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137-705: Design work on a new family of pistols commenced in September 1989, focused primarily on the United States commercial and law enforcement markets. USP prototypes participated in rigorous testing alongside H&K's entry in the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) program requested by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which would later result in the Mk 23 Mod 0 . The USP prototypes were then refined in 1992, based on input from

274-461: A match grade trigger with adjustable trigger stop. Prior to 2015, there was no USP Tactical model in 9mm. Instead, HK offered the regular "USP9" variant with an extended, threaded barrel and suppressor height sights as the "USP9SD" model. Sound suppressors designed for the USP Tactical are available from Brügger & Thomet and Knight's Armament . A unique characteristic of the USP Tactical

411-410: A LEA's jurisdiction will be geographically divided into operations areas for administrative and logistical efficiency reasons. An operations area is often called a command , division , or office . Colloquially, they are known as beats . While the operations area of a LEA is sometimes referred to as a jurisdiction, any LEA operations area usually still has legal jurisdiction in all geographic areas

548-912: A civil part, the military part consisting of the German Army , the German Navy , the German Air Force , the Joint Support Service , the Joint Medical Service , and the Cyber and Information Domain Service . As of 31 May 2024 , the Bundeswehr had a strength of 180,215 active-duty military personnel and 80,761 civilians, placing it among the 30 largest military forces in the world, and making it

685-442: A component failure. MILSPEC environmental tests were conducted in high and low temperatures, in mud, immersed in water and in salt spray. In one particular test, a bullet was deliberately lodged in the barrel and another bullet was fired to clear the obstruction. The barrel was successfully cleared with only minor structural deformation and continued to produce consistent groups when test fired for accuracy. The recoil reduction system

822-521: A consequence of improved Dutch-German cooperation, since 2014 two of the three Royal Netherlands Army Brigades are under German Command. In 2014, the 11th Airmobile Brigade was integrated into the German Division of fast forces (DSK). The Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade will be assigned to the 1st Panzer Division of the German army, with the integration starting at the beginning of 2016, and

959-403: A corps of drums, up to two escort companies of the Bundeswehr 's Wachbataillon (or another deputized unit) and Torchbearers. The Zapfenstreich is only performed during national celebrations or solemn public commemorations. It can honour distinguished persons present such as the German federal president, or provide the conclusion to large military exercises. Another important tradition in

1096-635: A country, but is made up of personnel from several countries, such as the European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina . International LEAs are typically also multinational, but multinational LEAs are typically not international. LEAs which operate across a collection of countries tend to assist in law enforcement activities, rather than directly enforcing laws, by facilitating the sharing of information necessary for law enforcement between LEAs within those countries. Within

1233-408: A country, the jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies can be organized and structured in a number of ways to provide law enforcement throughout the country. A law enforcement agency's jurisdiction can be for the whole country or for a division or sub-division within the country. When a LEA's jurisdiction is for the whole country, it is usually one of two broad types, either federal or national. When

1370-626: A discussion among the United States, the United Kingdom and France over the issue of a revived (West) German military. In particular, France was reluctant to allow Germany to rearm in light of recent history (Germany had invaded France twice in living memory, in World War I and World War II , and also defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71). However, after the project for a European Defence Community failed in

1507-413: A divisional level. Such exercising of powers is typically specific arrangements between the federal and divisional governing bodies. Examples of federal law enforcement agencies include the: A federated approach to the organization of a country does not necessarily indicate the nature of the organization of law enforcement agencies within the country. Some countries, such as Austria and Belgium , have

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1644-531: A former general of the Wehrmacht and Free Democratic Party politician, submitted the name Bundeswehr for the new forces. This name was later confirmed by the West German Bundestag . The Bundeswehr was officially established on the 200th birthday of Scharnhorst on 12 November 1955. In personnel and education terms, the most important initial feature of the new German armed forces

1781-550: A law and identify other non-complying subjects. Lawful deception and use of law exemption by a LEA is typically subject to very strong judicial or open civil overview. For example, the Australian Federal Police's controlled operations are subject to open civil review by its governing body, the Parliament of Australia . Law enforcement agencies have other exemptions from laws to allow them to operate in

1918-506: A law by a specified subject. The judicial officer, if they agree, will then issue a legal instrument, typically called a search warrant , to the LEA, which must be presented to the relevant subject if possible. Subjects who do not comply with laws will usually seek to avoid detection by a LEA. When required, in order for the LEA to detect and investigate subjects not complying with laws, the LEA must be able to undertake its activities secretly from

2055-461: A national defence force. The Federal Border Protection ( Bundesgrenzschutz ), a mobile, lightly armed police force of 10,000 men, was formed on 14 March 1951 and expanded to 20,000 men on 19 June 1953. A proposal to integrate West German troops with soldiers of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy in a European Defence Community was proposed but never implemented. There was

2192-709: A number of large-scale training exercises resulting in operational casualties. The first such incident was in June 1957, when 15 paratroop recruits drowned in the Iller river, Bavaria . At the time of reunification, the German military boasted a manpower of some 585,000 soldiers. As part of the German reunification process, under the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (Two-Plus Four Treaty), which paved

2329-508: A plan to increase the power of the German military, pledging €100 billion ($ 112.7 billion) of the 2022 budget for the armed forces and repeating his promise to reach the 2% of gross domestic product spending on defense in line with (as editorialized by Deutsche Welle ) NATO "demands". According to information from defense politicians of the federal German parliament, representatives of the armaments industry and other experts, in October 2022

2466-489: A practical way. For example, many jurisdictions have laws which forbid animals from entering certain areas for health and safety reasons. LEAs are typically exempted from these laws to allow dogs to be used for search and rescue, drug search, explosives search, chase and arrest, etc. This type of exemption is not unique to LEAs. Sight assist dogs are also typically exempted from access restrictions . Members of LEAs may be permitted to openly display firearms in places where this

