Unidad Especial de Intervención


The Unidad Especial de Intervención is the Police Tactical Unit of the Guardia Civil, the Spanish gendarmerie.

Overview

UEI was established in 1978 to respond to high risk situations and including those involving hostages. Its motto is Celeritas et Subtilitas Patrio. The exact scope of UEI operations and total number of personnel are not published. In 2008, on the occasion of the Unit's 30th anniversary, its commanding officer revealed that the UEI had until then participated in 375 operations, in which 563 hostages had been freed and 640 people arrested, of whom 141 belonged to terrorist groups. These operations included 11 high-sea missions against drug-trafficking. He also revealed that due to the demanding selection process, of the 26 applicants that had applied to join the Unit that year, only four had been admitted. The Unit has also intervened in 18 prison riots involving hostages. The UEI is part of the European Union-sponsored ATLAS Network.

Equipment

Uniform

In assaults operations:
In boarding operations:
In riot control operations:
These are a few of them:
The Unit is commanded by an active lieutenant colonel of the Civil Guard and its divided on: