The Greater Hostage Operations & Special Tactics (G.H.O.S.T.) was an elite special forces unit founded in 2001 by the mayor to improve on the city's crime issues. It had employed ex-military personnel and academic civilians for appropriate positions within the police department, much like that of the S.T.A.R.S. unit of Raccoon City Police Department. The overall idea was to form a team of tactically-sound soldiers to combat against terrorism, hostage situations and drug-related problems that plague large cities everyday.