WWW arkcity.net

Photo by Alex Gambill click image to enlarge

By RACHEL TURPIN
Traveler Correspondent

"Do you want 5 seconds?" Mike Yoder commander of the Southern Kansas SWAT team, asked the volunteer for the taser demonstration.

"Whatever," replied the volunteer.

Five seconds later, the muscle-locked volunteer was gently lowered to the ground by two SWAT members as campers stared at the result.

Camp Horizon hosts teams such as its annual Police week.

Police Week allows the campers to meet the teams and look at their equipment up close.

The EagleMed team explained to the campers what they do and how they help injured people and showed them their helicopter.

"Can we have a ride," one of the campers asked.

"Not today,'' replied a medic.

After answering the campers' questions, the team lifted off and flew a circle-eight over the field before heading home.

The Southern Kansas SWAT team also held sessions with the campers. The team showed and explained their gear and gave demonstrations.

"Our main goal is to show the kids that we are approachable," said Robbie Delong of the Winfield Police Department.

"Movies say we are more violent then we are. We want to show them we don't use violence and try to end every conflict peacefully."

The Southern Kansas SWAT team has officers from both Sumner and Cowley counties. The team meets every two weeks to train for any possible situation it may face.

"Have you ever had to shoot some one?' a young boy from the group asked.

"Not with a real gun. No," said Yoder.

In the 11 years the team has been together, they have been able to resolve every incident without shooting a single person.

"The last thing we want to do is shoot and kill some one," said Yoder as he explained the less lethal weapons. "We do a lot of training to be able to use less violence to subdue some one."

Yoder explained that a less lethal weapon is a weapon such as tear gas or a taser both of which stun but do not kill.

The SWAT team also demonstrated how they would deal with a school hostage situation. The team lined up, each with his left hand on the left shoulder of the officer in front of him. Then, after the volunteer hostage screamed "Help me", they stormed into the area and subdued the volunteer shooter.

The watching campers responded with a chorus of "That was awesome!" and "Do it again!"

Most of the campers said their favorite part of the week so far had been the SWAT team and the taser demonstration.

But at the end of the day, did the team and their demonstrations achieve their goal? Definitely.

"I thought they shot live rounds," said Justice Anderson, one of the campers. "But I guess they don't."

"I used to think they weren't really cool, " said 10-year-old Kailyn Walton.

"Yeah," said Abby Turner. " I wasn't really interested in them at all, but now I am."

Above: Cindy Betts of EagleMed shows Nathan Rosas, center, and Hunter Gritzmaker the cockpit of an Eagle Med helicopter, Thursday at Camp Horizon during Police Week.