Why NTOA Now Requires Tracking for SWAT Teams

In June 2023, the National Tactical Officers Association published an updated Tactical Response and Operations Standard (TROS) — the document that defines what capabilities a SWAT team should possess based on its tier classification. Buried in Figure C-11, under "Unique Environment and Technical Capabilities," is a line item that many agencies have not yet addressed: Tactical Tracking in the Urban Environment is now a required capability for Tier 1 SWAT teams.

This article breaks down what the standard actually says, what it means for your agency, and how to begin closing the gap.

What the TROS 2023 Standard Says

Figure C-11 of the TROS covers "Woodland and Urban Open Environment Tactics." Within that matrix, the line item "Tactical Tracking Urban environment" is assigned the following tier requirements:

The TROS defines YES as follows:

"The TIER status is required to have the capability requirement. It is acknowledged that the necessary training must be established and maintained to ensure competency."

Two things matter in that definition. First, "required to have the capability" — this is not a suggestion. If your team is classified as Tier 1, tactical tracking is no longer optional. Second, "training must be established and maintained" — possessing the capability means demonstrating ongoing competency, not simply checking a box once.

For training hours, the TROS designates TBDBA — To Be Determined By Agency. NTOA is not prescribing a specific hour count. The agency is responsible for determining the training frequency needed to maintain competency. This gives training coordinators flexibility, but it also places the burden of justification squarely on the agency if competency is ever questioned.

What This Means Practically

For most Tier 1 agencies, tactical tracking has not historically appeared in the training calendar. The TROS update changes that. Here is what training coordinators and SWAT commanders should be evaluating:

1. Gap assessment. Does your team currently have any trained tracking capability? If the answer is no, the gap is total — and the standard says it should not be.

2. Training pathway. Because TBDBA leaves hour requirements to the agency, you need a defensible training plan. That means documented initial instruction from a qualified source, followed by a recurring sustainment schedule. An annual refresher with no foundational course behind it will not satisfy the "established and maintained" language.

3. Budget justification. The TROS gives training coordinators something they rarely get: a national standard that explicitly lists the capability as required. When writing a training request, you can cite the NTOA TROS 2023, Figure C-11, and the YES designation for Tier 1. That is a stronger justification than most line items on your training budget will have.

4. Tier 2–4 agencies. The OPT designation does not mean irrelevant. It means the capability is recognized by NTOA as valid for your tier, and your agency may choose to adopt it. For agencies operating in environments where suspects flee on foot — rural, suburban, or mixed terrain — the operational case often exists even without the mandate.

Why Tactical Tracking Is in the Standard at All

Tracking is not new to law enforcement, but its formal recognition by NTOA reflects a shift. Agencies that have employed tactical tracking in real operations — fugitive apprehension, search and rescue support, perimeter containment — have demonstrated that the skill set fills a gap no technology replaces. A K-9 loses a track; a drone cannot launch in weather; a helicopter is unavailable. A trained tracker working a footprint line needs none of those resources. NTOA's inclusion of tracking in the TROS acknowledges that this is a core tactical skill, not a specialty novelty.

Where to Start

Fernando Moreira's Worldwide Trackers has trained military, law enforcement, and SAR personnel in tactical tracking since 1995. The Patrol Tracker and Basic Tactical Tracking courses cover both urban and woodland environments — directly aligned with the TROS Figure C-11 capability areas. Courses are structured to give agencies both the initial training foundation and the framework for sustained competency that the standard requires.

If your agency needs to build a tracking capability that satisfies the NTOA TROS requirement, request training information or call 775-338-0882.