Rapid Police Unit

Rapid Police Unit patch

The Rapid Police Unit (Azerbaijani: Çevik Polis Alayı), formally Separate Rapid Police Unit (Əlahiddə Çevik Polis Alayı), is the tier two police tactical unit within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic that specialized in quick response to emergencies with SWAT unit tactics. The unit is headquartered in Baku, at 69 Nobel Avenue. As of 2019, the unit commander is Sahlab Bagirov, who succeeded Zaur Abdullayev in that capacity.[1]

Until 2006 the Rapid Police Unit was within the purview of the Baku Police Department. On 31 July 2006 the unit was incorporated into the Ministry of Internal Affairs, becoming able to operate on a country level.[2] Since 30 September 2017 the unit also employs women.[3] The Rapid Police Unit was used to disperse the 2019 Baku protests, among others.[4]

  1. ^ "General Səhlab Bağırov Çevik Polis Alayına komandir təyin olundu" (in Azerbaijani). Modern.az. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Çevik Polis Alayı Daxili İşlər Nazirliyinin tabeliyinə verildi". Azadlıq Radiosu (in Azerbaijani). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. August 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Bakıdakı Dənizkənarı Milli Parkda qadın polislər xidmətə başlayıb" (in Azerbaijani). Azerbaijan State News Agency. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  4. ^ Murad Hemidov (19 October 2019). "Mitinq zamanı polis vətəndaşlara şiddət edib" (in Azerbaijani). Sosxəbər. Retrieved 27 October 2019.