View source for Riot police

{{Short description|Police who are organized, deployed, trained or equipped to confront crowds, protests, or riots}}
{{Distinguish|Police riot}}
{{mim|direction=vertical|image1=Minnesota State Patrol - 49970643266.jpg|image2=Minnesota State Patrol stand at E Lake St and 29th Ave S in Minneapolis, Minnesota (49949772331).jpg|footer=[[Minnesota State Patrol]] during the [[George Floyd protests]] on Friday, May 29, 2020, equipped with [[stab vest]]s, helmets with face guards, and large wooden batons for defense against violent protests.}}

'''Riot police''' are [[police]] who are organized, deployed, trained or equipped to confront [[crowd]]s, [[protests]] or [[riot]]s.

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 [[Riot control|control riots]] as their name suggests, to disperse or [[Crowd control|control crowds]], to [[Public order policing|maintain public order]] or discourage [[Crime|criminality]], or to protect people or property. The [[Militarization of police|militarization]] of modern police has brought militaristic riot gear and new technologies that allow for their duties to expand above normal police duties.<ref name="Lawson2019">{{Cite journal |last=Lawson |first=Edward |date=2019 |title=TRENDS: Police Militarization and the Use of Lethal Force |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45276899 |journal=Political Research Quarterly |volume=72 |issue=1 |pages=177–189 |doi=10.1177/1065912918784209 |jstor=45276899 |issn=1065-9129|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Riot gear==
Riot police often use special equipment called [[Riot control#Equipment|riot gear]] to help protect themselves and for offensive use in riot control. Riot gear typically includes [[personal armor]], [[Baton (law enforcement)|batons]], [[tactical shield]], [[riot shield]]s, and [[riot helmet]]s. Many riot police teams also deploy specialized [[Non-lethal weapon|non-lethal]] weapons, such as: [[baton rounds]], [[sponge grenade]], [[pepper spray]], [[tear gas]], [[riot gun]]s, [[rubber bullets]], [[stun grenades]], [[water cannon]]s, and [[Long Range Acoustic Device]]s.<ref name="Bettel2021">{{Cite journal |last=Bettel |first=Florian |date=2021 |title=POLICING THE CRISIS: A History of Riot Control Technology |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27082030 |journal=Icon |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=90–111 |jstor=27082030 |issn=1361-8113}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Bettel2021" /> In the United States in 1969, it was recorded that the riot police had extensive militarized gear including bulletproof vests, multiple-purpose grenades, [[water cannon]]s, helicopters, [[Baton (law enforcement)|batons]], radio communication, barbed wire, police shields, and riot vehicles.<ref name="Bettel2021" /> 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 cannon]]s.<ref name="Bettel2021" /> 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.<ref name="Bettel2021" />

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.<ref name="Lawson2019"/> 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 [[SWAT|Special Weapons and Tactics]] teams.<ref name="Lawson2019" /> The police departments that received 1033 program funding are primarily smaller police departments.<ref name="Lawson2019" />

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.<ref name="Bettel2021" />

== 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:<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Apolinarski |first=Witold |date=2019 |title=The use of crowd and riot control squads in modern police operations. |url=https://internalsecurity.akademiapolicji.eu/resources/html/article/details?id=189315&language=en |access-date=2024-07-29 |journal=Internal Security |pages=143–156 |doi=10.5604/01.3001.0013.2185|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

* 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.

==List of riot police organizations==
[[File:Zurich police riot control.jpg|thumb|Swiss [[Kantonspolizei Zürich]] riot police officers attempting to control [[International Workers' Day|May Day]] riots in 2008]]
[[File:Police and OMON hunting for the protesters.jpg|thumb|Russian [[OMON]] officers advancing on protesters in [[Moscow]] during the [[2021 Russian protests]]]]
* [[Albania]] – ''[[Rapid Intervention Force (Albania)]]''
* [[Argentina]] – ''[[Policía Federal Argentina]]'' D.O.U.C.A.D/ Infantry Guard Corp ''[[Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina]]'' ''[[Prefectura Naval Argentina]]''
* [[Australia]] – [[Public Order and Riot Squad]] (New South Wales); [[Public Order Response Team]] (Victoria); Public Safety Response Team (Queensland)
* [[Austria]] – ''[[Bundespolizei (Austria)|Bereitschaftseinheit Wien]]'' of the Federal Police
* [[Azerbaijan]] – ''[[Internal Troops of Azerbaijan|Azərbaycan Respublikası Daxili Qoşunları]]'' (Interior Troops)
* [[Bahrain]] – [[Special Security Force Command]] (SSFC)
* [[Belarus]] – [[OMON (Belarus)|OMON]], [[Internal Troops of Belarus]]
* [[Belgium]] – ''[[Federal Police (Belgium)|Directie Openbare Veiligheid (DAS)/Direction Securité Public (DAS)]]'' (since 2016) 
* [[Brazil]] – ''[[Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar]]'' ([[São Paulo]])
* [[Bulgaria]] – [[Gendarmerie (Bulgaria)|National Gendarmerie Service]]
* [[Canada]] – [[Emergency Response Team (RCMP)|Emergency Response Teams]] and [[Public Order Unit]]s of the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]], [[Ontario Provincial Police]], [[Sûreté du Québec]], and various regional police services
* [[Chile]] – ''[[Carabineros de Chile|Unidad de Fuerzas Especiales]]''
* [[China]] – [[People's Armed Police]]
* [[Colombia]] – [[ESMAD]] (since 1999)
* [[Czech Republic]] – [[Police of the Czech Republic|Public Order Units]]
* [[France]] – ''[[Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité|Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS)]]'' and ''[[Mobile Gendarmerie|Gendarmerie Mobile]]''
* [[Germany]] – ''[[Bereitschaftspolizei]]'' units of the 16 ''[[Landespolizei]]'' (state police) forces and the ''[[Federal Police (Germany)|Bundespolizei]]'' (federal police) 
* [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] - ''[[Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia|Special Tasks Department with Facilities Protection Department (Mostly Conscripts)]]'' 
* [[Greece]] – [[Units for the Reinstatement of Order]]
* [[Hong Kong]] – [[Police Tactical Unit (Hong Kong)|Police Tactical Unit]] and [[Special Tactical Squad]]
* [[Hungary]] – {{Interlanguage link|Készenléti Rendőrség|fr|Police d'intervention (Hongrie)|hu|Készenléti Rendőrség}}
* [[Indonesia]] – [[Mobile Brigade (Indonesia)|Mobile Brigade Corps]] (Brimob)
* [[India]] – [[Central Reserve Police Force]], including [[Rapid Action Force]] units, [[Malabar Special Police]] unit of [[Kerala Police]], [[State Armed Police Forces]], [[Central Armed Police Forces]]
* [[Iran]] - [[Basij]], [[Iranian Public Security and Intelligence Police|Iranian Public Security and Intelligence Police (PAVA)]], [[Iranian Police Special Units|Iranian Police Special Units (YEGUP)]], [[Counter-terrorism Special Force|Counter-terrorism Special Force (NOPO)]]، Women's Special Unit<ref>{{Cite web |title="زنان یگان ویژه" پلیس ایران برای مقابله با معترضان زن وارد میدان شدند |trans-title=Iran's special force to crack down women's protests |url=https://www.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s-special-force-to-crack-down-women-s-protests/32045015.html |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=www.radiofarda.com}}</ref>
* [[Ireland]] – [[Garda Public Order Unit]]
* [[Israel]] – [[Yasam]]
* [[Italy]] – [[Mobile Unit (Italy)|Reparto Mobile]] '' [[Polizia di Stato]]''; ''[[Carabinieri]]'' ([[1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade|1st]] and [[2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade]]s, [[Multinational Specialized Unit]])
* [[Japan]] – [[Riot Police Unit]]
* [[Kenya]] –  [[General Service Unit (Kenya)|General Service Unit]]
* [[Kazakhstan]] - Internal Troops of the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Kazakhstan)|Ministry of Internal Affairs]]
* [[Kyrgyzstan]] – Internal Troops of the [[Ministry of the Interior (Kyrgyzstan)|Ministry of the Interior]]
* [[Latvia]] – Special Tasks Battalion of [[State Police (Latvia)]] (''Speciālo Uzdevumu Bataljons'')
* [[Lithuania]] – [[Public Security Service (Lithuania)|Public Security Service]] (VST)
* [[Malaysia]] – [[Federal Reserve Unit]]
* [[Moldova]] - [[Trupele de Carabinieri]] (''Moldovan Carabinier Troops''), since 1991
* [[Mongolia]] – [[Internal Troops of Mongolia|Internal Troops]]
* [[Myanmar]] – ''Lon Htein''
* [[Netherlands]] – [[Mobiele Eenheid]] (since 1936),  Bijstandseenheid
* [[Philippines]] - [[Special Action Force]], Mobile Force Battalions/Companies
* [[Poland]] – [[ZOMO]] (1956 {{ndash}} 1989), [[Policja#Structure and branches of the Policja|Oddziały Prewencji Policji]] (OPP), Samodzielne Pododdziały Prewencji Policji (SPPP)
* [[Portugal]] – [[:pt:Corpo de Intervenção|Corpo de Intervenção]] | Unidade Especial de Polícia | Polícia de Segurança Pública and Grupo de Intervenção e  Ordem Publica/  Guarda Nacional Republicana 
* [[Romania]] – ''[[Securitate#Directorate for Security Troops|Trupele de Securitate]]'' (1948 {{ndash}} 1989), [[Gendarmerie (Romania)|Romanian Gendarmerie]] (1893 {{ndash}} 1948 and again since 1990)
* [[Russia]] – [[OMON]], [[National Guard of Russia]]
* [[Serbia]] – [[Gendarmery (Serbia)|Gendarmery]], Police Brigade
* [[Spain]] – [[Policía Nacional (Spain)#Specialist units|Unidad de Intervención Policial (UIP)]], [[Policía Nacional (Spain)#Specialist units|Unidad de Prevención y Reacción (UPR)]], [[Guardia Civil (Spain)|Grupos de Reserva y Seguridad (GRS)]],
* [[Singapore]] – [[Police Tactical Unit (Singapore)]]
* [[South Africa]] – Public Order Police
* [[Seychelles]] – Public Security Support Wing (PSSW)
* [[South Korea]] – Mobile Police, a division of [[National Police Agency (South Korea)|National Police Agency]]
* [[Taiwan]] – [[Special Police]], [[NPASOG]]
* [[Tajikistan]] – [[Tajik Internal Troops]]
* [[Turkey]] – ''[[Çevik Kuvvet]]''
* [[Turkmenistan]] – ''[[Turkmen Internal Troops|Türkmenistanyň içeri işler edaralarynyň işgärlerine]]'' (Internal Troops)
* [[Ukraine]] – [[Berkut (Ukraine)|Berkut]] (1992 {{ndash}} 2014), [[National Police of Ukraine#Structure and branches|Patrol Police]] (since 2006)
* [[United Kingdom]] – [[Territorial Support Group]] (Metropolitan Police area)
* [[United States]] – [[SWAT]]/SRT, [[Texas Ranger Division]] ([[Texas]])
* [[Uzbekistan]] – Internal Troops of the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Uzbekistan)|Ministry of Internal Affairs]]
* [[Venezuela]] – [[Bolivarian National Guard]] and [[Bolivarian National Police]]
* [[Vietnam]] – [[Mobile Police Command]]

==See also==
* [[Formed Police Unit]]
* [[Internal Troops]]
* [[List of riots]]
* [[Mobile Field Force]]
* [[SWAT]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{types of law enforcement agencies}}

[[Category:Riot police| ]]
[[Category:Riot control|police]]
[[Category:Law enforcement units]]