Regional Security Officer

In some cases, an RSO may regionally oversee security at consulates and other U.S. presence facilities from an embassy within a country.

Under the RSO's direct supervision are the following groups: U.S. Marine security guards, assistant RSOs, local guards, foreign service national (FSN) investigators, an office management specialist and other secretarial and staff assistants, a surveillance detection unit (with a mission of detecting hostile surveillance), security engineering officers, security technical specialists, as well as Navy Seabees assigned to post.

The RSO is in charge of security for all Americans assigned to an embassy (or on temporary duty to Post) that come under the authority of the Chief of Mission.

This group is composed of all other U.S. law enforcement agencies that may be represented at an embassy such as ICE/HSI, CBP, FBI/LEGAT (legal attaché), U.S. Secret Service, NCIS, AFOSI and others.

Since the Diplomatic Security Service is the most widely represented law enforcement organization in the world,[2] its capability to track and capture fugitives who have fled U.S. jurisdiction to avoid prosecution is unmatched.