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SWAT


 
 

SWAT duties

SWAT duties include:
  • Hostage Rescue
  • Crime Suppression
  • Providing high-ground and perimeter security against snipers for visiting dignitaries;
  • Providing superior assault firepower in certain situations, e.g., barricaded suspects.
  • Rescuing officers and citizens captured or endangered by gunfire
  • Destroying guerrilla or terrorist operations in U.S. cities.
  • Resolve high-risk situations with a minimum loss of life, injury or property damage,
  • Resolve situations involving barricaded subjects, (see specifically HBTHostage Barricade Team

    A Hostage Barricade Team is a police unit that handles hostage negotiations....
    )
  • Stabilize situations involving high-risk suicidal subjects,
  • Provide assistance on drug raids, arrest warrantArrest warrant

    An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individ...
     and search warrantSearch warrant

    A search warrant is a written warrant issued by judge or magistrate which authorizes the police to conduct a search of a pe...
     service,
  • Provide additional security at special events,
  • Stabilizing dangerous situations dealing with violent criminals (rapists, serial killers, gangs).

Training

SWAT officers are selected from volunteers within their law enforcement organization. Depending on the department's policy, officers generally have to serve a minimum tenure within the department before being able to apply for a specialist section such as SWAT. This tenure requirement is based on the fact that SWAT officers are still law enforcement officers and must have a thorough knowledge of department policies and procedures.

SWAT applicants undergo rigorous selection and training, similar to the training some special operations units in the military receive. Applicants must pass stringent physical agility, written, oral, and psychological testing to ensure they are not only fit enough but also psychologically suited for tactical operations.

In addition, applicants must successfully pass a stringent background investigation and job performance review. Emphasis is placed on physical fitness so an officer will be able to withstand the rigors of tactical operations. After an officer has been selected, the potential member must undertake and pass numerous specialist courses that will make him or her a fully qualified SWAT operator. Officers are trained in marksmanshipShooting Summary

Shooting is the act of firing a gun. ...
 for the development of accurate shooting skills. Other training that could be given to potential members includes training in explosives, sniper-training, defensive tactics, first-aid, negotiation, handling K9Police dog

A police dog is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work....
 units, abseilingAbseiling

In British English, abseiling is the process of descending on a fixed rope....
 and roping techniques and the use of specialized weapons and equipment. They may also be trained specifically in the handling and use of special ammunition such as bean bagsFlexible baton round

The flexible baton round is the trademarked name for a type of less lethal ammunition; it is more widely known as a beanba...
, flash bang grenades, taserTaser

A TASER is a weapon that delivers an electric shock that disables the target individual without resorting to lethal force....
s, and the use of crowd control methods, and special less-than-lethal munitions. Of primary importance is close-quarters defensive tactics training, as this will be the primary mission upon becoming a full-fledged SWAT officer.

SWAT equipment

SWAT teams use equipment designed for a variety of specialist situations including close quarters combatClose Quarters Combat

Military Usage Close Quarters Combat, or CQC, is used to describe an up-close military hand-to-hand fighting system, ...
 (CQC) in an urban environment. The particular pieces of equipment vary from unit to unit, but there are some consistent trends in what they wear and use.

Clothing and Tools

Individual clothing and equipment usually consists of fire-resistant NomexNomex

NOMEX is the registered brand name of a flame retardant meta-aramid material marketed and first discovered by DuPont in the ...
 coveralls or jumpsuits, or BDUs, if need be, a body armor vest with AramidAramid

Aramid fibre is a fire-resistant and strong synthetic fiber, developed by Stephanie Kwolek in 1961....
 or HMPEUltra high molecular weight polyethylene

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, also known as high modulus polyethylene or high performance polyethylene'...
, an outer tactical load bearing vest (Omega style vest, LBV, or Plate Carrier [picture to right: Omega vests are being used]) for carrying ammunitionAmmunition

Ammunition is a generic military term meaning a projectile and its propellant....
 and specialist gear and equipment, Nomex or other tactical gloves, balaclavaBalaclava

A balaclava, balaclava helmet or ski mask is a form of headgear covering the whole head, exposing only the face....
 or protective face covering (not always), protective eye gogglesGoggles

Goggles and safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to pr...
, TwaronFacts About Twaron

Twaron is the brandname of Teijin Aramid for a para-aramid. ...
/KevlarKevlar

Kevlar is DuPont Company's brand name for a particular light but very strong aramid fibre....
 helmet and/or gas maskGas mask

