Draft:SWAT (China)

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MPS SWAT officer patch

In China, the police tactical units of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) are called "SWAT" (Chinese: 特警; pinyin: Tèjǐng; lit. 'Special Police').[1][2][3] The units may also be called Public Security SWAT (Chinese: 公安特警; pinyin: Gōng'ān tèjǐng)),[4] or "Patrol SWAT" (Chinese: 特巡警; pinyin: Tè xúnjǐng; lit. 'Special patrol police').[5][6] SWAT team officers wear uniforms with the English language word SWAT embroidered on their chests and arms.[1]

Command

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The MPS leads and commands the public security bureaus who are responsible for civilian policing in China. The organizational hierarchy is descending:[7][8][9]

  • provincial/autonomous region/municipality - public security department or public security bureau
  • prefectural - public security bureau
  • county - public security bureau
  • township - public security sub-bureau or police station

History

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The vast majority of SWAT teams were formed in March 2005 following a nationwide direction by the MPS,[1][10] including SWAT teams in 36 major cities.[10]

SWAT teams that had been formed prior to the direction in 2005 include: the Xi'an Municipal Public Security Bureau's SWAT team in March 1991,[11] the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau's SWAT team in June 1991,[10] the Nanjing Municipal Public Security Bureau's SWAT team in 2002,[12] and the Kunming Municipal Public Security Bureau's SWAT team in November 2002.[11]

By 2011, it was estimated that there was over 900 SWAT teams consisting of more than 48,000 officers.[13]

Role

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Beijing SWAT with Hawk industries Type 97 shotguns

The main tasks of SWAT teams are to respond to acts of terrorism and crimes involving extreme levels of violence.[14] SWAT teams also often have extra duties such as riot control and disaster relief.[15][16][4]

Shenzhen SWAT officer and SWAT van

Many SWAT teams also perform duties of normal patrol officers when not responding to special incidents.[17] In some smaller Public Security Bureaus, SWAT units are also used to handle police dogs,[5] while in the Chongqing police [zh] the SWAT unit is also in charge of UAVs.[18]

Equipment

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Uniforms

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SWAT team officers wear dark-coloured uniforms with the English language word SWAT embroidered on their chests and arms.[1]

Firearms

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A large variety of firearms are used by SWAT teams, such as assault rifles (In particular the QBZ-95-1), sniper rifles (such as the QBU-88), submachine guns and pistols. 9x19mm Parabellum is the most common pistol caliber ammunition used, in contrast to the PLA's 5.8x21mm.[19] Foreign made weapons along with foreign designs are also common, such as the Orsis T-5000 and NP22, a clone of the SIG Sauer P226.[19]

Vehicles

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A Chengdu SWAT Saber Tooth Tiger at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
A SWAT ZFB-05

A variety of vehicles are used, from armored vehicles like the ZFB-05 and APCs to standard police cars such as the Volkswagen Passat.[10][11]

One of the most commonly used armored vehicles is the "Saber tooth tiger" (剑齿虎) infantry mobility vehicle, which is a modified variant of the Ford F-550. It can carry a total of 10 SWAT officers and has multiple firing ports.[20] It has tear gas grenade launchers, floodlights and protection against AK-47 and M16 rounds it costs approx 160-180 million Renminbi.[21]

Training

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SWAT teams receive diverse training that can include rappelling, advanced driving, close-quarters battle, sniping, dog handling, hand-to-hand combat and explosive ordnance disposal to prevent violent criminal incidents and terrorist attacks.[22][11][23]

Specialized SWAT teams

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The MPS has several specialized public security bureaus including Civil Aviation Administration, Railway and National Immigration Administration.[24][25][9][26]

