Snow Leopard Commando Unit

"A strong and reliable special unit, just like a snow tiger, is in need indeed to maintain the pacification of society when terror strikes."

- The main goal of the Unit itself

Special Police Units (Abbreviation: SPU; Simplified Chinese: 特警队) are SWAT units of the Chinese People's Armed Police at the provincial and municipal level. There is at least one of such unit in each Chinese province to offer their services when requested by the local police, or other law enforcement agencies such as the customs service and the regular police.

With the rise of global terrorism and increasing incidence of local aircraft hijackings in the 80's, came a need for a tactical armed response group to respond to both such local and international crises. With approval from the People's Liberation Army, a select group of elite officers was chosen and organized into the Anti-hijack Special Police Group (反劫机特种警察部队) on July 22, 1982, officially code-named Public Security Unit 722 (公安部警字722部队). They were officially inaugurated into the PLA in the capital of Beijing during a ceremony on the 28th.

The command of the unit was later transferred to the People's Armed Police in 1983, and renamed China People's Armed Police Special Police Force (中国人民武装警察部队特种警察大队), and they were to undertake new roles such as counter-terrorism and counter-riot. In accordance with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Public Security regulations, the unit was again renamed China People's Armed Police Special Police School (中国人民武装警察部队特种警察学校) in 1985. The unit went on a recruitment exercise and, took in its first batch of new cadets that September.

Members of the SPUs are carefully selected and specially trained. The Special Police College conducts nationwide recruitment once a year.Students are selected from PAP soldiers and squad leaders with excellent performance. The pre-screening process involves a 3-month mentally and physically demanding assessment and selection, where some recruits will be eliminated.This is followed by a three-year study in one of the two major fields: Armed Reconnaissance and Special Warfare. Upon successful completion of these courses graduates are assigned to the regional and municipal SPU/SWAT teams as Second Lieutenant officers.Only a small number of the most excellent graduates would be selected to join the college's operation unit