Dienst Speciale Interventies
The Dienst Speciale Interventies, commonly abbreviated DSI, is the elite police tactical unit of the Dutch National Police Corps and was formally established on 1 July 2006. The DSI is tasked with neutralising terrorist incidents and other violent public order disruptions for which regular police units are inadequately equipped. In total, the DSI consists of about 550 active operators.
Since the integration of the regional Arrest Teams, in 2013, the DSI functions as an umbrella organization coordinating the operations of both the ATs and the counter-terrorism elements. The mixed unit has a unique character as it consists of both law enforcement and military personnel.
History
Since the regional Arrest Teams of the police were incorporated into the DSI in 2013, multiple units with an independent history have resided under a joint command. Therefore, a distinction should be made between the respective histories of the Special Support Units and the Arrest Teams.Special Support Units
In 1973, the first Dutch counter-terrorist unit was established under the name Special Support Unit-Marines. The unit was established in response to the Munich massacre, and the rising threat of terrorism throughout Europe. The members of the new unit were recruited from the Netherlands Marine Corps. In 2005, the BBE-M was renamed to Unit Intervention Marines, and was once again renamed to M-Squadron with the creation of NLMARSOF in 2013.Following the establishment of the BBE-M, two additional units consisting of snipers were founded; the Special Support Unit-Police and the Special Support Unit-Military. Personnel of the BBE-P was recruited from the police, while personnel of the BBE-K was recruited from the Netherlands armed forces. With the establishment of the DSI, the two units were merged into the Unit Expertise and Operational Support.
In addition, the Special Support Unit-Rapid Intervention Unit was created. The BBE-SIE consisted of both law enforcement and military personnel and functioned as a rapidly deployable counter-terrorist unit. The tasks of the BBE-SIE were transferred to the Unit Intervention with the establishment of the DSI.
Arrest Teams
During the end of the 1960s an operationel need developed for units capable of handling the increasingly violent organized crime. In 1969, the municipal police of the city of Arnhem founded the Special Missions Unit. Several districts of the Rijkspolitie established comparable units. In 1973, one of the units was labeled Arrestatieteam. This development led to the creation of the first comprehensive AT training courses within the Rijkspolitie in 1978. Consequently, the Ministry of Justice and Security and the Ministry of the Interior wrote legislation which corroborated the founding of four ATs within the Rijkspolitie, and six ATs within the municipal police forces of the large cities. The legislation included regulation which stated that the ATs could be deployed exclusively for the arrest of suspects known for illegal gun possession, while requiring permission of the public prosecutor as well.With the reorganisation of the Dutch police in 1994, the ATs of both the Rijkspolitie and municipal police were restructured to form six interregional ATs. In addition, the AT of the Brigade Speciale Beveiligingsopdrachten of the Royal Marechaussee was incorporated as well.
Establishment and development
The DSI was established in 2006 in order to improve the joint deployments of the several police tactical units. Points of improvement became apparent after the problematic siege of a house in The Hague which was part of operations aimed at the arrest of terrorists belonging to the Hofstad Network.To prevent these situations, the DSI unified law enforcement and military tasks in one organisation. The goal of this unification was to increase both interoperability and efficiency, and to combine the specialisations of both the police and the military. Following a confidential experts report, the Second Balkenende cabinet decided to implement a revision of the Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid, the spearhead counter-terrorism unit at the time. The DSI unofficially commenced operations in 2005, the formal establishment took place on 1 July 2006, and was at that time part of the KLPD.
In 2007 a report surfaced that found that the DSI suffered from personnel shortages. This shortage was partly caused by a relatively large outflow of personnel. Personnel leaving the service often stated that a lack of deployments was the main reason for their departure. The government commission tasked with evaluating the effectiveness, however, found that the general consensus was that the service functioned in a good manner. The commission was enthusiastic about the cooperation among police and military personnel.
Following the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in 2015, the need arose for a flexible and mobile teams of special forces in the Netherlands. Subsequently, the Rapid Response Teams were established. The RRTs consist of both police and military personnel. Additionally, the DSI received a considerable and structural budget increase.
With the establishment of the National Police Corps in 2013 the regular Arrest Teams were placed under the command of the DSI.
Selection and training
The first courses for the Arrest Teams took place in 1978 under the command of the Rijkspolitie. In 1979, the ministers of Justice and the minister of the Interior, established four Arrest Teams under the command of the national police, and six Arrest Teams under the command of the municipal police forces of the six largest cities.Since the re-organization of the Dutch police in 1994, all aspiring AT personnel attend the same basic training at the police academy. The training takes place in several locations throughout the country and takes a total of twenty weeks in which aspiring AT-operators are trained extensively in shooting, house clearing, de-escalation and an extensive specialized driving course. Marines of M-Squadron that are detached to Unit Intervention undergo the complete AT-training as well. Because of the strict psychological, social and physical selection of the operators, the intense course, frequent training, and high-quality equipment, DSI personnel are well equipped to deploy in highly challenging situations. The extensive training enables the operators to arrest suspects with as little violence as possible.