A gas mask is a mask worn on the face to protect the body from airborne pollutants and toxic materials....
, flashlight (usually a SurefireSurefire Overview

Surefire is a California-based company that produces precision tactical flashlights....
 or similar brand), combat steel reinforced boots, flexi-cuffsFlexicuffs

Flexicuffs are plastic restraints commonly used by law enforcement officers and military personnel to secure prisoners....
, and thigh ammo/utility pouches and/or holsterHolster

A holster is a specialized article of clothing worn to hold a device, such as a handgun or other defensive weapon, cellular ...
s. They often use drop leg holsters, while some officers prefer hip holsters.

Weapons


While a wide variety of weapons is used by SWAT teams, the most common weapons include submachine gunSubmachine gun

A submachine gun is a firearm that combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the ammunition of a pistol, and is usua...
s, assault rifleAssault rifle

Assault rifle is a term describing a type of automatic weapon generally defined as a selective fire rifle or carbine, chambe...
s, shotgunShotgun

A shotgun is a firearm typically used to fire a number of small spherical pellets....
s, and sniper rifleSniper rifle

Sniper rifle is a term most frequently applied to rifles used by military or law enforcement to ensure accurate placement of...
s.

Tactical aids include K9 Units, flash bang, StingerHand grenade

A hand grenade is a small hand-held bomb designed to be thrown....
 and tear gas grenades.

Semi-automatic handgunsFacts About Pistol

A pistol or handgun is a small firearm intended to be used with one hand....
 are the most popular sidearms. Examples may include, but are not limited to: M1911 pistol series, Sig Sauer series (especially the Sig P226SIG P226

The Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft-Sauer P226 is a full-sized, service type pistol originally chambered for 9 mm...
 and Sig P229Sig P229

#REDIRECT SIG P226#P229 ...
) BerettaBeretta

Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta is a major Italian gun manufacturing company....
 M9 series, GlockGlock

Glock is an Austrian defense contractor founded in 1963 in Deutsch-Wagram, near Vienna, Austria....
 pistols, and H&K USP series.

Popular submachine guns used by SWAT teams include the 9 mm9 mm Luger Parabellum

The 9 mm Parabellum pistol cartridge was introduced by the German weapons manufacturer Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik...
 Heckler & Koch MP5Heckler & Koch MP5 Overview

The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a family of submachine guns developed by German weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch in the 1960s....
 and 10 mm10 mm Auto Overview

The 10 mm Auto cartridge is a powerful and versatile chambering for semi-automatic pistols, developed by ammunition manufact...
 MP5/10Heckler & Koch MP5

The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a family of submachine guns developed by German weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch in the 1960s....
 (used by the FBI'sFederal Bureau of Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative...
 Hostage Rescue TeamHostage Rescue Team

The Hostage Rescue Team is the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counter-Terrorism tactical unit....
 and by United States Capitol PoliceUnited States Capitol Police Summary

The United States Capitol Police is a police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of...
), with or without suppressorSuppressor

A suppressor, also commonly known as a silencer, is a device attached to a firearm to reduce the amount of noise and f...
s. The H&K UMP has begun to replace the MP5 due to its lower cost and larger caliber, though albeit at the cost of a somewhat shorter effective range and more recoilRecoil

The recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when fired....
.

Common types of shotguns used are the Benelli M3Benelli M3

The Benelli M3 is a pump-action or semi-automatic shotgun designed and manufactured by Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli...
, SPAS-12, Remington 870Remington 870

The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun....
 and 1100Remington 1100

The Remington 1100 is a gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun, popular among waterfowlers and clay pigeon shooters....
, Mossberg 500Mossberg 500

The Mossberg 500 is a shotgun manufactured by O.F....
 and 590.

