Special Response Team


     The Sanford Police Department is a partner agency in the Southern Maine Special Response Team (SRT). This group is comprised of police officers and emergency medical services personnel from 12 different municipalities and law enforcement agencies in York County, which include:

-Kittery                     -York
-Eliot                          -South Berwick
-Wells                        -Buxton
-Kennebunk        -Kennebunkport
-Saco                          -Old Orchard Beach
-York County's Sheriff's Department and Emergency Management Association

     By pooling first responder resources throughout York County the SRT can provide the type of assistance that no single community could muster to resolve certain critical incidents. Criminal events where specialized equipment, enhanced training, or tactical capabilities are more likely to bring about a safe and positive outcome for citizens, first responders, and suspects are the focus of the SRT's mission. Over the course of the previous 23 years the SRT has expanded to better serve our communities by incorporating crisis negotiators, tactical K-9 teams, armored rescue vehicles, UAV (Drone) capabilities, and expanded medical response. The SRT has peacefully resolved many incidents involving armed barricaded individuals, and high risk arrest and search warrants throughout many communities in York County. The SRT is certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as one of only 4 certified teams in Maine. Meeting this standard requires SRT personnel to maintain an increased training regiment, which not only supports excellent performance during tactical operations, but improves individual capabilities while performing their standard duties. Topics such as; response to active shooters, resolution of hostage situations, and de-escalating armed suspects in crisis are regularly addressed along with other high threat events. The SRT is part of a larger, State network of tactical response teams, who not only train together, but rely on each other, to provide support during critical incident events, again, in an effort to bring about the best possible outcomes for our communities.