Colombian National Police Special Operations Command ( es, Comando de Operaciones Especiales, COPES) is a subdivision of the
Colombian National Police under the
Directorate for Citizens Security The Directorate for Citizens Security or Dirección de Seguridad Ciudadana is a branch of the Colombian National Police, currently led by Operative Director Brigadier General Luis Alberto Gómez, controls strategic police services in cities, metrop ...
. This Special Operations unit functions as a
Quick reaction force
In military science nomenclature, a quick reaction force (QRF) is an armed military unit capable of rapidly responding to developing situations, typically to assist allied units in need of such assistance. They are to have equipment ready to re ...
(QRF) for Police operations and as a permanent training field for personnel.
History
Founded in 1984 with the main purpose of having a highly trained, capable and equipped group for quick reaction to high risk or crisis situations. Officers in the grade of lieutenants and captains in the Colombian National Police were selected to receive training in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
.
Its first operation was in 1986 during the
Palace of Justice siege
The Palace of Justice siege was a 1985 attack on the Supreme Court of Colombia, in which members of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group took over the Palace of Justice in Bogotá and held the Supreme Court hostage, intending to hold a trial agains ...
, taken over by the
M-19 M19, M.19, or M-19 most commonly refers to:
* May 19th Communist Organization (M19), an American far-left female-led terrorist group active during the 1970s–1980s
* 19th of April Movement (M-19), a former Colombian guerrilla movement and politica ...
guerrilla. The Urban Interdiction Group (''Grupo de Interdiccion Urbano'') was heavily trained in urban assault techniques. This unit also became part of operations involving the
War on Drugs
The war on drugs is a global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the United States.Cockburn and St. Clair, ...
against the Colombian drug cartels like the
Medellín Cartel
The Medellín Cartel ( es, Cartel de Medellín) was a powerful and highly organized Colombian drug cartel and terrorist organization originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia that was founded and led by Pablo Escobar. It is often consider ...
between 1989 and 1994 and the
Cali Cartel
The Cali Cartel ( es, Cartel de Cali) was a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, around the city of Cali and the Valle del Cauca. Its founders were the brothers Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela and Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela. They broke away f ...
between 1996 and 1999 with very positive outcomes.
The Special Operations Command constantly improves techniques and equipment in order to maintain an advantage over possible criminal actions against civilians and infrastructure.
Functions
* Support Police Units needs that imply high risks tasks.
* Instruct special operations classes to different Police units, Military units or any other international or national organization requiring it.
* Serve as an advising organization to the Operative Directorate of the Colombian National Police on issues regarding insurgency and organized crime. It also advises the Administrative Directorate of the Colombian National Police on Armament and Equipment.
Organization
References
External links
Policia Nacional de Colombia
Colombian National Police Special Operations Command
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