Grupo de Operações Especiais (Portugal)
| Grupo de Operações Especiais | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1982 - Present |
| Country |
 Portugal
|
| Branch | Polícia de Segurança Pública |
| Type | Special Operations |
| Role | Domestic counter-terrorism and law enforcement |
| Size | 210 |
| Part of | Special Police Unit (Unidade Especial de Polícia) |
| Garrison/HQ | Lisbon |
| Nickname(s) | GOE |
| Motto(s) | Última Razão (The Last Reason) |
| Anniversaries | March 29 |
| Engagements | 1983 Turkish embassy attack in Lisbon, 1997 defense of Portuguese embassy in Zaire, 1998 defense of Portuguese embassy in Guinea-Bissau, 1999 rescue of French citizens held in cultural center in Bissau, 2008 Bank robbery with hostages in Lisbon |
The Grupo de Operações Especiais or GOE (Portuguese for Special Operations Group) is the special operations unit of the Public Security Police (PSP) of Portugal. It includes around 200 operatives. GOE was created in 1982, being one of the first civilian counter-terrorist forces of the World.
In 1978, Quinta das Águas Livres was acquired and the construction works of the infrastructures necessary to organise the instruction activities and to accommodate the distinct elements that would form a future operational group began. Alongside, also began studies regarding the creation of the GOE and, with the co-operation of the British government, thanks to the efforts of Mota Pinto's government, elements of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) came to Portugal to train and start the formation of a police group able to conduct anti-terrorist missions.
On March 29, 1982, the first COE – Curso de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Course) began (not to be mistaken with CTOE's COE). The course ended on November 18 of the same year; the unit was considered to be totally operational and with an intervention capability since the end of 1982, although it was formally created in 1979. As a result of that approach between the British SAS and the Portuguese GOE, the pictures of the first agents are hard to distinguish between British and Portuguese since their uniforms, equipment and weaponry are identical. Later, GOE, still maintaining a strong relationship with the SAS, also began training with the US Delta Force, Germany's GSG 9, Spain's Guardia Civil Anti-Terrorist units, Ireland's Garda ERU, and Israeli Anti-Terrorist units.
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