Smart to share SWAT costs

Ideally, the Trophy Club police would never need a SWAT team.

But hostage situations or felony warrants are part of any growing city, and Trophy Club has wisely asked to share resources by joining the Keller-based North Tarrant Regional SWAT team.

As the cities of north Tarrant County and southern Denton County grow, Keller has become a central provider of governmental services. Keller sells 911 services to Colleyville, Southlake and Westlake, and also hosts a joint city jail and shared animal control services.

Keller started a SWAT team in 1986, at a time of higher crime rates, and since has lined up partnerships with Colleyville, Roanoke and Southlake.

Here’s how the agreement works: Instead of starting and equipping an expensive SWAT team, other cities share two officers twice a month for training and take on a share of the costs.

For a special police team that’s only needed about once every two months, it’s cheaper all around to divide the expenses as broadly as possible.

This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Smart to share SWAT costs."