Regional Security Office (RSO)
The primary responsibility of the Regional Security Office (RSO) is to create a safe environment in which the U.S. Government can carry out its diplomatic mission. The RSO does this by instituting procedures and countermeasures that decrease the possibility that our personnel and facilities can be targeted by hostile elements. In addition to serving as the Ambassador's principal liaison with host country law enforcement, the RSO conducts both criminal and personnel investigations, assists other U.S. law enforcement agencies, reports on incidents involving terrorism and crime, and provides security related guidance and training to Mission personnel as well as to the American private sector. We also supervise the Department’s Anti-terrorism Assistance program in Kabul. Finally, the RSO coordinates the protective requirements for visiting VIPs as appropriate.
The Regional Security Office is providing an array of security support at the Embassy in Kabul and future Consulates Mazar-e Sharif and Herat. Separately, we support the Interagency Provincial Affairs Office, the U.S. Civilian Field Staff and 27 Provincial Reconstruction Teams situated throughout Afghanistan, and USAID programs, contractors and Implementing Partners. The RSO office is comprised of a number of elements, including Special Agents of the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, a team of Foreign Service National Investigators (FSNIs), Protective Security Specialists (SPS), a Security Engineering Officer (SEO), a Technical Security Specialist, a U.S. Navy Seabee, a Residential Security Coordinator, an ID Unit, a Customer Service Center, a uniformed guard force, the Marine Security Guard Detachment, a Tactical Operations Center (TOC), Office Management Specialists (OMS) and a team of Embassy Protective Staff.
Documents and Web Sites
Bureau of Diplomatic Security Web site: http://www.state.gov/m/ds/