Special units to get a boost

Photo: Politsei

Police special unit K and border guard strike teams on Eastern border will get dozens of new members and equipment for added special operations capacity. 

Expanding the special units is costly. The eight added strike team members for Eastern border guard complete with equipment will be over €300,000. That will be €35,000 per member.

Long term, the state intends to add 20 to border guard strike teams in a couple of years. That will spell at least half million euros more. Currently, the Eastern border unit employs over 30 people. Of these, about half work at Narva border section and the others are in South-East tacking the constant problem of human trafficking.

Another unit already enlarged and to be boosted further is the K-commando, a unit daily dealing with snatching criminals but also trained to solve hostage crises and other extraordinary situations.

The exact numbers for K-commando are not disclosed due to state secret.

Police and Border Guard Board director-general Elmar Vaher says the investments are due to the altered security situation in Europe and immediate threats on EU external border.

For efficiency of the strike units, Mr Vaher says they have «enhanced criminal intelligence capacity. A decisive strike is possible when we know where and when to do it» as shown with Lithuanian car thieves trapped and nabbed this February.

In a 24/7 readiness to support border guards if needed, K-commando can board helicopter in Tallinn to be available in less than an hour across Estonia.