Secret police
Intelligence agency which operates in secrecy / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For the film, see Secret Police (film).
Secret police (or political police)[3] are police, intelligence, or security agencies that engage in covert operations against a government's political, religious, or social opponents and dissidents. Secret police organizations are characteristic of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes.[4] They protect the political power of a dictator or regime and often operate outside the law to repress dissidents and weaken political opposition, frequently using violence.[5] They may enjoy legal sanction to hold and charge suspects without ever identifying their organization.