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The Diplomatic Security Service’s (DSS) Office of Antiterrorism Assistance manages and funds the Special Program for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR). SPEAR enhances the security of U.S. diplomatic posts in high-threat, high-risk environments by training law enforcement and security personnel in host nations to better respond to emergencies at U.S. diplomatic facilities. These local quick-response forces can react within minutes to emergencies and threats to U.S. consulates and embassies and provide additional security support for these overseas facilities.

Since its inception in 2014, SPEAR has trained more than 400 police officers in high-threat countries. This number continues to grow as new partner countries are identified to participate in SPEAR.  SPEAR teams also participate in multinational joint readiness and training exercises with U.S. Marine Security Guards, embassy bodyguards, and embassy local guard forces.

SPEAR teams support U.S. diplomatic missions in:

  • Burkina Faso
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Iraq
  • Kenya
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • South Sudan
  • Tunisia

DOWNLOAD SPEAR Summit Challenge Fact sheet [352 KB]

U.S. Department of State

The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future