2603-473: A recoil counterbalance to aid in target tracking. It was discontinued in 1999. The USP Elite (9 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP) combines the characteristics of the Expert with a 6.02 in (153 mm) barrel and a hand-fitted 9.25 in (235 mm) extended slide. The model was designed as a target pistol and has not been adopted by any law-enforcement agency or military organization. The USP has an accessory rail at

2740-463: A relatively unified approach to law enforcement, but still have operationally separate units for federal law enforcement and divisional policing. The United States has a highly fractured approach to law enforcement agencies generally, and this is reflected in American federal law enforcement agencies . In a federation, there will typically be separate LEAs with jurisdictions for each division within

2877-558: A safety impacting event. These include: Many LEAs have administrative and service responsibilities, often as their major responsibility, as well as their law enforcement responsibilities. This is typical of agencies such as customs or taxation agencies, which provide services and facilities to allow subjects to comply with relevant laws as their primary responsibilities. Private police are law enforcement bodies that are owned or controlled by non-governmental entities. Private police are often utilized in places where public law enforcement

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3014-624: A simple majority. This has led to some discontent with Germany's allies about troop deployments e.g. in Afghanistan since parliamentary consent over such issues is relatively hard to achieve in Germany. The combat forces of the Army are organised into three combat divisions and participate in multi-national command structures at the corps level. The Air Force maintains three divisions and the Navy

3151-405: A standard double-action-only system. This is due to a lighter trigger pull (7.3–8.5 lbf ) and shorter trigger reset than standard DAO trigger systems. The LEM trigger uses a two-piece "pre-cocked hammer" composed of a cocking piece and an external hammer. The hammer is pre-cocked as a round is chambered (slide is cycled). The LEM system supposedly also provides reliable primer ignition, since it uses

3288-541: A steel backed concrete slab. Proof round firing resulted in no cracks, deformations, or increase in head space. Attempts to fire the USP pistol with an unlocked breech proved unsuccessful. Testing with a variety of ammunition proved the USP meets these high standards. During the USP testing phase, the recoil-reduction system reduces the force on the USP grip to approximately 300 newtons (67 pounds-force ). Peak force shock on competing .40 caliber polymer and metal framed pistols

3425-536: A strength of 495,000 military and 170,000 civilian personnel. Although Germany had smaller armed forces than France and the United States, Cold War historian John Lewis Gaddis assesses the Bundeswehr as "perhaps (the) world's best army". The Army consisted of three corps with 12 divisions, most of them heavily armed with tanks and APCs. The Luftwaffe owned significant numbers of tactical combat aircraft and took part in NATO's integrated air defence (NATINAD) . The Navy

3562-576: A stronger hammer spring. The LEM trigger can be installed on existing USP Compact pistols acquired before the LEM trigger came on the market—either by a certified gunsmith or by sending the pistol to Heckler & Koch. In addition, the USP Compact pistol can retain its external safety with the LEM trigger—making it the only modified double-action pistol with an external safety. Unit 777 Law enforcement agency A law enforcement agency ( LEA )

3699-434: A subject with regulations or codes of practice may result in the revocation of a license for the subject to operate, and operating without a licence is typically illegal. Also, the failure to apply codes of practice can impact other subjects' safety and life, which can also be illegal. A LEA can be responsible for enforcing secular law or religious law such as Sharia or Halakha . The significant majority of LEAs around

3836-655: Is a USP Compact with the addition of a spurred hammer. Both the P8 and P10 are chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum (9mm NATO) only. In 1998, the H&;K USP Compact with the LEM trigger action, in .40 S&W, was adopted by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service as the duty sidearm for its Special Agents and plainclothes officers. In 2004, after the I&;NS's criminal investigations branch merged with

3973-727: Is a USP Compact with the addition of a spurred hammer. This hammer can also be installed onto a normal USP Compact. In addition to the variants previously described for the full size USP, an ambidextrous safety is available from the manufacturer as a separate part. After installation, the USP Compact effectively becomes a right or left-handed firearm with respect to the decocker and manual safety functions. Heckler & Koch do not produce caliber conversions, but barrels for .357 SIG and .40 S&W are available from HK and from third-party manufacturers. The USP Tactical (9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) incorporates fully adjustable suppressor height sights, an extended, threaded barrel with O-ring , and

4110-405: Is a direct jurisdictional responsibility and is different from the situation when a governing body makes arrangements with another governing body's LEA to provide law enforcement for its subjects. In federal polities, actions that violate laws in multiple geographical divisions within the federation are escalated to a federal LEA. In other cases, specific crimes deemed to be serious are escalated; in

4247-488: Is aimed at target and practical shooting users. The Custom Sport has a match grade barrel, match trigger and adjustable sights. The first USP Compact models appeared in 1996. These are scaled-down USPs, and are available in all the same cartridges as the full size version, and additionally the .357 SIG . Due to the smaller size of the frame, magazines for the Compact variant may have a handgrip extension to better accommodate

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4384-547: Is aiming to expand the Bundeswehr to around 203,000 soldiers by 2025 to better cope with increasing responsibilities. Following concerns from the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Germany announced a major shift in policy, pledging a €100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr ;– to remedy years of underinvestment – along with raising the budget to above 2% GDP . The name Bundeswehr

4521-505: Is any government agency responsible for law enforcement within a specific jurisdiction through the employment and deployment of law enforcement officers and their resources. The most common type of law enforcement agency is the police , but various other forms exist as well, including agencies that focus on specific legal violation , or are organized and overseen by certain authorities . They typically have various powers and legal rights to allow them to perform their duties, such as

4658-485: Is based on three major themes: One of the most visible traditions of the modern Bundeswehr is the Großer Zapfenstreich . This is a form of military tattoo that has its origins in the landsknecht era. The FRG reinstated this formal military ceremony in 1952, three years before the foundation of the Bundeswehr . Today it is performed by a military band with 4 fanfare trumpeters and timpani,

4795-415: Is commonly understood by society, it is recognized formally by scholars and academics. A police agency's jurisdiction for social order and public safety will normally be the same as its jurisdiction for law enforcement. Military organizations often have law enforcement units. These units within armed forces are generally referred to as military police . This may refer to: The exact usage and meaning of

4932-402: Is composed of a total of 54 parts and is broken down into seven major components for maintenance and cleaning: the barrel, slide, recoil spring, recoil spring guide rod, frame, slide stop and magazine. This is done by retracting the slide back to align the slide stop axis pin with the disassembly notch on the left side of the slide and withdrawing the axis pin. The USP was originally built around

5069-497: Is divided into 77 precincts. Sometimes, the one legal jurisdiction is covered by more than one LEA, again for administrative and logistical efficiency reasons, or arising from policy, or historical reasons. In England and Wales , LEAs called constabularies have jurisdiction over their respective areas of legal coverage, but they do not normally operate out of their areas without formal liaison between them. The primary difference between separate agencies and operational areas within

5206-491: Is for social order within their jurisdiction and the relevant social order being highly codified as laws. Often, a LEA will have a specific internal unit to ensure that the LEA is complying with relevant laws such as the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's Office of Professional Responsibility. In some countries and regions, specialised or separate LEAs are established to ensure that other LEAs comply with laws and investigate potential violations of laws by law enforcers, like

5343-565: Is located at Henning von Tresckow Kaserne ( Schwielowsee ) near Potsdam and is headed by a Generalleutnant (3-star general). The role of the Bundeswehr is described in the Constitution of Germany (Art. 87a) as absolutely defensive only. Its only active role before 1990 was the Katastropheneinsatz (disaster control). Within the Bundeswehr , it helped after natural disasters both in Germany and abroad. After 1990,

5480-475: Is not present on the USP Compact models, which instead use a simple polymer bushing as a buffer to reduce slide on frame impact. Major metal components on both the USP and Special Operations Pistol are corrosion-resistant. Outside metal surfaces such as the steel slide are protected by a proprietary "Hostile Environment" nitride finish. Internal metal parts, such as springs, are coated with a Dow Corning anti-corrosion chemical to reduce friction and wear. The USP

5617-463: Is often used in the United States to refer to police agencies, however, it also includes agencies with peace officer status or agencies which prosecute criminal acts. A county prosecutor or district attorney is considered to be the chief law enforcement officer of a county. Other responsibilities of LEAs are typically related to assisting subjects to avoid non-compliance with a law, assisting subjects to remain safe and secure, assisting subjects after

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5754-918: Is seen as being under-provided. For example, the San Francisco Patrol Special Police was formed to increase security in San Francisco during the California gold rush , and presently still exists to protect locations on the request of private clients. In Canada and the United States, many railroad companies have private railroad police. Examples include the BNSF Police Department , Canadian National Police Service , Canadian Pacific Kansas City Police Service , Union Pacific Police Department , etc. The Canadian National Police Service and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Police Service operate in both countries while

5891-461: Is shielded by the trigger guard from inadvertent actuation. The rear of the USP grip is stepped, and combines with the tapered magazine to allow for rapid reloading. Finger recesses in the grip frame also aid in magazine removal. On 9 mm and .40 caliber USPs, magazines are constructed of polymer reinforced with stainless steel. Magazines on the USP45 are all-metal. All USP magazines will drop free of

6028-576: Is structured into two flotillas. The Joint Support Service and the Joint Medical Service are both organized in four regional commands of identical structure. All of these services also have general commands for training, procurement, and other general issues. The Armed Forces Operational Command ( Einsatzführungskommando der Bundeswehr ) is the only joint military command of the Bundeswehr. It controls all missions abroad. The command

6165-537: Is that the barrel is left-hand threaded (counter-clockwise to tighten), which makes the pistol incompatible with suppressors designed for the MK23 Mod 0 . The KSK of the German Army and the German Navy Kampfschwimmer use the USP Tactical under the designation "P12". The USP45CT Compact Tactical is a .45 caliber handgun developed for U.S. special operations. It incorporates features of

6302-505: Is the United Nations Police , which helps provide law enforcement during United Nations peacekeeping missions. To enable a LEA to prevent, detect, and investigate non-compliance with laws, the LEA is endowed with powers by its governing body which are not available to non LEA subjects of a governing body. Typically, a LEA is empowered to varying degrees to: These powers are not available to subjects other than LEAs within

6439-474: Is typically prohibited to civilians, violate various traffic laws in the course of their duties, or detain persons against their will. Bundeswehr The Bundeswehr ( German: [ˈbʊndəsˌveːɐ̯] , literally Federal Defence ) is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany . The Bundeswehr is divided into a military part (armed forces or Streitkräfte ) and

6576-409: The Bundeswehr acknowledged in October chronic equipment problems that rendered its armed forces "unable to deliver its defensive NATO promises". Among the problems cited were dysfunctional weapons systems, armored vehicles, aircraft, and naval vessels unfit for immediate service due to a neglect of maintenance, and serious equipment and spare parts shortages. The situation was so dire in 2016 that it

6713-520: The Bundeswehr is to play a greater role as "anchor army" for smaller NATO states, by improving coordination between its divisions and smaller members' Brigades . A further proposal by Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen , to allow non-German EU nationals to join the Bundeswehr , was met in July 2016 by strong opposition, even from her own party. It was announced in February 2017 that

6850-566: The Bundeswehr was established in 1955, its founding principles were based on developing a completely new military force for the defence of West Germany . In this respect the Bundeswehr did not consider itself to be a successor to either the Reichswehr (1921–1935) of the Weimar Republic or Hitler's Wehrmacht (1935–1945), and did not adhere to the traditions of any former German military organization. Its official ethos

6987-495: The Bundeswehr were awarded new contracts and new ranks, dependent on their individual qualification and experience. Many were granted and accepted a lower rank than previously held in the Volksarmee . In general, the unification process of the two militaries – under the slogan " Armee der Einheit " (or "Army of Unity") – has been seen publicly as a major success and an example for other parts of

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7124-635: The Bundeswehr 's Wachbataillon make their vow ( Gelöbnis ) at the Bendlerblock in Berlin. This was the headquarters of the resistance and also where the officers were summarily executed following the failure of the attempt. National commemorations are held nearby within the grounds of the Reichstag . Similar events also take place across the German Republic. Since 2011, when conscription

7261-692: The Nationale Volksarmee (NVA), in 1956, with conscription being established only in 1962. The Nationale Volksarmee was eventually dissolved with the reunification of Germany in 1990. Compulsory conscription was suspended – but not completely abolished as an alternative – in January 2011. During the Cold War the Bundeswehr was the backbone of NATO's conventional defence in Central Europe . It had

7398-621: The Wehrmacht was dissolved following World War II . When the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949, it was without a military. Germany remained completely demilitarized and any plans for a German military were forbidden by Allied regulations. Some naval mine-sweeping units such as the German Mine Sweeping Administration ( Deutscher Minenräumdienst ) continued to exist, but they remained unarmed and under Allied control and did not serve as

7535-480: The .40 S&W cartridge, but a 9×19mm Parabellum was introduced at the same time. In May 1995, Heckler & Koch introduced a .45 ACP variant. The USP Compact series was introduced in 1996 and is available in 9 mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and, exclusively to the Compact model, .357 SIG . Other variants of the standard USP include the USP Tactical , USP Expert , USP Match , USP Elite and

7672-541: The Baltic states or Indonesia (the latter received 39 former Volksmarine vessels of various types). With reunification, all restrictions on the manufacture and possession of conventional arms that had been imposed on the Bundeswehr as a condition for West German rearmament were lifted. Since 1996, Germany also has its own special forces, the Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command). It

7809-547: The Czech Republic 's 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade and Romania 's 81st Mechanized Brigade would be integrated into Germany's 10 Armoured Division and Rapid Response Forces Division. As of 31 December 2022 , the number of active military personnel in the Bundeswehr was 183,051. Military expenditure in Germany was at $ 52.8 billion in 2020. At the end of February 2022, in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine , chancellor Olaf Scholz announced

7946-600: The Drug Enforcement Administration would not, as even though they investigate drug smuggling , their jurisdiction does not cover specifically tobacco smuggling. In other cases, an LEA's involvement is determined based on whether their involvement is requested; the Australian Federal Police , for instance, has jurisdiction over all of Australia , but usually takes on complex serious matters referred to it by another agency, and

8083-792: The French National Assembly in 1954, France agreed to West German accession to NATO and rearmament. With growing tensions between the Soviet Union and the West, especially after the Korean War , this policy was to be revised. While the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was already secretly rearming, the seeds of a new West German force started in 1950 when former high-ranking German officers were tasked by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to discuss

8220-566: The Great Recession and the European debt crisis . In 2011/12, a major reform of the Bundeswehr was announced under Thomas de Maizière , further limiting the number of military bases and soldiers. The land forces of the Bundeswehr would have three large units at divisional level. There are currently five. The number of brigades decreased from eleven to eight. German military expenditures are lower than comparable countries such as

8357-847: The National Public Security Force —but the Highway Police, Railroad Police, and Penal Police are restricted to specific area jurisdictions (the Brazilian Highway System , railways , and prisons respectively) and do not investigate crimes , the Federal Police performs various police duties across the country and does investigate crimes, while the National Public Security Force is a rapid reaction force deployed to assist state authorities on request. Often,

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8494-678: The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption or the Ontario Special Investigations Unit . Typically, a LEA is established and constituted by the governing body it is supporting, and the personnel making up the LEA are from the governing body's subjects. For reasons of either logistical efficiency or policy, some divisions with a country will not establish their own LEAs but will instead make arrangements with another LEA, typically from

8631-665: The Ontario Provincial Police for Ontario , Canada ), within a division of an administrative division (e.g. the Miami-Dade Police Department for Miami-Dade County , Florida , United States ), or across a collection of states typically within an international organization or political union (e.g. Europol for the European Union ). Sometimes, an LEA's jurisdiction is determined by the type of violation committed relative to

8768-431: The Panavia Tornado . Germany considered increasing the size of the army, and in May 2016 it announced it would spend €130 billion on new equipment by 2030 and add nearly 7,000 soldiers by 2023 in the first German military expansion since the end of the Cold War. In February 2017, the German government announced another expansion, which would increase the number of its professional soldiers by 20,000 by 2024. As

8905-404: The United States Department of Homeland Security . The contract was valued at $ 26.2 million. The HK pistol models chosen were the HK P2000 US , HK P2000 SK Subcompact , and the USP Compact/LEM (Law Enforcement Modification). The LEM trigger is HK's version of SIG's DAK trigger, and vice versa. According to the company, the LEM trigger allows for faster follow-up shots (repeat shots) on target than

9042-404: The power of arrest and the use of force . LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction . Jurisdictions are traditionally restricted to a geographic area and territory. LEA might be able to apply its powers within a state (e.g. the National Police for the entirety of France ), within an administrative division (e.g.

9179-419: The American tiers, the Chicago Police Department has jurisdiction over Chicago , but not necessarily the rest of Cook County ; while the Cook County Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction over Cook County, for the most part they patrol unincorporated area and operate Cook County Jail , and leave municipalities to municipal police departments; and the rest of Illinois , primarily its state highways , are under

9316-403: The Australian Federal Police is a federal agency and has the legal power to enforce the laws enacted by any Australian state, but will generally only enforce state law if there is a federal aspect to investigate. Typically, federal LEAs have relatively narrow police responsibilities, the individual divisions within the federation usually establish their own police agencies to enforce laws within

9453-418: The Bundeswehr only had enough ammunition in stock for one or two days during wartime. A report made by the Ministry of Defence revealed problems in the Bundeswehr such as limited preparedness and lack of equipment. In the letter accompanying the report which was sent to the federal German parliament , the Minister of Defence noted that the situation would improve but "closing the gaps takes time". With

