Editing Sniper (section)

===Law enforcement applications===
[[File:YAMAM-sniper-0020.jpg|thumb|[[YAMAM]] (Israel's [[counter-terrorism unit]]) sniper shooting with suppressed [[Barrett MRAD]] sniper rifles]]
[[Law enforcement sniper]]s, commonly called police snipers, and military snipers differ in many ways, including their areas of operation and tactics. A police sharpshooter is part of a police operation and usually takes part in relatively short missions. Police forces typically deploy such sharpshooters in [[hostage]] scenarios. This differs from a military sniper, who operates as part of a larger army, engaged in warfare. Sometimes as part of a [[SWAT]] team, police snipers are deployed alongside negotiators and an assault team trained for [[Close combat|close quarters combat]]. As policemen, they are trained to shoot only as a last resort, when there is a direct threat to life; the police sharpshooter has a well-known rule: "Be prepared to take a life to save a life."<ref name="cbssniper"/> Police snipers typically operate at much shorter ranges than military snipers, generally under {{convert|100|m|yd|0|sp=us}} and sometimes even less than {{convert|50|m|yd|0|sp=us}}. Both types of snipers do make difficult shots under pressure, and often perform one-shot kills.
[[File:Secret Service on White House roof.jpg|thumb|left|A US Secret Service sniper on the roof of the [[White House]]]]

Police units that are unequipped for tactical operations may rely on a specialized SWAT team, which may have a dedicated sniper.<ref name="cbssniper">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/01/25/60II/main267184.shtml |title=The Sniper, SWAT Teams Grow in Number |publisher=[[CBS News]] |access-date=4 May 2008 |date=25 January 2001 |archive-date=4 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104001301/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/01/25/60ii/main267184.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> Some police sniper operations begin with military assistance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofgastonia.com/city_serv/police/teams/SniperPage.cfm |title=Gastonia Police Department – Sniper School |access-date=4 May 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722032415/http://www.cityofgastonia.com/city_serv/police/teams/SniperPage.cfm |archive-date=22 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Police snipers placed in vantage points, such as high buildings, can provide security for events.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2007/09/06/2025679.htm |title=Police sniper watches from roof, Sydney |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=4 May 2008 |date= 6 September 2007}}</ref> In one high-profile incident commonly referred to as "The Shot Seen Around the World" due to going viral online, Mike Plumb, a SWAT sniper in [[Columbus, Ohio Division of Police|Columbus, Ohio]], prevented a suicide by shooting a revolver out of the individual's hand, leaving him unharmed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bearingarms.com/bobowens-bearingarms/2015/02/03/remembering-shot-seen-round-world-n22734|title=Remembering "The Shot Seen 'Round The World"|first=Bob|last=Owens|website=bearingarms.com|date=3 February 2015 }}</ref><ref name="nasta">{{cite web |last=Scanlon |first=James J. |year=2010 |title=The Columbus Ohio Police S.W.A.T. Platoon 28th Anniversary |url=http://www.nasta.ws/New_Folder/Tactical%20Edge%20Article.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031206083809/http://www.nasta.ws/New_Folder/Tactical%20Edge%20Article.doc |archive-date=6 December 2003 |access-date=7 May 2010}}</ref>
[[File:USCG TACLET Airborne Use of Force.jpg|thumb|A U.S. Coast Guard [[Law Enforcement Detachments|TACLET]] marksman uses an M107 from a helicopter]]

The need for specialized training for police sharpshooters was made apparent in 1972 during the [[Munich massacre]] when the German police could not deploy specialized personnel or equipment during the standoff at the airport in the closing phase of the crisis, and consequently all of the Israeli hostages were killed. While the German army did have snipers in 1972, the use of army snipers in the scenario was impossible due to the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|German constitution]]'s explicit prohibition of the use of the military in domestic matters. This lack of trained snipers who could be used in civilian roles was later addressed with the founding of the specialized police counter-terrorist unit [[GSG 9]].