The Bureau of Tactical Support maintains 24-hour readiness to meet the tactical or special needs of our Department or any requesting agency. The Unit is capable of dealing with hostage situations, armed and barricaded subjects, suicidal persons and executes all search warrants issued in St. Louis County. Other duties include dignitary protection such as Presidential motorcades, crowd control, coordinating large-scale ground searches, and funeral escorts for prominent citizens and honor guards at funerals and other special functions.
The Bureau includes the following units:
Special Response Unit (SRU) is designed to provide the Department with a flexible resource to address crime or other neighborhood related issues within St. Louis County. The Unit is responsible for targeted enforcement of street level crimes and persistent offenders who negatively impact the community. The Unit is also a component of the Department’s primary Emergency Response Team (ERT). The Unit also collaborates with community stakeholders to address quality of life issues to prevent and deter potential criminal activity.
The Air Support Unit consists of one St. Louis County and one St. Louis Metropolitan sergeant; four St. Louis County and four St. Louis Metropolitan police officers, along with one St. Charles County deputy. The Unit is equipped with five helicopters utilizing the latest in night vision and GIS technology, and one fixed wing aircraft.
The Unit engages in traffic law enforcement on State and interstate highways in St. Louis County with the goal of voluntary compliance and a reduction in the number of motor vehicle accidents.
Provides canine services to the St. Louis County Police Department. The unit utilizes specially trained dogs in suspect apprehension, searching for lost/missing persons, narcotics detection, and locating explosives and other evidence.
Provides security for all of St. Louis County Government, including the Justice Center in Clayton. Security officers hired by the Department have to meet the same kind of high standards of competence and integrity that the citizens of the County have come to expect of their law enforcement personnel.
Provides enforcement of large vehicles on the highways.