Organization
The Emergency Task Force currently comprises 82 officers from all units who are tactically trained. There are seven Special Weapons Teams consisting of 10 officers each. The teams are on-call 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Each tactical team has a team leader, assaulters, snipers, bomb technicians, and a negotiator. All team members are trained as assaulters, and thus are able to perform any necessary tasks requiring force.
The unit is located in Toronto and is a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) building that was built in 1989. It contains:
- meeting rooms
- two shooting ranges
- a rappelling tower
- an exercise room
- a large garage to house the unit's specialized vehicles
Three of the TPS's specialized units compose the ETF. These include the special weapons teams (tactical), explosive disposal unit (EDU), and the emergency response unit (ERU). The ERU provides specialized equipment for the ETF, including high powered lights, crane, and the mobile command post.
The teams train at their Don Mills station, as well as at CFB Borden, a Canadian Forces (CF) base approximately 45 minutes north of Toronto. The unit also trains with members of the CF's counter-terrorism unit Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), who are based at the Dwyer Hill Training Facility outside of Ottawa.
In a medical situation, Toronto EMS tactical paramedics in body armour work along with the ETF.
The ETF maintains a close working relationship with other police tactical teams of the Greater Toronto Area, including the York Regional Police Emergency Response Unit (ERU), the Durham Regional Police Tactical Support Unit (TSU) and the Peel Regional Police Tactical and Rescue Unit (TRU).
Read more about this topic: Emergency Task Force (TPS)
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