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Spotlight: SWAT Life gives back to LE community with cool gear

Tactical apparel benefits those who serve, honors their memories

brothers.jpg

SWAT themed and custom apparel is the hallmark of the company.

Company Name: SWAT LIFE: Brothers for Adversity
Headquarters: Christmas, Florida
Signature Product: SWAT LIFE T-Shirts
Website: www.swatlifebrothers.com

SWAT LIFE: Brothers for Adversity‘s seed was sown back on February 15, 1989, when police officer Stephen House was fatally wounded during a search warrant of a residence for narcotics. His death was inspiration enough for the SWAT LIFE founders, who wanted to recognize fallen brethren who died serving our country. It is House’s tattoo that the SWAT team developed as their unique logo – a dragon holding a badge bearing his now-retired police ID number, ‘726’.

Where did your company name originate?
The name came in two parts. The first, SWAT LIFE, was stumbled upon as we worked on the initial design building up the company. The second, Brothers for Adversity, comes from Proverbs and was chosen by our SWAT Team as a reminder of our bond. In the end it represents the “lifestyle and philosophy” of those we serve with and those we represent.

What was the inspiration behind starting your company?
It was an effort to help teams fund specific items and special events for team members and their families. One of us previously worked with the Wounded Warrior Project and created a shirt honoring fallen soldiers. Passion melded with production and we knew we could help more than one team; we could help the tactical community as a whole. We quickly recognized that we could involve our brothers and sisters in the military and all of the public safety community.

Why do you believe your products are essential to the police and military communities?
If valor, honor, courage, and integrity could purchase training, body armor, etc. then there would be no need for SWAT LIFE: Brothers for Adversity. Instead, we hope to play our part in giving back; we are the exception to the rule of “for profit” companies – we serve charitable causes.

What has been the biggest challenge your company has faced?
Internally, family is our priority, but in law enforcement we often sacrifice time with our family for work. Adding a company to the list of responsibilities can stretch you that much thinner. We emphasize time with the family and make quality time.

Externally – we take great effort to be as broad-based as we can. Things like chivalry, honor, loyalty, and devotion are not just held by those who wear a badge or serve in the military. Anyone can express them and this company is for those who serve and sacrifice in their own way.

What makes your company unique?
We are unique in a few ways. First, we are a company made up of active duty officers who were and are active in tactical operations. Secondly, which relates to our “biggest challenge”, this is a family operation. Our members’ families are integral to our success as a business and everyone graciously and enthusiastically puts time in. Lastly, we do exactly what we say. We put people’s hard-earned money right where their heart is – back to serving their friends, brothers, sisters, and loved ones.

What do your customers like best about you and your products?
Our customers love our mission – to give back. Hands down, this is it. When they hear of our history and our purpose it’s like they’re now a part of the family. As for our products, we bring original designs and a branding like no other.

What is the most rewarding part of serving the first responder community?
Providing funds for training and equipment through the Stephen House SWAT Life Scholarship for our brothers and sisters in need is incredibly rewarding. We get to give back to those who are willing to give it all for strangers. Man has no greater love than this.

Do you support any charitable organizations within public safety?
We are a charitable organization by deed. In our short existence we have done events all across the country in support of tactical teams, officers in need, and families of fallen officers and military. However, we are always on the lookout to partner with reputable groups that rally around the same cause. Specifically, we recently joined in a charitable effort directly with the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. No one does it better than they do.

Is there any fun fact or trivia that you’d like to share with our users about you or your company?
We routinely utilize dragons and the number 726 in our designs that directly honor Stephen House, who was killed during a SWAT operation in 1989. We are also known to sneak discreet and unique images and information into our designs that people “in the know” can pick up on.

What’s next for your company? Any upcoming projects or initiatives?
We are participating in more events this year and adding even more in 2014. People will be able to see us out in the Midwest for the NTOA Conference in Kansas City and then in Orlando for the SWAT Round-Up International. We will also be increasing our charitable efforts through the Stephen House SWAT Life Scholarship. We are just beginning to enter into the world of MMA, Tactical Events, and other projects with some incredible sponsorships on the horizon.

To learn more about SWAT LIFE: Brothers for Adversity, visit www.swatlifebrothers.com.

Read fun facts about the latest sponsor additions to Police1.

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