Whenever a Special Weapons Team (SWT) is deployed in a barricaded suspect incident, a "Ramey" (Probable Cause Arrest Warrant), arrest and/or search warrant, shall be obtained in the following situations:
Absent exigent circumstances, a signed Entry and Search Waiver, or a Ramey, arrest, and/or search warrant, no entry into a barricaded suspect location shall be made by any Department member. However, no activity required to respond to an exigent circumstance shall be postponed or avoided pending the issuance of an appropriate warrant.
For purposes of this subsection, an "exigency" is an emergency situation requiring swift action to prevent any of the following conditions:
If an entry is made pursuant to an exigency, under federal law it must be demonstrable that there was not sufficient time to obtain a warrant prior to the entry.
In the absence of a signed Entry and Search Waiver, a warrant shall be obtained even if the emergency has concluded prior to the issuance of the warrant. This will ensure access to the location for follow-up investigation.
When applicable, an interpreter should be requested to assist in the preparation of the Entry and Search Waiver. When circumstances require a Ramey arrest, and/or search warrant, the warrant seeking process shall be actively pursued irrespective of the progress of the Special Weapons Team's handling of the incident. Procedures for obtaining warrants in SWT incidents are as follows: