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Sheriff highlights Special Operations Group upgrades, SWAT training and interagency support
Summary
Sheriff’s office and commanders updated the committee on restructuring the Special Operations Group, recent SWAT certifications, drone and negotiation training, and outreach to municipal agencies for mutual aid and training partnerships.
Orange County Sheriff's Office leaders briefed the Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee on a series of operational changes to the Special Operations Group (SOG), recent SWAT and negotiator training, and interagency training outreach.
Sheriff Paul Arzetta introduced the SOG team members in the meeting and Commander Jason Davis was named as the unit commander. County and sheriff’s staff described separating the jail emergency response duties from the SOG team and creating a dedicated Emergency Response Team (ERT) for in‑jail incidents.
Commanders reported recent investments in range upgrades, mobile field force equipment to support crowd control if needed, and expanded training syllabi. Officials said the team added roughly eight new SWAT operators, seven FBI‑certified negotiators (with plans for additional FBI certification), and seven FAA‑certified drone pilots (Part 107). They described about 26 significant incidents in the prior year that involved the SOG or ERT, and said those deployments produced no injuries to suspects, bystanders or staff in those instances due to coordinated tactics and new technology.
Commander Davis and other presenters said the office has cultivated partnerships with municipal departments, including Newburgh, Middletown and Woodbury area teams, and provides training — active shooter presentations, school lockdown drills and site assessments — at no cost to smaller agencies. Officials also said they adopted biannual physical fitness and firearms standards for SOG members and introduced an Army Combat Fitness Test‑informed regimen and timed firearms qualifications with remediation protocols.
Speakers emphasized the team’s regional training role and said the unit competed in a national SWAT competition in Connecticut, ranking 17th out of about 40 teams, with plans to return for improved placement.
Committee members thanked the sheriff’s office and invited the unit to host a training demonstration for legislators and staff.
