The Diensteinheit IX (DIX) (English: Service Unit 9) was the tier one police tactical unit of the Volkspolizei that specialized in capture high-value target, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, engaging heavily armed criminals, high-risk law enforcement situations, hostage rescue, operating in difficult to access and dangerous areas, protecting important government areas in times of social turmoil, special operations, supporting crowd control, and VIP protection.

[7] Upon German reunion in 1990, some members of the Diensteinheit IX were merged into the Spezialeinsatzkommandos of West Germany after thorough political evaluation procedures, such as with SEK units in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern[8] and in Sachsen-Anhalt.

[9] In 1992, Der Spiegel reported that DIX was able to get most of their non-Eastern bloc weapons by using arms dealers, some with Colombian firearms licenses and imported through Bangladesh to avoid detection.

[2] DIX was stationed in various locations, including Rostock, Schwerin, Magdeburg Leipzig Erfurt, Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz), Dresden and Potsdam.

Prospective recruits were trained near Verlorenwasser, where they trained under live fire conditions, including combat patrol, close-quarters combat, commando style raids, counter ambush, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, operating in difficult to access terrain, rappelling from helicopters, urban warfare, and VIP protection.