SNELLVILLE, Ga. — They prepare for the worst with tactical plans and gear. They have to be ready for anything.
But a candid photo shared by a Snellville officer shows that members of their special response team were also hoping - and praying - for the best possible outcome.
Lt. Dean Boone, the team's commander, helped found it in 2007 and said that after all the logistics to this type of response are done, there's one more thing still left to do before going in - they pray.
It's a moment made even more significant in recent months with officers making the ultimate sacrifice just miles from them. One of those tragedies, the death of Officer Antwan Toney, was just outside of Snellville - right on their doorstep.
Boone said that it was hard for all of them - with many of the very same team members joining the search for the shooter in the hours that followed.
But as they pray for their own safety - and their families while they're gone at odd hours of the night - Boone said they also pray for the suspects they're about to arrest - and for their own training to shine through and bring about a peaceful resolution.
It's a personal moment between officers that Boone said takes place each time they're about to make this kind of arrest. He couldn't go into detail about this specific incident but said that it was successful.
For 19 years, he said that the tactics and realities of serving warrants - and working in law enforcement - have changed with the goal of making everyone involved safer. They have backup plans for backup plans.
But for this special team, the prayer continues.
