SWAT

SWAT ("Special Weapons And Tactics")

SWAT ("Special Weapons And Tactics") is a commonly used proper name for law enforcement units, which use military-style light weapons and specialized tactics in high-risk operations that fall outside of the capabilities of regular, uniformed police.^[1] "SWAT" is commonly used internationally, as a colloquial, generic term for these units.

Their duties include: confronting heavily armed criminals; performing hostage rescue and counter-terrorism operations; high risk arrests; and entering armored or barricaded buildings. Such units are often equipped with specialized firearms including submachine guns, assault rifles, breaching shotguns, sniper rifles, riot control agents, and stun grenades. They have specialized equipment including heavy body armor, ballistic shields, entry tools, armored vehicles, advanced night vision optics, and motion detectors for covertly determining the positions of hostages or hostage takers, inside enclosed structures.

History

Some sources state that the first use of "SWAT" as an acronym for "Special Weapons and Tactics" was the Special Weapons and Tactics Squad established by the Philadelphia Police Department in 1964.[2]

A more prominent early SWAT team was established in the Los Angeles Police Department in 1967, by Inspector Daryl Gates. After that, many United States law enforcement organizations, especially the police departments of major cities, as well as federal and state agencies, established their own elite units under various names. Gates explained in his autobiography Chief: My Life in the LAPD that he neither developed SWAT tactics nor the associated and often distinctive equipment; but that he supported the underlying concept, tried to empower his people to develop it, and generally lent them moral support.[3] Gates originally named the platoon "Special Weapons Assault Team"; however, this name was not generally favored and was rejected by his manager, deputy police chief Ed Davis, as sounding too much like a military organization. Wanting to keep the acronym "SWAT", Gates changed its expanded form to "special weapons and tactics".

While the public image of SWAT first became known through the LAPD, perhaps because of its proximity to the mass media and the size and professionalism of the Department itself, the first actual SWAT-type operations were conducted north of Los Angeles in the farming community of Delano, California on the border between Kern and Tulare Counties in the San Joaquin Valley. At the time, César Chavez' United Farm Workers union was staging numerous protests in Delano, both at cold storage facilities and outside non-supportive farm workers' homes on city streets. The Delano Police Department responded by forming ad-hoc units using special weapons and tactics. Television news stations and print media carried live and delayed reportage of these events across the United States. Personnel from the LAPD, having seen these broadcasts, contacted Delano and inquired about the program. One officer then obtained permission to observe the Delano Police Department's special weapons and tactics units in action, and afterwards, he took what he had learned back to Los Angeles, where his knowledge was used and expanded on to form the LAPD's own first SWAT unit.

John Nelson was the officer who conceived the idea to form a specially trained and equipped unit in the LAPD, intended to respond to and manage critical situations involving shootings while minimizing police casualties. Inspector Gates approved this idea, and he formed a small select group of volunteer officers. This first SWAT unit initially consisted of fifteen teams of four men each, making a total staff of sixty. These officers were given special status and benefits, and were required to attend special monthly training sessions. The unit also served as a security unit for police facilities during civil unrest. The LAPD SWAT units were organized as "D Platoon" in the Metro division.[3]

The first significant deployment of the LAPD's SWAT unit was on December 9, 1969, in a four-hour confrontation with members of the Black Panthers. The Panthers eventually surrendered, with three Panthers and three officers being injured. By 1974, there was a general acceptance of SWAT as a resource for the city and county of Los Angeles.

1974 Symbionese Liberation Army conflict

On the afternoon of May 17, 1974, elements of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a group of heavily armed left-wing guerrillas, barricaded themselves in a residence on East 54th Street at Compton Avenue in Los Angeles. Coverage of the siege was broadcast to millions via television and radio and featured in the world press for days afterwards. SWAT teams engaged in a several hour gun battle with the SLA; no police were wounded, but the six SLA members died in the conflict, which ended when the house caught fire and burned to the ground.

U.S. Air Force 37th Training Wing's Emergency Services Team use a team lift technique to enter a target building during training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas on April 24, 2007.

By the time of the SLA shoot-out, SWAT teams had reorganized into six 10-man teams, each team consisting of two five-man units, called elements. An element consisted of an element leader, two assaulters, a scout, and a rear-guard. The normal complement of weapons was a sniper rifle (a .243-caliber bolt-action, based on the ordnance expended by officers at the shootout), two .223-caliber semi-automatic rifles, and two shotguns. SWAT officers also carried their service revolvers in shoulder holsters. Standard gear included a first aid kit, gloves, and a gas mask. At a time when officers were usually issued six-shot revolvers and shotguns, it was a significant change to have police armed with semi-automatic rifles. The encounter with the heavily armed Symbionese Liberation Army, however, sparked a trend towards SWAT teams being issued body armor and automatic weapons of various types.

A report issued by the Los Angeles Police Department, following a shootout with the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974, offers one of the few firsthand accounts by the department regarding SWAT history, operations, and organization.[4] On page 100 of the report, the Department cites four trends which prompted the development of SWAT. These included riots such as the Watts Riots, which in the 1960s forced the LAPD and other police departments into tactical situations for which they were ill-prepared; the emergence of snipers as a challenge to civil order; political assassinations; and the threat of urban guerrilla warfare by militant groups. "The unpredictability of the sniper and his anticipation of normal police response increase the chances of death or injury to officers. To commit conventionally trained officers to a confrontation with a guerrilla-trained militant group would likely result in a high number of casualties among the officers and the escape of the guerrillas." To deal with these under conditions of urban violence, the LAPD formed SWAT, notes the report. The report states on page 109, "The purpose of SWAT is to provide protection, support, security, firepower, and rescue to police operations in high personal risk situations where specialized tactics are necessary to minimize casualties."

