'The RATs are coming'

WALLACE – The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Action Team has been unleashed and criminals in the area have been put on notice.  

The RATs, as they prefer to be called, have already made a significant impact on the community, busting up meth labs, halting trafficking operations, arresting drug dealers, and removing mass quantities of harmful substances like fentanyl from area denizens.  

Beyond their work in drug enforcement, the team is trained to respond to any active violent situation, including active armed robberies, active shooters, or domestic disputes where someone’s life is endangered.  

The idea behind the RAT team came from goals set by Sheriff Holly Lindsey, but it really took hold when members of her staff decided to tackle these goals head on.  

When Lindsey hired Cap. Seth Green and named him the patrol captain of the SCSO, she emphasized a focus on the county’s long-term issues with drugs, guns, and property crime.  

It’s not that these things weren’t handled under previous administrations, but Sheriff Lindsey wanted to shift from being reactionary to seeking out the root of the problem and removing it entirely.  

“We have to actually go into to people’s homes,” Green said, ‘that’s where this stuff is.”  

According to Green, the department went from an average of less than one search warrant per year for the past two decades to more than 20 in Green’s first year pursuing the sheriff’s goals.  

Before the formation of the team, the SCSO conducted several raids, many of them with the assistance of other area law enforcement agencies as part of the Shoshone County Drug Task Force. Despite their success, Green began to notice a glaring issue surrounding tactical training and officer safety when they conducted these raids. They needed a tactical team.  

“It became apparent to me and LT (SCSO Lieutenant Jared Bilaski) during these raids that, while what we’re doing is great, but in these types of raids you need very physically fit, operationally sound, and highly trained individuals,” Green said.  

Moving through occupied homes or buildings present several challenges beyond everyday police work, these include dealing with noncombatants like children, pets, and other occupants, higher levels of quick decision making, and knowing when or when not to engage.

Green, who has a background in tactical work from previous careers in the United States Armed Forces and other law enforcement agencies, realized that even the SCSO needed such a team, he couldn’t function in his capacity as patrol captain while also running a tactical team. In early 2024, he turned to Lt. Bilaski to see if he would be interested in being the RAT Commander.  

Bilaski has always been a student of the tactical side of police work, dating back to earning the Tactical Edge Award during his POST training nearly a decade ago. Once he had the green light to move forward, he wasted little time assuming the new responsibility, and over the course of the past 12 months, assembled a team that fulfilled numerous different trainings to create the RAT. 

Anyone on the SCSO patrol squad can sign up for the RAT, but to make the team each person must undergo increased physical fitness and tactical training, which includes close quarters battle training, sniper training, and many other upper echelon law enforcement trainings to aid them in the work they do.  

Along with this training, Bilaski and his team have adopted the Warrior’s Creed from Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who said, “Out of every one-hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior and he will bring the others back.” 

“We begin every meeting, email, training with that creed because we want to instill that we’re not just here to be a part of a team, but instead we are warriors for our community,” Bilaski said. “What we’re doing on a regular basis when it comes to these operations isn’t like a normal traffic stop. We encounter resistance. Most people don’t want us in their homes. We have to expect that resistance and hold ourselves to a higher standard.”  

It took a matter of 10 days for the RAT to prove their value, responding to three high-level calls that required their expertise and training. They don’t just work for Shoshone County either. According to Lindsey, the team can be called upon by any local agency who may need their assistance or expertise.  

Each member of the team wears a patch showing a rat holding an assault weapon, an homage to a specially trained group of U.S soldiers who fought in Vietnam called the “Tunnel Rats.” Known for their ability to survive the dangers of the boobytrapped tunnels of Vietnam and fight in close quarters, the Tunnel Rats earned a reputation for being fearless, tough, and well-trained.  

“Even in our trainings, I want it to be known as time goes on, when we get people detained and they see that patch, I want it to spread that the RATs are coming,” Bilaski said.  

Whispers on concern among Shoshone County’s criminal population have reached the ears of the SCSO administration, including Sheriff Lindsey, who is proud of the work being done and eager to see the continued efforts of her RATs in action.  

“The RAT team plays a crucial role in our community, handling high-risk operations that have become more prevalent in our county,” Lindsey said. “While they are prepared for a variety of situations, I am particularly proud of their work in drug enforcement. As Sheriff, cracking down on drug crime is my top priority without question. I want every drug dealer constantly looking over their shoulder in fear of our pursuit. The truth is, crime has evolved and so have we. We are ready for whatever challenges the future may bring.”