing, ever-improved methods of responding to critical incidents and the emergent needs of the community they are sworn to protect and serve.