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{{Short description|Swedish special operations police unit}}{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Reinforced Regional Task Force (Piketen)
| image                         =
| caption                       = RRTF (Piketen) insignia.
| dates                         = 1979–present
| country                       = {{flagcountry|Sweden}}
| branch                        = [[Swedish Police Authority]]
| type                          = [[Police tactical unit]]
| size                          = ~200 operators
| command_structure             = 
| garrison                      = [[Stockholm]]<br />[[Gothenburg]]<br />[[Malmö]]
| nickname                      = 
| motto                         = 
| colors                        = 
| march                         = 
| mascot                        = 
| battles                       = 
| anniversaries                 = 
| decorations                   = 
| notable_commanders            = 
| identification_symbol         = 
| identification_symbol_label   = 
| specialization                = [[Hostage rescue]]<br />High-risk arrests<br />[[Riot control]]<br />[[Counter terrorism]]
| current_commander             = 
| ceremonial_chief              = 
}}

'''Reinforced Regional Task Force''' ({{langx|sv|Förstärkt Regional Insatsstyrka}}),<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/insatsstyrkans-huvuduppgift-bekampa-terrorism|title=Polisen vässar insatsstyrkor|last=Helander|first=Magnus|date=19 November 2015|newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]]|access-date=2016-11-14|language=Swedish}}</ref> prior to 2015 officially known as '''Piketen''' (or '''Piketenheten'''){{#tag:ref|From [[Swedish language|Swedish]] ''piket'' (borrowed from [[French language|French]]: ''piquet'') meaning "task force", and ''enheten'' meaning "the unit", i.e. ''Piketen'' = The Task Force, ''Piketenheten'' = The Task Force Unit.|group=note}} is a regional [[special operations]] asset of the [[Swedish Police Authority]], similar to [[SWAT]] type units in the [[United States]]. 

==History==
RRTF is called upon when situations occur that are too dangerous for ordinary [[police]] to handle such as hostage situations, serving high-risk arrest warrants and confronting armed criminals. 

The main responsibility of the RRTF is interventions in dangerous situations or dangerous environments, e.g. hostage situations and situations including armed dangerous suspects.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://polisen.se/Stockholms_lan/Om-polisen/Specialkompetenser/Piketen/|title=Piketen|last=|first=|date=|website=www.polisen.se|publisher=Polisen ([[Swedish Police Authority]])|language=sv|access-date=2016-10-04}}</ref> Other duties are riot control, escorting VIP's/objects of value and serving high-risk arrest warrants etc.

RRTF, formerly known as Piketen, has been active since 1979.<ref name=":0" /> Its creation was an answer to the events of the [[Norrmalmstorg robbery]] in 1973,<ref name=":0" /> where robber Jan-Erik "Janne" Olsson took four hostages at Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg ("Norrmalm's Square") in Stockholm.

RRTF operators from [[Malmö]] and [[Gothenburg]] have been deployed with the EULEX Intervention Group in Kosovo ([[Special Team Six]]), tasked with high-risk operations such as hostage rescue and arresting armed criminals.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://polistidningen.se/2013/09/kansligt-uppdrag-i-kosovo/|title=Känsligt uppdrag i Kosovo|newspaper=Polistidningen |first=Anna |last=Hjort |date=2013-09-05 |access-date=2016-11-14 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

In 2011, the RRTF officially opened up for any female officers who wish to serve in the unit though none have passed selection yet.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=103&artikel=4549099 |publisher=[[Sveriges Radio]] |work=P4 Stockholm |title=Piketenheten först med kvinnliga poliser |date=10 June 2011 |access-date=4 April 2017 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

Due to the major reorganization efforts of 2015, Piketen was reclassified as "Förstärkt Regional Insatsstyrka", or in English, "Reinforced Regional Task Force", RRTF.

== Organization ==
The RRTFs are stationed in the three largest cities of [[Sweden]]: [[Stockholm]], [[Gothenburg]] and [[Malmö]], providing a day round, year round tactical intervention capability in Police regions Stockholm, West and South.  

However the units can at request be put to use nationwide all over Sweden. 

The RRTFs are part of the National Intervention Concept (NIK). Launched in 2015, this concept standardized and regulated the employment, structure and capabilities of the Swedish polices tactical units. 

The NIK divides the various tactical units into three levels of capabilities:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://polisen.se/link/aec54e22f41445a98ab6c5b652133060|title=Region Öst övar det nationella insatskonceptet {{!}} Polismyndigheten|last=Creator|website=polisen.se|language=sv|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!National capability
!Reinforced regional capability
!General regional capability
|-
|[[National Task Force]]
|RRTF (Piketen) in [[Stockholm]], [[Västra Götaland County|West]] and [[Scania|South]]
|Regional tactical teams dispersed [[Norrland|North]], [[Östergötland|East]], [[Uppland|Mid]] and [[Bergslagen]].
|}

== Training ==
To be eligible for RRTF selection an officer must have at least 18 months of service, but exceptions can be made if the applicant possesses skills or experiences valuable for the units. 

After a series of physical and psychological tests successful applicants progress to a final week long field exercise, commonly known as "hell week". Applicants who successfully complete "hell week" then progress to 6 months of training before claiming an operational slot with their unit. 

