List of special law enforcement units

This is a list of active Police Tactical Units.

Definition

Police Tactical Units are part of a civilian police force or gendarmerie-type^[1] police force tasked with resolving high risk/critical incidents, including:

• high risk armed offender/suspect searches/apprehensions including arrest warrant^[2]
• high risk search warrants involving an armed/dangerous offender/suspect^[2]
• siege/barricade incidents involving an armed offender/suspect^[2]
• domestic counter-terrorism incidents such as hostage rescue and/or armed intervention (including units that may be granted authority for overseas operations)^[2]

The United States National Tactical Officers Association definition of SWAT is:-

SWAT "A designated law enforcement team whose members are recruited, selected, trained, equipped and assigned to resolve critical incidents involving a threat to public safety which would otherwise exceed the capabilities of traditional law enforcement first responders and/or investigative units.^[2]

For military special forces / special operations units see List of military special forces units.

Afghanistan

Interior Ministry

• Special Narcotics Force
• Afghan National Civil Order Police Special Support Battalion

Albania

• Shqiponjat (The Eagles)^[3][4][5]
• Immediate Intervention Forces - FNSH (Forcat e Ndërhyrjes së Shpejtë)
• Port Authority Security Force
• RENEA (Reparti i Neutralizimit te Elementit te Armatosur)^[6][7]

Argentina

Argentine Federal Police

• Federal Special Operations Group (GEOF)
• Grupo Especial Uno "GE-1" (Special Group One)

Argentine National Gendarmerie

• Equipo Antiterrorista (Anti-Terrorist Team)
• Escuadrón Especial de la Gendarmería Nacional
• Scorpion Group
• Sección Operaciones Especiales de Monte de Gendarmería Nacional "Groupe Monte" (National Gendarmarie Jungle Special Operations Section)
• Unidad Especial de Lucha Contra Narcotraficante (UELCON)

Local and other units

• Hawk Special Operations Brigade (BEOH) - Buenos Aires Provincial Police
• Special Operations Troops Company (TOE) - Santa Fe Provincial Police
• E.T.E.R. (Equipo Tactico Especial Recomendado) - Cordoba Provincial Police
• Albatross Group - Argentine Naval Prefecture
  • Grupo de Respuesta Imediata de Alto Riesgo (GRIAR) (Immediate High Risk Response Group) - Argentine Naval Prefecture

Australia

Police Tactical Group (PTG)

Australian Federal Police

• Specialist Response Group (SRG)

New South Wales Police Force

• Tactical Operations Unit (TOU)
• State Protection Support Unit (SPSU)

Northern Territory Police

• Territory Response Group (TRG)

Queensland Police

• Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)

South Australia Police

• Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR)

Tasmania Police

• Special Operations Group (SOG)

Victoria Police

• Special Operations Group (SOG)
• Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT)

Western Australia Police

• Tactical Response Group (TRG)

New South Wales Corrective Services

• Security Operations Group (SOG)

Western Australia Department of Corrective Services

• Special Operations Group (SOG)

Austria

Federal Ministry of the Interior

• EKO Cobra (Special operations and counterterrorism unit)

Bundespolizei (Federal police)

• WEGA (SWAT team)

Justizwache (Penitentiary police)

• Justizwache Einsatzgruppe (JEG) Penitentiary police SWAT team

Azerbaijan

Ministry of Internal Affairs

• OPON

Bahamas

Royal Bahamas Police Force

• Security and Intelligence Branch

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Police

• SWAT (Bangladesh)
• Rapid Action Battalion
• Special Security and Protection Battalion
• Anti Terrorist Squad
• Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit
• Bureau of Counter Terrorism
• Crisis Response Team
• Quick Response Team

Belgium

Federal police

• Directie van de speciale eenheden/Direction des unités spéciales (DSU) (Directorate of the special units)

Bolivia

Bolivian Police Force

• Unidad Tactica de Operaciones Policiales - UTOP (Tactical Response Unit)
• Fuerza especial de lucha contra el narcotráfico- FELCN (Bolivian anti-narcotics force)
• Fuerza especial de lucha contra el crimen- FELCC (Bolivian anti-criminal force)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnian Police Force

• State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA)
• Bosnian Special Police Units
  • Special Police Unit

Other units

• MUP FBiH Federal Counter-terrorism branches - Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Police
• MUP RS Counter-terrorism branches - Republika Srpska Police

Bulgaria

• SOBT

Bulgarian Gendarmerie

• Counter-Terrorist Squads

Brazil

Federal Police Department

• Comando de Operações Táticas (C.O.T.) - is a specialized counter terrorism unit with headquarters in Brasília^[8]
• Grupos de Pronta Intervenção (G.P.I.) - are SWAT like tactical units that supports local operations. Each state has its own G.P.I. unit

Polícia Militar

• BOE/BOPE (Batalhão de Operações Especiais) units:
  • Special Operations Battalion (PMAC) - in Acre^[9]
  • Special Operations Battalion (PMDF) - in the Federal District^[10][11][12]
  • Specials Battalion Operations (PMMT) - in the state of Mato Grosso^[13]
  • Special Operations Battalion (PMPR) - the state of Paraná^[14]
  • Special Operations Battalion (PMPI) - the state of Piauí^[15]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMAL) - the state of Alagoas^[16]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMRR) - in the state of Roraima^[17][18]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMSC) - the state of Santa Catarina^[19]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMERJ) - in the state of Rio de Janeiro^[20]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMRN) - in Rio Grande do Norte state^[21]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMBA) - the state of Bahia^[22]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMRS) - in Rio Grande do Sul state^[23]
  • Special Police Operations Battalion (PMAP) - in Amapá state^[24]
• Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais (G.A.T.E.) - is a special operations force within São Paulo's military police^[25]
• Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais (G.A.T.E.) - is a GATE type unit of the Military Police of Minas Gerais State

