Task Force TIGRIS
{{Infobox law enforcement unit
| unit_name = Einsatzgruppe TIGRIS
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| image = Gray Einsatzgruppe TIGRIS patch.jpg
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| caption = Einsatzgruppe TIGRIS Patch
| dates = January 1, 2002 (created)
2003 (unofficially formed) - present (existence revealed in September 2005 to Swiss law enforcement, public existence revealed in March 2009)
| country = {{flag|Switzerland}}
| agency = Federal Criminal Police
| type = Police tactical unit
| role = {{Plainlist}}
{{Endplainlist}}
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| headquarters = Worblaufen
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| sworn_type_label = Officers
| sworn = 14
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The Einsatzgruppe TIGRIS ({{langx|en|Task Force TIGRIS}}, {{langx|fr|Groupe d'intervention TIGRIS}}, {{langx|it|gruppo d'intervento TIGRIS}}) is a police tactical unit of the Federal Criminal Police, the investigative arm of the Swiss Federal Office of Police.
History
In the past, plans to create a specialist federal police unit had failed twice — in 1978 and in 2002 — due to jurisdiction issues with the cantons.{{cite web |date=2009-03-19 |title=Bund baut geheime Elite-Kampftruppe auf |url=http://bazonline.ch/schweiz/standard/Bund-baut-geheime-EliteKampftruppe-auf/story/27937529 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=Basler Zeitung |language=German}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bluewin.ch/de/index.php/22,133377/Bund_baut_Elite-Polizeitruppe_auf/ |title=Bund baut Elite-Polizeitruppe auf |language=German |accessdate=2009-04-03 |date=2009-03-19 |publisher=Swisscom |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322133248/http://www.bluewin.ch/de/index.php/22,133377/Bund_baut_Elite-Polizeitruppe_auf |archivedate=March 22, 2009 }}
After the Swiss Parliament approved the formation of TIGRIS in the year 2000, the unit was covertly created under the watch of ex-Justice Minister Christoph Blocher on January 1, 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/blocher-wusste-von-geheimer-polizei-truppe-115146|title=Blocher wusste von geheimer Polizei-Truupe|accessdate=2009-04-03|date=2009-03-23|publisher=Blick.ch}} The unit was created under "Project Effort".{{cite web|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/sparuebung-tigris-115022|title=Sparünberg "Tigris"|date=2009-03-22|accessdate=2009-04-03|publisher=Blick.ch|language=German}}
Duties
The unit normally operates as a tactical unit for the needs of the Federal Criminal Police.
For instance, they are tasked with arrests of particularly dangerous individuals, tailing and observation of targets (intelligence gathering), tactical training for the armed personnel of the Federal Criminal Police.
TIGRIS would also intervene in situations where cantonal police agencies would need federal assistance. {{cite web |date=2009-03-25 |title=Alle waren im Bild über Tigris |url=http://www.tagblatt.ch/aktuell/schweiz/schweiz/-Alle-waren-im-Bild-ueber-Tigris-;art622,1288574 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=Tagblatt |language=German}} TIGRIS's missions are based on special operations with high risks and will not intervene in missions where canton police specialist units can handle the job themselves.{{cite web |date=2009-03-25 |title=Die ganze Wahrheit über "Tigris" |url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/die-ganze-wahrheit-ueber-tigris-115270 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=Blick.ch |language=German}}
A report on TIGRIS was publicly announced, saying that the unit could probably operate in international territory according to its mandate.{{cite web |date=2009-09-17 |title=EJPD-Bericht stellt Einsatzgruppe Tigris gutes Zeugnis aus |url=http://www.cash.ch/news/politik/ejpdbericht_stellt_einsatzgruppe_tigris_gutes_zeugnis_aus-830124-453 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120722191208/http://www.cash.ch/news/politik/ejpdbericht_stellt_einsatzgruppe_tigris_gutes_zeugnis_aus-830124-453 |archivedate=2012-07-22 |accessdate=2009-10-13 |language=German}}
