S.E.R.T. MEMBERS RESPOND TO CALL (9/13/2006) NEW HAVEN – Members of the New Haven Police Department’s Special Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T.) searched six vacant apartments in a building in the former Quinnipiac Terrace housing complex after employees of the City’s Housing Authority reported that they had heard gunfire. Just after 11 a.m. the employees, who were in the area performing maintenance tasks, heard a shot fired very close by. Police responded and S.E.R.T. members were called into the area. After they established a perimeter, the officers searched the building for several hours with no result. Chief Francisco Ortiz applauded the actions of the S.E.R.T. members. “They handled this incident in a textbook manner. They are trained to consider safety first and, in this instance, there is a school close by. The team members made their assessments and proceeded slowly and methodically, so the operation was a success and there were no injuries.” The investigation is continuing.