1990s and beyond

The Columbine High School massacre in Colorado on April 20, 1999 was another seminal event in SWAT tactics and police response. As noted in an article in the Christian Science Monitor, "Instead of being taught to wait for the SWAT team to arrive, street officers are receiving the training and weaponry to take immediate action during incidents that clearly involve suspects' use of deadly force."[5] The article further reported that street officers were increasingly being armed with rifles, and issued heavy body armor and ballistic helmets, items traditionally associated with SWAT units. The idea was to train and equip street officers to make a rapid response to so-called active-shooter situations. In these situations, it was no longer acceptable to simply set up a perimeter and wait for SWAT. As an example, in the policy and procedure manual of the Minneapolis Police Department, it is stated, "MPD personnel shall remain cognizant of the fact that in many active shooter incidents, innocent lives are lost within the first few minutes of the incident. In some situations, this dictates the need to rapidly assess the situation and act quickly in order to save lives."[6]

On February 7, 2008, a siege and subsequent firefight with a gunman in Winnetka, California led to the first line-of-duty death of a member of the LAPD's SWAT team in its 41 years of existence.[7]

Law Enforcement in the United States

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement in the United States is one of three major components of the criminal justice system of the United States, along with courts and corrections. Although each component operates semi-independently, the three collectively form a chain leading from investigation of suspected criminal activity to administration of criminal punishment. Also, courts are vested with the power to make legal determinations regarding the conduct of the other two components.


Law enforcement operates primarily through governmental police agencies. The law-enforcement purposes of these agencies are the investigation of suspected criminal activity, referral of the results of investigations to the courts, and the temporary detention of suspected criminals pending judicial action. Law enforcement agencies, to varying degrees at different levels of government and in different agencies, are also commonly charged with the responsibilities of deterring criminal activity and preventing the successful commission of crimes in progress. Other duties may include the service and enforcement of warrants, writs, and other orders of the courts.

Law enforcement agencies are also involved in providing first response to emergencies and other threats to public safety; the protection of certain public facilities and infrastructure; the maintenance of public order; the protection of public officials; and the operation of some correctional facilities (usually at the local level).

Number of police

The 2012 Bureau of Justice Statistics' Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies (CSLLEA), found there were 17,985 state and local law enforcement agencies employing at least one full-time officer or the equivalent in part-time officers.[1]

In 2008, state and local law enforcement agencies employed more than 1.1 million persons on a full-time basis, including about 765,000 sworn personnel (defined as those with general arrest powers). Agencies also employed approximately 100,000 part-time employees, including 44,000 sworn officers.[1]

From 2004 to 2008, overall full-time employment by state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide increased by about 57,000 (or 5.3%). Sworn personnel increased by about 33,000 (4.6%), and nonsworn employees by about 24,000 (6.9%). From 2004 to 2008, the number of full-time sworn personnel per 100,000 U.S. residents increased from 250 to 251.[1] From 1992 to 2008, the growth rate for civilian personnel was more than double that of sworn personnel.[2]

Local police departments were the largest employer of sworn personnel, accounting for 60% of the total. Sheriffs' offices were next, accounting for 24%. About half (49%) of all agencies employed fewer than 10 full-time officers. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of sworn personnel worked for agencies that employed 100 or more officers.[1]
Changes in personnel numbers

Fifteen of the 50 largest local police departments employed fewer full-time sworn personnel in 2008 than in 2004. The largest declines were in Detroit (36%), Memphis (23%), New Orleans (13%), and San Francisco (10%).[1]

Ten of the 50 largest local police departments reported double-digit increases in sworn personnel from 2004 to 2008. The largest increases were in Phoenix (19%), Prince George's County (Maryland) (17%), Dallas (15%), and Fort Worth (14%).[1]
Types of police

Policing in the United States is conducted by numerous types of agencies at many different levels. Every state has their own nomenclature for agencies, and their powers, responsibilities and funding varies from state to state.
Federal
Main article: Federal law enforcement in the United States

Federal police possess full federal authority as given to them under United States Code (U.S.C.). Federal law enforcement officers are authorized to enforce various laws at the federal level.
U.S. Park Police officers standing by during the 2005 Inauguration Day

Both types operate at the highest level and are endowed with police roles, both may maintain a small component of the other (for example, the FBI Police). The agencies have nationwide jurisdiction for enforcement of federal law. All federal agencies are limited by the U.S. Code to investigating only matters that are explicitly within the power of the federal government. However, federal investigative powers have become very broad in practice, especially since the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is responsible for most law enforcement duties at the federal level.[3] It includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and others.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is another branch with numerous federal law enforcement agencies reporting to it. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Secret Service (USSS), United States Coast Guard (USCG), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are some of the agencies that report to DHS. It should be noted that the United States Coast Guard is assigned to the United States Department of Defense in the event of war, and operates under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime.



At a crime or disaster scene affecting large numbers of people, multiple jurisdictions, or broad geographic areas, many police agencies may be involved by mutual aid agreements, for example the United States Federal Protective Service responded to the Hurricane Katrina natural disaster. Command in such situations remains a complex and flexible issue.

In accordance with the federal, as opposed to unitary or confederal, structure of the United States government, the national (federal) government is formally prohibited from exercising general police powers by the Constitution of the United States of America. Each of the United States' 50 federated states (referred to simply as 'states' in the United States despite their lack of full sovereignty) retain their own police, military and domestic law-making powers. The US Constitution gives the federal government the power to deal with foreign affairs and interstate affairs (affairs between the states). For policing, this means that if a non-federal crime is committed in a US state and the fugitive does not flee the state, the federal government has no jurisdiction. However, once the fugitive crosses a state line he or she violates the federal law of interstate flight and is subject to federal jurisdiction, at which time federal law enforcement agencies may become involved.
State
Main article: State police

Most states operate statewide government agencies that provide law enforcement duties, including investigations and state patrols. They may be called State Police, State Patrol or Highway Patrol, and are normally part of the state Department of Public Safety. In addition, the Attorney General's office of each state has their own state bureaus of investigation. In Texas the Texas Ranger Division fulfill this role though they have their history in the period before Texas became a state.

