Goal:

The Special Response Team remains a critical part of the continued commitment of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office of providing the highest quality law enforcement possible to the citizen’s of Wood County. The safety of all of our citizens is of top priority. The members of the SRT train on a regular basis to ensure that they are fully prepared to respond to a variety of critical incidents including but not limited to, hostage situations, barricaded subjects, armed assailants, and high risk arrest/search warrants.

History:

The Wood County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team originated in the spring of 1995 and included eight original members, all of whom were Wood County Sheriff’s Deputies. Over the next several years, the SRT grew to approximately 10-12 team members, all of whom were Wood County Sheriff’s Deputies. At that time, team members relied on a limited amount of equipment to help them successfully complete their missions.

Today’s SRT:

The Special Response Team (SRT) is a specialized law enforcement unit composed of highly trained professionals who are selected and equipped to manage critical incidents that pose significant threats to public safety. These situations often exceed the capabilities of traditional first responders . SRT (Special Response Teams) and or SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) are the accepted designations for units with advanced training, expertise, and equipment focused on resolving high-risk incidents.

The SRT is a multi-jurisdictional team comprised of law enforcement officers from various agencies throughout Wood County, including the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Bowling Green Police & Fire, the City of Perrysburg Police, the City of Rossford Police, the City of Northwood Police, Perrysburg Township Police & Fire and Bowling Green State University Police.  The team also has four full-time medics Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) which are active-duty Firefighter/paramedics that go through SWAT school to be used and active during operations. 

The primary mission of the Special Response Team is to safely and effectively resolve critical situations, focusing on incident resolution. The team’s structure includes a commander, team leaders, and operators; each trained to handle a wide range of tactical scenarios.

The team also utilizes an MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle) provided by the U.S. military through a government program at no cost to the county. This vehicle is entirely defensive, with all offensive capabilities removed. The SRT’s MRAP is deployed during every operation to safeguard team members and ensure they return home safely to their families after each mission. The SRT trains monthly to maintain exceptional proficiency and readiness. Currently, the SRT is composed of 30 operators, with 4 beings TEMS medics.

Contact Information:

Detective Sergeant Ryan Richards
Office: 419-354-9693
Email: rrichards@woodcountyohio.gov