The shooting death of a fellow Dallas police officer serves as a sober reminder for the members of SWAT of the life-and-death stakes that they face every day on the job.

Senior Corporal Rich Emberlin and his team square-off with a gang of alleged crack-cocaine dealers who've built a fortified cage around their house. SWAT executes a three-pronged surprise attack, ripping the bars from the house with their Armored Personal Carriers in an attempt to get inside before the suspects can reach for their guns and start a firefight.

Meanwhile, Senior Corporal Christian D?Alessandro spearheads an effort to persuade his fellow officers to pose for a charity SWAT calendar to benefit the families of fallen police officers.