Common rifles include carbines such as the ColtColt's Manufacturing Company

Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer founded in 1847....
 CAR-15CAR-15

CAR-15 has a meaning split between closely related firearms, which depends on the context....
 and M4M4 Carbine

The M4 Carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the ori...
, H&KH&K

H&K can refer to multiple things:...
 G36CG36C

BackgroundThe H&K G36C is a variant of the parent HK G36 rifle produced by the German small arms manufacturer Heckler and Koch....
 and the Heckler & KochHeckler & Koch

Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German weapons manufacturing company famous for various series of small firearms, notably the MP5...
 416. While affording teams increased penetration at the cost of accuracy, for dealing with well-protected criminals, the compact size of these weapons is essential as SWAT units frequently operate in CQB environmentsFacts About Close quarters battle

Close quarters battle or close quarters combat is characterized by rapid offensive action and the precise application ...
. The Colt M16A2M16 rifle

M16 is the U.S. military designation for a family of rifles derived from the ArmaLite AR-15 and further developed by Colt....
 can be found used by Marksmen or SWAT officers when a longer ranged weapon is needed. The Heckler & Koch G3Heckler & Koch G3

The G3 is a family of select fire battle rifles manufactured by Heckler & Koch....
 series is also common among Marksmen or snipers, as well as the M14 rifle. Many different variants of bolt action rifles are used by SWAT, with a few occasions of the usage of a .50 caliber.50 BMG Overview

The .50 Browning Machine Gun or .50 BMG is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 Caliber machine gun in the late ...
 sniper rifleAnti-materiel rifle

An anti-materiel rifle is a rifle that is designed for use against military equipment rather than against other combatants....
.

To breach doors quickly, battering ramBattering ram

A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times to break open fortification walls or doors....
s, shotguns, or explosive charges can be used to break the lock or hinges, or even demolish the door frame itself. SWAT teams also use many less-lethal munitions and weapons. These include tasers, pepper sprayPepper spray

Pepper spray is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defens...
 canisters, shotguns loaded with bean bagFlexible baton round

The flexible baton round is the trademarked name for a type of less lethal ammunition; it is more widely known as a beanba...
 rounds, and Pepper ball guns. Pepper ball guns are essentially paint ball markers loaded with balls containing Oleoresin Capsicum ("pepper sprayPepper spray

Pepper spray is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defens...
").

Vehicles

Well-funded SWAT units may also employ ARV's, (Armored Rescue Vehicle ) for insertion, maneuvering, or during tactical operations such as the rescue of civilians/officers pinned down by gunfire. HelicopterHelicopter

A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, Helicopters are classified as ...
s may be used to provide aerial reconnaissanceReconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical...
 or even insertion via rappelling or fast-ropingFast-roping

Fast-roping is a technique for descending down a thick rope....
. To avoid detection by suspects during insertion in urban environments, SWAT units may also use modified busBus

A bus is a large automobile intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor....
es, vans, trucks, or other seemingly normal vehicles.

Units such as the OhioOhio

Ohio is a Midwestern state of the United States....
 State Highway Patrol's Special Response Team (SRT) used a vehicle called a BEAR which is a very large armored vehicle with a ladder on top to make entry into the second and third floors of buildings.

The Tulsa Police Department's SOT (Special Operations Team) uses an Alvis SaracenAlvis Saracen

The FV 603 Saracen was a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British army that became a re...
, a British-built armoured personnel carrierArmoured personnel carrier

Armoured personnel carriers are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield....
. The Saracen was modified to accommodate the needs of the SOT. A Night Sun was mounted on top and a ram was mounted to the front. The Saracen has been used from warrant service to emergency response. It has enabled team members to move from one point to another safely.

Recon

For tactical reconnaissance purposes, a team may be equipped with binocularsBinoculars

Binocular telescopes, or binoculars, are two identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and align...
, fiber optic camerasHFO Overview

Hybrid-Fiber-Optic is term used to describe the connection used by some television studio and field production video cameras...
 (known by brand names such as the Viper, as used by the Los Angeles Police DepartmentLos Angeles Police Department

The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the City of Los Angeles, California....
), thermographic cameraThermographic camera

A thermographic camera, sometimes called a FLIR, or an infrared camera less specifically, is a device that forms an image us...
s, or a variety of audio or video surveillance equipment. In nighttime or low-light operations, SWAT units may be equipped with night-vision goggles. Mirrors on extension poles, for looking around corners while not putting an officer directly in the line of fire, are among some of the more unusual and ad-hoc devices used by teams to deal with unique situations.