Policia Civil

• Grupo Tático 3 (G.T.3.) - in the state of Goiás^[26]
• Grupo Especial de Resgate (G.E.R.) - is tactical unit similar to GOE operating in the state of São Paulo
• Grupo de Operações Especiais (G.O.E.) - is the elite arm of the Civil Police of the state of São Paulo^[27]
• Centro de Operações Policiais Especiais (C.O.P.E.) - is a specialized division within the civil police of Paraná state^[28]
• Tático Integrado de Grupos de Repressão Especial (T.I.G.R.E.) - is a SWAT type tactical unit that specializes in hostage rescue operations in the state of Paraná^[29]
• Coordenadoria de Recursos Especiais (C.O.R.E.) - is a paramilitary police unit within the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro State^[30]
• Divisão de Operações especiais (D.O.E.) - is a special tactics unit based in Federal District^[31]
• Grupo de Operações Especiais (G.O.E.) - is the GOE unit of the state of Pernambuco^[32]

Brunei

Royal Brunei Police Force

• Special Operations Squad (SOS) - (Malay: Pasukan Gerak Khas (PGK))

Canada

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

• Emergency Response Team (RCMP) / Groupe Tactique d'Intervention (GTI)

Provincial, local and other units

• Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's (AECL) Nuclear Security Response Team
• Barrie Police Service
  • Tactical Support Unit (TSU)
• Brandon Police Service
  • Tactical Response Unit (TRU)
• Brockville Police Service
  • Emergency Response Team (ERT)
• Calgary Police Service
  • Tactical Unit
• Chalk River Laboratories Nuclear Response Force (NRF)
• Correctional Service of Canada - Institutional Emergency Response Team (IERT) Institutional Crisis Intervention Team (ICIT)
• Edmonton Police Service
  • Tactical Unit
• Halton Regional Police Service - Tactical Rescue Unit (TRU)
• Ontario Provincial Police
  • Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU)
  • Emergency Response Team (ERT)
• Ottawa Police Service
  • Tactical Unit
• Toronto Police Service
  • Emergency Task Force (ETF)
• Vancouver Police Department
  • Emergency Response Team (ERT)
• Windsor Police Service - Tactical Unit
• Groupe d'Intervention (Intervention Group ) - Sûreté du Québec (Quebec Provincial Police)
• Most of the larger cities and towns in Canada have Tactical or Emergency Response Units as part of their police force.

Chile

• Carabineros de Chile
  • GOPE - Grupo de Operaciones Policiales Especiales (Police Special Operations Group)
• Chilean Investigation Police (Policía de Investigaciones de Chile)
  • ERTA - Equipo de Reacción Táctica Antinarcóticos (Antinarcotics Tactical Response Team)
• Gendarmería de Chile (Prison Service)
  • SOT - Sección de Operaciones Tácticas (Tactical Operations Section)

China

Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China

• Beijing SWAT
• Shanghai special police department

People's Armed Police (CAPF)

• Snow Leopard Commando Unit (SWCU)
• Immediate Action Unit (IAU)
• Provincial Special Police Groups (SPG)
• Special Police Unit (SPU)

Colombia

National Police of Colombia

• Special Operations Commandos (Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (GOES) - Comando de Operaciones Especiales (COPES))
• Grupo Antisecuestro y Antiextorsión (GUALA)
• Compañía Jungla Antinarcóticos "JUNGLA" - Anti-narcotics Jungle Company
• Mobile Riot Squadrons (Escuadrón Movil Anti-Disturbios (ESMAD))
• Escuadrones móviles de carabineros "EMCAR" - Mobile Carabinier Squadrons

Croatia

Special Police

• Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATJ Lučko)
• Special Police Units (SJP Split "BATT", SJP Rijeka "AJKULA", SJP Osijek "ORAO")
• Riot Police Units- EPZ ( Ekipa za Posebne Zadaće ) tactical platoon within Intervention/riot police

Czech Republic

Police of the Czech Republic

• Útvar Rychlého Nasazení (URNa - Rapid Reaction Unit, national police CT unit)
• Krajská Zásahová Jednotka (KZJ - Regional Intervention Unit, 8 regional police intervention units)

Celní správa České republiky

• Skupina Operativního Nasazení (SON - Operative Deployment Unit, national customs intervention unit)

Denmark

Rigspolitiet

• Politiets Aktionsstyrke (Special Intervention Unit)

Ecuador

• GOE - Grupo de Operaciones Especiales
• GIR - Grupo de Intervención y Rescate

Egypt

Egyptian National Police

• Unit 333 (Special unit of the interior ministry)

Estonia

Estonian Police

• K-Commando (Special unit of the Central Crime Police)

Fiji

• Police Tactical Response Unit (disbanded in 2007)^[33]
• Police National Operations Support Unit^[34][35]

Finland

Finnish Police

• Karhuryhmä (Special unit of the National Bureau of Investigation)
• Valo-79 (Special unit of the North-Finland Police)

Finnish Border Guard

• Border Guard Readiness Units
  • 5th special intervention unit

France

National Police

• Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID). National unit based in Bièvres (near Paris).
• Antennes du RAID (RAID branches). Regional units based in metropolitan France. Formerly known as GIPNs (see below).
• Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale (GIPN) : Overseas units. Have kept their original designations, contrary to the metropolitan units who have been redesignated as RAID branches.
• Brigade anticommando (BRI-BAC) The Paris Police Prefecture anti-terrorism task force. It is activated in emergency situations. BRI-BAC is primarily composed of personnel from two Paris Police Prefecture units : the Brigade de recherche et d'intervention (BRI-PP) (from the Judiciary Police directorate) and the Brigade d'intervention (BI) (from the Public Order directorate). Although the official name of the unit is Brigade anticommando, it is often simply referred to by the press as BRI (which can be confusing as there are BRIs in each region of France).

