South African Special Task Force (filmed 1999)

[Johnatan56]

Warning though, it is brutal and there is a lot of episodes of people bleeding out, wounds, etc., it's not a Hollywood series, it's real life.
Just a bit insane what they go through and do, and yet same salary as normal police officer, other cops (also shown in a bust in episode 5-5 in this series) due to salary are corrupt.

This is from Wikipedia:

Current​

In 2004 it was reported that the SAPS Special Task Force may have lost nearly 60 percent (130 operators) of its active members (230 operators) to private companies recruiting security personnel to work in Iraq and other conflict countries due to the demand for their skills.[13]

As of 2004, with the implementation of affirmative action policy and a special course for females, the Special Task Force welcomed their first female operators in its ranks.[14]

A bit crazy to think that they would implement AA and try and get females into it, should be anyone in the police force can apply, manage training at standard and can get in, no matter the race.

If you think too white in the series, note that it had only been ~3 years since Apartheid ended, you're only selected to even join training if exceptional skills demonstrated in the police force, so takes a while for it to shift, but you can already see blacks in the series during the time, naturally it would have resulted in a more "representative" unit. Would rather have the best people for the job than AA, part of what makes them effective is how quick and intimidating they are, it stops a lot of gunfights before they'd even start, would be worried if standards are undercut as they put the rest of the unit in harms way.

And no, I am not saying Apartheid or whatever was better if anyone wants to say that, there are some on this forum who'll twist the post, not wanting times like this back, would prefer no unit was even needed, just that it's amazing what some people do for the safety of everyone else.

 

[Nicholas]

I agree with you on the point of being a member of this unit on the basis of merit. It isn't an elite unit if the selection criteria change so that anyone
can get in. Weakest link, and all that.

 

[Johnatan56]

This episode, at minute 5, I think this is one of the main reasons a majority went to Iraq and went for the way higher salary in 2004 (rumor was R15k for part of STF, income for private security was over R100k pm), they caught them red handed at the bank, yet let off the hook due to insufficient evidence, main members got bail and basically took off, so not one prosecuted (yet carrying weapons into a bank, getaway vehicle with more weapons, one man drawing his gun when shouted police, dude with an outdated cop uniform, etc)(minute 5-6:30 is when he talks about it).

The episode above, no blood/shots fired, so fine to watch if more faint of heart.

EDIT:

 

[Düber]

Binged this on Sunday, very interesting. These guys are on a different level.