December 19, 2024|
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|12 months agoSwiss Special Police Units Mark 50 Years of Counter-Terrorism Operations
Switzerland's elite police units celebrate five decades of service, reflecting on evolution from Munich Olympics response to modern security challenges.
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Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
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- Swiss special police units were established 50 years ago following the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.
- Leon Borer, a former Aargau police commander, trained with Germany's GSG9 unit for three months to bring counter-terrorism tactics to Switzerland.
- Switzerland currently maintains 28 active special police units.
- In 1982, the 'Stern' special unit ended a hostage siege at the Polish embassy in Bern using explosives hidden in a meal delivery.
- Recent legal cases have targeted officers from the Argus (Aargau) and Enzian (Bern) units for alleged excessive force.
By The Numbers
50
years
11
Israeli team members killed
28
active special units
3
months
They Said
"In the past, we had police officers in many places, but coordination was poor. Often, we were deployed alone or in pairs."
"It became clear that the police were not prepared for such an attack."