Various departments of state governments may have their own enforcement divisions, such as capitol police, campus police, state hospitals, Departments of Correction, water police, environmental (fish and game/wildlife) game wardens or conservation officers (who have full police powers and statewide jurisdiction). In Colorado, for instance, the Department of Revenue has its own investigative branch, as do many of the state-funded universities.
County

Also known as parishes and boroughs, county law enforcement is provided by sheriffs' departments or offices and county police.
County police
Main article: County police

County police tend to exist only in metropolitan counties and have countywide jurisdiction. In some areas, there is a sheriff's department which only handles minor issues such as service of papers such as a constable in other areas, along with security for the local courthouse. In other areas, there are no county police and the local sheriff is the exclusive law enforcement agency and acts as both sheriff and county police, which is much more common than there being a separate county police force. County police tend to fall into three broad categories:

    Full-service - provide the full spectrum of police services to the entire county, irrespective of local communities, and may provide contractual security police services to special districts within the county.
        Hawaii - Hawaii has only county police, there are no state police.

    Limited service - provide services to unincorporated areas of the county (and may provide services to some incorporated areas by contract), and usually provide contractual security police services to special districts within the county.

    Restricted service - provide security police to county owned and operated facilities and parks. Some may also perform some road patrol duties on county built and maintained roads, and provide support to municipal police departments in the county. Some northeastern states maintain county detectives in their county attorneys' offices.

Sheriffs' offices
Main article: Sheriffs in the United States

    Full service - The most common type, provide all traditional law-enforcement functions, including countywide patrol and investigations irrespective of municipal boundaries.

    Limited service - along with the above, perform some type of traditional law-enforcement function such as investigations and patrol. This may be limited to security police duties on county properties (and others by contract) to the performance of these duties in unincorporated areas of the county, and some incorporated areas by contract.




    Restricted service - provide basic court related services such as keeping the county jail, transporting prisoners, providing courthouse security and other duties with regard to service of process and summonses that are issued by county and state courts. The sheriff also often conducts auction sales of real property in foreclosure in many jurisdictions, and is often also empowered to conduct seizures of chattel property to satisfy a judgment. In other jurisdictions, these civil process duties are performed by other officers, such as a marshal or constable.

    In Texas, the sheriff's office is normally the agency responsible for handling mental health calls. If the situation is dangerous, a sheriff's deputy has the power to take a person to a hospital on a mental health commitment immediately. However, if the situation is not actively dangerous, a warrant must be sought. With the rise in mental health units across the state, the Texas CIT Association was formed.

Municipal
A Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor of the New York City Police Department

    See Municipal police departments of the United States for a list

Municipal police range from one-officer agencies (sometimes still called the town marshal) to the 40,000 men and women of the New York City Police Department. Most municipal agencies take the form (Municipality Name) Police Department. Many individual cities and towns will have their own police department, with larger communities typically having larger departments with greater budgets, resources, and responsibilities.



Metropolitan departments, such as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, have jurisdiction covering multiple communities and municipalities, often over a wide area typically coterminous with one or more cities or counties. Metropolitan departments have usually have been formed by a merger between local agencies, typically several local police departments and often the local sheriff's department or office, in efforts to provide greater efficiency by centralizing command and resources and to resolve jurisdictional problems, often in communities experiencing rapid population growth and urban sprawl, or in neighboring communities too small to afford individual police departments. Some county sheriff's departments, such as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, are contracted to provide full police services to local cities within their counties.
Other

U.S. Territories - Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico State Police Puerto Rico Police Department

It traces back to 1837, when Spanish governor Francisco Javier de Moreda y Prieto created La Guardia Civil de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Civil Guard) to protect the lives and property of Puerto Ricans who at the time were Spanish subjects, and provide police services to the entire island, even though many municipalities maintain their own police force. The United States invaded and took possession of Puerto Rico in July 1898 as a result of the Spanish American War and has controlled the island as a US territory since then. The Insular Police of Puerto Rico was created on February 21, 1899, under the command of Col. Frank Thacher (US Marine officer during the Spanish American War), with an authorized strength of 313 sworn officers. As of 2009, the PRPD had over 17,292 officers.

    See Specialist police departments of the United States for a list

There are other types of specialist police departments with varying jurisdictions. Most of these serve special-purpose districts and are Special district police. In some states, they serve as little more than security police, but in states such as California, special district forces are composed of fully sworn peace officers with statewide authority.

These agencies can be transit police, school district police, campus police, airport police, park police or police departments responsible for protecting government property, such as the Los Angeles General Services Police. Some agencies, such as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, have multi-state powers. There are also some private (non-governmental) agencies, such as the [[Co-op City Department of Public Safety.
Police functions
A Florida Highway Patrol state trooper at the scene of a motor vehicle accident
FBI Evidence Response Team

Textbooks and scholars have identified three primary police agency functions. The following is cited from The American System of Criminal Justice, by George F. Cole and Christopher E. Smith, 2004, 10th edition, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning:

    Order maintenance. This is the broad mandate to keep the peace or otherwise prevent behaviors which might disturb others. This can deal with things ranging from a barking dog to a fist-fight. By way of description, Cole and Smith note that police are usually called-on to "handle" these situations with discretion, rather than deal with them as strict violations of law, though of course their authority to deal with these situations are based in violations of law.

    Law enforcement. Those powers are typically used only in cases where the law has been violated and a suspect must be identified and apprehended. Most obvious instances include robbery, murder, or burglary. This is the popular notion of the main police function, but the frequency of such activity is dependent on geography and season.

    Service. Services may include rendering first aid, providing tourist information, guiding the disoriented, or acting as educators (on topics such as preventing drug use). Cole and Smith cited one study which showed 80% of all calls for police assistance did not involve crimes, but this may not be the case in all parts of the country. Because police agencies are traditionally available year-round, 24 hours a day, citizens call upon police departments not only in times of trouble, but also when just inconvenienced. As a result, police services may include roadside auto assistance, providing referrals to other agencies, finding lost pets or property, or checking locks on vacationers' homes.

Styles of policing
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Given the broad mandates of police work, and yet having limited resources, police administrators must develop policies to prioritize and focus their activities. Some of the more controversial policies restrict, or even forbid, high-speed vehicular pursuits.