9590-409: The LEA operates, but by policy and consensus the operations area does not normally operate in other geographical operations areas of the LEA. For example, since 2019 the frontline or territorial policing of the United Kingdom 's Metropolitan Police has been divided into 12 Basic Command Units, each consisting of two, three, or four of the London boroughs , while the New York City Police Department

9727-433: The LEA's jurisdiction and are typically subject to judicial and civil overview. Usually, these powers are only allowed when it can be shown that a subject is probably already not complying with a law. For example, to undertake an intrusive search, typically a LEA must make an argument and convince a judicial officer of the need to undertake the intrusive search on the basis that it will help detect or prove non-compliance with

9864-757: The OHWS trials, and the design was finalized in December of the same year. The USP was formally introduced in January 1993 with the USP40 model (the base version) chambered for the increasingly popular .40 S&W cartridge, followed soon by the USP9 (using the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge), and in May 1995—the USP45 (caliber .45 ACP ). In contrast to the P7 , P9S , and VP70Z designs,

10001-447: The P8 in 1994. The P8 has minor differences from the standard USP model: translucent magazines, a reversed safety/decocker lever (on the P8, down indicates 'safe', and up indicates 'fire' — the opposite of the standard USP), and the 'S' and 'F' letters are printed onto the frame instead of onto the lever. The P8 has a traditional lands-and-grooves barrel instead of a polygonal barrel . The P10, adopted by many German State Police forces ,

10138-907: The Solomon Islands which has a Participating Police Force working in conjunction with the Solomon Islands Police Force . In circumstances where the United Nations is already providing an administrative support capability within the country, the United Nations may directly establish and constitute a LEA on behalf of the country, as occurred under the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor , which operated in Timor-Leste from 1999 to 2002; related

10275-583: The Tactical, but instead of the extended barrel being threaded and protruding from the slide, the Expert uses a longer slide to accommodate the extended barrel. The larger slide adds weight to help reduce muzzle flip and felt recoil. The Expert has adjustable target sights similar to the USP Match, Elite and Tactical, but as on the Elite, the dovetail of the rear sight is lowered into the frame. The bobbed hammer

10412-666: The U.S. Customs Service's Office of Investigations into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations , the former I&NS Special Agents continued to carry the USP Compact. New duty pistols, the SIG Sauer Model P229 DAK, in .40 S&W, were eventually issued to the HSI Special Agents after new pistol contracts were awarded by the DHS. On August 24, 2004, SIG Sauer and Heckler & Koch/HK Defense won major pistol contracts with

10549-467: The USP for years without any signs of corrosion. Safety testing exceeded the ANSI / SAAMI requirements adopted in May 1990. These included dropping a USP with a primed cartridge and decocked hammer on a variety of hard surfaces without discharging. The USP surpassed these commercial requirements, as well as German Army and police tests, including repeated drop tests from six feet (1.8 m), hammer first, onto

10686-459: The USP uses a more conventional Browning-style cam-locked action, similar to that used in the Hi-Power , but with a polymer frame. The USP is a semi-automatic pistol with a mechanically locked breech using the short recoil method of operation. This rather conventional lock-up system has a large rectangular lug over the barrel's chamber that rides into and engages the ejection port cut-out in

10823-416: The United Kingdom, or countries of the European Union such as France, especially when taking into account Germany's larger population and economy. This discrepancy is often criticized by Germany's NATO allies, as far back as Obama -era US Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates . As one result of the 2014 NATO Wales summit which was attended by both Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen in September 2014,

10960-530: The United States, the FBI has responsibility for the investigation of all kidnapping cases, regardless of whether it involves the crossing of state lines. Some countries provide law enforcement on land and in buildings owned or controlled by the federation by using a federal LEA; for example, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is responsible for some aspects of federal property law enforcement Typically, LEAs working in different jurisdictions which overlap in

11097-613: The agency will undertake its own investigations of less serious or complex matters by consensus. LEA jurisdictions for a country and its divisions can typically be at more than one level. The United States has five basic tiers of law enforcement jurisdiction: federal , state , county , municipality , and special jurisdiction ( tribal , airport , transit , railroad , etc.). Only the municipal, county, and state levels are involved in direct policing (i.e. uniformed officers with marked cars and regular patrols), and these can still depend on each agency's role and function. As an example for

11234-399: The combined responsibilities that federal LEAs and divisional LEAs would have in a federated country. National LEAs are usually divided into operational areas. To help avoid confusion over jurisdictional responsibility, some federal LEAs, such as the U.S. FBI, explicitly advise that they are not a national law enforcement agency. A national police agency is a national LEA that also has

11371-490: The country has a federal constitution , an LEA responsible for the entire country is referred to as a federal law enforcement agency . The responsibilities of a federal LEA vary from country to country. Federal LEA responsibilities are typically countering fraud against the federation, immigration and border control regarding people and goods, investigating currency counterfeiting, policing of airports and protection of designated national infrastructure, national security, and

11508-522: The definition given by Defence Minister Peter Struck (2002 to 2005), it may be necessary to defend Germany even at the Hindu Kush . This requires the Bundeswehr to take part in operations outside of the borders of Germany, as part of NATO or the European Union and mandated by the UN. Since the early 1990s the Bundeswehr has become more and more engaged in international operations in and around

11645-425: The division. However, in some countries federal agencies have jurisdiction in divisions of the federation. This typically happens when the division does not have its own independent status and is dependent on the federation. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is one such federal agency that also acts as the sole police agency for Canada's three territories , Northwest Territories , Nunavut , and Yukon . This

11782-487: The federal government, and reduces the number of agencies policing the same geographical area. In circumstances where a country or division within a country is not able to establish stable or effective LEAs, typically police agencies, the country might invite other countries to provide personnel, experience, and organisational structure to constitute a LEA, such as the Regional Assistance Mission to

11919-436: The federation. A federal LEA will have primary responsibility for laws which affect the federation as whole, and which have been enacted by the governing body of the federation. Members of a federal LEA may be given jurisdiction within a division of a federation for laws enacted by the governing bodies of the divisions either by the relevant division within the federation, or by the federation's governing body. By way of example,

12056-702: The form of higher-tier agencies assisting lower-tier agencies. In some countries, national or federal police may be involved in direct policing as well, though what they focus on and what their duties are may vary. In Brazil , there are five federal police forces with national jurisdiction—the Federal Police of Brazil , the Federal Highway Police , the Federal Railroad Police , the Federal Penal Police, and

12193-586: The former Yugoslavia , and also in other parts of the world like Cambodia or Somalia . After the 11 September 2001 attacks , German forces were employed in most related theaters except Iraq . Currently (1 April 2024) there are 1,084 Bundeswehr soldiers deployed in: In addition to the numbers above, 51 soldiers are on permanent stand-by for medical evacuation operations around the world in assistance of ongoing German or coalition operations ( STRATAIRMEDEVAC ). In support of Allied stabilization efforts in Iraq,

12330-462: The front of the frame for attachments of aftermarket equipment such as laser sights and weapon lights . The rail is a proprietary design, and the number of accessories available is extremely limited. Aftermarket adapters providing a standard Picatinny rail are available for both USP and USP Compact models. The USP was developed at the same time as the SOCOM MK23 ; the pistol underwent much of

12467-411: The front top of the barrel's locking lug is tapered with a forward slope. This tapered surface produces a camming action which assists in positive lock-up in the presence of heavy fouling and debris. One of the distinguishing features of the USP is the mechanical recoil reduction system. The system consists of a dual recoil spring assembly and a captured nylon bushing. The bushing dampens impact forces as

12604-411: The full-size USP45 Tactical pistol, but is more concealable. Features include an extended, threaded O-ring barrel with polygonal bore profile and suppressor height sights, which may limit the use of holsters designed for standard USP Compact pistols. The USP CT is available in .45 ACP only. The USP Expert (9 mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) was introduced in 1998, and includes all the features of

12741-550: The growing number of missions abroad it was recognized that the Bundeswehr required a new command structure. A reform commission under the chairmanship of the former President Richard von Weizsäcker presented its recommendations in spring 2000. In October 2000 the Joint Support Service , the Streitkräftebasis , was established to concentrate logistics and other supporting functions such as military police, supply and communications under one command. Medical support

12878-500: The interests of the country as a whole (e.g. United Kingdom 's His Majesty's Revenue and Customs ). Many law enforcement agencies are police agencies that have a broad range powers and responsibilities. Police agencies, however, also often have a range of responsibilities not specifically related to law enforcement. These responsibilities relate to social order and public safety. While this understanding of policing, being more encompassing than just law enforcement has grown with and

13015-444: The internal components, the control functions of the USP can be switched from the left to the right side of the pistol for left-handed shooters. The USP can also be converted from one type of trigger/firing mode to another. This includes combination of double-action and single-action (DA/SA) and double-action only (DAO) modes. In addition to a wide selection of trigger/firing modes, the USP has an ambidextrous magazine release lever that

13152-489: The international situation changed from east–west confrontation to one of general uncertainty and instability. After a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994 the term "defence" has been defined to not only include protection of the borders of Germany, but also crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the security of Germany anywhere in the world. According to

13289-545: The jurisdiction of the Illinois State Police . All three technically have overlapping jurisdictions, and though their regular duties are fairly different and they typically avoid each other's responsible areas (the Cook County Sheriff's Office typically avoids patrolling Chicago unless it is for penal or court-related duties), they are still capable of assisting each other if necessary, usually in

13426-686: The laws the LEA enforces, who or what the violation affects, or the seriousness of the violation. For example, in the United States, the Postal Inspection Service primarily investigates crimes affecting or misusing the services of the United States Postal Service , such as mail and wire fraud . If, hypothetically, a Postal Inspection Service investigation uncovered tobacco smuggling , the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would be involved, but

13563-473: The modern German armed forces is the Gelöbnis : the solemn oath made by serving professional soldiers, and recruits ( and formerly conscripts ) during basic training. There are two kinds of oath: a pledge for recruits, and a solemn vow for full-time personnel. The pledge is made annually on 20 July, the date on which a group of Wehrmacht officers attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Recruits from

13700-582: The more democratic parts of Germany's armed forces history in order to establish a solid civil-military basis to build upon. After an amendment of the Basic Law in 1955, West Germany became a member of NATO. The first public military review took place at Andernach , in January 1956. In 1956, conscription for all men between the ages of 18 and 45 was reintroduced, later augmented by a civil alternative with longer duration (see Conscription in Germany ). In response, East Germany formed its own military force,

13837-490: The non-complying subject. This, however, may require the LEA to explicitly not comply with a law other subjects must comply with. To allow the LEA to operate and comply with the law, it is given lawful exemption to undertake secret activities. Secret activities by a LEA are often referred to as covert operations . To deceive a subject and carry out its activities, a LEA may be lawfully allowed to secretly: to typically collect information about and evidence of non-compliance with

13974-887: The one legal jurisdiction is the degree of flexibility to move resources between versus within agencies. When multiple LEAs cover the one legal jurisdiction, each agency still typically organizes itself into operations areas. In the United States, within a state's legal jurisdiction, county and city LEAs do not have full legal jurisdictional flexibility throughout the state, and this has led in part to mergers of adjacent police agencies. Jurisdictionally, there can be an important difference between international LEAs and multinational LEAs, even though both are often referred to as "international", even in official documents. An international law enforcement agency has jurisdiction and or operates in multiple countries and across state borders, such as Interpol . A multinational law enforcement agency will typically operate in only one country, or one division of

14111-470: The options for West German rearmament . The results of a meeting in the monastery of Himmerod formed the conceptual base to build the new armed forces in West Germany. The Amt Blank (Blank Agency, named after its director Theodor Blank ), the predecessor of the later Federal Ministry of Defence , was formed the same year to prepare the establishment of the future forces. Hasso von Manteuffel ,

14248-450: The others operate only in the US. Many LEAs are also involved in the monitoring or application of regulations and codes of practice. See, for example, Australian Commercial Television Code of Practice , building code , and code enforcement . Monitoring of the application of regulations and codes of practice is not normally considered law enforcement. However, the consistent non-compliance by

