McHenry County Blog

Office Brian Morrow came decked out in camouflage to talk to the Bear Cub Scouts at a den meeting of the First United Methodist Church’s Pack 158.

He showed the door rammer that one of the deputy sheriffs welded together out of pipe and at the end of the meeting each of the Cubs took turns lifting it.

Morrow explained that police departments all over the country had spent big money to buy similar devices, always “painted black” with the word “tactical” in its name.

He suggested painting something black and calling is "tactical" made sales to police departments easier.

Once when the ram was being used it went through a very thin door and inertia took the deputy sheriff, a large man, wielding it in with it.

The officer found himself standing all alone in the house in front of the bad guy so he tossed the battering ram at him and knocked him down.

One of the Cub Scouts questions was whether one had to have a “Forrest Gump haircut to be a SWAT officer.”

That brought a big smile to Morrow’s face as he explained that he had his hair cut so short because it was “low maintenance.”

He explained that when he got a call in the middle of the night, he could just jump out of be and not have to worry about his hair.

Most of Morrow’s work on the 18-man SWAT team is “intelligence.” He has the sniper’s rifle and uses its powerful sight to gain information on whomever they are trying to talk out of a house.

He says the most dangerous such people are those who are intoxicated with drugs or alcohol.

One man who was apparently drunk stopped talking to the negotiator about 9 PM and wasn’t heard from until about 6 the next morning. As the SWAT team was about to go into action, he came out on his front porch to get his newspaper. Morrow said the look on the guy’s face when he saw the officers charging him was quite memorable.

The first question was, “Have you ever killed anyone?”

Morrow’s answer was, “No.”

He explained that the job of police was not to use their guns, but to solve problems without them.

He showed the youngsters the 30-shot gas gun. It can be used as a machine gun, empting the gun, if needed.

The bulky vest worn while on SWAT duty seemed difficult to put on.

He showed them his non-snow gillie suit, which is designed to make him disappear into the foliage he is hiding behind with his sniper gun.

Morrow was not planning to put on his helmet, but the Cubs egged him on. You can see him smiling.

One of the Cubs said he thought it made him look silly.

Different headgear provoked a similar comment from another Cub.

When Morrow also put on his gas mask, one grade school student said that he looked “like a bunny.”

Morrow explained how it was hard to be heard while wearing the mask, but a Cub having trouble hearing asked how he made the bad guy hear him.

“We shout,” he answered.

At one point he made a play charge toward the kids, who were sitting on the floor along the edge of the wall.

I don’t think any of the eight and nine year olds in front of him had any desire to be a future bad guy after that.

And I don't think Morrow looks like a bunny.

Darth Vader maybe, but definitely not like a bunny.