The German Polizei's Special Units

The Spezialeinsatzkommando (SEK) is part of the German police's special intervention units. Its development began in the 1970s, after events such as the 1972 Munich Olympics attack highlighted the need for police officers specifically trained to deal with terrorism, hostage situations and heavily armed criminals. Those events also led to the creation of GSG 9 at federal level.

In 2026, the SEK remains a capability primarily associated with the police forces of the different German Länder. This means there is no single national SEK or identical configuration throughout Germany: organisation, equipment and appearance can vary considerably depending on the state and the period.

Nor should it be confused with GSG 9, which belongs to the Bundespolizei, or with the ZUZ, the German Customs Service's special unit. The latter operates in federal operations involving a high level of risk, the presence of weapons or situations requiring special tactical procedures.

Within the regional police forces we also find the MEK (Mobile Einsatzkommandos). The difference is important: the SEK is particularly focused on high-risk interventions, generally involving specific locations, while the MEK also works with mobile targets, surveillance and undercover operations.

POLICE INTERVENTION 

Kidnappings, hostage situations, serious extortion cases or the arrest of particularly dangerous individuals are among the scenarios in which these units may intervene. In Hessen, for example, today's special forces are organised into SEK, MEK, negotiation group and close protection, capabilities that can complement one another during the same operation.

Although their equipment may resemble that of a military unit — long guns, ballistic protection, helmets or breaching tools — their mission remains a police one. The objective is to control the threat, protect third parties and arrest the suspect whenever the situation allows.

This regional structure also makes the SEK particularly interesting for reenactment. There is no single “SEK look”: Hessen, Bavaria, Berlin or North Rhine-Westphalia can feature different configurations, and these change over time.

That is why, to recreate it correctly, the best approach is not simply to dress in black and add an MP5. You need to choose a Land, a period and specific references. That is where a good SEK kit really begins.