14385-460: The pistol frame when the magazine release is depressed. Also, the USP does not have a magazine lockout feature (also known as a magazine disconnector). Thus, it is possible to fire a chambered round even with the magazine removed. An extended slide release lever is positioned to allow easy operation without changing the grip of the shooting hand. Almost identical to the standard USP, the Custom sport

14522-455: The protection of the country's head of state and of other designated very important persons, such as the U.S. Secret Service or the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service . A federal police agency is a federal LEA that also has the typical police responsibilities of social order and public safety as well as federal law enforcement responsibilities. However, a federal police agency will not usually exercise its powers at

14659-608: The recoil spring reached the end of its travel. Designed primarily to reduce wear on the pistol's components, the system also lowers the peak recoil forces felt by the shooter. Unlike similar systems employed in other pistols, the USP design does not incorporate a hydraulic damper and requires no maintenance. Using a similar recoil reduction system, the H&K Mk 23 pistol fired more than 30,000 high pressure (+P) cartridges and 6,000 proof loads without damage or excessive wear to any major components. Abuse and function-testing of USPs have seen more than 20,000 rounds of .40 S&W fired without

14796-419: The relevant sub-national jurisdiction, and may cooperate in law enforcement activities with municipal or national police where either exist. LEAs can be responsible for the enforcement of laws affecting the behavior of people or the general community (e.g. New York City Police Department ), the behavior of commercial organizations and corporations (e.g. Australian Securities and Investments Commission ), or for

14933-555: The same country, to provide law enforcement within the division. For example, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is a federal agency and is contracted by most of Canada 's provinces and many municipalities to police them, even though law enforcement in Canada is constitutionally a divided responsibility. This arrangement has been achieved by formal agreement between those provinces and municipalities and

15070-435: The same testing. The barrel is cold-forged from chromium steel for increased service life. USP barrels after November 1994 use a polygonal profile ; 1994 and earlier models use traditional 'land and grooves' rifling. During testing, a bullet was deliberately lodged in a USP barrel. Another cartridge was then fired into the obstructing bullet. The second bullet cleared the barrel, resulting in a barely-noticeable bulge. The pistol

15207-531: The second largest in the European Union behind France . In addition, the Bundeswehr has approximately 34,600 reserve personnel (2024). With German military expenditures at $ 66.8 billion (2023), the Bundeswehr is the seventh highest-funded military in the world, though military expenditures have until recently remained low at an average at 1.5% of national GDP, well below the non-binding NATO target of 2%. In 2024, Germany fulfilled NATO obligations of spending 2% of its GDP on its armed forces. Germany

15344-789: The service chiefs form the Military Command Council ( Militärischer Führungsrat ) with functions similar to those of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States. Subordinate to the CHOD is the Armed Forces Operational Command ( Einsatzführungskommando ) . For smaller missions one of the service HQs (e.g. the Fleet Command) may exercise command and control of forces in missions abroad. The Bundestag must approve any foreign deployment by

15481-442: The shooter's hand. Standard flat floorplates are also available for the USP Compact magazines. The USP Compact comes standard with a bobbed hammer equipped with a flat rubber external thumb grip. This reduces possible snag from the hammer on a holster or clothing while the pistol is being drawn, but still allows the USP Compact to be cocked from a decocked position even in the absence of a spurred hammer. This can be done since decocking

15618-407: The slide. When a cartridge is fired, pressures generated by the ignited powder drive the cartridge casing back against the breech face on the slide, driving back both the barrel and slide as they remain locked together in the manner described above. After 3 mm (0.12 in) of unrestricted rearward travel, the projectile leaves the barrel and the gas pressures drop to a safe level. A shaped lug on

15755-529: The society. With the reduction, a large amount of the military hardware of the Bundeswehr , as well as of the Volksarmee , had to be disposed of. Most of the armoured vehicles and fighter jet aircraft (the Bundesluftwaffe  – due to reunification – was the only air force in the world that flew both Phantoms and MIGs) were dismantled under international disarmament procedures. Many ships were scrapped or sold, often to

15892-571: The standard sidearm of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) —the P8 . The USP Tactical .45 ACP variant is also in limited use by the Bundeswehr, designated as the P12. One of the unique features of the USP is the wide variety of the trigger styles available, which may be quickly swapped. There are nine commercially available modifications (called "variants" by HK). By using a modular approach to

16029-514: The terms military police , provost , security forces , and gendarmerie vary from country to country. Non-military law enforcement agencies are sometimes referred to as civilian police , but usually only in contexts where they need to be distinguished from military police. However, they may still possess a military-like structure and protocol. In most countries, the term law enforcement agency when used formally includes agencies other than only police agencies. The term law enforcement agency

16166-461: The time 1.3% of GDP, by 6.2% over the following five years, allowing the Ministry of Defense to fully modernize the army. The 2015 reform set a required strength of 185,000 soldiers. Plans were also announced to significantly expand the tank fleet to a potential number of 328, order 131 more Boxer armored personnel carriers , increase the submarine fleet, and to develop a new fighter jet to replace

16303-437: The type of law non-compliance actively establish mechanisms for cooperation, establish joint operations and joints task forces. Often, members of a LEA working outside of their normal jurisdiction on joint operations or task force are sworn in as special members of the host jurisdiction. A national law enforcement agency is a LEA in a country which does not have divisions capable of making their own laws. A national LEA has

16440-771: The typical police responsibilities of social order and public safety as well as national law enforcement responsibilities. Examples of countries with non-federal national police agencies are New Zealand , Italy , Indonesia , France , Ireland , Japan , Netherlands , Malaysia , the Philippines , and Nicaragua . State police , provincial police , or regional police are a type of subnational territorial police force found in nations organized as federations , typically in North America , South Asia , and Oceania , because each of their state police are mostly at country level. These forces typically have jurisdiction over

