South African Police Service Special Task Force - Recruitment and Training

Recruitment and Training

Prospective members have to be at least 21 years old and must have served at least two years in the South African Police Service. The volunteer must also show certain personal traits such as:

• maturity:
• leadership skills
• sound judgment.

All Task Force applicants are volunteers and have to comply with stringent physical requirements before being admitted to the basic training and selection course. The basic training course is twenty-six weeks long and includes weapons, rural and urban combat as well as basic parachute training courses. Compulsory advanced courses include special skills such as diving, VIP protection, explosives and medical training. The total initial training period is nine months, but completing all the requisite advanced courses to become a full-fledged Special Task Force operational member may last up to three years.

Although membership of the Special Task Force open to both male and female SAPS members, female operatives undergo a separate selection course.