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Kenya’s elite security team, Recce unit that is domiciled within the National Police Service’ General Service Unit has been at the heart of major tactical operations, in the country, winning praises for their skill, speed and expertise in saving lives and resolving situations that would have otherwise dragged for long.
Tasked with sensitive operations, this team undergoes special training where only the best complete and make it to join the elite unit.
Recruitment to join the Recce is an elaborate process by design, one which is meant to only have the best with interested Kenyans having to go through the through the National Police Service recruitment as a first step.
Joining Requirements
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For those who make the cut, the journey to joining the Recce starts at the NPS where all Kenyans must meet the requirements to join the service.
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Requirements are published prior to any recruitment and among the things needed in past recruitment exercises are:
Must be a Kenyan citizen
Must be aged between 18-30 years
Must be a high school graduate
Must have no history of criminal offence
Must have scored D+ IN KCSE with D+ in English or Kiswahili
Must be fit and healthy
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Further training to handle specialised operations
Several months of intense training at Embakasi ushers one into the possibility of making it to this Recce squad.
Those who stand out, displaying great skill and tact while excelling in the training at Embakasi are invited for further training at Magadi Field Training Centre, Solio Ranch or Ruiru Collage where some of the country’s most decorated officers find their footing.
Advanced paramilitary training forms part of what those who are successful to join the Reece team go through, with deployment to countries such as Israel, UK and U.S.A being part of their training journey.
The comprehensive training covers tackling terrorists, security of critical installations, sky marshalling, rescue operations, and detonating and handling explosives.
Only those who excel make it to the squad entrusted with the most sensitive technical operations using sophisticated weapons and tactics that deliver results within minutes.
Going into hostile enemy territory to gather sensitive but critical information necessary for operations or handling certain situations prior to the start of operations forms part of their speciality.
Previous operations by Recce Squad in Kenya
In Kenya, Recce squad came through during the 14 Riverside Drive, popularly known as DusitD2 terrorist attack.
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With the best training, skill and sophisticated weapons, Recce squad joined other security agencies and moved in swiftly to neutralise the terrorists and rescue survivors safely and as within the shortest time possible.
Knowing when to strike, where to strike and when to evacuate, this elite force mounted a well-coordinated operation that saved many lives.
When terrorists struck Garissa University in 2015, Recce squad once again stepped in and neutralized the terrorists within =in thirty minutes, bringing a standoff that had persisted for several hours to an end.
The squad overcame transportation challenges and arrived at the Campus 11 hours later but accomplished what they are trained to do in minutes, saving more lives.
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The exact number of this special force which is only for the special breed of men and women remains discrete.