Three styles of policing develop from a jurisdiction's socioeconomic characteristics, government organization, and choice of police administrators. According to a study by James Q. Wilson ("Varieties of Police Behavior", 1968, 1978, Harvard University Press), there were three distinct types of policing developed in his study of eight communities. Each style emphasized different police functions, and were linked to specific characteristics of the community the department served. (Wilson's field of study was in the United States, and it is not clear if similar studies have been done for other countries with different governmental organization and laws.)

    Watchman. Emphasizes maintaining order, usually found in communities with a declining industrial base, and a blue-collar, mixed ethnic/racial population. This form of policing is implicitly less pro-active than other styles, and certain offenses may be "overlooked" on a variety of social, legal, and cultural grounds, as long as the public order is maintained. Smith and Cole comment the broad discretion exercised in this style of policing can result in charges of discrimination, when it appears police treatment of different groups results in the perception that some groups get better treatment than others;

    Legalistic. Emphasizes law enforcement and professionalism. This is usually found in reform-minded cities, with mixed socioeconomic composition. Officers are expected to generate a large number of arrests and citations, and act as if there were a single community standard for conduct, rather than different standards for different groups. However, the fact that certain groups are more likely to have law enforcement contact means this strict enforcement of laws may seem overly harsh on certain groups;

    Service. Emphasizes the service functions of police work, usually found in suburban, middle-class communities where residents demand individual treatment. Police in homogeneous communities can view their work as protecting their citizens against "outsiders", with frequent but often-informal interventions against community members. The uniform make-up of the community means crimes are usually more obvious, and therefore less frequent, leaving police free to deal with service functions, and traffic control.

Wilson's study applies to police behavior for the entire department, over time. At any given time, police officers may be acting in a watchman, service, or legalistic function by nature of what they're doing at the time, or temperament, or mood. Individual officers may also be inclined to one style or another, regardless of supervisor or citizen demands.
Entry qualifications



Nearly all U.S. states and the federal government have by law adopted minimum-standard standardized training requirements for all officers with powers of arrest within the state. Many standards apply to in-service training as well as entry-level training, particularly in the use of firearms, with periodic re-certification required. These standards often comply with standards promoted by the US Department of Justice. These standards typically require a thorough background check that potential police recruits:

    Be a United States citizen (waived in certain agencies if the applicant is a lawful resident).
    Must have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. and if necessary a college degree or served in the United States military without a dishonorable discharge;
    Be in good medical, physical, and psychological condition;
    Maintain a clean criminal record without either serious or repeated misdemeanor or any felony convictions;
    Must have a valid driver's license with a clean driving record and that is not currently or has a history of being suspended or revoked;
    Be of high moral character;
    Not have a history of prior narcotic or repeated marijuana use or alcoholism;
    Not have a history of ethical, professional, prior employment, motor vehicle, educational, or financial improprieties;
    Not have a history of domestic violence or mental illness;
    Not to pose a safety and security risk;
    Be legally eligible to own and carry a firearm.


Repeated interviews, written tests, medical examinations, physical fitness tests, comprehensive background investigations, fingerprinting, drug testing, a police oral board interview, a polygraph examination and consultation with a psychologist are common practices used to review the suitability of candidates. Recruiting in most departments is competitive, with more suitable and desirable candidates accepted over lesser ones, and failure to meet some minimum standards disqualifying a candidate entirely. Police oral boards are the most subjective part of the process and often disqualifies the biggest portion of qualified candidates.[4] Departments maintain records of past applicants under review, and refer to them in the case of either reapplication or requests between other agencies.

Despite these safeguards, some departments have at times relaxed hiring and staffing policies, sometimes in violation of the law, most often in the cases of local departments and federally funded drug task forces facing staffing shortages, attrition, and needs to quickly fill positions. This has included at times the fielding (and sometimes the arming) of uncertified officers (who may be working temporarily in what is supposed to be a provisional limited-duty status prior to certification) and the hiring of itinerant "gypsy cops", who may have histories of poor performance or misconduct in other departments.

Several serious cases of police misconduct such as the Chicago Police Department's torture of felony suspects between 1972-1991 by and under Jon Burge, Los Angeles Police Department's 1991 beating of Rodney King and late-1990s LAPD Rampart Scandal, New York City Police Department's 1970s fatal shootings of Clifford Glover (1973) and Randolph Evans (1976), the 1980s chokehold of Michael Stewart (1983), shootings of Eleanor Bumpers (1984) and Edmund Perry (1985), the stun gun torture of Mark Davidson (1985), the 1990s torture of Abner Louima and shooting of Amadou Diallo, the 2000s shootings and record-publicizing of Patrick Dorismond, and Sean Bell, Philadelphia Police Department's torture of suspects in the 1970s to improve then-mayor Frank Rizzo's reputation and Torrington, Connecticut's Tracey Thurman incident all raised questions surrounding the screening of potential recruits.
Salary

Salary varies widely for police officers, with most being among the top third of wage-earners, age 25 or older, nationwide.[5] In May 2008, the overall median was $55,410. The median salary for those at the federal level was $46,620, compared to $57,270 for those at the state level and $52,020 for those employed by local law enforcement agencies. The top 10% earned more than $79,680 and bottom 10% less than $32,070.[6]
Police Chief     $90,570     $113,930
Deputy Chief     $74,834     $96,209
Police Captain     $72,761     $91,178
Police Lieutenant     $65,688     $79,268
Police Sergeant     $58,739     $70,349
Police Corporal     $49,421     $61,173
Police Officer     $40,000     $50,000
Reserve Officer     $20.00     $0.00

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, 2010[6]
Police weapons

Police in the United States usually carry a handgun on duty. Many are required to be armed on-duty and often required to have a concealable off-duty handgun. Among the most common sidearms are models produced by Glock, Smith & Wesson, SIG Sauer, Beretta, and Heckler & Koch, usually in 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 SIG (US Secret Service & other Federal Law Enforcement agencies) or .45 ACP.