In an emergency situation, BRI-BAC and RAID can also form a task-force called FIPN (Force d'intervention de la Police nationale), under the command of the RAID commander.

Gendarmerie

• Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN; "National Gendarmerie Intervention Group"). National unit based in Versailles-Satory, near Paris.
• Antennes du GIGN (AGIGN): 13 Regional units based in metropolitan and overseas France and performing high risk arrests, personal protection and emergency counter-terrorism missions under operational control of GIGN.
• Pelotons spécialisé de protection de la Gendarmerie (PSPG). 20 units primarily dedicated to protecting the French civilian nuclear sites. Can be engaged as tactical units in a secondary role.

Helicopter support for GIGN and RAID

• Groupe interarmées d'hélicoptères (GIH). A joint army/air force helicopter unit belonging to COS (Commandement des opérations spéciales : Special operations command). Its primary role is support of GIGN and RAID.

Georgia

• State Security Service of Georgia
  • Counterterrorism Center^[36]
• Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia
  • Counter Intelligence Department^[37]
  • Special Emergency and Situations Management Center^[38]
  • Central Anti Crime Department^[37]
  • Regional Special Task Divisions^[37][39]
• Special State Protection Service (SSPS)
  • Tactical Response Group

Germany

Federal

• Bundespolizei (Federal Police)
  • Grenzschutzgruppe 9 der Bundespolizei (GSG 9) (Special Operations and Counterterrorism unit)
  • Beweissicherungs- und Festnahmeeinheit (BFE) (Special Detention Unit of Federal Anti Riot Police)
  • Beweissicherungs- und Festnahmeeinheit plus (BFE+) (Special Counter-Terrorism Unit of Federal Anti Riot Police)
  • ASSIK
• Zollkriminalamt (Customs Investigation Bureau)
  • Zentrale Unterstützungsgruppe Zoll (ZUZ) (Customs SWAT Team)
• Feldjäger (Military Police)
  • Zugriffskräfte ("Access forces")

State

• Landespolizei (State Police)
  • Spezialeinsatzkommando (SEK) (State SWAT Team, Part of Uniformed Police)
  • Beweissicherungs- und Festnahmeeinheit (BFE) (Special Detention Unit, Part of State Anti Riot Police)
  • Mobiles Einsatzkommando (MEK) (State SWAT Team, Part of Criminal Police)

Greece

Greek Police

• Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (EKAM)

Greek Coast Guard

• Special Operations Teams (OEA)

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Police Force

• Airport District
  • Airport Security Unit (ASU)
• Police Tactical Unit Headquarters
  • Special Duties Unit (SDU)
• Counter-Terrorism and Internal Security Division
  • Counter Terrorism Response Unit
• Crime Wing
• Small Boat Division
  • Maritime Emergency Response Team (MERT)
  • Surveillance Support Unit (SSU)
• Security Wing
  • VIP Protection Unit (VIPPU)
  • Witness Protection Unit (WPU)

Hungary

• Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK - Terrorelhárítási Központ)
• Készenléti Rendőrség (Operational Police)

Iceland

Icelandic Police

• Víkingasveitin (Viking Squad / Special Operations Unit of the National Commissioner)

India

Indian Police Service

• National Security Guard
• Rapid Action Force
• Special Operations Group (India)
• Anti Terrorist Squad (India)
• Force One
• Commando Battalion for Resolute Action - Special forces of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force

Protective Service Unit

• Special Protection Group
• SWAT teams of States like Punjab,^[40][40] Delhi^[41] & Jammu & Kashmir^[42]
• National Investigation Agency
• Central Bureau of Investigation

Indonesia

Indonesian National Police (POLRI)

Indonesian National Police Special Units:

• Mobile Brigade Corps also known as "BRIMOB" is the Special Operations Force, Police Commandos, Special Response team, Paramilitary, and riot control of the National Police Force of Indonesia ("POLRI").
  • GEGANA is an internal special unit wing of "Brimob" which conducts mainly in the field of counter-terrorist operations, hostage rescue, and bomb disposal. It also specializes in the field of intelligence, anti-anarchist, and the handling of Chemical, Biological, and Radio Active threats.
• DENSUS 88 / Detasmen Khusus 88 translated as ("Detachment 88") is the special counter-terrorism force of the Indonesian National Police.

Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Indonesia) (Bea Cukai)

Indonesian Customs Special Force:

• "Customs Tactical Unit" also known as "CTU" is the Special unit of the Indonesian Customs, primarily deals with emergency situations in international airports of Indonesia in regards of customs enforcement and smuggling cases.

