Wake Forest SWAT team takes first at state competition

Wake Forest’s SWAT team won first place at the 2026 NC Justice Academy SWAT Competition in Autryville, finishing ahead of eight other North Carolina teams and turning last year’s second-place showing into a state title. Fayetteville Police Department took second and Raleigh Police Department finished third, giving Wake County a direct look at where its own tactical unit stands against some of the state’s strongest teams.

The two-day competition at The Range Complex tested far more than who could shoot straight. Officers ran three and a half miles in full SWAT gear, then pushed through sandbag carries, sled pulls, kettlebell carries, marksmanship drills and problem-solving exercises designed to measure how a team handles fatigue, pressure and communication when every second counts.

Wake Forest won first place in five of the eight events, a strong result in an annual competition organized as a benchmark for endurance, agility, problem-solving and firearms proficiency. The North Carolina Justice Academy says its mission is to enhance criminal justice officers through research, education and training, and the event turned that mission into a public display of conditioning, coordination and tactical discipline.

For Wake Forest residents, the result is more than a trophy. It is one of the few visible signs of how the department prepares for the highest-risk calls, the kind of incidents that can put officers, bystanders and suspects in immediate danger. It also raises a practical question for a growing town: what level of SWAT capability should Wake Forest maintain, how is that training funded, and do these drills match the emergencies neighbors are most likely to face?

The answer is not purely symbolic. Specialized tactical teams require time, equipment and repeated training, and the comparison with Fayetteville and Raleigh shows that Wake Forest’s unit is being measured against departments that face the same pressure to be ready. The team’s jump from second place last year to first this year suggests the department believes that preparation is paying off.

Wake Forest’s SWAT team is now scheduled to compete in two national events later in 2026. After a state win built on endurance, problem-solving and five top finishes out of eight events, the department leaves Autryville with a stronger claim to being one of North Carolina’s top tactical units.