The selection and training process has an attrition rate of roughly 90%.

== Daily duties ==
The RRTFs spend about 30% of their time on training, which is mainly focused on high-risk intervention. 

For example; one or multiple dangerous perpetrators in rural terrain or in an urban environment and perpetrators in houses or vehicles (also including hostage rescue). Such dangerous interventions require a lot of advanced tactical training. 

The unit's officers are well-trained in different methods of entry (MOE), such as [[rappelling]] and [[door breaching]]. They also receive training in close target reconnaissance, close quarters battle, [[Tactical combat casualty care|TCCC]], self-defense, and various weapon systems. 

Officers are then specially trained as medics, breachers, specialist drivers etc.

== Gear==
All operators are equipped with ballistic Ops Core helmets, plate carriers and flame retardant clothing.

Both the NTF and RRTFs were equipped with [[Plasan Sand Cat|Sandcats]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Stenberg |first=Göran |date=4 May 2013 |title=En vanlig dag på jobbet |url=http://www.hd.se/2013-05-04/en-vanlig-dag-pa-jobbet |access-date=4 April 2017 |newspaper=[[Helsingborgs Dagblad]] |language=Swedish}}</ref> these vehicles have since been transferred to the Police EOD.

The units strives to resolve any given situation as calmly as possible to avoid injury or loss of life<ref name=":0" /> and uses highly trained negotiators when tactically possible. Circumstances dictate whether officers operate in uniform or civilian clothing. 

They mostly make use of unmarked civilian vehicles, primarily [[Toyota Land Cruiser|Toyota Land Cruisers]] and [[Volkswagen Transporter|Volkswagen Multivans]], or special assault vehicles.
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Type
!Caliber
!Origin
!Notes
|-
|[[SIG Sauer P226]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Semi-automatic pistol]]
| rowspan="3" |[[9×19mm Parabellum]]
|{{Flag|Germany}}
|Current standard sidearm
|-
|[[Glock|Glock 17]]
|{{Flag|Austria}}
|Future standard sidearm<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hagström |first=Per |date=2022-04-27 |title=”I princip alla kommer ha Glock 45” |url=https://polistidningen.se/2022/04/i-princip-alla-kommer-ha-glock-45/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Polistidningen |language=sv-SE}}</ref>
|-
|[[Heckler & Koch MP5]]
|[[Submachine gun]]
|{{Flag|Germany}}
|Standard issue SMG<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 April 2017 |title=EXCLUSIVE: The Swedish SWAT gets LWRC IC-Enhanced rifles - |url=http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/04/21/lwrci-swedish-police/}}</ref>
|-
|[[LWRC M6]]
|[[Assault rifle]]
|[[5.56×45mm NATO]]
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|United States}}
|Standard issue rifle<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-04-12 |title=LWRC IC-A5s Now in Use by Swedish LE - The Firearm Blog |url=http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/04/12/lwrc-ic-a5s-now-use-swedish-le/ |access-date=2017-07-21 |work=The Firearm Blog |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|[[LWRC REPR]]
|[[Sniper rifle]]
|[[7.62x51mm NATO]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=B |first=Eric |date=2017-04-21 |title=EXCLUSIVE: The Swedish SWAT gets LWRC IC-Enhanced rifles |url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/04/21/lwrci-swedish-police/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=thefirearmblog.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/wBs59sPhpC/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref>
|}

== Similar units ==
* {{SWE}} – [[National Task Force]]
* {{GER}} – [[Spezialeinsatzkommando|SEK]]
* {{FRA}} – [[RAID (French police unit)|RAID]]
* {{US}} – [[FBI Special Weapons and Tactics Teams|FBI SWAT]]

==Footnotes==
<references group="note"/>

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Piketen}}
* {{Cite episode |title=Efterlyst |url=http://www.tv3play.se/program/efterlyst-special/312124?autostart=true |access-date=2015-08-04 |series=Efterlyst Special |network=[[TV3 (Sweden)|TV3]] |date=2013-05-28 |season=2 |number=1 |language=Swedish}}
* {{Cite episode |title=Efterlyst |url=http://www.tv3play.se/program/efterlyst-special/312124?autostart=true |access-date=2015-08-04 |series=Efterlyst Special |network=[[TV3 (Sweden)|TV3]] |date=2013-06-04 |season=2 |number=2 |language=Swedish}}
* {{cite web|title=Piketen|url=https://polisen.se/Stockholms_lan/Om-polisen/Specialkompetenser/Piketen/|publisher=[[Swedish Police Authority]]|accessdate=4 August 2015|language=Swedish}}

==External links==
* [http://www.tv3play.se/program/efterlyst-special/312122 Efterlyst Special: Piketen] May–June, 2013 on [[TV3 (Sweden)|TV3]]; 2x40 min. Swedish-language documentary series about the unit.

== See also ==

* [[Law enforcement by country]]
* [[List of special law enforcement units]]

[[Category:Law enforcement agencies of Sweden]]
[[Category:Non-military counterterrorist organizations]]
[[Category:Police tactical units]]