| Détachement d'Action Rapide et de Dissuasion | |
|---|---|
 DARD Patch | |
| Active | 1 September 1991 - Present |
| Country |
 Switzerland |
| Type | Special Operations |
| Role | Domestic Anti-Terrorism and Law Enforcement |
| Size | 13 police officers |
| Part of | Under control of the Vaud Cantonal Police |
| Garrison/HQ | Centre d'Intervention Régional (English: Regional Intervention Centre), La Blécherette, Lausanne, Vaud[1] |
| Nickname(s) | DARD |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Olivier Durgnat[2] |
A model of a DARD operator in specialist gear
The Détachement d'Action Rapide et de Dissuasion[3] (English: Swift action and deterrent detachment) is a specialist unit of the Cantonal police of Vaud,[4] originally established to counter the growing rate of terrorism in Europe during the herald of the 1970s.[5] They are based in the Centre d'Intervention Régional (English: Regional Intervention Centre), located in La Blécherette in the city of Lausanne.[1]
The word DARD is a pun on dard, "sting" in French.
History[]
DARD was founded on 1 September 1991 in Vaud, due to concerns of the canton regarding terrorism at the cantonal level.[5] It is an extension of the previous réserve d'intervention ("intervention reserve") which was composed of 6 gendarmes. By contrast, the DARD is a standing unit of 13 gendarmes. One of its known commanders was Olivier Durgnat.[2]
Known Operations[]
Skinheads were apprehended by DARD operators during a march on 30 June 2003.[6] DARD was mobilised to hunt down an armed robber who had robbed a bank on 7 November 2006.[7] DARD units were deployed to Bussigny-près-Lausanne on 12 November 2007 after an armed man was reported to Vaud police; the armed suspect was wounded before being taken to a hospital.[8]
DARD operators were deployed on 14 May 2008 in an anti-drug operation to seize hemp.[9] DARD was also deployed to conduct another anti-drug operation with 25 people arrested, some of them from Africa.[9][10]
A DARD unit was mobilised to assist sûreté detectives on 20 August 2008 to get a man to prevent himself from committing suicide, which failed despite negotiations by DARD negotiators and detectives.[11]
On 9 January 2009, DARD units had been mobilised in a manhunt to arrest two suspects responsible for killing a sexagenarian man on 29 December 2008.[12][13]
Canine units use[]
DARD uses canine units in most of its operations after a training program started in 2005 with the first dog accepted into DARD service in 2006.[14]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "DARD". http://swat.frogoo.ch/switzerland/dard/dard.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 La Gazette (16 November 2007). "Olivier Durgnat quittel’administration" (in French). Vaud Canton. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20090826211133/http://www.vd.ch/uploads/media/Gazette_190_Web_01.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ↑ "Promotions à la Police cantonale vaudoise" (in French). Vaud Cantonal Police. September 2005. p. 27. http://www.vd.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/organisation/dse/polcant/fichiers_pdf/numero_60.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ↑ "Les unités spécialisées" (in French). Vaud Canton. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/missions/missions-de-la-gendarmerie/. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tony Maillard (June 2007). "L’UAT, UN FERDE LANCE" (in French). p. 13. http://www.vd.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/organisation/dse/polcant/fichiers_pdf/numero_67.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ↑ "Quinze interpellations" (in French). http://www.antifa.ch/Texte/03063024heures.shtml. Retrieved 2009-04-02.[dead link]
- ↑ "Cours "anti-hold-up" pour les employés de banque" (in French). 6 November 2006. http://www.20min.ch/ro/print/story/30663200. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ↑ "Un individu tire plusieurs coups de feu à Crissier" (in French). Vaud Canton. 10 February 2010. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2007/novembre/12112007/. Retrieved 2009-04-02.[dead link]
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Yverdon-les-Bains, dealers interpellés" (in French). Vaud Canton. 15 October 2008. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2008/octobre/15102008/.
- ↑ "Drogue: 25 arrestations à Bex" (in French). Le Nouvelliste. http://www.nouvelliste.ch/fr/news/flash_info/index.php?idIndex=467&idContent=117050. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ↑ "Acte désespéré à Fey" (in French). Vaud Canton. 20 August 2008. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2008/aout/20082008/.
- ↑ "Epalinges (VD): La police interpelle les auteurs présumés du meurtre d'Epalinges" (in French). http://www.schweiz.mobi/ger_details_10362/Epalinges_(VD)_La_police_interpelle_les_auteurs_pr%E9sum%E9s_du_meurtre_dEpalinges.html. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ↑ "La police interpelle les auteurs présumés du meurtre d'Epalinges" (in French). Vaud Canton. 10 January 2009. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2009/janvier/10012009/.
- ↑ "nos missions" (in French). http://www.vaud-k9.com/formation-appuigi.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
The original article can be found at Détachement d'Action Rapide et de Dissuasion and the edit history here.