The Emergency Task Force (ETF) is the tactical unit of the Toronto Police Service (TPS). It is mandated to deal with high risk situations like hostage taking, emotionally disturbed persons, high risk arrests, warrant service and protection details. The unit was created in 1965, and inspired the television show Flashpoint. An earlier non-SWAT Riot and Emergency Squad emerged in 1961.[1] Part of its role is now undertaken by the ETF, Public Safety and Emergency Management and the Mounted Unit. The ETF is the only SWAT team in North America that is fully manned 24 hours a day.[2]
Unlike most SWAT teams, the ETF is not a pure paramilitary unit. The ETF mission profile includes terrorism threats, which are also handled by Joint Task Force 2.
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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:
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 anti-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.
In order to serve the city of Toronto better, 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).
The ETF use the MP5A3 9 mm submachine gun, Remington 700 bolt-action sniper rifle, Remington 870 shotgun, and the Diemaco C8 carbine. Less than lethal options are also at the disposal of team members: these include the X26 Tasers, pepper spray (OC Spray) and Tear Gas (CS Gas) and Rubber Bullets or bean bag rounds. ETF also operates Northrop Grumman Remotec Andros MK V1A bomb disposal remote robots to defuse suspected bombs or suspicious objects. The newest robot used by the team is the Remotec Andros F6B.
The vehicles used by the team include the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor and the Chevrolet Suburban. The ETF also have an armoured car which can be used to rescue injured civilians or officers. The current armoured car, an Armet Armored Vehicles Trooper was put into service during the summer of 2005.
Currently, the Toronto Police Service does not have its own helicopter, but has access to the helicopters from York and Durham Regional Police, along with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
ETF responded to an operation that involved rescuing a hostage-taking situation on August 25, 2004. A man with a history of domestic violence took a woman hostage, holding her at gunpoint during morning rush hour just outside Union Station in downtown Toronto. The incident ended when an ETF sharpshooter fired a shot, killing the man. The hostage was traumatized but unharmed.[3][4]
ETF responded to another operation that involved an off-duty 33 Division Officer inside a CIBC bank on Lawrence and Victoria Park. On February 26, 2008, ETF, K-9 and officers from 33 Division were called to a bank robbery in progress. Unknown to the 16-year-old suspect, officers surrounded the bank and waited for the suspect to exit. The suspect left the bank only to be tackled by the off-duty officer and awaiting ETF.[5]
ETF officers were involved with Project Fusion arrests. This was an investigation led by the Province of Ontario Guns and Gangs Task Force, whose officers were working hand-in-hand with other services, mainly the Durham Regional Police Drug and Gang Enforcement Units. These arrests happened on the morning of April 1, 2009 and saw over 120 locations raided by not only by Toronto Police tactical officers, but officers from surrounding police services as well from as far away as Belleville and London, Ontario. In total, 38 police tactical units were used for these warrants. The centre of the raids was at the area of Markham and Eglinton, but also included locations in Peel and York Region, along with several locations in Durham Region.