SWAT Exercise Reassures Some, Startles Other Residents

NKY Law Enforcement stages SWAT team exercises on N. Ft. Thomas Ave. Photo: Mark Collier

by PAT LaFLEUR

Reporter, Fort Thomas Matters

See below for UPDATE to this story.

Around 10 A.M. Wednesday morning, Northern Kentucky’s SWAT team coordinated a routine set of exercises intended to train officers on how to enter buildings safely and tactically. 

The exercises took place at 1627 N. Ft. Thomas Ave., a currently vacant property, and involved a combination of officers from several Northern Kentucky municipalities. The FTPD’s own Officer Douglas Bryant represents Fort Thomas on the NKY SWAT team. NKY SWAT coordinated the exercises with the property owner.

FTM is still awaiting a statement from the FTPD (see below), but Fort Thomas City Administrator Don Martin tells FTM, “These types of exercises allow our SWAT officers and the SWAT officers from other municipalities to work together to be better prepared for real-life situations,” such as last month’s stand-off in Latonia between the SWAT team and a veteran who had barricaded himself in his home with his children. 

Martin also tells FTM that the house used to stage the exercises is slated for potential demolition.

The pre-scheduled exercises coincidentally occurred in the wake of news of a bomb-threat delivered to Highlands High School earlier Wednesday morning, and some nearby residents were initially alarmed by the exercises. The exercises involved a SWAT truck, nearly a dozen law enforcement vehicles from various cities, Kenton and Campbell County Sheriff vehicles, and the team itself, training with assault rifles.

One N. Ft. Thomas Ave. resident who lives nearby commented on Facebook, “Wish they could have let me know… I had a major rush of adrenaline!” while others commented on how seeing SWAT exercises like this reassures them of their safety in Fort Thomas.

FTM is awaiting more information from FTPD on how these exercises are planned and how/if the public is notified. This story will be updated (see below).

At the time of this posting, NKY SWAT is still engaged in the training exercises.

UPDATE: Fort Thomas Police Chief Mike Daly has confirmed to FTM that the SWAT team was engaged in a pre-scheduled routine exercise, noting that “exercises like these are a huge plus for the city because it allows these guys to practice and train on our streets.”

Daly also added, “The farthest thing we intended was to create confusion or panic among residents,” and offered an apology to any residents who were alarmed by this morning’s exercises.

Daly had informed St. Catherine Elementary and Johnson Elementary prior to the exercises, so as to avoid confusion among parents taking their children to or from school.

“If residents ever have questions in an event like this, they can call county dispatch (859-292-3622) or our own administrative office (859-441-6562) directly for information,” he said.