DiD - LAPD SWAT : Assaulter.

Name: Ryan "Goose" Driver.

Age: Unknown.

Rank: Police Officer Third Grade.

Std. armaments:

LAPD S.W.A.T. t-shirt x 1.

LAPD S.W.A.T. tactical uniform (shirt & pants) x 1.

Inner cotton shorts x 1.

Tactical Double Duty TDU belt x 1.

PROTECH TAC-6 PLUS® HP full coverage tactical vest x 1.

PROTECH tactical ballistic bicep upper arm protection x 2.

PROTECH Dual Tango Down M4 magazine pouch x 1.

PROTECH Double UMP 45 magazine pouch x 1.

Double handcuff pouch x 1.

Universal radio pouch x 1.

Shotgun shell pouch x 1.

PROTECH utility pouch x 1.

Hydration system carrier x 1.

LAPD S.W.A.T. Class II Special Ops harness x 1.

UTG tactical single point sling x 1.

Drop pouch x 1.

OMEGA elite gas mask pouch x 1.

OMEGA elite M-16 /flash-bang pouch x 1.

Tactical name tapes x 1.

41D & 23D commemoration patch x 1.

LOS ANGELES police breast patch x 1.

LAPD S.W.A.T. patch x 1.

Fast ballistic helmet (includes: EOS Tactical MPLS Headlamp, NVG Lanyard for VAS Shroud, ContourHD Camera & Goggle Swivel Clips ) x 1.

FM53 twin port protective mask w/ sunlight outsert assembly (includes: Voice Projection Unit (VPU) & Comms Cable Kit ) x 1.

Oakley M-Frame Strike sunglasses x 1.

3M Peltor S.W.A.T.-TAC III ACH single communication headset w. arc rail adapter & Signal Combat PTT x 1.

Motorola Astro Saber III speaker x 1.

416 Carbine Rifle w/ MIAD grip & PW flash hider & PTS ASAP sling plate (includes: 4x magnifier with flip-to-side mount, XPS-2-0 weapons sight, MP Gen 2 MBUS flip up front /rear sight, M900V vertical fore grip & EMAG magazine w/ plate) x 1.

Kimber Custom TLE II (LAPD S.W.A.T.) pistol x 1.

6360 holster (S.W.A.T. custom) w/ MLS accessory fork on quick release harness & quick locking system (QLS) x 1.

C.A.T. (covert anti-terrorism) #203 knife x 1.

Multi-Port Plus flash-bang grenade x 2.

S-Biner carabiner x 1.

KONG 511-L3 carabiner x 1.

Tactical door wedge x 1.

X26 stun gun w/ Tek-Lok holster & CQC ambidextrous platform x 1.

Disposable double cuff x 2.

BlackBerry-8700G cell phone w/ case x 1.

HK Porter 0690C 9-inch Handklip cutter x 1.

OMEGA Water Beast Reservoir w/  Big Bite Valve and HydroGuard x 1.

Fusion Climb Tazo II screw gate straight D carabiner x 1.

TAC- watch x 1.

TAC- pen x 1.

S.W.A.T. classic 9 inch side zip boots x 2.

About LAPD SWAT:

While not the first to use specially trained units, the LAPD was the first to form a specific SWAT team, and originally created the term, "Special Weapons And Tactics".

With the increasingly rampant crime, general policing is not enough to cope with the special circumstances.

LAPD came up with the idea to form a specially trained and equipped unit. It intended to respond to and manage critical situations involving shootings while minimising police casualties.

In 1967, seniors of LAPD approved this idea and formed a small select group of volunteer officers. This first SWAT unit initially consisted of fifteen teams of four men each, for a total staff of sixty. These officers were given special status and benefits. They were required to attend special monthly training. This unit also served as a security force for police facilities during times of civil unrest.

In 1971, the SWAT personnel were assigned on a full-time basis to Metropolitan Division to respond to continuing action by subversive groups, the rising crime rate and the continuing difficulty of mustering a team response in a timely manner. Metropolitan Division, which had a long-established reputation as the tactical unit of the Department, was reorganised into 6 units: "A", "B", "C", "D", "E", and "K-9" Platoons. The Special Weapons And Tactics Unit was given the designation of "D" Platoon, and at the same time formally adopted the acronym SWAT.

D Platoon (SWAT):

D Platoon is the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team of the LAPD, provides the Department with 24-hour coverage necessary for immediate response to barricaded suspects, snipers, crisis and hostage negotiations, potential suicide-related situations, and other high-risk incidents. Rapid deployment, surprise, extensive tactics training and thorough planning are all parts of successful SWAT operations.

- write up from the box.

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I very much anticipated this figure ever since it was previewed by DiD Corp last year. Although I am still very much "assembly-phobic" when it comes to figure of such genre, I couldn't resist the prototype photos and the tonnes of cool tactical gears, armaments which come with it. And with DiD Corp doing a S.W.A.T., it should be an icing on the cake because they do some really great stuffs pertaining to WW2 and WW1 figures in general. Excluding the actual historical accuracy or what not, I am very much a fan due to the material which DiD used. The LAPD S.W.A.T. does not disappoint, even at a higher retail price than previous DiD figures. It is insanely packed with accessories. Just look at the lists (I must point out that military-maniac fellow figure collecting frens yawn at all this). But with details arise the "put it together" nightmare. I spent a good four days pouring over the sparse instructions, cross referencing with various sources on the Net. My fingers and wrist screamed for rest. And I thought I am about to go blind and most likely suffer from hallucination due to lack of sleep. At one point I swear the figure seems to be mocking me for unable to get the "gears", particularly the bloody communication headset, together. I think I punch a fist on the air when I finally triumph. But it is a pyrrhic victory. The LAPD S.W.A.T. Assaulter, of which its head-sculpt shared a familiar likeness to Ryan Gosling (a famed actor whom ironically I didn't watch any which starred him. The name on this figure is supposedly derived from one of the characters the actor played), suffered from a severe weakness which I couldn't deny. Now, this is strictly my own opinion. That weakness is the darn seamless arms. I am a rubber arm phobic. It restricts the angle and pose which I want. DiD actually cover the inner usual ball joints arm with the molded muscular, with veins to boot, arms over it. At least for the figure in hand, the rubberised arms pose-ability are restricted, denying me the "classic" elite team "fluff look". At least they shown it could be done in the box pictures and in exhibition, but still I wouldn't want to risk "cracking" it. Otherwise this would be one of the best S.W.A.T. to date figure.