Iran

Iranian Police

• Iranian Police Special Units
  • Counter-terrorism Special Force

Iraq

Iraqi Police

• Hilla SWAT Team
• Golden counterterrorism squad

Ireland

Garda Síochána (National Police)

• Special Detective Unit (SDU)
  • Emergency Response Unit (ERU)
• National Surveillance Unit (NSU)
• Regional Support Unit (RSU)
• Public Order Unit
• Witness Protection Unit

Israel

Israel Police

• Yasam
• Gideonim
• Yagal
• Public Transportation (Yoav, Horev, and Nit'zan)

Israel Border Police

• Yamam
• Yamas
• Yamag
• Matilan

Israel Prison Service

• Nachshon
• Dror
• Masada

Italy

Italian Carabinieri

• Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS)
• Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale (ROS)

Italian State Police

• Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza (NOCS)
• Servizio Centrale Operativo (SCO)

Italian Penitentiary Police

• Gruppo Operativo Mobile (GOM)

Italian Finance Security

• Antiterrorismo Pronto Impiego (AT-PI)
• Gruppo di investigazione criminalità organizzata (GICO)

Japan

Security Bureaus of Prefectural Police Departments (supervised by the National Police Agency Security Bureau)

• Special Assault Team (SAT) - national-level counter-terrorism units
• Anti-firearms squads - territorial-level counter-terrorism units

Criminal Investigation Bureaus of Prefectural Police Departments

• Special Investigation Team (SIT) - Akita/Iwate/Ibaraki/Miyagi/Fukushima/Tochigi/Tokyo/Shizuoka/Aichi/Mie/Fukuoka/Nagasaki^[43]
• Martial Arts Attack Team (MAAT) - Osaka^[43]
• Assault Response Team - Chiba^[43]
• Special Tactical Section - Saitama^[43]
• Special Investigation Section - Kanagawa^[43]
• Technical Special Team - Aomori^[43]
• Hostage Rescue Team - Hiroshima

Japan Coast Guard

• Special Security Team (SST) - national-level maritime counter-terrorism teams
• Special Police Team - regional-level maritime special reaction team
• Special Rescue Team - the maritime search & rescue teams
• National Strike Team (NST) - the maritime oil pollution response teams

Jordan

General Directorate Of Gendarmerie

• police special operation Unit 14\SWAT (Special Intervention & Counter terrorism)

GID

• GID Special Unit

Kuwait

• Kuwait Special Force (Al Quwat Al Khasa)
• Kuwait Swat team

Latvia

State Police of Latvia

• Special Task Battalion ALFA (riot squad)
• OMEGA (counter-terrorism and special operations unit)

Military

• Special Tasks Unit (SUV - Speciālo uzdevumu vienība)

Lebanon

Lebanese Police Force

• Fuhud (Panthers)(Special Police Unit)
• internal intelligence (fast reaction force)
• general security (special unit)

Liechtenstein

Landespolizei

• Special Police Unit

Lithuania

Police

• ARAS - Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit (Lithuanian: Lietuvos policijos antiteroristinių operacijų rinktinė)
• VSAT SPB (Lithuanian State Border Guard Service Rapid Reaction Squads)

Military

• AITVARAS - Lithuanian Special Operations Force (LITHSOF) (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Specialiųjų Operacijų Pajėgos)

Luxembourg

Grand Ducal Police

• Unité Spéciale de la Police

Macau

Public Security Police Force of Macau

• Police Tactical Intervention Unit (UTIP)
  • Special Operation Group (GOE)

Republic of Macedonia

Macedonian Police

• Special Task Unit - "Tigers" (Единица за Специјални Задачи - Тигар)
• Unit for fast deployment (Единица за Брзо Распоредување)

Malaysia

Royal Malaysia Police (Polis Diraja Malaysia)

• 69 Komando PGK - National Police Paramilitary Multispecrum Special Force
• Unit Tindak Khas - National Special Police Counter Terrorism Unit
• Unit Tiger Platoon PGA - Paramilitary Police Frontliner Special Combat Unit
• Unit Gempur Marin (UNGERIN) - Marine Police Counter Terrorism Unit
• STAFOC - Organized crime SWAT teams
• STING - Narcotics armed SWAT teams
• STAGG - CID D7 armed response teams

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia)

• Special Task And Rescue (STAR) - Coast Guard Counter Terrorism Unit

Malaysian Prison Department (Jabatan Penjara Malaysia)

• Trup Tindakan Cepat (TTC) - Prison SWAT teams

Malaysian Immigration Department (Jabatan Immigresen Malaysia)

• Grup Taktikal Khas (GTK) - Immigration SWAT teams

Royal Malaysian Customs Department (Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia)

• Customs Operational Battle Force Response Assault (COBRA) - Customs SWAT teams

Malta

Maltese Police

• Special Mobile Unit till 1987
• Special Assignments Group till June 2013
• Rapid Intervention Unit (RIU) since July 1, 2013

Mexico

Policia Federal

• Grupo de Operaciones Especiales GOPES
• Fuerzas Federales de Apoyo
• Proteccion Federal
• Policia Federal de Caminos
• Division de Inteligencia

Procuraduria General de la Republica PGR

• Policia Federal Ministerial

Mongolia

Mongolian Police

• Special Response Unit
• SWAT

Morocco

• Royal Gendarmerie :
  • Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie royale (G.I.G.R)
• National Police :
  • Bureau central des investigations judiciaire ("B.C.I.J")

Namibia

• Special Field Force (SFF)
• Special Reserve Force (SRF)
• Special Operations Khomas Regional Support Unit (RSU)
• Emergency Response Unit (ERU)

Netherlands

Nationale Politie (National Police)

