Under the US Department of State’s Anti Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program, an elite paramilitary unit identified as SPEAR was created.
Documents from the State Department's website reveal that the Special Program for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR) team is trained specifically to respond to crises involving US embassies worldwide, but is also available to assist in other emergencies.
Under a Diplomatic Security Service-funded program, a SPEAR team consists of specially selected host-nation police officers who are trained and equipped by the ATA program to respond within minutes.
"Although assigned to provide security support to the US Embassy, the SPEAR team members remain law enforcement officers and are able to respond to other emergencies as they arise," the State Department documents read.
Confused by many to be the gallant Recce Squad unit, this team of responders was seen in action during the Dusit D2 attack in Westlands, Nairobi on January 15, 2019.
This gallant display by the police officers prompted Roberto Bernardo, the acting director in the Office of Antiterrorism Assistance and Supervisory Special Agent in the US State Department, to divulge information about the group.
Bernado, on January 21, 2019, announced that the anti-terror mission had been a success, largely due to the joint efforts of three teams comprised of the Recce Squad, the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), and the SPEAR unit.
These officers are highly trained in close combat, that is, a violent physical confrontation between two or more opponents at a short-range.
They are also well trained in sharp-shooting, door breaching, hand to hand combat and many other professional skills.
The group is well known for its state of the art weaponry mimicking that of the United State Special forces and other esteemed military and police units.
The Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) Program was initiated in 1983 as a means of providing specialized training and equipment to nations facing terrorist threats.
The State Department clarified that though ATA is not a traditional military training program, it teaches foreign military and police personnel lethal tactics among other skills.
The program has provided training and assistance to over 19,000 law enforcement personnel from 104 countries since its launch.