Until the late 1980s and early 1990s, most US police officers carried revolvers, typically in .38 Special or .357 Magnum calibers, as their primary duty weapons. At the time, Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger and some Taurus models were popular with police officers, most popular being the Smith & Wesson or Colt revolvers. Since then, most agencies have switched to semiautomatic pistols. Two key events influencing many US police forces to upgrade their primary duty weapons to weapons with greater stopping power and round capacity were the 1980 Norco shootout and the 1986 FBI Miami shootout.

Some police departments allow qualified officers to carry shotguns and/or semiautomatic rifles in their vehicles for additional firepower, typically to be used if a suspect is involved in an active shooter situation, or a Hostage/barricade incident.
Less lethal weapons
ASP 21" tactical baton in expandable and collapsed states.


Police also often carry an impact weapon - a baton, also known as a nightstick. The common nightstick and the side handle baton, have been replaced in many locations by expandable batons such as the Monadnock Auto-Lock Expandable Baton or ASP baton. One advantage of the collapsible baton is that the wearer can comfortably sit in a patrol vehicle while still wearing the baton on their duty belt. The side handle night stick usually has to be removed before entering the vehicle. Many departments also use less-lethal weapons like mace, pepper spray, electroshock guns, and beanbag shotgun rounds.

Another less lethal weapon that police officers often carry is an electroshock gun, also known as a Taser. The handheld electroshock weapon was designed to incapacitate a single person from a distance by using electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Someone struck by a Taser experiences stimulation of his or her sensory nerves and motor nerves, resulting in strong involuntary muscle contractions. Tasers do not rely only on pain compliance, except when used in Drive Stun mode, and are thus preferred by some law enforcement over non-Taser stun guns and other electronic control weapons.
Specialized weapons

Most large police departments have elite SWAT units which are called in to handle situations, such as barricaded suspects, hostage situations and high-risk warrant service, that require greater force, specialized equipment, and special tactics. These units usually have submachine guns, automatic carbines or rifles, semiautomatic combat shotguns, sniper rifles, gas, smoke and flashbang grenades, and other specialized weapons and equipment at their disposal. Some departments have an armored vehicle for especially dangerous work.
Body armor

Uniformed police officers are often issued body armor, typically in the form of a lightweight Level IIA, II or IIIA vest that can be worn under service shirts. SWAT teams typically wear heavier Level III or IV tactical armored vests, often with steel or ceramic trauma plates, comparable to those worn by US military personnel engaged in ground operations. Officers trained in bomb disposal wear specialized heavy protective armor designed to protect them from the effects of an explosion when working around live ordnance.
Police communications

Most American police departments are dispatched from a centralized communications center, using VHF, UHF or, more recently, digitally trunked radio transceivers mounted in their vehicles, with individual officers carrying portable handsets or ear-worn headsets for communication when away from their vehicles. American police cars are also increasingly equipped with portable computers linked by radio to a network allowing them access to state department of motor vehicles information, criminal records, and other important information.

Most police communications are now conducted within a regional pool of area 911 operators using 911 and 911 telephone taxation. A large number of police agencies have pooled their 911 tax resources for Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) to streamline dispatching and reporting.
National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System
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National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System is a secure information sharing system for state and local law enforcement agencies. It provides electronic messaging[disambiguation needed] to allow information exchange between state, local, and federal agencies and support services to justice-related computer programs. The network is operated by Nlets, a non-profit corporation owned and operated by the states and funded solely by fees for service.

The network operates primarily through a secure private network through which each state has an interface to the network, and all agencies within the state operate through this portal. The federal and international components operate very similarly. Users include all U.S. states and territories, Federal agencies with a justice mission, and certain international agencies. The primary operational site for the network is housed in Arizona, with a secure backup site located in the East Central U.S. for full continuity of operations in less than thirty minutes.

Information exchange is voluntary and includes everything from motor vehicle registrations, driver's data, Interpol warrants, Canadian 'Hot File' records, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) databases, to state criminal history records. Nearly 90 million messages are sent each month.

Forensic

Forensic Services

 Forensic Services (SCD 4) is a unit of the Metropolitan Police of London, England. Part of the Specialist Crime Directorate, their duties range from evidence recovery following burglaries to anti-terrorism work. It is divided into six units:[1]

    Forensic Services Command Unit for Territorial Policing is responsible for the examination of all crime scenes. The 32 London Boroughs are divided into four "Links", with each Link covering eight boroughs. A "Borough Forensic Manager" has a team of "Assistant Forensic Practitioners" (AFPs) who examine crime scenes and support "Crime Scene Managers" at more serious crime scenes, such as murder. A Forensic Intelligence Unit links evidence recovered from different crime scenes.

    Forensic Investigation - Specialist Crime conducts forensic investigations of homicide, armed robbery and any other crime that falls within the remit of SCD.

    Specialist Evidence Recovery Imaging Services provides photographic services to the Met Police. It responds to major crime scenes, terrorist events and public order and CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) incidents.

    The Fingerprint Bureau compares finger and palm marks from crime scenes against offender databases, arrestee fingerprints against databases of unidentified marks, and fingerprints of suspects specified by investigating officers. The Bureau is responsible for archiving material from investigations and is also responsible for comparing the fingerprints of all arrestees in London in order to establish their identity. The Bureau also retrieves finger and palm marks by chemical and physical means and co-ordinates fingerprint evidence for presentation in court.

    The Evidence Recovery Unit provides chemical treatment prior to fingerprint, DNA and firearms examinations and use of specialised photographic lighting techniques.

    The Counter-Terrorism Team is responsible for retrieving evidence from terrorist activities.