• Dienst Speciale Interventies (Special Intervention Service) - Collection of joint, on-call or part-time basis SWAT teams recruiting from police, military police and army (but falling under civilian police command). The Service consists out of four Units:
  • Aanhoudings- en Ondersteuningsteams (Arrest and Support Teams) - High-risk arrests, protection of undercover police officers and secret agents and supporting investigation work.
  • Unit Interventie (Intervention Unit) - Small-scale high-risk operations, deployed in situations involving heavy firearms, explosions, hazardous substances and/or suicidal gunmen.
  • Unit Interventie Mariniers (Marines Intervention Unit), also known by the name of its main component, MARSOF - Large-scale counter-terrorism operations. Capable of land, air, amphibious, marine and submarine operations and responsible for operations in large aircraft and buildings and installations at sea. Called in when the Unit Interventie can no longer handle the situation, which makes it the ultimate special law enforcement unit of the Netherlands.
  • Unit Expertise en Operationele Ondersteuning (Expertise and Operational Support Unit) - Sniper teams. Police and army each provide one half of the snipers.
• Dienst Bewaken & Beveiliging (Guard & Security Service) - VIP security, most notably the royal family, politicians and diplomats.
• Mobiele Eenheid (ME) (Mobile Unit) - Part-time non-lethal riot police. When not deployed, officers serve as regular police.

Koninklijke Marechaussee (Royal Military Constabulary)

• Brigade Speciale Beveiligingsopdrachten (Special Protection Tasks Brigade) - Very high-risk arrests, infiltration and VIP security. Unlike the secret agents of the AIVD, its undercover police officers are allowed to carry weapons.
• Bijstandseenheid (Support Unit) - Various SWAT duties and, most notably, serving as heavy riot police and internal security force cleared to use lethal force if necessary to restore public order.

Dienst Justitionele Inrichtingen (Custodial Institutions Agency)

• Intern Bijstand Team (Internal Support Team) - Low-risk prison riot squads and backup teams for regular prison officers, available around the clock at every institution
• Dienst Vervoer en Ondersteuning (Transport and Support Service) - In addition to the offices and training facilities of the Agency, also consists out of:
  • Landelijke Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid (National Special Support Unit) - High-risk prison riot, shakedown and evacuation unit. Also includes canine units and escorts for when prisoners have to go to hospitals.
  • Bijzonder Ondersteunings Team (BOT) (Special Support Team) - High-risk prisoner transport.

New Zealand

New Zealand Police

• Armed Offenders Squad (AOS), incidents involving weapons
• Diplomatic Protection Squad (DPS), VIP protection
• Special Tactics Group (STG), counter terrorist

Nicaragua

Policia Nacional-DOEP

• Tácticas y Armas Policiales de Intervención y Rescate (TAPIR)
• Departamento de Intervención Rápida (GIR)

Nigeria

Nigeria Police Force

• Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), counter terrorist
• Rapid Response Squad (RRS),
• Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),
• Criminals Investigation Department (CID),
• Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SACS),
• Anti-Riot Squad,
• Nigeria Police Mobile Force.
• Anti-Bomb Squad.

State Security Service (Nigeria)

• Department of State Security (DSS), VIP protection/counter terrorist

Norway

Norwegian Police Service

• Emergency Response Unit
• Utrykningsenheten (UEH)

Pakistan

• Special Response Unit
• Anti-Narcotics Force (anti drug-trafficking arm of Pakistan Police)
• Elite Punjab Police
• Anti Terrorists Squad
• Special Security Unit
• Rangers Anti-Terrorist (RAT)
• Quick Response Force
• Punjab Dolphin Force
• Counter Terrorism Department
• Special Combat Unit

Panama

• Darien-Kuna Yala Border Security Police (DARKUN)

Philippines

Philippine National Police

• Special Action Force^[44]
• Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
• Anti Drugs Special Operations Task Force (ADSOTF)

Poland

ABW

BOR

Policja

• BOA
• Centralne Biuro Śledcze Policji (CBŚP)
• SPAP

Straż Graniczna (SG)

Portugal

Public Security Police

• Special Police Unit (UEP)
  • Intervention Corps - riot control unit
  • Special Operations Group (GOE) - special tactical assault unit
  • Personal Security Corps - VIP protection unit
  • Center for Explosive Disposal and Subsoil Security (CIESS) - EOD and subsoil security unit
  • Cino-technical Operational Group - K9 unit

National Republican Guard

• Intervention Unit (UI)
  • Special Operations Intervention Group (GIOE) - special tactical assault unit
  • Public Order Intervention Group (GIOP) - riot control unit
  • Protection and Rescue Intervention Group (GIPS) - Rescue and firefighting unit
  • Center for Explosive Disposal and Subsoil Security (CIESS) - EOD and subsoil security unit
  • Cino-technical Intervention Group (GIC) - K9 unit

Prison Guard

• Cino-technical Operational Group - K9 unit
• Intervention and Prison Security Group (GISP) - tactical intervention unit

Maritime Police

• Tactical Actions Group (GAT) - special boarding unit
• Forensic Diving Group - underwater forensic investigation unit

Romania

Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform

• • Special Group for Protection and Intervention or GSPI

Police

• Detaşamentul de Poliţie pentru Intervenţie Rapidă
  • DIAS, Special Actions and Interventions Detachment
  • Serviciul de Poliţie pentru Intervenţie Rapidă
  • SIIAS Serviciul Independent pentru Intervenţii şi Acţiuni Speciale (Independent Special Actions and Intervention Service)

