CIA Special Activities Division: SAD, SAC & SOG

The Special Activities Division (SAD) was the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) covert paramilitary operations unit. They were one of America's most secretive and lowest profile special ops organizations.

The Special Activities Division, sometimes referred to as the 'Special Operations Group', was made up of Paramilitary Operations Officers. CIA Paramilitaries are typically ex-military personnel and veterans of military special operations units such as the Green Berets or Marine Force Recon. SAD also recruited from within the Agency. Regardless of background, SAD operators underwent extensive specialized training.

Part of the CIA's National Cladestine Service, the Special Activities Division was thought to include around 150 paramilitaries, pilots and other specialists. When deployed to the field, they typically operated in 6 man or fewer teams, with many a mission carried out by a solo SAD operative. CIA Special Operations Group Paramilitaries often worked on joint operations alongside Delta, DevGru, Special Forces etc.

SAD Ground Branch operatives were experts in field craft, surveillance, small arms, hostage rescue, CQB and advanced driving. Many former Army Special Forces soldiers and Delta Force operators find their way into Ground Branch.

SAD Maritime Branch's focus was on amphibious operations and as such tends to recruit ex SEALs and Force Recon Marines as its operators.

Air Branch was the aviation wing of the CIA's Special Activities Division (SAD). Their role was to fly covert missions in support of CIA operations.

In 2016 Special Activities Division was renamed to Special Activities Center (SAC). The Special Operations Group (SOG) is a department within SAC responsible for operations that include high-threat military or covert operations with which the U.S. government does not wish to be overtly associated. As such, unit members, called Paramilitary Operations Officers and Specialized Skills Officers, do not typically carry any objects or clothing, e.g., military uniforms, that would associate them with the United States government.

For fine art pieces and other products featuring my law enforcement and  government artwork, please visit my galleries at FineArt America and RedBubble. Also, don’t forget to navigate to SpecialOperations Group website and check out their extensive product selections. Upon request, artwork in those galleries can be customized with ranks and, wherever appropriate - individual badge numbers.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - CDCR SERT and CRTs

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacramento. CDCR is the 3rd largest law enforcement in the United States behind the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) which is an arm of Dept of Homeland Security (DHS), and the New York City Police Department, which employ approximately 66,000 federal officers and 42,000 police officers respectively. CDCR correctional officers are sworn law enforcement officers with peace officer powers.
Within the CDC emergency situations, and high-risk special assignments are handled by a highly trained specialist unit known as the Special Emergency Response Team, or SERT. Every level II through IV facility is required to maintain a SERT. SERTs are used in situations when regular institutional forces are unable to maintain or regain control of a situation, or when the situation is of such a high-risk, that the SERT's specialized skills and equipment are deemed useful. When employed, a SERTs primary responsibility is "To save lives and protect property".
SERT teams are composed of volunteer personnel, who when not training or activated, are assigned to regular full-time correctional duty assignments. Team size varies from institution to institution (12-21 members) depending on the size of the facility, its location, the institution's security level, inmate population, and the response time of addtional support units. All SERT personnel are on 24 hour standby to be recalled to their assigned institution, or to any other institution needing assistance.
SERTs can trace their origins to the loosely organized tactical teams formed during the sixty's and seventy's to deal with disturbances within CDC facilities. These teams had no formalized training, structure, equipment or standardized operating procedures (SOPs). In 1982 the Director authorized a an assessment to study the Departments ability to respond to disturbances within CDC facilities. Upon completion of the assessment the Director recommended the establishment of a Disturbance Control Program with in the CDC. SERTs were a major component of the new program, and in May 1983 the department conducted its first formalized SERT training academy, with official authorization and funding being granted by the Governor and state Legislator in July of 1984.

For fine art pieces and other products with my law enforcement artwork, please visit my 'Law Enforcement Insignia & Heraldry' galleries at FineArt America and RedBubble. Also, don’t forget to navigate to Special Operations Group website and check out their extensive product selections. Upon request, artwork in those galleries can be customized with ranks and, wherever appropriate - individual badge numbers. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs, and immigration. CBP is the largest law enforcement agency in the United States. It has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.

While its primary mission is preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, CBP is also responsible for apprehending individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally, including those with a criminal record, stemming the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband, protecting United States agricultural and economic interests from harmful pests and diseases, and protecting American businesses from intellectual property theft.

The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is an American federal law enforcement agency. Its mission is to detect and prevent illegal aliens, terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, and prevent illegal trafficking of people and contraband. It is the mobile, uniformed law enforcement arm of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The U.S. Border Patrol Agent (as opposed to Officer) is a federal law enforcement agent actively patrolling a U.S. border to prevent persons from entering or leaving the United States without government permission. Agents detect and prevent the smuggling and unlawful entry of aliens into the United States, along with apprehending those people found to be in violation of immigration laws. Agents work to lower crimes and improve the quality of life in border communities. In some areas, Agents are deputized or have peace-officer status and use it to enforce local and state/territory laws. More than 20,000 Border Patrol Agents safeguard nearly 6,000 miles of land border the United States shares with Canada and Mexico, and more than 2,000 miles of coastal waters.

One of the most important activities for a United States Border Patrol Agent is "line watch". This involves the detection, prevention and apprehension of terrorists, illegal aliens and smugglers of both aliens and contraband at or near the land border by maintaining surveillance from a covert position, following up leads, responding to electronic sensor television systems, aircraft sightings, and interpreting and following tracks, marks and other physical evidence. Some of the major activities are farm and ranch check, traffic check, traffic observation, city patrol, transportation check, administrative, intelligence, and anti-smuggling activities.

 For fine art pieces and other products with my law enforcement artwork, please visit 'Law Enforcement Insignia & Heraldry' galleries at FineArt America and RedBubble. Upon request, artwork in those galleries can be customized with ranks and, wherever appropriate - individual badge numbers. 

Law Enforcement Insignia & Heraldry

Until now, one area have been somewhat underrepresented across my heraldry art projects. I am talking about law enforcement, fire and first responders’ insignia and badges. But this is about to change. Recently I have launched my 'Law Enforcement Insignia & Heraldry' collection. For now, this collection is limited to my galleries at FineArt America and RedBubble. Not in a distant future, Fire and EMS will follow.  

I have always been captivated by humble beauty of their badges. However, those also presented certain challenges, being among some of the most complex insignia out there. I also felt that my metal textures were not quite up there, since those kinds of badges usually sported extensive metal surfaces and variety of finishes. As my techniques improved, now I felt that I might be up to the task. Another reason for me to embark on this adventure was the fact that recently I have partnered up with Special Operations Group (SOG), who have been in business of military and law enforcement collectibles for more than 26 years. They are offering an extensive collection of law enforcement memorabilia, and will also be offering products featuring my artwork. My military insignia and heraldry artwork will also be prominently featured.

For fine art pieces and other products with my law enforcement artwork, please visit my 'Law Enforcement Insignia & Heraldry' galleries at FineArt America and RedBubble. Also, don’t forget to navigate to Special Operations Group website and check out their extensive product selections. Upon request, artwork in those galleries can be customized with ranks and, wherever appropriate - individual badge numbers.