Détachement d'Action Rapide et de Dissuasion

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	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. ^ ^{a b} "DARD". http://swat.frogoo.ch/switzerland/dard/dard.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b} La Gazette (2007-11-16). "Olivier Durgnat quittel’administration" (in French). Vaud Canton. p. 2. http://www.vd.ch/uploads/media/Gazette_190_Web_01.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
3. ^ "Promotions à la Police cantonale vaudoise" (in French). Vaud Cantonal Police. 2005-09. p. 27. http://www.vd.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/organisation/dse/polcant/fichiers_pdf/numero_60.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
4. ^ "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. ^ ^{a b} Tony Maillard (2007-06). "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. 
6. ^ "Quinze interpellations" (in French). http://www.antifa.ch/Texte/03063024heures.shtml. Retrieved 2009-04-02. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Cours «anti-hold-up» pour les employés de banque" (in French). 2006-11-06. http://www.20min.ch/ro/print/story/30663200. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
8. ^ "Un individu tire plusieurs coups de feu à Crissier" (in French). Vaud Canton. 2010-02-10. 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. ^ ^{a b} "Yverdon-les-Bains, dealers interpellés" (in French). Vaud Canton. 2008-10-15. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2008/octobre/15102008/. 
10. ^ "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. 
11. ^ "Acte désespéré à Fey" (in French). Vaud Canton. 2008-08-20. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2008/aout/20082008/. 
12. ^ "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. 
13. ^ "La police interpelle les auteurs présumés du meurtre d'Epalinges" (in French). Vaud Canton. 2009-01-10. http://www.vd.ch/fr/autorites/departements/dse/police-cantonale/medias/anciens-communiques-des-2002/communiques-de-2002-a-2009/2009/janvier/10012009/. 
14. ^ "nos missions" (in French). http://www.vaud-k9.com/formation-appuigi.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-03.