Public Safety's SWAT team shoots it out with other units in annual competition

Senior Patrol Officer Tony Membreno says he is as comfortable this weekend in a gas mask as he was competing for the 1999 Miss Buck-A-Cup title on March 26 in high heels.

Membreno and five other members of the Spartanburg Public Safety Office's Tactical Neutralization Team were competing Friday in the sixth annual SWAT team competition in Duncan.

Eleven teams spent Friday afternoon rappelling, hoisting dummies, crawling through tunnels and rescuing "hostages." The three-day competition will conclude today.

Membreno, who placed first in the Buck-A-Cup competition, said he is enjoying the SWAT team battle as much as donning a dress and dancing to Prince & the Revolution's "Let's Go Crazy" in the fund-raiser for Easter Seals. But dancing took just as much nerve as hunting down pretend drug dealers in a darkened building, he added.

"It took a lot of guts to go in front of everyone and perform. ... But like this competition, it's all just for fun," he said.

Spartanburg Public Safety Capt. Bobby Welborn said part of the fun this weekend is trying to win the competition, but that it was also a chance to develop a camaraderie with other SWAT teams.

Some of the teams traveled from Parris Island, Fort McPherson, Ga., Memphis, Tenn., and Fort Myers, Fla., to compete.

"Sure, there is tough competition between us, but we're doing the same job out there, and we're respectful of each other," Welborn said. The 40-year-old captain was the anchor of the Spartanburg police team in the relay. "I give (the younger officers) a hard time because I can keep up with them," he said. He said the 18-member TNT team is comprised of officers who are trained to deal with potentially dangerous situations.

TNT officers train six hours a month to stay current on SWAT tactics and have some paid time to work out, he said. TNT members competing in the relay and repelling exercise were Welborn, Membreno, paramedic Steve Fitts, Sgt. Mark Alexander and senior patrol officers Craig Bradley and Jeff Grant. Welborn said his team has finished in the middle of the standings the past couple of years and that he is optimistic about their chances this year.

The Spartanburg County jail has sponsored the Duncan competition for six years. Because the jail is sponsoring the contest, the county Detention Center's team can't win.

Spartanburg Detention Center Capt. Michael McKee said the detention center's team, comprised of volunteer officers, had done a great job in the competition for the amount of time spent practicing. The jail team is comprised of Sgt. Wes Barnett and detention officers Leslie Smith, J. L. Nichols, Steve Lewis, Gary Watson, Ron Garrett and Brian Teal. Team members said they were able to train just two days before the competition.

No matter what the final results, TNT teammates are looking forward to a banquet at the Spartanburg VFW tonight. But the camouflaged, armor-plated officers will be out of uniform -- coat and tie is required.

Chad Barwick can be reached at chad.barwick@shj.com, or at 582-4511, Ext. 7213.