SWAT in popular culture

This kind of police unit quickly became well known with the premiere of the short-lived television series S.W.A.T.S.W.A.T. (TV series)

S.W.A.T. is a 1970s American television series about the adventures of a Special Weapons And Tactics team operating in a...
in the 1970s, which was panned as being overly violent and unrealistic with the characters regularly undergoing missions that usually happen only once in a lifetime for actual teams. However, the violence is mild by today's standards. In 2003, the movie S.W.A.T.S.W.A.T. (film)

S.W.A.T. is a 2003 action crime movie and is a take on the television series of the same name. ...
starring Samuel L. JacksonFacts About Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel Leroy Jackson is an Academy Award-nominated American actor....
 and Colin FarrellFacts About Colin Farrell

Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, best known for appearing in a series of high-profile Hollywood films, as well as for ...
 was released in theaters as an update of the TV series.

The SWAT SeriesSWAT series

The SWAT series are the follow up of Sierra's classic adventure game series Police Quest....
 of computer games by Sierra EntertainmentSierra Entertainment

Sierra Entertainment is a leading American computer game developer, publisher and distributor active from 1979....
 and developed by Vivendi Universal and Irrational GamesIrrational Games

Irrational Games is a video game developer founded in 1997 by three former employees of Looking Glass Studios: Ken Levine, J...
 started off as an interactive movie follow up of the Police QuestPolice Quest

Police Quest is a series of computer games produced and published by Sierra On-Line between 1987 and 1993....
series which was narrated by retired Chief Daryl GatesDaryl Gates

Daryl F. Gates was the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1978 until 1992. ...
, and was continued as a real-time strategyReal-time strategy

Real-time strategy, often abbreviated RTS, is a genre of computer games characterised by being wargames which take pla...
 game and two first person shooters in the vein of Rainbow Six. All but one featured endorsements by the LAPD.

In 2005, a television show debuted on A&EA&E Network

* Dish Network Channel Grid* List of DirecTV channels...
 entitled Dallas SWAT, documenting the personal and professional lives of SWAT officers of the Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas

Dallas is the third-largest city in the state of Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States....
 Police Department. The television show is now being shown on Court TVCourt TV

The Courtroom Television Network, more commonly known as Court TV, is an American cable television network owned by Ti...
 and in 2006 A&E debuted both KansasKansas City, Kansas

Kansas City is the third largest city in the U.S....
 and DetroitDetroit, Michigan

Detroit is the largest city in the U.S....
 SWAT.

Up to and including the 1980s, movies that featured SWAT units (such as Die HardDie Hard

Die Hard is a Hollywood blockbuster released in 1988, written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E....
and Die Hard 2Die Hard 2

Die Hard 2, the second Die Hard movie, was directed by Renny Harlin and released on Wednesday, July 4, 1990....
) portrayed them as carrying M16 rifleM16 rifle

M16 is the U.S. military designation for a family of rifles derived from the ArmaLite AR-15 and further developed by Colt....
s and wearing black armour and clothing but not wearing protective helmets. By the mid to late-1990s, SWAT officers were typically depicted in full protection with helmets and goggles/visors, balaclavas, and carrying MP5Heckler & Koch MP5

The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a family of submachine guns developed by German weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch in the 1960s....
 submachine guns, with the occasional member carrying a rifle/carbine or shotgun (such as in Face/OffFace/Off

Face/Off is a 1997 film directed by John Woo starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage....
).

Such police units have also been parodied. During the 1990s, there was also a cartoon TV show called . The British comic Viz once ran a spoof strip called SWANT (Special Weapons And No Tactics) involving a disastrous SWAT team. A SWAT unit is featured at the end of the movie The Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers was a rhythm and blues/blues band fronted by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in character....
(1980), along with state troopers, the military, the fire brigade, the mounted police, the ChicagoChicago

Chicago is the largest city in the U.S....
 Police Department, etc. They chase Jake and Elwood Blues in the Cook CountyCook County, Illinois Summary

Cook County is a county located in the U.S....
 Building, leading the pursuit by all the law enforcement officials throughout the building stairwells. The obvious irony of the whole sequence is that one of the missions of the SWAT teams is to arrest heavily armed, dangerous, criminals while the Blues brothers are unarmed and are only petty criminal offenders.

Controversies

The use of SWAT teams in non-emergency situations has been criticized. In 2006, a SWAT team served a warrant on Salvatore CulosiSalvatore Culosi

Dr. Salvatore J. Culosi was an optometrist who lived in Fairfax, VA....
, a 37-year old optometrist in the Fair Oaks section of Fairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County, Virginia Overview

Fairfax County is a county of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States....
, a suburb of Washington D.C., who was accused of sports gambling; the attempted arrest ended with his accidental death. The officer who was responsible, Deval V. Bullock, was suspended for three weeks without pay. One notable critic is Radley Balko, a policy analyst at the Cato InstituteCato Institute

The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.....
, author of Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America.