Romanian Gendarmerie

• Special Intervention Brigade "Vlad Ţepeş"

Romanian Secret Service (SRI)

• BAT - Anti-Terror Brigade

Russia

Foreign Intelligence Service^{[45][45][46][47]}

• Special Operations Department of Directorate S (Zaslon)

Ministry of Internal Affairs

• Internal Troops of Russia Main Office for Special Technical Actions^[48]
  • Special Rapid Response Units (S.O.B.R.)
  • Special Purpose Mobile Unit (O.M.O.N.)
  • Dzerzhinsky Division (O.D.O.N.)
    • 604th Special Purpose Center
  • 7th OSN Rosich (Novocherkassk)
  • 12th OSN Ural (Nizhny Tagil)
  • 15th OSN Vyatich (Armavir)
  • 17th OSN Edelveys (Mineralnye Vody)
  • 19th OSN Ermak (Novosibirsk)
  • 20th OSN (Saratov)
  • 21st OSN Tayfun (Sosnovka)
  • 23rd OSN Mechel (Chelyabinsk)
  • 25th OSN Merkuriy (Smolensk)
  • 26th OSN Bars (Kazan)
  • 27th OSN Kuzbass (Kemerovo)
  • 28th OSN Ratnik (Arkhangelsk)
  • 29th OSN Bulat (Ufa)
  • 33rd OSN Peresvet (Moscow)
  • 34th OSN (Grozny)

Federal Drug Control Service of Russia

• OSN "Grom"

Ministry of Justice

• Dozens of various independent detachments, such as OSN Saturn.

Federal Penitentiary Service OSNs:

• OSN "Fakel"^[49]
• OSN "Rossy"^[50]
• OSN "Akula"^[51]
• OSN "Ajsberg"^[52]
• OSN "Gurza"^[53]
• OSN "Korsar"^[54]
• OSN "Rosomaha"^[55]
• OSN "Sokol"^[56]
• OSN "Saturn"^[57]
• OSN "Tornado"
• OSN "Kondor"
• OSN "Yastreb"^[58]
• OSN "Berkut"^[59]
• OSN "Grif"^[60]
• OSN "Titan"^[61]
• OSN "Gepard"^[62]

Center of Special Operations of the FSB^[63]

• Directorate "A" (Spetsgruppa Alpha)
• Directorate "B" (Spetsgruppa Vega)
• Directorate "C" (Spetsgruppa Smerch)
• Regional FSB units

Singapore

Singapore Police Force

• Special Operations Command (SOC)
• Police Tactical Unit (PTU)
• Special Tactics and Rescue (STAR)
• Special Guard and Counter-Terrorism Unit (GC)
• Security command (SecCom)

Singapore Prison Service

• Singapore Prisons Emergency Action Response (SPEAR)

Police Coast Guard

• Special Task Squadron (STS)

Slovenia

• Specialna Enota Policije (SEP) - the principle counter-terrorist & hostage rescue unit,
• Posebna Policijska Enota (PPE) - the principle public order & peace enforcement unit.

Serbia

• Special Anti-Terrorist Unit
• Gendarmery

Slovakia

• Útvar Osobitného Určenia (UOU) - Special Designation Unit of the Presidium of Police
• Pohotovostný Policajný Útvar (PPÚ)
• Národná kriminálna agentúra - Zásahová skupina (ZS NAKA PPZ) - National Crime Agency of Presidium of the Police Force - Intervention unit
• Úrad pre Ochranu Ústavných Činiteľov a Diplomatických Misií - Odbor špeciálnej ochrany (ÚOÚČ OŠO) - Security of the state, state officials and foreign dignitaries - Special protection unit
• Jednotka služobných zákrokov Colného krimináleho úradu Colnej správy SR (JSZ CKÚ ) - Customs Criminal Office’s Intervention Unit
• Zásahová jednotka Mobilnej zásahovej skupiny RHP Sobrance - Hraničná polícia - Intervention unit of the Border Police
• Zásahové jednotky Špeciálnych zásahových skupín Zboru väzenskej a justičnej stráže - Intervention units of the Special intervention groups of the Department of Corrective Services

South Africa

South African Police Service

• Special Task Force (STF)
• National Intervention Unit (NIU) - This Unit of the South African Police Service respond to incidents of medium to high risk.
• Tactical Response Team (TRT) a part of the South African Police Response services, responding to medium to high risk situations. Tasked with follow up operations, battle craft rural and urban operations, support at ports of entry, cluster operations, land borne operations and other situations; all members of this unit are fully fledged operators.
• South African Police Service Riot Squad/Anti-Riot Squad/ Public Order Policing/Internal Stability Unit (POP/ISU)

South Korea

National Police Agency

• Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT)
  • Seoul Metropolitan Police SWAT Team (Unit 868)
  • Incheon Metropolitan Police SWAT Team (Unit 313)
  • Busan Metropolitan Police SWAT Team (Unit 431)
  • Daegu Metropolitan Police SWAT Team
  • Jeju Metropolitan Police SWAT Team

Republic of Korea Coast Guard

• Sea Special Assault Team (SSAT)
  • Busan SSAT Team
  • Incheon SSAT Team

Spain

Guardia Civil

• Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI)
• Grupo de Acción Rápida (GAR)

National Police Corps of Spain

• Grupos Operativos Especiales de Seguridad (GOES)
• Grupo Especial de Operaciones (GEO)

Mossos d'Esquadra

• Grup Especial d'Intervenció (GEI)