Organisation
As of 2009, it consists of 14 officers and is based at the military police base in Worblaufen near Bern.{{cite news |last=Ammann |first=Daniel |title=Die Tiger von Bern |url=http://www.weltwoche.ch/ausgaben/2009-12/artikel-2009-12-schweiz-die-tiger-von-bern.html |accessdate=2009-03-19 |work=Die Weltwoche |language=German}}
Manpower for the unit is currently being increased to recruit more officers.{{cite web |date=2009-03-23 |title=Blocher wusste über "Tigris" Bescheid |url=http://tagesschau.sf.tv/nachrichten/archiv/2009/03/23/schweiz/blocher_wusste_ueber_tigris_bescheid |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=Schweizer Fernsehen |language=German}}
The exact budget allocated to the unit has been made classified by the Federal Office of Police, only being known as part of its allocated budget.{{cite web |title=Das Bundesamt für Polizei nimmt Stellung zu den Vorwürfen der "Weltwoche" in Sachen "Einsatzgruppe TIGRIS" |url=http://www.admin.ch/aktuell/00089/index.html?lang=de&msg-id=25987 |accessdate=2009-03-19 |language=German}}
As of 2009, TIGRIS operators had been deployed in 130 operations in Switzerland.{{cite web |date=2009-03-27 |title=Die Tigris-Einheit jagt Entführer, Betrüger und Behinderte |url=http://www.derbund.ch/schweiz/standard/Die-TigrisEinheit-jagt-Entfuehrer-Betrueger-und-Behinderte/story/23962064 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=Der Bund |language=German}} No shots had been fired by TIGRIS during these operations.{{cite web |date=2009-03-25 |title=Spezial-Truppe "Tigris" war schon 130 Mal in der Schweiz unterwegs |url=http://bernerzeitung.newsnetz.ch/schweiz/standard/SpezialTruppe-Tigris-war-schon-130-Mal-in-der-Schweiz-unterwegs/story/31903989 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=Berner Zeitung |language=German}}
Equipment
The Weltwoche had reported that the unit has been provided with state-of-the-art counterterrorism equipment and weapons as well as computerised training facilities. Its known budget is a total of 2.7 million Swiss francs.{{cite web |date=2009-03-27 |title=Gerhard Ulrich a été arrêté par l'unité spéciale Tigris |url=http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/suisse/story/27269336 |accessdate=2009-10-13 |publisher=20 Minuten |language=French}}
= Individual gear =
Operatives of TIGRIS are known to wear black helmets and combat uniforms.{{cite web|url=http://www.rhetorik.ch/Aktuell/09/03_21/index.html|title=Einsatzgruppe Tigris|accessdate=2009-04-03|language=German}}
= Small arms =
The operatives of TIGRIS are seen armed with the following firearms:
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Model !Origin !Type |
| Glock 19
|{{flag|Austria}} | rowspan="2" |Semi-automatic pistol |
| Walther P99
| rowspan="2" |{{flag|Germany}} |
| Heckler & Koch MP5 |
Operations
Federal officials were first informed about the existence of TIGRIS in September 2005 in a routine meeting of high-ranking police officials, catching most of them by surprise as they were not aware of its creation.{{cite web |date=2009-03-20 |title=Tiger kommen aus dem Nichts |url=http://www.20min.ch/news/schweiz/story/27633082 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=20 Minuten |language=German}}
It was not, however, a matter of public knowledge until March 2009, when it was revealed by an article in the Swiss weekly magazine Die Weltwoche.{{cite web |date=2009-03-19 |title=Bund baut Elite-Polizeitruppe auf |url=http://www.cash.ch/news/story/pdf/765321 |accessdate=2009-04-03 |publisher=cash.ch |language=German}}
= Known instances =
TIGRIS was deployed in its first mission in May 2003, when they apprehended two foreign nationals, one for the breaking out of a German prison and another for committing fraud.
In June 2006, TIGRIS operatives, assisting Zürich police, arrested a Moldavian national wanted for armed robbery, followed by another arrest operation resulting in the apprehension of a Polish national on December 11, 2006.
On April 3, 2007, TIGRIS units joined with St. Gallen police in arresting a Turkish national for forgery. TIGRIS arrested Gerhard Ulrich, the founder of "Call to the People" on March 27, 2009.
