ABSTRACT
Worldwide, police tactical units vary in kind and go by dierent names; a few examples are special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams, emergency response units, emergency service units, tactical units, special response teams, and counterterrorism units. Within criminological, criminal justice, and policing research, these police suborganizations have typically been referred to as paramilitary police units (PPUs) (Hills, 1995; Jeerson, 1990; Jeerson, 1993; Kraska, 1999; Waddington, 2007; Waddington, 1993). PPUs are police teams that operate with military tactics, military-in uenced command structures, and collective use of force (Kraska, 2001; Kraska & Kappeler, 1997). e units are designed to conduct operations for which regular police organizations lack the necessary resources.
