Some of the officers in the newly established police directorate for task operations and counterterrorism will take part in special training programs focused on shooting, checking and buildings’ securing skills as well as on detaining terrorists and releasing hostages.

With the amendment to the Interior Ministry Act, they already are authorized to guard civil servants whose lives are threatened in the line of duty.

‘They will be in charge of personal protection for individuals, their homes, protection for their families members if necessary. And you understand that this is not going to be a purely security activity as we’ve done before, but something a little more specific. And that is why we work closely with our colleagues from the National Security Agency and the Defense Bureau with the Prosecutor General”, said Krasimir Dokov, Director of Gendarmerie, Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism.