The special police unit (Unité spéciale de la Police - USP) is a unit specialising in the operational management of complex police crisis situations. The special unit is called in when all conventional police resources have been exhausted. The unit's agents are ready to act at all times, 24/7 throughout Luxembourg.
If there are no urgent missions (hostage situations, blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, terrorist attacks, etc.), which are exceptional occurrences in Luxembourg, the USP devotes much of its time to the physical, psychological, technical and tactical training of its members.
It is assigned to ongoing routine missions (personal protection, surveillance, tailing, transport of sensitive items, high risk arrests, etc.) supporting other police units, particularly in criminal investigations.
The USP also has elite marksmen and negotiators providing tactical options during operations, and a specialist support group covering various technical aspects.
The history of the USP goes back to 1979, when the mobile Gendarmerie group was created following the terrorist attacks at the Olympic Games in Munich. In 2019, the USP celebrated its 40th anniversary at an academic symposium attended by His Royal Highness the Grand Duke.