Members of the Martha’s Vineyard Tactical Response Team are headed to Boston today to provide relief for those who responded to Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon.

Oak Bluffs Lt. Tim Williamson told the Gazette that he and other members of the tactical team were headed to Boston on Wednesday afternoon for a 12-hour shift, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. He said two teams from Cape Cod had already gone to Boston to support SWAT teams from the Boston area and Southeastern Massachusetts that responded to the scene.

Lieutenant Williamson said he could not divulge much information about what team members would be doing, but said they would likely provide site security. He said they would mainly be there “just to give those guys some relief and much-needed rest.”

Because the tactical team is partially funded by Homeland Security money, Lieutenant Williamson said the team is expected to help during events like Monday’s bombing, which left three people dead and injured more than 170 people. Lieutenant Williamson said he reached out to offer assistance and the team was asked to come for a shift Wednesday night.

The tactical response team is a highly-trained group composed of members from Island police departments.