16577-415: The underside of the barrel chamber comes into contact with a hooked locking block at the end of the steel recoil spring guide rod, lowering the rear end of the barrel and stopping the barrel's rearward movement. The recoil spring assembly is held in place by the slide stop lever's axis pin and a round cut-out at the front of the slide. For enhanced reliability in high-dust environments, the locking surface on

16714-561: The unit becoming operational at the end of 2019. In February 2016 it was announced that the Seebatallion of the German Navy would start to operate under Royal Dutch Navy command. The Dutch-German military cooperation was seen in 2016 by von der Leyen and Dutch Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert as an example for setting up a European defense union. According to a policy dictated by von der Leyen in February 2017,

16851-544: The way for reunification, the Bundeswehr was to be reduced to 370,000 personnel, of whom no more than 345,000 were to be in the Army and Air Force. This would be Germany's contribution to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe , and the restrictions would enter into force at the time the CFE treaty would. As a result, the Bundeswehr was significantly reduced, and the former East German Nationale Volksarmee (NVA)

16988-452: The weapon does not fully drop the hammer, leaving it in a somewhat "half-cocked" state. The USP Compact cannot be cocked from a dry-fired position as the hammer will be flush to the back of the slide. However, the operator could pull the trigger approximately halfway back in a dry-fired position to put the hammer in a half-cocked state, allowing the hammer to be fully cocked with the thumb. The P10, designed for German military and police units,

17125-419: The world are secular, and their governing bodies separating religious matters from the governance of their subjects. Religious law enforcement agencies, such as Saudi Arabia 's Mutaween or Iran 's Guidance Patrol , exist where full separation of government and religious doctrine has not occurred, and are generally considered police agencies, typically religious police , because their primary responsibility

17262-533: Was a factory option for the Expert if it was to be used in IPSC for the Standard Division because the original version "in its ready condition" did not fit the box for Standard division in IPSC. The USP Match (9 mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) has the same features offered on the Expert, except for a barrel weight that replaces the elongated slide found on the Expert. This weight is said to provide

17399-636: Was acknowledged that most of Germany's fighter aircraft and combat helicopters were not in deployable condition, although the Air Force had almost 38,000 soldiers, and von der Leyen's daycare system to boot. In 2015, as a result of the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation , Germany announced what was termed "a major increase" in defense spending. In May 2015, the German government approved an increase in defense spending, at

17536-486: Was around 5,000 newtons (1,100 pounds-force). The primary benefit of low peak shock is a decrease in wear and tear on pistol components, a great concern with the +P cartridge in 9 mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. Reduction of peak shock forces also contributes to softer recoil for the shooter, although these "felt recoil" values are subjective. The USP was adopted in Germany by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) as

17673-453: Was disbanded, with a portion of its personnel and materiel being absorbed into the Bundeswehr . About 50,000 Volksarmee personnel were integrated into the Bundeswehr on 2 October 1990. This figure was rapidly reduced as conscripts and short-term volunteers completed their service. A number of senior officers (but no generals or admirals) received limited contracts for up to two years to continue daily operations. Personnel remaining in

17810-419: Was first proposed by former Wehrmacht general and Liberal politician Hasso von Manteuffel . The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) , a symbol that has a long association with the military of Germany, is its official emblem. The Schwarzes Kreuz is derived from the black cross insignia of the medieval Teutonic knights ; since 1813 the symbol has been used to denote a military decoration for all ranks. When

17947-608: Was formed after German citizens had to be rescued from the Rwandan genocide by Belgian Para-Commandos as the Special Commands of the Federal Police were not capable of operating in a war zone. A major event for the German military was a series of defense spending cuts and the suspension of the compulsory conscription for men in 2011. These were introduced by Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble as part of austerity measures in response to

18084-521: Was reorganised with the establishment of the Joint Medical Service . In 2016, the Bundeswehr created its youngest branch the Cyber and Information Space Command . The Minister of Defence is supported by the Chief of Defense (CHOD, Generalinspekteur ) and the service chiefs ( Inspekteure : Inspector of the Army , Inspector of the Air Force , Inspector of the Navy ) and their respective staffs in his or her function as commander-in-chief. The CHOD and

18221-506: Was suspended, the wording of the ceremonial vow for full-time recruits and volunteer personnel is: Serving Bundeswehr personnel replace " Ich gelobe , ..." with " Ich schwöre , ..." ("I swear..."). After World War II the responsibility for the security of Germany as a whole rested with the four occupying Allied Powers : the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union . Germany had been without armed forces since

18358-856: Was tasked and equipped to defend the Baltic Approaches , to provide escort reinforcement and resupply shipping in the North Sea and to contain the Soviet Baltic Fleet . During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s, German special forces of the Bundeswehr were deployed as part of a covert operation. During this time, Operation Summer Rain played a significant role. The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) conducted this secret mission, where special forces were infiltrated from West Germany to Pakistan and then into Afghanistan . The primary task of these special units

18495-498: Was then fired for accuracy, and the resulting group measured less than 4 inches at 25 meters. Temperature testing required the USP be frozen to −42 °C and fired, frozen again, then be heated to 67 °C and fired. These temperature tests were continually repeated with no adverse effects on the USP. The gun was also subjected to NATO MILSPEC mud and rain tests; it passed without difficulty. Water immersion and salt spray also presented no problems. German Navy combat divers used

18632-504: Was to be their orientation as citizen defenders of a democratic state, fully subordinate to the political leadership of the country. A personnel screening committee was created to make sure that the future colonels and generals of the armed forces were those whose political attitude and experience would be acceptable to the new democratic state. There were a few key reformers, such as General Ulrich de Maiziere , General Graf von Kielmansegg , and Graf von Baudissin , who reemphasised some of

18769-404: Was to clandestinely acquire Soviet weapon technology, including armor for combat helicopters, vehicles, landmines, modern ammunition such as uranium rounds, rocket warheads, night vision devices, and navigation technology. Collaboration with the insurgent Mujahideen was central to this covert operation. During this time the Bundeswehr did not take part in combat operations. However, there were

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