Special unit barracuda
Barracuda is the name of a special unit (SE) of the Basel-Landschaft police that was set up in 1973 . It is one of four differently specialized special units of the Basel-Landschaft police, alongside divers, dog handlers and security units.
On the occasion of the terrorist activities in the early 1970s at home (February 21, 1970, Zurich-Kloten airport : a passenger plane was blown up 15 minutes after take-off by supporters of the PFLP , see Swissair flight 330 ) and abroad (September 1972, Munich: Olympia assassination ), the authorities responsible for security in the canton of Basel-Landschaft became aware that they were not prepared for an incident of this magnitude.
For this reason, the special unit «Barracuda» (SEB) was created in 1973. At first the unit was divided into two parts. The sub-area intervention ("Barracuda") and the sub-area sniper ("Mamba"). Today the snipers are integrated into the special unit "Barracuda" and are intervention specialists with the additional function as snipers. Since these are primarily responsible for security and reconnaissance tasks within the unit, the term fuse contactors (SIS) has been used for this sub-area for several years.
Switzerland was the first European country to formally approve the non-lethal weapon , the so-called taser . The “Barracuda” special unit was the first special unit in Switzerland to acquire and use such electro-shock weapons.
Mission profile
"Barracudas" are used in special security police operations with a medium to high degree of danger. These are in particular:
- Protecting Conferences and Vulnerable People
- Resolving hostage-taking and extortion
- Arrest of dangerous, armed people
- Arrests in dynamic situations (mobile offenders)
- Obtaining information in the area of responsibility of the perpetrator (by security guards)
- Access from the air (helicopter)
The "barracudas" are trained in regular training to act appropriately and successfully in special situations. For this purpose they are equipped with a wide range of resources.
Web links
- Special unit barracuda on the website of the Basel-Landschaft police
- ELSBETH TOBLER: Elite police officers: on call in case of danger. Special police units are also on duty during the Pope's visit this weekend. June 1, 2004, archived from the original on August 15, 2004 ; accessed on March 10, 2020 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives )