Business Standard

Jackson's abandoned home used as training camp by SWAT

Image

Press Trust of India London
"King of Pop" Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch is being as a training camp by SWAT.

A unit of highly specialised weapon officers is using the 3,000-acre property to practise combat drills, reported Sun Online.

The cops use the ranch in Santa Barbara, California, to rehearse tackling life or death scenarios involving assassins, terrorists, hostage-takers and armed robbers.

The main house where Jackson lived in and its subsidiary buildings, overgrown grasslands and the near-by hilly terrain makes his property an ideal location to set up the camp.

Retired sheriff Jim Thomas, a leading investigator when Jackson was first accused of abusing Jordy Chandler at Neverland in 1993, said, "The team don't just need to work in urban areas near houses. They need wide open rural areas too where they might have to handle someone in a ranch outbuilding."
 

Police raided Neverland several times when Jackson lived there including in 2003 when he was accused of abusing Gavin Arvizo. It is currently owned jointly by a company and Jackson's estate.

His family has reportedly shown interest in buying the property where Jackson lived for 20 years and raised his three children.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: May 06 2013 | 6:35 AM IST

Explore News