[2] Mainly unrecognized by the media and public, the main missions of SEK units are to anti-irregular military in urban areas, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, high-risk law enforcement situations, hostage rescue crisis management, serve high-risk arrest warrants, support counterterrorism, and raids also belong to their missions as well as other scenarios like personal security details for VIPs or witnesses.[6][7] In 2015, the SEK was called in to intervene in Erfurt, Thuringia after a 48-year-old man barricaded himself in his apartment and acted violently towards emergency medical personnel.[11][12] On June 10, 2021, Interior Minister for the state of Hesse Peter Beuth announced that its SEK unit in Frankfurt would be disbanded since some of its operators were reported to be sharing alt-right messages.Some SEKs also have specialized negotiation groups (Verhandlungsgruppen, commonly abbreviated as VGs) for cases like hostage situations or suicide attempts.The length of the training necessary to become an operative in a SEK unit differs but is generally five to eight months long and covers a wide range of required skills.[14] The Saxony Police use the RMMV Survivor R[31] and the Toyota Land Cruiser equipped with V8 engines as a first response vehicle.When off-duty SEK officers are called to a crime scene, they may appear plain-clothed, only wearing their special protective gear and carrying their weapons.
SEK operators practice assaulting a building, armed with training weapons