Apolice tactical unit (PTU)[a] is a specialized police unit trained and equipped to handle situations that are beyond the capabilities of ordinary law enforcement units because of the level of violence (or risk of violence) involved.[2][3][4] The tasks of a police tactical unit may include executing dangerous search warrants and arrest warrants for dangerous persons; arresting or neutralizing dangerous or mentally ill armed persons; and intervening in high risk situations such as shootouts, standoffs, hostage-takings, and terrorist incidents.[5][6]
GSG 9 (operator and helicopter pictured here in 1978) was established in September 1972 following the Munich massacre to combat terrorism, and was one of the first police tactical units.[7]
Police tactical units are dedicated units composed of personnel selected and trained in tactical skillsets to carry out the responsibilities of the unit, and in use of force policies, including lethal force for counterterrorism.[8] A PTU is equipped with specialized police and military-type equipment.[9] PTU personnel may also be trained in crisis negotiation skills.[10]
Police tactical units have similarities to militaryspecial forces units such as organization, selection, training, equipment, and operational methodologies.[19][20] Police tactical units, similar to military units, are not gender diverse, with female members being rare.[21][22]
For "certain counter terrorism operations, such as hostage rescue, there is a significant convergence of roles, tactics and force when employed in either an armed conflict or policing role".[23] Aside from counterterrorism, the roles of police and military units differ in that the role of military units can result in the use of the maximum permissible force against enemy combatants while the role of police units is to use only minimal force sufficient to subdue suspected criminals, including negotiation.[24][25][26]
^Mitchel P. Roth & James Stuart Olson, Historical Dictionary of Law Enforcement, Westport, Ct: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001, p. 333 and; John S. Dempsey & Linda S. Forst, An Introduction to Policing, Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning, 2011, p. 276.
^North Atlantic Treaty Organization (18 December 2020). NATO Glossary of Terms and Definitions(PDF) (in English and French). Vol. AAP-06 (2020 ed.). Brussels: NATO Standardization Agency. p. 119. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2 June 2021.
^Alexander, John B (July 2010). "4: Comparison between SOF and Law Enforcement Agencies". Convergence: Special Operations Forces and Civilian Law Enforcement (Report). JSOU report 10-6. MacDill Air Force Base, Florida: Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) Press. pp. 48–62. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
^Turnley, Jessica Glicken; Stewart, Dona J.; Rubright, Rich; Quirin, Jason (June 2014). Special Operations Forces Mixed-Gender Elite Teams(PDF). William Knarr (Project Leader). MacDill Air Force Base, Florida: Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) Press. pp. 11, 85–86. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
Metzner, Frank; Friedrich, Joachim (2002). Polizei-Sondereinheiten Europas Geschichte - Aufgaben - Einsätze [Police-Special units of Europe History-Tasks-Operations] (in German). Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN9783613022492.
Media related to Police tactical units at Wikimedia Commons
