NCJ Number
151278
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 42 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1994) Pages: 184-188
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Germany has three types of special police forces, one handling SWAT and riot-type assault duties, another to engage in surveillance and intelligence gathering, and another trained as police snipers.
Abstract
The Specialeinstazkommandos (SEK) handle SWAT duties and were created as a direct result of terrorist activity such as the kidnapping and shooting of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games. The Mobileinsatzkommandos (MEK) are well funded and conduct secretive operations such as surveillance, intelligence gathering, and the serving of arrest warrants for dangerous fugitives. The Prazision- Schutzen-Kommandos (PSK), who are trained as police snipers, represent a new concept in Germany, which does not have a history of urban criminal armed combat such as that experienced by the United States. These special police forces, along with their unique weapons, training, leadership, and tactics, have taken German law enforcement into new directions. The ruthless actions of bank robbers, kidnappers, and other criminals made their establishment necessary. In all 16 German states, detailed information about these special police forces is classified. Photographs