LITHIA —
Every so often, a big black armored vehicle known as an MRAP is seen cruising local streets.
Usually seen in warzones such as Afghanistan, the armored vehicle, emblazoned with “Homeland Security” in big white letters on the side, belongs to a specialized team dealing with violent offenders.
Not too many people know about the vehicle, or the people who operate it. But on Wednesday, at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office firing range in Lithia, the Homeland Security Investigations Special Response Team came out of the shadows.
The team’s 23 members are specially trained to pull off high-risk enforcement actions, often under hazardous conditions. They serve search and arrest warrants on violent suspects, enhance security at events such as the Super Bowl and protect undercover agents who dismantle drug-trafficking organizations.
The team also has been called out during police killings. Team members were part of the massive manhunt for Dontae Morris after police say he killed Tampa officers Jeffrey Kocab and David Curtis on June 29, 2010. They also provided assistance when a man named Hydra Lacy killed St. Petersburg police officers Thomas Baitinger and Jeffrey Yaslowitz Jan. 24, 2011, in a south St. Petersburg home.
“It was insane,” said Bryan Schneider of the manhunt to find Morris. “We were out there for days. We didn’t know where he was. It was very frustrating.”
Schneider, 35, of Tampa, has been with the team for six years.
Morris turning himself in was a “great moment,” he said.
“We were very relieved,” Schneider said.
Schneider and other members of the team participated in a demonstration that showed the training required. It included a “shoot room,” where members practice building entry techniques, an “officer-down” demonstration where they practice recovering a wounded officer under fire and firearms training. The demonstration also included rides in the MRAP.
The vehicle was donated by the Defense Department because it did not meet their specifications for combat.
It has no front doors, just a ramp in the back.