A school that draws families from across the Lakewood Ranch area hosted a Bradenton Police SWAT training exercise Wednesday, July 29, prompting a public notice asking residents not to be alarmed by emergency vehicles on campus.

The Bradenton Police Department's SWAT team ran the scheduled drill at Saint Stephen's Episcopal School, the private Pre-K-through-12 campus at 41st Street West and Manatee Avenue in Bradenton. BPD posted the notice on its verified X account Wednesday morning, and MySuncoast reported the department asked residents to expect police and emergency vehicles on the 35-acre campus.

The drill is part of a pattern. BPD said its SWAT officers regularly train at schools and other locations throughout Bradenton to prepare for high-stakes situations, with scenarios that sharpen skills, improve teamwork, and test critical decisions under pressure.

Lakewood Ranch residents saw a similar scene in April. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office ran a law enforcement training exercise on Thursday, April 9, at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, with deputies on site from 2:30 p.m. to about 6 p.m. Hospital operations were not affected.

SWAT equipment funding

The exercises come as BPD invests in its tactical unit. Earlier in 2026, the city applied for a $28,872 federal Justice Assistance Grant to buy 21 SWAT communications units, including headsets, mounting hardware, and microphones, to improve secure communications during high-risk operations. The department fields 132 full-time officers serving roughly 60,000 residents.

BPD Chief Josh Cramer, who graduated from the FBI National Academy in June, has emphasized professional training as a departmental priority.

Saint Stephen's Episcopal School, founded in 1970, enrolls about 650 students. Its website notes families travel from as far north as Apollo Beach, south to Osprey, and east into Lakewood Ranch.

BPD thanked the school for providing access to the facility. Residents with questions can contact the Bradenton Police Department's non-emergency line at 941-932-9300.