Special Operations.Com
Latvia
Special Operations and Counterterrorist
Forces
Emblem of the Latvian Police Department
Special Intervention Group (SIG),
Government Security Service
SIG serves as Latvia's primary counterterrorist and
hostage rescue unit, under the direct control of the
Deputy Minister of the Interior. The unit falls under
the Government Security Service which commands the
three other elite federal units; the Escort (Bodyguard)
Division, Drivers Section, and Criminal Investigation
Section. Despite it's SWAT-like appearance, however,
SIG would also play a role as a direct action special
operations unit in time of war. This transition would
not be a difficult one, as SIG members receive training
in demolitions and weapons primarily from former Spetsnaz
officers and, in fact, many current members are former
veterans of the KGB, MVD, Spetsnaz, and parachute
units. Training is primarily conducted at the Adazi
Spetsnaz Polygon in Adazi, Latvia and includes such
topics as car bomb detection, close quarters battle
(CQB), and sniping. It has been reported that the
fledgling unit is quite professional and capable and
has enjoyed some successes against the growing presence
of organized crime, even against reports that the
unit has had to make due with outdated equipment and
weaponry.
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