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Riot police

Police who are organized, deployed, trained or equipped to confront crowds, protests, or riots From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Riot police
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Not to be confused with Police riot.

Riot police are police who are organized, deployed, trained or equipped to confront crowds, protests or riots.

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Minnesota State Patrol during the George Floyd protests on Friday, May 29, 2020, equipped with stab proof vests, helmets with face guards, and large wooden batons for defense against violent protests.

Riot police may be regular police officers who act in the role of riot police in particular situations, or they may be separate units organized within or in parallel to regular police forces. Riot police are used in a variety of different situations and purposes. They may be employed to control riots as their name suggests, to disperse or control crowds, to maintain public order or discourage criminality, or to protect people or property. The militarization of modern police has brought militaristic riot gear and new technologies that allow for their duties to expand above normal police duties.[1]

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Riot gear

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Riot police often use special equipment called riot gear to help protect themselves and for offensive use in riot control. Riot gear typically includes personal armor, batons, tactical shield, riot shields, and riot helmets. Many riot police teams also deploy specialized non-lethal weapons, such as: baton rounds, sponge grenade, pepper spray, tear gas, riot guns, rubber bullets, stun grenades, water cannons, and Long Range Acoustic Devices.[2]

Through the 1900s and into the 2000s, riot gear technology has advanced with the help of the militarization of riot police organizations. Some riot gear technology, including tear gas, was originally created for its use in the military, specifically the First World War.[2] In the United States in 1969, it was recorded that the riot police had extensive militarized gear including bulletproof vests, multiple-purpose grenades, water cannons, helicopters, batons, radio communication, barbed wire, police shields, and riot vehicles.[2] In 2017, economic and political protests in Venezuela brought upon a new era of Venezuelan riot police gear with military vehicles that included features like tear gas launchers and water cannons.[2] The military vehicles were used as perimeter defense lines to contain the protests, and provide the riot police with enough power to inhibit the advancing violence. These military vehicles used by riot police around the world are commonly sourced from military product companies including Norinco, a Chinese military product manufacturer.[2]

In the United States, the federal 1033 program allows for police departments, including riot police units, to request military equipment for circumstances that have arrived or that may arrive in the future.[1] Because of this program, police militarization has expanded across each state allowing state riot police to receive military style gear similar to that of the Special Weapons and Tactics teams.[1] The police departments that received 1033 program funding are primarily smaller police departments.[1]

Riot gear became the key tools for police forces to combat large demonstrations, including political and economic protests and labor demonstrations, that sought change without the explicit consent of the presiding government.[2]

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Riot police duties

Riot police are tasked with police operations that require advanced tactics and equipment to control crowds and maintain public order. These duties may differ between riot police organizations in different countries, but they are often similar in that they are tasked with maintaining order that is decided on by the presiding government.

In Poland, for example, riot police are used in a variety of different ways including but not limited to:[3]

  • Maintaining public order when threats from risk assessed sources are present.
  • Searching and assisting police forces in capturing wanted fugitives.
  • In case of widespread emergency, acting as a mobile force to protect and serve the public.
  • Securing government officials, particularly from foreign countries, during their travels.
  • Maintaining public order during demonstrations including political protests.
  • Supporting police forces in apprehending and suppressing criminal group activities.
  • Acting as backup police force for any police units that may need assistance in their everyday duties.
  • Participating and overseeing training for riot police units and non-riot police units.
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List of riot police organizations

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Swiss Kantonspolizei Zürich riot police officers attempting to control May Day riots in 2008
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Russian OMON officers advancing on protesters in Moscow during the 2021 Russian protests
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See also

References

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