A police tactical unit (PTU) 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 involved. A police tactical unit's tasks 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.
Osaka Prefectural Police Riot Police Unit officers arresting a suspect during training
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.
An FBI SWAT team advancing during an aircraft hijacking training exercise at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi
Counterterrorism, also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to combat or eliminate terrorism.
GIGN operators in 2015. GIGN is the counterterrorist tactical unit of the National Gendarmerie of France.
United States Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team is an advanced interdiction force for higher risk law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations
Yamam, one of Israel's counterterrorism units
John Walker Lindh was captured as an enemy combatant during the United States' 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.
