Emergency Response Team (ERT)

The Gloucester County Emergency Response Team (ERT) is a multi-jurisdictional team comprised of law enforcement officers from local and County police agencies within Gloucester County. The ERT is under the direct control and supervision of the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office.

ERT provides support to local law enforcement during the performance of diverse police functions, such as searches, search and rescue operations, crowd control, and perimeter security.

Under the direction of the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office, ERT has established protocols pertaining to the management and command of major incidents. Major incidents present special problems to law enforcement officers, citizens, and victims. Although every major incident is different and dynamic, a basic plan of action, established command structure and recurring training greatly assists responding officers.

Team Activation

The team's purpose is to provide additional law enforcement personnel to assist local, County, state or federal police agencies as needed. Typical incidents involving the activation of ERT include:

• Acts of terrorism or national threat level emergencies
• Assist Gloucester County Sheriff's Department and Department of Corrections
• Assist the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit
• Execution of search warrants and arrest warrants
• Field searches: evidence collection, missing persons, etc.
• Governmental building security
• Major fires
• Mass arrest situations
• Natural disasters
• Office of Emergency Management activations, such as hazmat or weather related incidents
• Riot or crowd control
• Search and seizure investigations