Special Police Units

List of Special Police Forces

Afghanistan Afghanistan

Interior Ministry

    Special Narcotics Force
    Afghan National Civil Order Police Special Support Battalion

Albania Albania

    Shqiponjat (The Eagles) (disbanded 2013)[1]
    Immediate Intervention Forces - FNSH (Forcat e Ndërhyrjes së Shpejtë)[citation needed]
    Port Authority Security Force[citation needed]
    RENEA

Argentina Argentina

Argentine Federal Police

    Federal Special Operations Group (GEOF)
    Hawk Special Operations Brigade (BEOH)
    Special Operations Troops Company (TOE)
    Albatross Group
    Scorpion Group

Austria Austria

Austrian Federal Police

    Einsatzkommando Cobra (EKO Cobra)

Australia Australia

Australian Federal Police

    Specialist Response Group (SRG)

New South Wales Police Force

    Tactical Operations Unit (TOU)
    State Protection Support Unit (SPSU)
    Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS) - full-time riot squad
    Public Order and Operations Support Group (POOSG) - part-time riot squad

New South Wales Department of Corrective Services

    Hostage Response Group (HRG)

Northern Territory Police

    Territory Response Group (TRG)
    Public Order Response Team (PORT)[2]

Queensland Police

    Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)
    Public Safety Response Team (PSRT)[3]

Queensland Department of Corrective Services

    Tactical Response Unit (TRU)[4]

South Australia Police

    Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR)
    State Tactical Group[5]

Tasmania Police

    Special Operations Group (SOG)
    Public Order Response Team (PORT)[6]

Tasmania Corrective Services

    Tactical Response Group (TRG)[7]

Victoria Police

    Special Operations Group (SOG)
    Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT)
    Public Order Response Team (PORT)[8]

Western Australia Police

    Tactical Response Group (TRG)
    Regional Operations Group (ROG)[9]

Western Australia Department of Corrective Services

    Emergency Support Group[10][11]

The Bahamas Bahamas

Royal Bahamas Police Force

    Security and Intelligence Branch

Bangladesh Bangladesh

Bangladesh Police

    SWAT (Bangladesh)
    Rapid Action Battalion

Belgium Belgium

Federal police

    Speciale Eenheden/Unités Spéciales (CGSU) Special Units of the General Commissioner's Office

Bolivia 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 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnian Police Force

    The State Investigation and Protection Agency - SIPA
    Bosnian Special Police Units
        Special Police Unit

Brazil Brazil
Question book-new.svg
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Military Police

    BOPE - Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais (Special Police Operations Battalion), State of Rio de Janeiro.
    COE - Comandos e Operações Especiais (Commandos and Special Operations)
    CAESA - Companhia Independente de Ações Especiais do Semi-Árido (Company Independent Special Shares of the Semi-Arid)
    CPAC - Companhia de Polícia de Ações em Caatinga (Police Company of share Caatinga)
    CIAC - Companhia Independente de Ações no Cerrado
    CAESG - Companhia Ações Especiais no Sudoeste e Gerais
    CAEMA - Companhia de Ações Especiais em Mata Atlântica
    CAEL - Companhia de Ações Especiais do Litoral
    CIOSAC - Companhia Independente de Operações e Sobrevivência na Área de Caatinga
    GATE - Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais

Federal Police

    COT - Comando de Operações Táticas (Tactical Operations Command)

Civil Police

    CORE - Coordenadoria de Recursos Especiais (Special Resources Direction), State of Rio de Janeiro.
    GARRA - Grupo Armado de Repressão a Roubos e Assaltos (Robbery and Assault Repression Armed Group), State of São Paulo.
    GOE - Grupo de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Group), State os São Paulo.

Bulgaria Bulgaria

    SOBT

Bulgarian Gendarmerie

    Counter-Terrorist Squads

Canada Canada

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

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

Chile 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 China
Question book-new.svg
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Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China

    Beijing SWAT

People's Armed Police (CAPF)

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

Municipal Public Security Police Bureaus

    Beijing SWAT Unit

Hong Kong Hong Kong

    Airport Security Unit (ASU)
    Counter Terrorism Response Unit (CTRU)
    Special Duties Unit (SDU)
    VIP Protection Unit (G4)
    Witness Protection Unit (WPU)
    Police Tactical Unit (PTU)
    Surveillance Support Unit (D3,Hit Team)

Macau Macau

Macau Public Security Police Force

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

Colombia Colombia

Colombian Special National Police

The Elite Operations Special Police

    C.O.P.E.S "commando de operaciones especiales" Special Operations Command (All country Really special operations most of the operations are secret)
    Comandos Jungla (Special Rural operations, anti-narcotics, anti-extortions specialization in irregular combat they supports the special army forces)

The Special Operations Combat Police

    G.O.E.S "grupo especial de operaciones" Special group operations (urban operations)
    E.M.C.A.R "Escuadrones Mobiles de Carabineros" Mobile Carabine Squadrons (Rural protection and operations)

The Special Police

    GAULA- SIJIN "Fuerazas conjuntas anti extorción por la Paz" special task of united areas from the police for extortion, kindnapings and narcotics rural and urban operations.
    C.T.I special unity of investigations.
    DAS special anti-terrorism department in Colombia a special police
    E.S.M.A.D Anti-disturbs command

Costa Rica Costa Rica

    Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI) - attached to the Directorate of Intelligence and National Security (DIS) of Ministry of the Presidency.
    Servicio Policial de Intervención Immediata (SPII) attached to the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) from the Judicial Branch.
    Unidad Especial de Apoyo (UEA)from Ministry of Public Security (MSP)
    Unidad de Intervención Policial (crowd management unit/ anti-riot) UIP (MSP)
    Unidad Tactica Policial - MSP
    Unidad Canina - MSP
    Policia Antidrogas - PCD (MSP)

Croatia Croatia

Law Enforcement

    Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit

Cuba Cuba

Police

    BE PNR

Czech Republic Czech Republic

    URNA (Útvar rychlého nasazení - Rapid Reaction Unit)
    ZJ (Zasahova jednotka) - 8 regional fulltime units)

Denmark Denmark

Rigspolitiet

    Politiets Aktionsstyrke (Special unit of the Police)
    Bagmands Politiet (Economic and international crimes) Statsadvokaten for Særlig Økonomisk og International Kriminalitet.