SWAT and other units in the United States


Though initially confined to metropolitan cities, today virtually every city with a police force in excess of a handful of officers has a paramilitary tactical unit. A variety of abbreviations and acronyms are used for these organizations, which operate at federal, state, and local levels. Most known examples are:
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Response Teams (SRT)
  • Drug Enforcement AdministrationDrug Enforcement Administration

    The Drug Enforcement Administration is a United States Department of Justice law enforcement agency, a federal police servic...
      Has no specialized tactical teams. The only exception being clandestine drug laboratory raids, which are conducted by Clan Lab Enforcement Teams (CLET) with specialized training particular to raiding labs.
  • Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative...
     Hostage Rescue TeamHostage Rescue Team

    The Hostage Rescue Team is the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counter-Terrorism tactical unit....
     (HRT)
  • Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative...
     Special Weapons and Tactics Teams
  • Federal Bureau of PrisonsFederal Bureau of Prisons

    The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a subdivision of the United States Department of Justice, and is responsible for the admini...
     Special Operations and Response Teams (SORT)
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Response Teams
  • United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy

    The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy...
     Office of Safety and Security (OSS) Special Response Teams (SRT)
  • United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy

    The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy...
     Special Response Force (SRF)
  • United States Marshals ServiceUnited States Marshals Service

    The United States Marshals Service, a bureau within the United States Department of Justice, is a federal police organizatio...
     Special Operations Group (SOG)
  • Felony Investigative Assistance TeamFelony Investigative Assistance Team Overview

    The Felony Investigative Assistance Team is a multi-jurisdictional police taskforce comprised of 16 law enforcement agencie...
     SWAT Unit, DuPage County, IL
  • United States Army Military Police Corps Military Police Special Reaction Team (SRT)
  • United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps Summary

    The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the U.S....
     Military Police Special Reaction Team (SRT)
  • United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force

    The United States Air Force is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed servic...
     Security Forces Emergency Services Team (EST)

Similar units outside the United States

Other law enforcement agencies, both in the US and around the world, also have similar paramilitary units. However, SWAT usually refers to tactical units attached at the municipal level. The term "special weapons and tactics" unit has also become somewhat genericGenericized trademark

A genericized trademark, sometimes known as a generic trade mark, generic descriptor or proprietary eponym, is a...
, and sometimes includes some patrol officers trained and equipped to respond to violent threats.

EuropeEurope

Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth....

  • ESIESI Summary

    ESI might be an acronym or abbreviation for:...
    , BelgiumBelgium

    The Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France and is...
  • SIPASipa

    Sipa is the Philippines national and traditional sport which dates backs to the Pre-Hispanic period....
    , Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina

    Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country on the Balkan peninsula of southern Europe with an area of 51,129 km , and an estim...
  • Gendarmery, BulgariaBulgaria

    Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in Southeastern Europe....
  • Útvar rychlého nasazení (URNA), Czech republicCzech Republic

    The Czech Republic , a member state of the European Union , is a landlocked country in Central Europe....
  • K-CommandoK-Commando

    K-Commando is a special unit of the Estonian Criminal Police, created in the early 1990s....
    ,
    EstoniaEstonia

    Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe....
  • KarhuryhmäKarhuryhmä

    The Karhu-ryhm? , officially called Helsingin kihlakunnan poliisilaitoksen valmiusyksikk? , in Swedish Karhu-gruppe...
    , Readiness Unit of the Finnish Police,
    FinlandFinland

    The Republic of Finland , is one of the Nordic countries....
  • Groupe d'Intervention de la Police Nationale (GIPN)GIPN

    GIPN is an initialism for Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale or French National Police Intervention Groups....
    , intervention units operated by the Direction Centrale de la Sécurité PubliqueDirection Centrale de la Sécurité Publique

    The Direction Centrale de la S?curit? Publique is the uniformed patrol and response arm of the French National Police ...
     ("Central Directorate of Public Security", DCSP), similar to the RAIDRecherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion

    Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion is the counter-terrorist unit of the French National Police....
     team (which is directly under orders of the Direction Générale de la Police NationaleFrench National Police