Ertzaintza

• Berrozi Berezi Taldea (BBT)

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Police Service

• Special Task Force (STF)

Sweden

Swedish Police Authority

• Reinforced Regional Task Force (Förstärkt Regional Insatsstyrka)
• National Task Force (Nationella insatsstyrkan)

Switzerland

Switzerland has around 1000 Police SWAT members, each State (canton) has a group with at least 14 members, the Federal Police also has its own SWAT group. The Swiss Army also provides a SWAT team, around 300-400 people are in that team

Federal Office of Police (FedPol)

• Einsatzgruppe TIGRIS

Swiss Armed Forces

• Special Forces Command

Vaud State Police

• Détachement d'Action Rapide et de Dissuasion (DARD)

Kantonspolizei Zürich

• Einsatzgruppe Diamant

Bern State Police

• Einsatzgruppe Gentiane

Geneva State Police

• Groupe d'intervention de la police cantonale (GRIC)

Valais State Police

• Groupe d'intervention du canton du Valais (GRIV)

Jura State Police

• Groupe d'intervention et Tireurs d'Elite (GITE)

Fribourg State Police

• Groupe d'intervention de la police cantonale fribourgeoise (GRIF)

Neuchatel State Police

• GI COUGAR

Taiwan

National Police Agency (NPA)

• Air Police Corps
• Special Police Corps
  • Wei-An Special Services Commando
• Thunder Squad (Special Weapons And Tactics Police Counter-Terrorism unit)

Coast Guard Administration

• Special Task Unit

Thailand

Royal Thai Police

• Arintharat 26
• Royal Thai Police Arintaraj 26 Special Operations Unit (Metro Bangkok SWAT)
• Royal Thai Police Naresuan 261 Counter-Terrorism Unit
• Royal Thai Police Black Tigers Special Operations Unit (VIP Protection)

Turkey

General Directorate of Security

• Polis Özel Harekat
• Karşı Atak Timi

Turkish Gendarmerie

• Jandarma Özel Asayiş Komutanlığı
• Jandarma Özel Harekat

United Arab Emirates

Dubai Police Force

• Police Special Unit

United Kingdom

Firearms unit (with SFO or CTSFO)

• Avon & Somerset Constabulary Firearms unit and Dog unit
• Cambridgeshire Constabulary Tactical Firearms Unit
• City of London Police Tactical Firearms Group
• Cleveland Police Specialist Operations Unit
• Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Tactical Aid Group
• Dorset Police Tactical Firearms Unit
• Durham Constabulary Specialist Operations Unit
• Greater Manchester Police Tactical firearms unit
• Kent Police Training and Tactical Firearms Unit
• Hampshire Constabulary Tactical Firearms Support Unit
• Metropolitan Police Service Specialist Firearms Command
• Norfolk Constabulary Firearms Training & Operations Unit
• North Yorkshire Police Firearms Support Unit
• Police Service of Northern Ireland Headquarters Mobile Support Unit
• Police Scotland Tactical Firearms Unit
• Suffolk Constabulary Tactical Firearms Unit
• Staffordshire Police Central Firearms Unit
• Thames Valley Police Tactical Firearms Team
• West Midlands Police Firearms Operations Unit
• Wiltshire Police Armed Response Group

United States

Federal Agencies

• Department of Defense
  • U.S. Army Special Reaction Teams (SRT)
    • United States Department of Army - Military District of Washington (MDW) Special Reaction Team (SRT) ^[64]
  • USMC Special Reaction Teams (SRT)
  • USAF Emergency Services Team (EST)
  • USN Special Response Team (SRT)

NCIS Regional Emergency Reaction Counter Threat (REACT)

• U.S. Department of Energy
  • Special Response Teams (SRT)
  • Office of Secure Transportation Special Response Force (SRF)
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
    • Office of Field Operations (OFO)
      • Special Response Teams (SRT)
      • Quick Reaction Force (QRF) - CBP National Capital Region based tactical team
    • U.S. Border Patrol
      • Special Operations Group
        • Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC)
        • Border Patrol, Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR)
        • Mobile Response Team (MRT)
  • Federal Protective Service (FPS) - Special Response Teams
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
    • Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Special Response Teams (SRT)
    • Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Rapid Response Teams (RRT)
    • Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO)
      • Special Response Teams (SRT)
      • Tactical Intervention and Control (TIAC) Teams
  • U.S. Coast Guard
    • Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST)
    • Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT)
    • Tactical Law Enforcement Teams (TACLET)
    • Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON)
    • Vessel Boarding Security Teams (VBST)
  • U.S. Secret Service
    • Counter Sniper (CS) Unit
    • U.S. Secret Service Uniform Division (UD) - Emergency Response Team (ERT)
    • U.S. Secret Service - Counter Assault Team (CAT)
• United States Department of Justice
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) - Special Response Teams (SRT)
  • Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
    • DEA Special Response Teams (SRT)
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
    • Hostage Rescue Team (HRT)
    • Special Weapons and Tactics Teams (FBI SWAT)
  • Federal Bureau of Prisons - Special Operations Response Team (SORT)
  • U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)
    • USMS Special Operations Group (SOG)
    • USMS - Special Response Teams (SRT)
• U.S. Department of State
  • Bureau of Diplomatic Security - Office of Mobile Security Deployments (MSD)
• U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • U.S. Mint Police - Special Response Teams (SRT)
• National Park Service
  • Special Response Teams (SRT)
    • Grand Canyon Special Response Team
    • Yellowstone Special Response Team
    • Western Region Special Response Team
  • Special Event and Tactical Teams (SETT)
    • Midwest Special Event and Tactical Team
    • Pacific West Region Special Event and Tactical Team
    • Southeast Region Special Event and Tactical Team
  • U.S. Park Police Special Weapons and Tactics Team
  • United States Park Police, New York Field Office Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team