Railway SWAT teams

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The Ministry of Public Security Railway Public Security Bureau [zh]'s regional Railway Public Security Divisions operate SWAT teams known as "Railway SWAT" (simplified Chinese: 铁路特警; traditional Chinese: 鐵路特警; pinyin: Tiělù tèjǐng) or "Railway Public Security SWAT" (Chinese: 铁路公安特警).[27][28][29] Their responsibilities are to respond to terrorist incidents (in particular, they are trained in stopping train hijackings,hostage rescue and bomb disposal) along with responding to serious accidents happening in train stations and railways, such as rescuing people who fall through the platform gap.[27][29] Railway SWAT often use specialized equipment such as sniper rifles, drones and covert wire-cameras.[29] Outside of responding to serious incidents, railway SWAT are also used to provide security during periods of heavy traffic on railroads, in particular Chunyun, and also as first responders to medical emergencies such as heart attacks which happen on trains.[30][29]

Civil Aviation Administration SWAT teams

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The China Air Marshal [zh][31] (Officially known as the Civil Aviation Administration Public Security Bureau is responsible for aviation law enforcement including at the Beijing Capital International Airport[32]. The Beijing Capital International Airport Public Security Subbureau (Upgraded to the Beijing Capital International Airport Public Security Bureau in 2018[33]) SWAT division was established on July 19, 2007 and is the China Air Marshal's only SWAT unit.[34] Outside of Beijing, airport law enforcement is managed by the Provincial Public Security Department's Airport Public Security Bureau, many of which operate their own SWAT teams.[35][36] Similarly to their standard counterparts, Airport SWAT teams are also sometimes in charge of police dogs.[37]

National Immigration Administration SWAT teams

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The Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment of the Inner Mongolia General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection operates the Barga Commando Unit (Chinese: 巴尔虎突击队; pinyin: Bā'ěr hǔ tújí duì), a police tactical unit used for border patrol, CQB anti-terrorism, anti-hijacking, apprehending dangerous suspects, search and rescue, bomb disposal and security at large events.[38][39][40][41] It operates K9s, infantry mobility vehicles along with submachine guns and sniper rifles.[38][41]

Other specialized police tactical units

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The Old Barag Banner Public Security Bureau operates the Gyrfalcon Mounted Police Team (Chinese: 海东青骑警队; pinyin: Hǎi dōng qīng qí jǐng duì), a mounted police tactical unit used for rapid response and apprehending high priority criminals in rural areas along with mounted search and rescue.[42][43] It was established in 2018 when it was split from the Old Barag Banner PSB's Anti-terrorism and SWAT team.[43] As of 2023, it consists of 10 members.[42]

National Counter-Terrorism Commando Units

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In 2009, the MPS and the National Counter-Terrorism Office designated the following SWAT teams as National Counter-Terrorism Commando Units (Chinese: 国家级反恐突击队)[44] as China's primary non-military anti-terrorism units and also to assist with training SWAT units of smaller public security bureaus.[11]

Deployment of SWAT during the COVID-19 pandemic

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In February 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wuhan Municipal Public Security Bureau established two specialized units, known as the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan Hospital Anti-pandemic Commando Units(火神山医院抗疫突击队 and 雷神山医院抗疫突击队), who were responsible for the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan Hospitals respectively. They consisted of officers who were transferred from standard SWAT units.[45][46]

Their roles included providing law enforcement and security to their respective hospitals, along with assisting in transporting aid and traffic management in the hospital.[46]

Both units each consisted of 40 fully armed SWAT officers.[46][47][48]

After the closure of the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan Hospitals in April, the units were disbanded, with their members returning to their normal positions.[45]

Outside of Wuhan, many SWAT teams also participated in relief during the pandemic in aspects such as quarantine location protection, lockdown enforcement and aid transport, such as the Wuyishan Prison 110, Guangzhou SWAT and Shigatse SWAT.[49][50][51]

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SWAT vehicles

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Notable events involving SWAT

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Attacks and riots

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Notable arrests, manhunts and raids

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Disaster relief

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Garze SWAT officers who went missing during the 2022 Luding Earthquake are rescued by helicopter

Security

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References

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