    The National Police is one of two national police forces and the main civil law enforcement agency of France, with primary j...
    ), FranceFacts About France

    France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and whi...
  • Recherche Assistance Intervention DissuasionRecherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion

    Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion is the counter-terrorist unit of the French National Police....
    , French National PoliceFrench National Police

    The National Police is one of two national police forces and the main civil law enforcement agency of France, with primary j...
    , FranceFrance

    France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and whi...
  • SpezialeinsatzkommandoSpezialeinsatzkommando

    Spezialeinsatzkommandos are the SWAT units of the German federal states....
    , Grenzschutzgruppe 9GSG 9

    The GSG 9 is the counter-terrorism unit of the German Federal Police, and is considered to be among the best of such units i...
    , BundespolizeiGerman Federal Police

    The Bundespolizei is the federal police force of Germany....
    , GermanyFacts About Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe....
    (it is similar to FBI HRT)
  • Terrorelhárító Szolgálat, Készenléti Rendorség (TESZ), HungaryHungary

    Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovaki...
  • VíkingasveitinVíkingasveitin

    V?kingasveitin , or S?rsveit r?kisl?greglustj?rans is Iceland's elite counter-terrorism unit, specializing in various...
    , Viking Squad, IcelandIceland

    Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland is a volcanic island nation in the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenl...
  • Gruppo di Intervento SpecialeGruppo di Intervento Speciale

    Gruppo di Intervento Speciale is a counterterrorism asset inside the Italian Carabinieri military police, first formed in 19...
    (GIS), CarabinieriCarabinieri

    The Carabinieri is the shortened name for the Arma dei Carabinieri, an Italian military corps of the gendarme...
    , ItalyItaly Overview

    Italy, officially the Italian Republic , is a Southern European country....
  • Nucleo Operativo Centrale di SicurezzaNucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza Overview

    The Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza is a special operations division of the Italian police. ...
    (NOCS), Polizia di StatoPolizia di Stato

    The Polizia di Stato, also known as the Polizia Statale, is one of the national police forces of Italy....
    , ItalyItaly

    Italy, officially the Italian Republic , is a Southern European country....
  • Samodzielny Pododdzial Antyterrorystyczny Policji, PolandPoland

    Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country located in Central Europe....
  • Grupo de Operaçőes Especiais (GOE), part of Polícia de Segurança PúblicaPolícia de Segurança Pública Overview

    The Pol?cia de Seguran?a P?blica - PSP is the Portuguese police force that works in large urban areas....
     (PSP), PortugalPortugal

    Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, and is the w...
  • Companhia de Operaçőes Especiais (COE), part of Guarda Nacional RepublicanaPortuguese National Republican Guard

    The Portuguese National Republican Guard is the Portuguese gendarmerie....
     (GNR), PortugalPortugal

    Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, and is the w...
  • SOBRSOBR

    The Special Rapid Reaction Unit or SOBR is an elite commando unit of the Russian Interior Ministry, involved in anti-c...
    , Ministry of the Interior (MVD), RussiaRussia

    Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia....
  • OMONOMON

    OMON is a generic name for the system of special units of militsiya within the Russian and earlier the Soviet, Ministe...
    , Ministry of the Interior (MVD), RussiaRussia

    Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia....
  • SAJ (Special Anti-terrorist Unit)SAJ (Special Anti-terrorist Unit)

    The Special Anti-terrorist Unit is Serbia's prime counter-terrorist unit. ...
    , Ministry of the Interior (MUP), SerbiaSerbia Summary

    Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia is a landlocked country in Central and Southeastern Europe, covering the ce...
  • PTJ (Anti-Terrorist Unit), Ministry of the Interior (MUP), SerbiaSerbia

    Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia is a landlocked country in Central and Southeastern Europe, covering the ce...
  • Útvar osobitného urcenia (ÚOU) of Ministry of Interior, SlovakiaSlovakia

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Pohotovostné policajné útvary (PPÚ) of Ministry of Interior, SlovakiaSlovakia

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Odbor špeciálnej ochrany Úradu pre ochranu ústavných cinitelov a diplomatických misií of Ministry of Interior, SlovakiaSlovakia

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Zásahová skupina Úradu boja proti organizovanej kriminalite of Ministry of Interior, SlovakiaSlovakia

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Jednotka služobných zákrokov Colného kriminálneho úradu Colnej správy of Ministry of Finance, SlovakiaSlovakia Overview

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Zásahová jednotka Špeciálnej zásahovej skupiny Zboru väzenskej a Justicnej Stráže of Ministry of Justice, SlovakiaSlovakia

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Národná protidrogová jednotka, SlovakiaSlovakia

    Slovakia is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million....
  • Grupo especial de operacionesGrupo Especial de Operaciones

    The Grupo Especial de Operaciones is part of the Spanish National Police and is stationed in Guadalajara near the capital, M...
    (G.E.O.), SpainSpain Overview

    Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a European parliamentary monarchy....
  • Aras, LithuaniaLithuania

    Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania , is a country in northern Europe....


