Winfield approves new SWAT breaching policy

WINFIELD — The Winfield City Council voted to adopt new police standard operating procedures (SOP) involving the use of energetic breaching by the police department’s SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team.
Police Chief Brett Burleson and Lt. Marcus Carroll attended the council meeting on Tuesday, May 6, to explain what energetic breaching is and why the department needed to add the policy.
Since last year, the Winfield Police Department has been updating its SOPs, which the council approved a few chapters at a time. But the department didn’t have any existing policies in place, so a new one needed to be created.
Energetic breaching is the technical term for the use of specifically purposed explosive charges to make entry into a room or structure that officers can’t enter using other means.
Burleson described several situations where energetic breaching could be the only option to make entry, such as reinforced doors or barricades that officers can’t breach using other methods.
Carroll, who attended special training to handle the explosives, is the SWAT team’s only breacher, and he would need permission from SWAT team commander Justin Cottingham before using that method.
The council ultimately approved adopting the new policy.
The next item of business was discussing a possible new social media policy for the police department.
Burleson said the department’s current policy focused on forms of media such as email and computer use, but didn’t contain anything specific in regards to social media.
That new policy was also approved by the council, which also discussed adding their own social media policy to the city employee handbook.
The council also discussed adjusting the bereavement days policy and including language to clarify whether sick days could be used in conjunction with bereavement time.
The council discussed ongoing paving work on city streets and an ongoing effort to obtain a grant to help fund a required archaeological survey at the park before work continues on the gym project.
In the following meeting on Tuesday, May 20, the council did approve adding a new social media policy to the employee handbook.
The council also approved posting an opening for a part-time bus driver position for the senior center.
The council then discussed the ongoing pickleball court project. Park Director Gina Bryant said installing a new moisture barrier on the court surface will add $9,000 to the cost.
The council approved that plan before voting to adjourn.