In Shoshone County, the RATs are coming

WALLACE — The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Action Team says it is just getting started.  

The RATs, as they prefer to be called, have already made an impact, busting meth labs, halting trafficking operations, arresting drug dealers and removing significant quantities of harmful substances like fentanyl.

“The RAT team plays a crucial role in our community, handling high-risk operations that have become more prevalent in our county,” Sheriff Holly Lindsey said.

Beyond their work in drug enforcement, the team is trained to respond to violent situations, including armed robberies, shooters or violent domestic disputes.

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

When Lindsey hired Cap. Seth Green and named him SCSO patrol captain, 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 Lindsey wanted to shift from being reactionary to seeking out the root of the problem.

“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.

Before the formation of the team, the SCSO conducted several raids, many of them with the assistance of area law enforcement agencies as part of the Shoshone County Drug Task Force. Despite their success, Green noticed an issue: They needed a tactical team.  

He said the raids required physically fit, operationally sound and highly trained individuals.

Moving through occupied homes or buildings can present many challenges not seen in 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.

In early 2024, Green turned to SCSO Lt. Jared Bilaski to see if he would be interested in being the RAT commander.  

He was.

Bilaski has experience on 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 spent the next 12 months assembling the RATs. 

Anyone on the SCSO patrol squad can sign up, but to make the team each person must undergo increased physical fitness and tactical training, which includes close-quarter battle training, sniper training and other upper-echelon law enforcement trainings.

Bilaski and his team have also adopted the Warrior’s Creed from Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who said, “Out of every 100 men, 10 shouldn’t even be there, 80 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. 

He said what they do isn’t like a normal traffic stop.

"We encounter resistance. Most people don’t want us in their homes," Bilaski said. "We have to expect that resistance and hold ourselves to a higher standard.”  

It took 10 days for the RATs to respond to three high-level calls. They don’t just work for Shoshone County. According to Lindsey, the team can be called upon by any local agency. 

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.