ATJ Lučko, also called Anti-Terrorist Unit Lučko or Antiteroristička jedinica Lučko, is the special elite police unit of Croatia. ATJ Lučko is part of the European ATLAS Network of Police Units. They were founded during a bloody conflict, during the Homeland War, during The Croatian War of Independence. They are called upon when regular police forces cannot handle a situation. They handle difficult arrests, are trained for hostage rescues, counter-terrorism and so many more.

Motto: Znoj štedi krv!
Translation: Sweat Saves Blood

Established in: 1990

Only 1 out of 20 Candidates will make it into this unit. They have to come from the ranks of the Police and have to have 4 years of experience to apply. There is no age limit for applicants. Candidates will undergo medical evaluations, written tests, and intelligence tests, before being able to test physically. The final step is an interview with a psychologist and the commander of the unit. Those who are considered to be a good fit will undergo a 1 year training period, where they will still be tested.

ATJ Lučko Pre-Selection

They will be tested physically through calisthenics and running exercises, and also have to showcase their martial arts and shooting skills to become more valuable to the recruiting staff, which are active team members. They will also undergo confidence testings, where they have to jump from a 20-meter building with their arms stretched. While they are tied to a rope, they are not allowed to hold on to it. The passing requirements listed here all official. Those have to be met to have a shot at joining the unit. However, it is also to note that one needs to impress the active operators, therefore one should aim for way higher numbers. The Rope Climb is at a 6-meter height.

ATJ Lučko Selection and Training

During Selection, the candidates will undergo very specific unit training, and also training related to the standard of the ATLAS Network. They conduct 1-week survival training during Basic Training, sleeping in the woods. The candidates will practice how to shoot in all types of situations and positions. They also will go through parachuting school and go through mountaineering school. Hours on top hours will be performed on the mat, where the candidates will learn, and become better at self-defense and martial art techniques. After the first 6 months of specialized training, the candidates will face a milestone testing event, where if he fails, he will not be able to continue specialized training. During the next phase, the candidates will be furthermore specialized in rappelling, shooting from an aircraft, close-quarter combat, helicopter descent and extraction, and more. They will also learn new languages. Once they made it through the specialized training phase, the new official members of ATJ Lučko will be assigned to their unit. Training never stops.