In Resident Evil, what organization employs the S.T.A.R.S. unit?

In Resident Evil, the S.T.A.R.S. unit is employed by the Raccoon Police Department.

S.T.A.R.S. stands for Special Tactics and Rescue Service. It is a specialized law-enforcement division formed to handle terrorism, hostage situations, organized crime, and other high-risk incidents in and around Raccoon City.

The original game focuses on Alpha Team and Bravo Team. Bravo Team investigates strange murders in the Arklay Mountains, and Alpha Team later searches for its missing members. Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, and other central characters belong to S.T.A.R.S.

Umbrella Corporation is closely connected to the story, but it does not employ S.T.A.R.S. Umbrella is the pharmaceutical company whose secret biological experiments create the outbreak and many of the creatures encountered by the team.