Middle EastMiddle East

The Middle East is a subcontinent for the historical and cultural subregion of Africa-Eurasia traditionally held to be count...

  • Sa'iya, EgyptEgypt

    Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a Middle Eastern country in North Africa....
  • Hilla SWAT Team, IraqIraq

    The Republic of Iraq, is a Middle Eastern country in southwestern Asia encompassing most of Mesopotamia as well as the north...
  • Yamam Special Police UnitYamam

    The Yamam, is the acronym for Special Police Unit, Israel's elite civilian counter-terrorism unit....
    , IsraelIsrael

    Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Se...


AfricaAfrica

Africa is one of the greatest sized continents of the Earth....

  • Groupe Special d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Royale (GSIGR), MoroccoMorocco

    The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in North Africa....


Asia-PacificAsia-Pacific

The term Asia Pacific or Asia-Pacific applies to portions of Asia and of the Pacific Rim....

  • Special Ranger Group (SRG) component of the National Security GuardsNational Security Guards

    National Security Guards is India's premier counter-terrorism force, created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National S...
    , IndiaIndia

    India , officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia....
  • Detachment 88, Republic of Indonesian Police (POLRI), IndonesiaFacts About Indonesia

    Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a nation of islands consisting of 18,110 islands in the South Eas...
  • Pasukan Gerakan KhasPasukan Gerakan Khas

    Pasukan Gerakan Khas is the elite arm of the Polis Di-Raja Malaysia which includes Komando 69 and Unit Tindakan Khas....
     (PGK) and Police Combat Diving UnitPolice Combat Diving Unit

    The Combat Diving Unit ' is a maritime Special Operations unit under the command of the Royal Malaysian Police ....
     (UST), Royal Malaysian PoliceRoyal Malaysian Police

    The Royal Malaysian Police or Polis DiRaja Malaysia in Malay is a main branch of security forces in Malaysia....
    , MalaysiaMalaysia

    Malaysia is a federation of 13 states in Southeast Asia, formed in 1963....
  • Tactical Assault Group, AustraliaAustralia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland o...
  • Armed Offenders SquadArmed Offenders Squad

    The Armed Offenders Squad is a specialist unit of the New Zealand Police designed to "cordon, contain and appeal to" armed a...
    and Special Tactics GroupSpecial Tactics Group

    Previously known as the Anti-Terrorist Squad the Special Tactics Group is the full-time tactical and Counter-terrorism group of th...
    , New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand Police

    The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic law, enha...
    , New ZealandNew Zealand

    New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean consisting of two large islands and many much smaller islands, m...
  • SDUSpecial Duties Unit

    The Special Duties Unit is a secretive and elite paramilitary police unit of the Hong Kong Police....
    , Hong KongHong Kong

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is one of the two special administrative regi...
  • SWATBeijing SWAT

    The Beijing Special Weapons and Tactics Unit is a police unit in the People's Republic of China that deals with incidents b...
    , People's Republic of China (PRC)People's Republic of China

    The People's Republic of China , is a country in East Asia....
  • Special Action ForceSpecial Action Force

    The Special Action Force is the primary Special Operations unit of the Philippine National Police....
    , PhilippinesPhilippines

    The Philippines , officially the Republic of the Philippines , is an island nation located in the Malay archipelago in...
  • Thunder SquadThunder Squad

    Thunder Squadis the nickname of Wei-An Special Services Unit of Taiwan's National Police Agency, a highly trained SWAT-type ...
    , Taiwan National Police, Republic of China (Taiwan)Republic of China

    The Republic of China is a country in East Asia....
  • Arintharat 26, Royal Thai Police, ThailandThailand

    The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, bordering Laos and Cambodia to the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Ma...
  • State Protection GroupState Protection Group

    State Protection Group is the special operations division of the Australian New South Wales Police....
    , New South Wales Police Force, AustraliaAustralia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland o...
  • Police Intervention Tactical Unit, Macau Police 

South AmericaSouth America

South America is a continent situated in the western hemisphere and, mostly, the southern hemisphere, bordered on the west b...

