Special Operations Group

Mission Statement

The mission of the Gage County Special Operations Group (SOG) is to provide a high level of law enforcement service to the citizens of Gage County during high risk incidents.

The team is comprised of law enforcement officers that are highly motivated, highly trained, disciplined individuals that are dedicated to their profession.

The goal of the team is to safely and effectively resolve high risk incidents in a manner that is acceptable to the mission objective.

SOG Command Structure & Team Composition

Gage County SOG

The Gage County Special Operations Group is a tactical unit formed in the mid 1980's to respond to high-risk incidents. The unit is made up of members of the Gage County Sheriff's Office personnel. The SOG is tasked with resolving hostage situations, barricaded subjects, the service of high-risk search and arrest warrants, or any incident requiring high-risk police tactics. SOG is also available to assist the SEADE drug task force with the service of their high-risk search and arrest warrants. Command of an incident falls with the agency head of the jurisdiction where the incident occurs with the Tactical Team Commander having operational command over the group.

In 2005, there were four incidents within Gage County requiring the use of the Tactical Team.

• In February, SOG responded to a report that a suicidal male had barricaded himself in his sister's home and was potentially holding the residents against their will. After attempts to contact the male failed, a stealth search was conducted and the male was found asleep. The family was unharmed and it appeared the reported hostage incident was unfounded.
• In March, a call that a suicidal male had barricaded himself in his home proved genuine. SOG members found that the male had barricaded the door to his farmhouse. Several times attempts were made to negotiate; however, the male appeared unwilling to cooperate. After negotiation proved ineffective, team members breached the front door and observed the male threatening himself. Two bean bags rounds were fired at the male. He was ultimately controlled and given medical attention.
• In June, SOG was available for riot control during a military funeral where a protest was anticipated. No SOG action was required during the protest.
• During December, SOG was called to serve a high risk search warrant on a residence where a felony assault had occurred earlier. The residence was successfully cleared and turned over to the crime scene team for the search.

Team members conducted in-house training in order to provide ongoing tactical training and to train the additional team members. Ongoing training consisted of Tactical Movements (T/Y, Stealth, Hostage Rescue, HRWS), Firearms Training (qualification, shooting on the move, exertion), Low Light Tactics, Chemical Munitions, Less Lethal, and Riot/Protest Control and Arrest Tactics. Additionally, a 47.5 hour Basic SWAT course was developed and conducted in-house.