In 2021, Federal Counselor Alain Berset is accused of abusing his power by sending Tigris to the house of his former lover.https://www.blick.ch/fr/news/suisse/tentative-de-change-contre-alain-berset-ministere-public-de-nommer-un-encallo-special-d16839948.html The Swiss Federal Assembly announced an investigation in the case.{{Cite web | url=https://www.20min.ch/fr/story/afaire-berset-le-parlement-ouvre-une-nouvelle-enquete-359197708754 | title=Nouvelle enquête sur le chantage exercé sur Alain Berset |website=20 minutes | date=25 October 2021 }}
Criticism
Several politicians were angered at the creation of TIGRIS when the unit was officially revealed to the public due to its covert nature.{{cite web|url=http://www.20min.ch/news/schweiz/story/Blocher-segnete--Tigris--ab-15998743|title=Blocher segnete "Tigris" ab|date=2009-03-21|accessdate=2009-04-03|language=German|publisher=20 Minuten}}
Markus Notter, Zurich Director of Justice and President of the Police and Justice directors, claimed that Switzerland had too many civilian specialist units serving under various cantons which would not warrant TIGRIS's existence.{{cite web|url=http://www.20min.ch/news/schweiz/story/Die-Schweiz-strotzt-nur-so-vor-Supercops-12083933|title=Die Schweiz strotzt nur so vor Supercops|language=German|publisher=20 Minuten|accessdate=2009-04-03|date=2009-03-21}}
Additionally, the police forces in various cantons have responsibility for maintaining security in their own jurisdiction while the Federal Police are supposed to protect Switzerland's territory.
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf had ordered an investigation into whether the covert creation of TIGRIS was legal and whether the agency is needed for Swiss law enforcement.{{cite web|url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/news_digest/Polemik_um_schnelle_Eingreiftruppe_Tigris.html?siteSect=104&sid=10484392&cKey=1237879877000&ty=nd|title=Polemik um schnelle Eingreiftruppe "Tigris"|date=2009-03-22|accessdate=2009-04-03|language=German|publisher=swissinfo}} She concluded that TIGRIS is not needed when she had announced the investigation.{{cite web|url=http://www.swissinfo.org/ita/rubriche/notizie_d_agenzia/svizzera/Assemblea_PBD_Widmer_Schlumpf_sicurezza_di_competenza_cantoni.html?siteSect=113&sid=10481826&cKey=1237632974000&ty=ti&positionT=26|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415222911/http://www.swissinfo.org/ita/rubriche/notizie_d_agenzia/svizzera/Assemblea_PBD_Widmer_Schlumpf_sicurezza_di_competenza_cantoni.html?siteSect=113&sid=10481826&cKey=1237632974000&ty=ti&positionT=26|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-04-15|title=Assemblea PBD: Widmer-Schlumpf, "sicurezza di competenza cantoni"|language=Italian|publisher=swissinfo|accessdate=2009-04-03|date=2009-03-21}}
The matter of the unit's existence was raised in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, questioning its structure and operational methods.{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.ch/D/Suche/Seiten/geschaefte.aspx?gesch_id=20093227|title=Einsatzgruppe Tigris|language=German|accessdate=2009-10-13|publisher=Federal Assembly of Switzerland|date=2009-03-19|author=Müller Geri}}
=Defense=
In an interview with Blick, Federal Criminal Police commander Kurt Blöchlinger insisted that the feedback from various police cantons was positive regarding TIGRIS's deployment to assist them.
In addition, he said that he had told police officials about TIGRIS's existence in 2005, which contradicted their claims that they never knew about TIGRIS.
TIGRIS' Worblaufen facility is said to be a violation of Swiss law since it was said to be using Swiss military facilities when a reply to the Federal Assembly had insisted that TIGRIS and the military police did not share any building facilities.
See also
References
{{commons category|Task Force TIGRIS}}
{{reflist}}
{{Law enforcement in Switzerland}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:TIGRIS}}
Category:Federal Department of Justice and Police