National Task Force
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The National Task Force (Swedish: Nationella insatsstyrkan, NI), formerly known as the National Task Force of the Swedish Civilian Police (Swedish: Ordningspolisens nationella insatsstyrka), is a national SWAT unit within the National Criminal Investigation Department of the Swedish Police Service. It is meant to handle extraordinarily difficult or life-threatening criminal situations, such as terrorism, hostage situations, kidnapping and serving high risk arrest warrants in cities too remote for the SWAT-units in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö to handle. It also deals with emergency rescue situations that would be too dangerous for other teams to handle. NI's missions are identical to those of Germany's GSG 9, French GIGN and the FBI HRT in the United States. In 2006, NI-officers were deployed to Lebanon to help evacuate Swedish citizens during the war between Hezbollah and Israel.
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[edit] Organization
NI has one head of the unit (currently Bertil Olofsson) with a number of subordinated coordinators, and a staff of older, distinguished police officers. Under this management group the force is divided into 8 groups:
[edit] Selection
To be eligible for NI, the applicant is required to have five years of experience within the police force (of which at least 2 years in active duty), a clean criminal record, and be able to pass a series of tests:
- Physical stamina
- Marksmanship
- Predispositions for several types of phobias, such as fear of cramped spaces, heights or water
- Psychological fitness
- Deep interview
- 10 days in the field
[edit] Service
Members of the NI works full time in the force. They used to work two weeks and then have two weeks of regular police work but as the need for them increased they changed it to full time to cope with the demand and the need for more training. Part of their training is done with the armed forces. Several of the members are former members of elite military units, and the Nationella Insatsstyrkan is described by some as a military unit within the Swedish police force.
[edit] Armament
NI has access to a wide variety of weapons including submachine guns (MP5), assault rifles (G36), and shotguns. In addition, operators have often been seen armed with Sig Sauer pistols. Snipers are equipped with the L96A1 AW sniper rifle (Swedish military designation: PSG90). The special equipment of the Nationella Insatsstyrkan is significantly different from that of the ordinary police. Their equipment, such as communication radios suitable for diving and special ceramic bullet resistant vests, is specific to the situations they would be called upon for.