  • Batalhăo de Operaçőes Policiais EspeciaisFacts About BOPE

    BOPE is the elite group of the Military Police, which originated from the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil....
     (BOPE), BrazilBrazil

    Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country in South America, and ...


North Americas

Canada

  • Emergency Response TeamEmergency Response Team

    The Emergency Response Team are the paramilitary police arm of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police....
    • Barrie PoliceBarrie Police

      Barrie Police is the police service for the City of Barrie, Ontario north of Toronto....
    • Brockville Police ServiceBrockville Police Service

      __NOEDITSECTION__name = Brockville Police Service...
    • Brockville Police ServiceFacts About Brockville Police Service

      __NOEDITSECTION__name = Brockville Police Service...
    • Delta Police DepartmentDelta Police Department

      The Delta Police Department is the police force for the district municipality of Delta, British Columbia....
    • Victoria Police DepartmentVictoria Police Department Summary

      Victoria Police Department is the municipal police service for the City of Victoria, British Columbia....
    • Fredericton PoliceFredericton Police

      Fredericton Police is the police force for the City of Fredericton, New Brunswick....
    • Halifax Regional PoliceHalifax Regional Police

      Halifax Regional Police is the force for the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia....
    • Emergency Response Team (RCMP) - RCMP


  • Emergency Task Force (TPS) - Toronto Police ServiceToronto Police Service

    The Toronto Police Service, formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the local police force for the City of Toron...
  • Tactical Support Unit - Durham Regional Police Service
  • Tactical Rescue Unit - Halton Regional Police ServiceHalton Regional Police Service

    __NOEDITSECTION__The Halton Regional Police Service provides policing services for the Halton Region in Ontario, Canada wh...
  • Emergency Task Unit - Niagara Regional Police ServiceNiagara Regional Police Service

    The Niagara Regional Police Service provides policing services for the Regional Municipality of Niagara, Ontario, Canada....
  • Emergency Services Unit  - Ottawa Police ServiceOttawa Police Service

    The Ottawa Police Service was created in 2000, which was formed prior to the creation of the new City of Ottawa and the old ...



  • Tactical Unit - Edmonton Police ServiceEdmonton Police Service

    Edmonton Police Service is responsible for policing in the City of Edmonton, Alberta....
  • Tactical Response Unit - Peel Regional PolicePeel Regional Police Summary

    The Peel Regional Police provides policing services for Peel Region in Ontario, Canada....
  • Special Response Unit  - Waterloo Regional PoliceWaterloo Regional Police

    The Waterloo Regional Police Service provides policing services for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada...
  • Emergency Response - York Regional PoliceYork Regional Police

    York Regional Police is the police force responsible for public order in York Region, located north of Toronto....
  • Critical Incident Response TeamCritical Incident Response Team

    Victoria Police Critical Incident Response Team are part of the Victorian Police Force Response Unit Command....
     and Tactical Team - Guelph Police ServiceGuelph Police Service

    Guelph Police Service is the police force for the city of Guelph, Ontario....
  • Tactics and Rescue Unit - Ontario Provincial PoliceFacts About Ontario Provincial Police

    The Ontario Provincial Police is the provincial police force for the province of Ontario, Canada. ...
  • Technical Response - Service de police de la Ville de MontréalService de police de la Ville de Montréal

    The Service de police de la Ville de Montr?al is the police force for the city of Montreal, Qu?bec, Canada....



  • JTF2 - Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces Overview

    The Canadian Forces , abbreviated as CF are the combined armed forces of Canada....


See also

  • SWAT World ChallengeSWAT World Challenge

    The Original SWAT World Challenge is an annual competition of law enforcement SWAT teams....
  • Manhunt (law enforcement)Manhunt (law enforcement)

    In law enforcement, a manhunt is a search for a dangerous fugitive involving the use of all available police units and techn...


External links

  • The National Tactical Officers Association, a national organization of tactical professionals.
  • The International Tactical Officers Training Association, an organization of tactical professionals more recently established than the NTOA.
  • Court TV program that broadcasts real SWAT video.
  • Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America