Podcast Summary: Day 3, 2025 TTPOA SWAT Competition – “New Teams Competing and Lessons Learned”

Podcast: The TTPOA Podcast
Host: TTPOA Host (Brandon)
Guests: Tanner (SWAT Commander, Forney PD), Coy (Sniper, Mesquite PD)
Release Date: October 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the experiences of two new teams—Forney and Mesquite PD—competing for the first time at the 2025 TTPOA SWAT Competition. The discussion dives into leadership, training culture, equipment takeaways, departmental support, and most importantly, the lessons learned from entering a high-level SWAT competition for the first time. The tone throughout is candid, supportive, and practical, aimed at inspiring and guiding other first-time or prospective competition teams.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Introducing New Teams and Leadership Transitions

[00:14–03:25]

• Tanner (Forney PD):
  • SWAT Commander, holding dual duty as patrol lieutenant.
  • Took over as commander in December, following a recent promotion.
  • Team composition: 1 commander, 1 team leader, 12 operators.
• Coy (Mesquite PD):
  • 8 years at Mesquite, 6 on SWAT, 4.5 as sniper.
  • Internal SWAT school, first time competing at TTPOA.

Memorable Quote:

“Kudos to you for being admin, basically…wearing gold and coming out here and humbling yourself to do this. I truly mean that.”
— Brandon, [02:10]

2. The Decision to Compete: Leadership Buy-In and Departmental Support

[03:25–10:15]

• Both teams decided to observe prior competitions before entering.
• Leadership changes at Mesquite PD (younger leadership) were instrumental in pushing for participation.
• Both departments fully funded their teams (registration, travel, etc.).
• All training and prep time fell to the officers themselves—no extra days provided beyond standard training.

Notable Insight:

“It comes down to leadership changes…I think it’s very important for your leadership to be able to go to trainings, go to conferences, to learn…because that’s the standard.”
— Coy, [07:51]

3. Training Constraints and Preparation

[10:16–13:08]

• Forney: Regular twice-monthly 8-hr training blocks, plus 8–10 extra practice sessions dedicated to the competition.
• Mesquite: Only able to train together 2–3 times before the event, mostly outside of duty hours, due to part-time SWAT status and competing responsibilities.
• Both teams highlighted the challenge of navigating busy schedules and limited dedicated prep time.

Memorable Moment:

“It’s a heavy lift to do something you’ve never done before with five more guys who’ve never done it…and limited training time.”
— Brandon, [13:14]

4. Equipment Lessons Learned

[15:27–21:48]

• Sniping:
  • Stability bags were identified as a crucial advantage (e.g., Armageddon bags, which are lightweight but expensive).
  • Lighter rifles and platform-suitable optics (LPVOs) now seen as non-negotiable.
• Team logistics:
  • Support roles (gear wrangling, on-the-spot problem solving) were found to be just as important as shooters.
  • Forney realized the importance of bringing extra personnel for support and backup roles (e.g., two competent snipers).
• Personal investment:
  • Participants advocated for purchasing personal gear for competition, citing differences in setup requirements from standard SWAT operations.

Notable Quote:

“If you’re really going to be serious at this, you better buy your own shit, you better have your own pistol, you better have your own rifle, and you better have some own personal stuff…you make your own investment to invest in yourself.”
— Brandon, [21:48]

5. Operational Takeaways & Applying Competition Lessons

[23:42–29:03]

• Tanner (Forney):
  • Plans to leverage “competition-style” rules and stress to create better real-world training.
  • Recognizes the need to add agility drills and utilize their extensive training land for this.
• Coy (Mesquite):
  • Emphasizes building interdepartmental relationships; humility is critical for SWAT members.
  • Sees physical fitness and “time on gun” as primary development areas.
  • Acknowledges the importance of honest self-assessment regarding preparation:

    “If you can’t say to yourself, like, and be honest, like, no, I haven’t put the time in…then you don’t deserve to win.”

Notable Quotes:

“Having humility in this job is very, very tough for a lot of people. If you’re on SWAT, you should be the most humble guy at your department.”
— Coy, [27:11]
“You learn more from your mistakes than you do from your successes.”
— Brandon, [32:12]

6. Building Community & Culture within SWAT

[32:20–36:57]

• Brandon and guests discuss the importance of camaraderie, collaboration, and not hoarding knowledge:
  • Teams are encouraged to “beg, borrow, and steal” from each other to improve collectively.
  • Building relationships is essential since teams frequently work together in real-world scenarios.
  • Highlight the direct impact of networking for operational effectiveness (e.g., joint operations, shared resources).
  • Both Forney and Mesquite have ramped up sending officers to outside training (TTPOA and otherwise).

Memorable Quote:

“If I’m scared that you’re going to take something away from me, then maybe I need to work a little harder…We reached out to Plano…they have the ranger rope, we know this is going to be here, and you have to ask and build relationships.”
— Brandon, [25:18]
“If you don’t come [to the competition], then you know what I think about you…nothing personal.”
— Brandon, [40:06]

7. Advice for Other New or Prospective Teams

[38:04–end]

• There is tremendous value even in just participating, regardless of rank or finish.
• Start training for competitions immediately after this year's event ends; operational prep and competition prep are ultimately the same.
• Teams are encouraged to take the leap and compete, even if nervous or underprepared.

Closing Wisdom:

“Prepare for everything. Just like the job, your sleep, your eating habits, your training habits…prepare those immediately.”
— Coy, [39:27]
“Competition builds excellence.”
— Brandon, [40:12]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Kudos to you for being admin, basically…wearing gold and coming out here and humbling yourself to do this.” — Brandon, [02:10]
• “If you’re on SWAT, you should be the most humble guy at your department.” — Coy, [27:11]
• “If you can’t say to yourself, like, and be honest, like, no, I haven’t put the time in…then you don’t deserve to win.” — Coy, [29:03]
• “If you’re really going to be serious at this, you better buy your own shit…you make your own investment to invest in yourself.” — Brandon, [21:48]
• “Competition builds excellence.” — Brandon, [40:12]

Highlighted Takeaways & Actionable Tips

• Leadership Buy-In Matters: Both new teams cite leadership support as crucial for participation and growth.
• Community is Key: Building relationships—within teams and with other agencies—is as important as marksmanship and tactics.
• Gear & Preparation: Invest in competition-appropriate gear, especially optics, rifles, and support bags.
• Honest Self-Assessment: Be real about the work put in. You can’t expect elite results on minimal prep—commit to “train hard.”
• Year-Round Mindset: Make competition prep part of ongoing operational training, not a last-minute effort.

Final Thoughts

This episode is both a practical guide for first-time competitors and a rallying cry to the SWAT community—focus on relationships, keep pushing standards, don’t be afraid to compete, and remember: “Competition builds excellence.” The open, brotherly tone underscores the supportive, no-ego approach that defines success in both the competition and in real-world SWAT operations.