The MSU Police Department currently has three officers assigned to the Special Response Team. The Special Response Team is a SWAT trained unit comprised of officers from the Michigan State University Police, East Lansing Police, Meridian Township Police, and The Ingham County Sheriff Department. The unit is used to make tactical entries for search warrants where drugs or weapons are involved, to make apprehensions in "buy/bust" operations with the narcotics unit, or to handle the tactical operations involved in a barricaded gunman or hostage situation. The unit also has negotiators trained to defuse volatile situations and reduce the risk of injury to any of the individuals involved.

The Special Response Team is a group of highly motivated officers with extensive training in the areas of surveillance techniques, marksmen and firearm operations, negotiation skills, rappelling, tactical entry and physical conditioning. All officers assigned to the unit are volunteers who are selected for their composure under stress, ability to work in a team setting, and ability to master the many facets of the training. The Special Response Team responds to situations in all four jurisdictions as well as requests by surrounding agencies.