The Tactical Operations Unit is comprised of officers and detectives from throughout the Department who have volunteered to take on the collateral assignment that requires them to respond to critical events at a moment's notice. This 43-person unit is trained to address hostage situations, armed barricaded situations and other incidents that pose an extreme danger to the life, health or property of others. The unit consists of both a crisis negotiations element and assault/sniper element whose main focus is to bring about a peaceful resolution to every incident they address.