Over the next few days, Muncie may be one of the safest places to be in the state of Indiana as 16 SWAT teams descend on the area.
The SWAT teams from police departments across the state and two from Illinois are coming to Muncie to compete in the 11th annual Indiana SWAT Challenge.
The event, hosted by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, is a three-day SWAT competition that includes shooting exercises and an obstacle course.
The 16 teams, each with six members, will compete in seven events spread out between today and Saturday. There are also four individual events in which the officers will compete.
Tony Skinner, president of the Indiana SWAT Challenge, said the events are put together with the intention of testing the officers' skills and putting them in situations they could face on the job.
"It has tremendous training value," Skinner said. "All seven team events are based on SWAT events, such as a hostage rescue or downed officers."
The event, which is being held at the F.O.P. Lodge at 821 S. Butterfield Road, expects an average crowd of 200 people per day.
The public is welcome at the challenge, including Family Day on Saturday, where there will be a kids' obstacle course and a rock-climbing wall.
The Indiana SWAT Challenge is a very intense competition, with the officers firing live rounds, including a sniper shot of up to 500 yards.
The events are planned with the idea to put the officers under pressure, so there is always a chance for an injury.
"There is a lot of risk involved," Skinner said. "We have guys twist an ankle on the obstacle course; we've had one guy blow his knee out. Guys need to bring their A game."
Skinner, also a corporal with the Delaware County Sheriff's Department, competed in the challenge when it was hosted by the Carmel Police Department from 2002-2006 but said his department does not compete now because of hosting it.
While he no longer competes in the Indiana SWAT Challenge, Skinner participated in the 2011 SWAT Round-Up International in Orlando, Fla., where his team was put through a training session and events similar to the ones in the Indiana SWAT Challenge.
The level of competition in the events was something that Skinner said he misses about competing in the Indiana SWAT Challenge.
"I loved it," Skinner said. "It's exhilarating, it's exciting. I just love competing."
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