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Vallejo, Benicia, Suisun City Form Regional SWAT Unit

VALLEJO (CBS SF) -- Vallejo police said its SWAT unit, which was reduced last summer, has been revived via a partnership with two neighboring cities.

Vallejo, Benicia and Suisun City formed a Southern Solano County Regional SWAT team effective April 2, Vallejo police Sgt. Jeff Bassett said Thursday.

The three agencies will share the costs of training and equipment, Bassett said.

Vallejo will provide 12 members, Benicia six and Suisun two, Bassett said. The SWAT unit will respond to incidents around the clock in the three cities.

Vallejo police once had 20 members on its SWAT unit but had lost eight of them when some members retired and others went to different police agencies when the Police Department had to reduce its force because of budget cuts, Bassett said.

Fairfield, Vacaville and the Solano County Sheriff's Office have their own SWAT units.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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