Egypt Egypt

Egyptian National Police

    Unit 333 (Special unit of the interior ministry)

Estonia Estonia

Estonian Police

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

Fiji Fiji

    Police Tactical Response Unit (disbanded in 2007)[12]
    Police National Operations Support Unit[13][14]

Finland Finland

Finnish Police

    Karhuryhmä (Special unit of the Helsinki City Police Department but used nation-wide)
        Valo-79 (Special unit of the North-Finland Police)
    Finnish Border Guard
        Border Guard Readiness Unit

France France

Gendarmerie

    Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN)
    Pelotons d'Intervention Interrégionaux de la Gendarmerie Nationale (PI2G)

National Police

    Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID)
    Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale (GIPN)

Préfecture de Police de Paris

    Brigade de recherche et d'intervention (BRI)

Joint unit

    Groupement interarmées d'hélicoptères (GIH, joint air force and army light aviation helicopters unit for specialized units of Gendarmerie and Police)

Germany Germany

Bundespolizei (Federal Police)

    GSG 9
    ASSIK

German police special response units

    Spezialeinsatzkommando(SEK)
    Mobiles Einsatzkommando (MEK)

Zollkriminalamt (German Customs Investigation Bureau)

    ZUZ

Greece Greece

Greek Police

    Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (EKAM)

Greek Coast Guard

    Special Operations Teams (OEA)

Hungary Hungary

    TEK - Terrorelhárítási Központ

Iceland Iceland

Icelandic Police

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

India India

Indian Police Service

    National Security Guard
    Rapid Action Force
    Special Operations Group (India)
    Anti Terrorist Squad (India)
    Force One

Protective Service Unit

    Special Protection Group

Indonesia Indonesia

Indonesian National Police / POLRI

    Brigade Mobil (National Police Special Operations Force, Police Commandos, Special Response team) POLRI
        Detachment 88 (Police Special Counter-terrorist force)

Iran Iran

Iranian Police

    NAJA
    NOPO (Counter-terrorism Special Force)
    Police Amniat (Security Police)

Iraq Iraq

Iraqi Police

    Hilla SWAT Team

Republic of Ireland Ireland

Garda Síochána (National Police)

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

Israel 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 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 Japan

National Police Agency

    Special Assault Team (SAT) --- national SWAT units

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department

    Special Investigation Team (SIT)
    Anti-Firearms Squad --- the armed response teams

Osaka Prefectural Police Department

    Martial Arts Attack Team (MAAT)

Japan Coast Guard

    Special Security Team (SST) --- the maritime SWAT teams
    Special Police Team
    Special Rescue Team --- the maritime search & rescue teams
    National Strike Team (NST) --- the maritime oil pollution response teams

Jordan Jordan

Public Security Force

    Special Police's Unit 30 (SWAT)

General Directorate Of Gendarmerie

    Special Unit 14 (Special Intervention)

GID

    GID Special Unit

Lebanon Lebanon

Lebanese Police Force

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

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein

Landespolizei

    Special Police Unit

Lithuania Lithuania

Police

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

Military

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

Luxembourg Luxembourg

Grand Ducal Police

    Unité Spéciale de la Police

Malaysia Malaysia

Royal Malaysian Police.svgRoyal Malaysia Police / Polis Diraja Malaysia

    Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK) --- national police counter-terrorist teams
    Unit Gempur Marin (UNGERIN) --- maritime SWAT teams
    Unit Tindakan Cepat (UTC) --- the CID armed response teams

Prison logo3.jpg Malaysian Prisons Department

    Trup Tindakan Cepat (TTC) --- Prison SWAT teams

Crest of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.svg Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency / Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia

    Special Task And Rescue (STAR) --- Coast guard SWAT teams

Malta Malta

Maltese Police

    Special Assignments Group till June 2013
    Rapid Intervention Unit (RIU) since July 1st 2013

Mexico 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 Mongolia

Mongolian Police

    Special Response Unit
    SWAT

Morocco Morocco

    Brigade d'infanterie parachutiste (B.I.P) of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces :
        4 Units
        2 Commandos
    Land Army :
        3 Commandos : Units Cobra, Aigle and Tigre
    Royal Navy :
        2 Battalions : Al Hoceima and El Ayoune
    Royal Gendarmerie :
        Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie royale (G.I.G.R)
    National Police :
        Groupe d'intervention rapide de la Police nationale (G.I.R)

Namibia Namibia

    Special Field Force (SFF)

Netherlands Netherlands

Police

    Dienst Speciale Interventies (DSI)
    Arrestatieteam

New Zealand New Zealand

New Zealand Police

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

Nigeria Nigeria

Nigeria Police Force

    Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), counter terrorist

State Security Service (Nigeria)

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

Norway Norway

Norwegian Police Service

    Emergency Response Unit

Pakistan Pakistan

    Pakistan Police
    Punjab Police - Elite Police

Panama Panama

    Darien-Kuna Yala Border Security Police (DARKUN)

Philippines Philippines

Philippine National Police

    Special Action Force[15]
    Philippine National Police Aviation Security Command
    Police and Armed Forces Anti-Crime Emergency Response Task Force (PACER)
    Special Response Unit
    SWAT

Poland Poland

PolishPoliceEagle.pngPolicja

    Biuro Operacji Antyterrorystycznych Komendy Głównej Policji - Bureau of Antiterror Operations of the Main Policja Command - central Police CT/SWAT unit, subordinated to Main Policja Command
    Samodzielne Pododdziały Antyterrorystyczne Policji, Sekcje Antyterrorystyczne - Independent Antiterrorist Subunits and Antiterrorism Sections - Regional full time SWAT/CT units, subordinated Regional Police Commands.

