high risk armed offender / suspect searches / apprehensions including arrest warrants[1]
high risk search warrants involving an armed / dangerous offender / suspect[1]
siege / barricade incidents involving an armed offender / suspect[1]
domestic counter-terrorism incidents such as hostage rescue and / or armed intervention (including units that may be granted authority for overseas operations)[1]
Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID). RAID is composed of a central unit based in Bièvres (near Paris) and 13 regional branches named Antennes du RAID. The 13 Regional branches are located in metropolitan and overseas France and were formerly known as GIPNs.
Brigade anticommando (BRI-BAC). The Paris Police Prefecture (PP) anti-terrorism task force. It is activated in emergency situations. BRI-BAC is primarily composed of personnel from the Paris Police PrefectureBrigade de recherche et d'intervention (BRI-PP) (from the Judiciary Police directorate) with reinforcements from other PP units. Although the official name of the unit when activated 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). Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale (GIPN) are tactical units of the French National Police based in large cities in metropolitan France and in French overseas territories.
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.
Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN; "National Gendarmerie Intervention Group"). GIGN is composed of a central unit based in Versailles-Satory, near Paris and 14 regional branches based in metropolitan and overseas France which are known as Antennes du GIGN (AGIGN).
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.
Ministry of Justice
Équipes régionales d'intervention et de sécurité (ERIS, "Regional Intervention and Security Teams"). Unit under the command of the carceral administration, formed partially by the GIGN, to intervene inside prison in case of particular events (riots, mutiny, evasion, terrorism).
GSG 9 der Bundespolizei (GSG 9 or GSG 9 BPOL, formerly Grenzschutzgruppe 9 of the Bundesgrenzschutz) – Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism Tactical Intervention Unit
Mobiles Einsatzkommando (MEK) – Mobile Deployment Force: primarily responsible for the investigation and apprehension of fugitives, also provides support for observation and arrests for the federal and state police
Auslands- und Spezialeinsätze (ASE) – Foreign and Special Deployments: Close protection unit for safeguarding members of the federal constitutional bodies when traveling to crisis areas, as well as their high-risk guests from abroad
Mobiles Einsatzkommando (MEK) – Mobile Deployment Force: primarily responsible for the investigation and apprehension of fugitives, part of the State Police Forces
Special Operation Group (SOG) – specialized in anti-irregular military, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, and operating in difficult to access terrain
Force One – specialized in anti-irregular military, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, executive protection, and providing security in areas at risk of attack or terrorism
Kerala Thunderbolts – specialized in anti-irregular military, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, executive protection, operating in difficult to access terrain especially in mountainous forest areas, providing security in areas at risk of attack or terrorism, and support search and rescue for victims of natural disasters
ARAS – Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit (Lithuanian: Lietuvos policijos antiteroristinių operacijų rinktinė)
Mobile Squads – Lithuanian Public Police Tactical Support, Riot Control, and Crimesupression units (Lithuanian: Lietuvos viešosios policijos mobili kuopa)
69 Commando Battalion (VAT 69; Malay: Batalion Komando 69) – Police special forces unit that specialised in jungle warfare. Some also trained as a counter-terrorism unit.
Special Actions Unit (Malay: Unit Tindakhas — UTK) – Police special forces unit that specialised in counter-terrorism in the urban area and big cities. Some also assigned as close-protection to the top government executives.
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 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.
M-Squadron (Marine Intervention Unit), also known by the name of its main component, NLMARSOF – 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) – Specialized 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.
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.
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.
Armed Offenders Squad (AOS), Specialist part- time squads from the NZ Police that involve high risk duties and weapons outside the scope of general duties police.
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, respond to incidents medium to high risk situations. Tasked with follow up operations, Way-Lay Operations, Observation and Reconnaissance, battle craft rural and urban operations, support at ports of entry, cluster operations, land borne operations overt & covert ops.
Most of its members are now part of the parliamentary security team. They also provide escorts of dangerous prisoners.
South African Police Service Riot Squad/Anti-Riot Squad/ Public Order Policing/Internal Stability Unit (POP/ISU)
Its members are highly trained in advance crowd control both French & Belgium tactics, medium to high risk operations
Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI, Special Intervention Unit) – special forces unit for counter-terrorism and hostage rescue among other critical tasks.
Grupo de Acción Rápida (GAR, Rapid Action Group) – special forces unit formerly focused on counter-terrorism in rural areas, now multipurpose.
Grupo Especial de Operaciones (GEO, Special Operations Group) – special forces unit for counter-terrorism and hostage rescue among other critical tasks.
Grupos Operativos Especiales de Seguridad (GOES, Special Operative Security Groups) – smaller SWAT-like teams throughout Spain.
The police departments and sheriff's offices of thousands of towns, cities, and counties across the United States have tactical units, which are usually called Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Sheriff's Emergency Response Team, (SERT), or Emergency Response Team (ERT). Some examples are below.
↑ Angola National Police (04/06/2024) "PIR COMEMORA 32 ANOS DE EXISTÊNCIA" Portal Da Policia Nacional De Angola, 2020, https://pna.gov.ao/noticia/noticias/Mjc0OA==, Date accessed: April 19, 2025
↑ Liu, Jinbo; Mei, Jin (2019-02-21). "追忆武警山东总队济南支队特战中队小队长王成龙"[Memorial for PAP Shandong Contingent Special Operations Company Platoon leader Wang Chenglong]. People's Daily Online. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
↑ Chen, Guangyu; Zhao, Mingjun. Chen, Yu; Deng, Zhihui (eds.). "震撼來襲！武警特戰力量野外駐訓"[PAP Special Operations Units conduct training in the wild]. People's Daily. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
↑ US Department of the Treasury, (July 22, 2021) "Treasury Sanctions Cuban Minister of Defense and Special Forces Brigade for Abuses Against Protestors" US Department of the Treasury, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0288
↑ Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (January 10, 2024) "January 10 Is the Day of the National Guard of the Republic of Kazakhstan" Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS Member States, https://pacsto.org/events/10-yanvarya-den-natsionalnoy-gvardii-respubliki, Date accessed: June 6, 2025
↑ Directorate of Criminal Investigations "Anti-Terrorism Police Unit" Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, 2025, https://www.dci.go.ke/anti-terrorism-police-unit, Date accessed: June 6, 2025
↑ Best documentary (September 14, 202) "Police Patrol On The Islands | Madagascar and Réunion to Combat Crime and Alcohol Abuse" YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M80IBdNpGss, Date accessed: April 20, 2025
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