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Based on this question, it looks like KSC has not only its own police department (which is fairly common for large facilities, even things like universities) but also a SWAT team, which apparently was established in 1979.

What lead NASA to establish this? It long predates the post-9/11 concern with internal security. Was there some specific event? Or something that meant that some other organization (military? Other federal LEO?) would not provide heavily-armed security?

ikrase
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    I don't know the answer. But somewhat related, I saw in a YouTube video that the Foreign Legion provides security for ESA launches from Kourou in French Guiana. The Foreign Legion is some serious business, so it's not just the Americans. – Greg Nov 22 '20 at 15:47
  • They certainly are -- how far back does that go? Of some note is that, well, French Guiana is not France. – ikrase Nov 23 '20 at 00:00
  • I can't find the video (of course). But they've been there since 1973, according to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kourou#CSG_and_the_French_Foreign_Legion_Arrive). Apparently spaceport duty is the boring part of their mission. Mostly they think about chasing illegal gold miners. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a7798/deep-in-the-jungle-with-the-french-foreign-legion-10487410/ – Greg Nov 24 '20 at 17:22
  • Is this question just too young to bounty? – ikrase Nov 27 '20 at 03:17
  • speaking of French Guyana: How often are space launches substantially delayed by protests physically at the launch site? – uhoh Nov 28 '20 at 10:24

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Your answer is described here --> here Basically because a lot of important people are in the KSC and to stop any troublemakers

Leo
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