Portugal Portugal

Security Forces (Public Security Police & National Republican Guard)

    Grupo de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Group) PSP
    Grupo de Intervenção e Operações Especiais (Special Operations and Intervention Group ) GNR

Romania Romania

Stema MIRA.jpegMinistry of Interior and Administrative Reform

        Special Group for Protection and Intervention or GSPI

    COA-Politia Romana.svg Police

    Detaşamentul de Poliţie pentru Intervenţie Rapidă
        DIAS, Special Actions and Interventions Detachment
        Serviciul de Poliţie pentru Intervenţie Rapidă
        SIAS, Serviciul pentru Interventii la Actiuni Speciale

    COA-Jandarmeria Romana.svg Romanian Gendarmerie

        Special Intervention Brigade "Vlad Ţepeş"

Sigla SRI.svgRomanian Secret Service (SRI)

        BAT - Anti-Tero Brigade

Russia Russia

MVD emblem.png Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)

    Rus (special forces)
    Vityaz (MVD)
    OMON
    SOBR/OMSN
    Rosich[disambiguation needed]
    Ratnik
    Vyatich
    Skif
    OMSDON
    Federal Drug Control Service of Russia

Minjust emblem.gif Ministry of Justice (Russia)

    Dozens of various independent detachments, such as Saturn (detachment).

FSB.svg Federal Security Service

    Special Operations Center (TsSN): Alpha, Vympel, Special Purpose Service
    Regional FSB special forces

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian General Security

    Saudi Emergency Force (SEFC)
    Mission-Security Force

Serbia Serbia

Badge of Serbian Ministry of Interior.jpg Law enforcement

    Gendarmerie emblem.gif Gendarmerie (Serbia)
    SAJ emblem.png Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (Serbia)
    PTJ emblem.png PTJ (Counter-Terrorist Unit)

Singapore Singapore

Singapore Police Force

    Special Operations Command (SOC)
    Police Tactical Unit (PTU)
    Special Tactics and Rescue (STAR)

Singapore Prison Service

    Singapore Prisons Emergency Action Response (SPEAR)

Police Coast Guard

    Special Task Squadron (STS)

Slovenia Slovenia

    Specialna Enota Policije (SEP)

Slovakia Slovakia

    Útvar osobitného určenia Prezídia policajného zboru SR (ÚOU PZ SR)

South Africa 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.
    South African Police Service Riot Squad/Anti-Riot Squad/ Public Order Policing/Internal Stability Unit (POP/ISU)

South Korea 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 Spain

Guardia Civil

    Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI)
    Grupo Antiterrorista Rural (GAR)

Cuerpo Nacional de Policía

    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

Sri Lanka Police Service

    Special Task Force (STF)

Switzerland 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 Army

    Commandement des Forces Spéciales (CFS)

Vaud State Police

    Détachement d'Action Rapide et de Dissuasion (DARD)

Zurich State Police

    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

Sweden Sweden

Swedish Police Service

    Nationella Insatsstyrkan (Police CT Unit)
    Piketgruppen

Taiwan 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 Thailand

Royal Thai Police

    Royal Thai Police Arintaraj 26 Special Operations Unit (Metro Bangkok SWAT)
    Royal Thai Police Naresuan 261 Special Operations Unit (Border Patrol Police SWAT)
    Royal Thai Police Black Tigers Special Operations Unit (VIP Protection)

Turkey Turkey

General Directorate of Security

    Police Special Operation Teams

Turkish Gendarmerie

    Gendarmerie Commandos (Jandarma Özel Asayiş Komutanlığı – JÖAK)
    Gendarmerie Special Operations (Jandarma Özel Harekat – JÖH)

Ukraine Ukraine

Ukrainian Police Force

    Berkut (Golden Eagles)

United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

Dubai Police Force

    Police Special Unit

United Kingdom United Kingdom

    Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
    Metropolitan Police Service
        Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department
        Counter Terrorism Command
        Specialist Firearms Command (SCO19)
        Central Robbery Squad (Flying Squad)
        Criminal Investigations Department (CID)
        Special Branch
        Public Disorder Department
        Dog Handling Unit
        Metrpolitain Police Cadets (VPC)

    West Midlands Police
        Central Motorway Police Group
        Central Counties Firearms Command
        Midlands Regional Public Order
        West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit
        Midlands Events Management Policing

    Greater Manchester Police
        Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU)[16]

United States United States of America

Police

    LAPD Special Weapons And Tactics (LAPD SWAT)
    SDSO Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies (ASTREA)[17]
    NYPD Emergency Service Unit (NYPD ESU)
    Northwest Regional SWAT Team (NWRS) - Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team - Northwest Indiana (Lake County, IN)
    Special Victims Unit/Bureau (SVU/SVB)[which?]

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

    FBI Special Weapons and Tactics Teams
    Hostage Rescue Team

U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)

    Special Operations Group (SOG)
    Special Response Teams (SRT)
    United States Federal Witness Protection Program
    Missile Escort Program (MEP)

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Special Response Teams (SRT)

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

    Foreign-deployed Advisory Support Team (FAST)

U.S. Coast Guard

    Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
    Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST)
    Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT)
    Tactical Law Enforcement Teams (TACLET)

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

    Special Response Teams (SRT)
    Special Response Force (SRF)

U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

    Counter Assault Team (CAT)
    Uniformed Division Emergency Response Team (ERT)
    Counter Sniper Team (CST)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

    Office of Air and Marine
        Air and Marine Tactical Unit (AMTAC)
    Office of Border Patrol
        Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC)
        Border Patrol, Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR)
    Office of Field Operations
        Special Response Teams (SRT)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Response Teams (SRT)
    Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO) Special Response Teams (SRT)
    Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO) Tactical Intervention and Control Teams

Federal Protective Service (FPS)

Special Response Teams (SRT)

U.S. Department of State (DOS)

    DSS LOGO.svg Bureau of Diplomatic Security
        Diplomatic Security’s Office of Mobile Security Deployment (MSD)

Patch of the United States Capitol Police.png U.S. Capitol Police

    Containment Emergency Response Team (CERT)

U.S. Mint Police (USMP)

    USMP Special Response Teams (SRT)

U.S. Park Police (USPP)

    Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT)

USA - Pentagon Police.png Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA)

    U.S. Pentagon Police Emergency Response Team (ERT)

Vietnam Vietnam

    Vietnam People's Public Security
        Vietnam Mobile Police (Counter-terrorist and riot police)
        Vietnam Rapid Response Police aka CS113 (Counter criminal police)