Additionally, all DSI operators develop a specialism. Individual AT operators are free to pass on their specialism of choice to their superiors. Personnel can choose the following specialisms:
- Diving: divers of the DSI are regularly deployed to search for and secure evidence and to assist forensic experts.
- High altitude operations: high altitude operators are trained to operate on high altitudes for counter-terrorism, arrest and rescue operations.
- Medic: medics are trained and responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care during operations.
- Demolition expert: demolition expert are specialized in the use of explosives. Explosives are regularly used during operations for door breaching.
- Motorcyclist: motorcyclists within the DSI are trained to operate on and from unmarked police motorcycles. Motorcycles are used by the DSI to arrest suspects moving on foot and for interventions at locations that are otherwise difficult to access.
- Firearm instructor: firearm instructors provide firearm training and instructions for the several weapon systems in use within the DSI.
- K-9 handler: the DSI has multiple police dogs at their disposal. These dogs are used for both arrests and reconnaissances. DSI dogs often stay with their respective handlers after their working life.
Organisation
- Unit Arrest Teams : the Arrest Teams are mainly deployed for the arrest of armed suspects and other life-threatening situations. Furthermore, the unit deploys Rapid Response Teams ; unmarked police cars surveil cities to quickly be on scene at the event of a possible terror attack. The Netherlands are divided in 6 AT-regions. Additionally, the arrest team of the Brigade Speciale Beveiligingsopdrachten partakes in these operations as well.
| AOT | Garrison | Callsign |
| North East ' | Zwolle | NO |
| Centre West ' | The Hague | DH |
| South ' | Eindhoven | ZD |
| North West ' | Amsterdam | AD |
| Centre ' | Utrecht | MN |
| South West ' | Rotterdam | RD |
| BSB | Soesterberg | BSB |
- Unit Intervention : the main tasks of this unit are the arrest of terror suspects and the neutralisation of ongoing terror attacks. The unit consists of both law enforcement and military personnel. Personnel gets detached to Unit Intervention for a certain amount of time and then returns to their respective unit. The unit is approximately one third M-Squadron operators, one third AT operators of the BSB and one third AT operators of the police.
- Unit Expertise and Operational Support : this unit provides operational support to the various units of the DSI. This includes police negotiators, snipers and support with drones.
- M-Squadron: M-Squadron is part of NLMARSOF of the Netherlands Marine Corps and is formally not part of the DSI. However, during national deployments M-Squadron operates under the command of the DSI. M-Squadron is specialised in complex interventions, for example interventions on ships and oil rigs.
Equipment
Weapons
Weapons in use include, among others:| Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
| Taser X2 | Electroshock weapon | Electrodes | Issued to Arrest Teams, used to incapacitate suspect using an electroshock. | ||
| Glock 17 | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | Standard issue pistol within DSI. Fitted with a laser light module. | ||
| Mossberg 590 | Pump-action shotgun | 12 gauge | Used with bean bag munition to incapacitate suspects, and with buckshot for door breaching. | ||
| FN P90 | Personal defense weapon | FN 5.7×28mm | Fitted with a suppressor, optics and a laser light module. Exclusively used by M-Squadron. | ||
| Heckler & Koch MP5 | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | Fitted with optics and a laser light module. | ||
| Heckler & Koch MP7 | Personal defense weapon | HK 4.6×30mm | Fitted with a suppressor, optics and a laser light module. | ||
| Heckler & Koch HK416 | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Fitted with a suppressor, optics and a laser light module. | ||
| Heckler & Koch G28 | Battle rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | Fitted with a Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26x56 telescopic sight, a SPUHR scope mount, 45º red dot sight, Wilcox RAPTAR-S Rangefinder, LAW Tactical Gen 3 folding stock adapter, suppressor met Manta Suppressor Cover. | ||
| SIG MCX | Assault rifle | .300 AAC Blackout | Fitted with the SIG Sauer Suppressed Upper Receiver, an integral suppressor. In addition, it is fitted with a Magpul stock, SIG Sauer optics and a laser light module. | ||
| Sako TRG 22/42 | Sniper rifle | .300 Winchester Magnum .338 Lapua Magnum | Fitted with a telescopic sight, exclusively used by snipers of AE&OO. | ||
| Milkor MGL | Grenade launcher | 40 mm grenade | Fitted with an optic. |