Emergency Response Unit
The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) is the YRP SWAT team formed in 1980. ERU is a group of specialized operators. The unit's primary mandate is to deal with high-risk situations beyond the safe operating limits of police officers with their normal equipment and training. The ERU provides assistance during any high risk situations by performing the following;
- Containment
- Apprehension of armed and/or barricaded Persons
- Hostage rescue
- Explosive forced entry
- Explosive disposal
- High risk search warrants
- High risk vehicles/trains/aircraft assaults
In 1988 demand for the Emergency Response Unit was on the rise. Various operational obligations including the fatal shooting of an armed suspect by the ERU during a hostage rescue in Richmond Hill highlighted the need for additional members. In 1989 the Emergency Response Unit increased to 11 members.
In 2001 York Regional Police established a Shared Service Agreement with Durham Regional Police Service, which allows for reciprocal tactical support in the event of large scale or long duration deployments. York Regional Police provides Tactical Team and Hostage Rescue Team support to South Simcoe Police Service upon their request.
Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, increased awareness of terrorist threats provided the greatest single incentive for growth and investment of tactical teams in Ontario since the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Quebec.
The Emergency Response Unit roster was expanded in 2002 to an undisclosed number. The roster includes both snipers and explosives technicians.
The ERU has full Explosive Forced Entry capability which is mainly used in its hostage rescue and armed/barricaded operations. The ERU is regularly involved in high risk search warrant service within York Region and the Greater Toronto Area as well as a number of high profile Joint Forces Operations within Ontario.
York Regional Police ERU conducts its own strenuous selection process with the applicants mainly being from the departments' uniform divisions. The unit also trains its own candidates in most required disciplines and is one of the founding members of the Ontario Tactical Advisory Body (OTAB).
Members of the Emergency Response Unit currently hold positions within OTAB (Ontario Tactical Advisory Board) and CETA (Canadian Explosive Technicians Association) as well as membership in the NTOA (National Tactical Officers Association) and IABTI (International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators).
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