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A group of elite South African police officers are currently in the United States on a special training course on Crisis Response Training. This five-week Crisis Response Training (CRT) training provides elite tactical officers with the skills required to resolve high risk confrontations with criminals and possible terror situations, using a variety of options and with the focus of use of the minimum force necessary to protect human life.

In this training, these elite officers receive hands-on outdoor firearms training, raid and assault simulations, and other standard crisis response skills for use in an urban environment. This course concluded with a series of practical exercises that require participants to form tactical teams and respond to given scenarios.

"This training represents a continuation of the U.S. government's commitment to partnership with South Africa," Charge d'Affaires Helen La Lime said. "Our partnership with the SAPS is robust, and this training reflects our solid bilateral relationship. We look forward to pursuing more partnership opportunities."

SAPS Special Task Force Commander Brigadier Lucky Mkhwanazi said, "This training recognizes the caliber of our elite Specail Task Force officers, and also the solid relationship in law enforcement South Africa has with the United States."

Launched in 1983, and introduced in South Africa in 1999, the State Department's Antiterrorism Assistance Program (ATA) has provided training and equipment to foreign law enforcement and security organizations to enhance capabilities and capacity to detect, deter, counter, and investigate terrorist activities. Since its inception, ATA has trained and assisted more than 100,000 foreign law enforcement personnel from 160 countries.