Independent Federal Agencies

• Amtrak Police - Mobile Tactical Unit (MTU)
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - Security Protective Service (SPS) - Special Response Team (SRT)
• Federal Reserve Police - Special Response Team (SRT)
• National Security Agency (NSA) - Special Response Team (SRT)
• Pentagon Force Protection Agency
  • Pentagon Police Directorate - Emergency Response Team (ERT)
• U.S. Capitol Police - Containment Emergency Response Team (CERT)

State agencies

• Division of Alaska State Troopers (AST) - Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)
• Arizona Department of Public Safety Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• California Highway Patrol - Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team
• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
  • Crisis Response Teams (CRT)
  • Special Service Unit (SSU)
• Colorado Department of Corrections Special Operations and Response Team (SORT)
• Connecticut Department of Correction Special Operations Group (SOG)
• Connecticut State Police - State Police Tactical Unit (SPTU)
• Delaware State Police - Special Operations Response Team (SORT)
• Florida Highway Patrol - Tactical Response Teams (TRT)
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) - Special Operations Teams (SOT)
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Special Operations Group (FWCSOG)
• Georgia Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) (State level multi-agency tactical team)
• Georgia State Patrol - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Hawaii Department of Public Safety Sheriff Division - Sheriff's Emergency Response Team (SERT)
• Illinois State Police - Tactical Response Team (TRT)
• Indiana State Police - Emergency Response Team (ERT)
• Kentucky Department of Corrections - Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Louisiana State Police - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Maine State Police - Tactical Team
• Maine Department of Corrections Special Operations Group
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police Special Operations Division, Tactical Response Team
• Maryland State Police
  • Special Tactical Assault Team Element (STATE)
  • Tactical Medical Unit (TMU)
• Maryland Transportation Authority Police - Special Response Team (SRT)
• Maryland Transit Administration Police - Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) Teams/Tactical Unit (formerly Special Response Team - SRT)
• Maryland Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG) - Joint federal, state, and local tactical unit specializing in maritime tactical operations
• Massachusetts State Police - Special Tactical Operations Team (STOP)
• Massachusetts Department of Correction Special Reaction Team (SRT)
• Michigan State Police - Emergency Support Team (EST)
• Minnesota Department of Corrections Special Operations Group (SOG)
• Minnesota State Patrol Special Response Team (SRT)
• Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Special Operations Response Team (SORT)
• New Hampshire Division of State Police - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit
• New Jersey State Police - Technical Emergency And Mission Specialists (TEAMS)
• New Jersey Transit Police - Emergency Services Unit (ESU)
• New Jersey Transit Police - Conditions Tactical Unit (CTU)
• New Mexico State Police - Tactical Team
• New York State Police - Special Operations Response Teams (SORT)
• North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) - Special Response Team (SRT)
• North Carolina Department of Correction Special Operations Response Team (SORT)
• Ohio State Highway Patrol - Special Response Team (SRT)
• Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
  • Special Response Teams (SRT)
  • Special Tactics and Response (STAR)
• Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team
• Oklahoma Department of Corrections - Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Oregon State Police - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Pennsylvania State Police - Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)
• Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
  • Corrections Rifle Specialist Team (CRST)
  • Hostage Rescue Team (HRT)
• Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) – Emergency Services Unit (ESU)
• Rhode Island Department of Corrections Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Rhode Island State Police - Tactical Team, WMD Tactical Team
• South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Tennessee Highway Patrol - Special Operations Unit (SOU)
• Texas Department of Public Safety
  • Ranger Division
    • Ranger Recon Teams (RRT)
    • Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Texas Department of Public Safety - Special Response Teams (SRT)
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department SCOUT Team (Tactical Response)
• Utah Highway Patrol - Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)
• Vermont State Police - Tactical Services Unit
• Virginia State Police - Special Weapons and Tactics Teams (SWAT)
• Virginia Department of Corrections - Tactical Support Unit (TSU)

Local/County Agencies

The police departments of many counties and most major cities have special police units.

Denver Police Department - Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team

• Columbus Indiana Police Department -Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT)
• Miami Police Department - Special Threat Response: Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) and Hostage Negotiators
• Nassau County Police Department - Bureau of Special Operations (BSO), Emergency Service Unit (ESU)
• New York City Police Department - Emergency Service Unit (ESU), Critical Response Command (CRC) and Strategic Response Group (SRG)
• Los Angeles Police Department Metropolitan Division - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Oakland Police Department - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team
• Portland Police Bureau - Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)
• Tulsa County Sheriff's Office - Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team

Ukraine

Militsiya

• Berkut (disbanded)

National Guard of Ukraine

• Internal Troops of Ukraine

Security

• Security Service of Ukraine
  • Alpha Group (Ukraine)

Vietnam

• Vietnam People's Public Security
  • Vietnam Mobile Police (Cảnh sát cơ động) - Counter-terrorist and riot police
  • Vietnam Rapid Response Police (Cảnh sát Phản ứng nhanh), also known as CS113 - Counter criminal police
  • Vietnam Special Criminal Investigation Police (Cảnh sát Hình sự Đặc nhiệm) - Investigation of special criminal cases^[65]

See also

• List of protective service agencies
• Emergency management

References