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The Magazine for Security Professionals
What Is Yo ur Purpos e The Regu latory Sys tem A Day in t he Life
Fifth year anniversary edition
Editorial
Editorial As I sit here writing this Andy Murray has just beaten Novak Djokovic in the Men’s Wimbledon final and in doing so has ended 77 years of waiting for a British male champion to lift Tennis’ most coveted trophy. So, congratulations Andy, from all of us at the Circuit Magazine on achieving this huge career landmark. Of course, we here at the Circuit have a reached a big landmark of our own, issue 20 and 5 years in publication, perhaps not as big as winning Wimbledon but significant nonetheless. In those 5 years I have overseen the establishment of a magazine which is now known to security professionals all over the world and I am genuinely proud of what this small yet hardworking team manages to achieve each issue. That pride is only matched by how impressed I am by the support we receive in the form of high caliber; informative and engaging article submissions, which causes my inbox to overflow. Whilst this is a pleasant position to be in it does create a dilemma for the team when having to narrow down the content to just 64 pages. So, to all our contributors both past and present, I thank you for your efforts, it’s this incredible dedication, which makes the magazine what it is and illustrates why we’re still going strong after 5 years. As someone who feels strongly about industry affairs and who tries to contribute with articles as often as possible, I realize only too well just how hard it is to summon up the inspiration, enthusiasm and time to create something benefitting these pages. So, when time was against me this quarter it was reassuring to see so many other people step up to the plate and deliver, what I believe is, a killer issue for our fifth year anniversary.
The Network is Real. That’s a mantra that has been traveling around the NABA/BBA message boards for the last several months. I’m here to tell you it’s a statement that’s been proven as fact. What did I do when I discovered I was heading to Hong Kong with a client? I dialed up longtime BBA Member Rick Smith, who provided some much needed intel, (plus we were able to connect quickly for our first ever face to face). Doing some Advance planning for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, I put a call out on the NABA network for Portuguese speaking members and not only got some hits, but a few came from people that I have already worked and trained with which of course makes the selection process even easier. Not to mention that on at least a half dozen occasions this year where I have traveled somewhere in the US and ran into a member unexpectedly. The Network is Real. One of the great ties that binds us together globally is the Internet, however another is this very magazine that you are holding in your hands. The Circuit allows members from the US State of Atlanta, Georgia to (literally) be on the same page as those from European country Tbilisi, Georgia.
As alluded to, it has been a very busy quarter for me personally and it seems incredible to think that it hasn’t yet been 3 month since I and the team was at the Olympia in London, and exhibiting at the Counter Terror Expo. It was a fantastic couple of days, albeit hard work, but made all the worthwhile for the great many connections we made and all the new readers and contributors who we were able to introduce to the magazine. Included in that number is a young ambitious business woman named Kate Bright who features for the first time in these pages with her article based around her own experience as someone coming from outside the industry but who has since embraced the security profession and is now pouring her efforts and expertise into helping women establish themselves in a sector which, at times, can seem daunting and unfriendly. We wish her all the best and offer our pages and full support to such a worthwhile cause. Elsewhere, we bring you a feature on kidnapping and emphasize the importance of hostage survival training; we ask you if you’re emotionally and professionally resilient. We explore the weakest link in the protection chain and pose the toughest of questions to you when we ask, ‘what is your purpose?’ All these great articles along with the Circuit’s regular features make this a truly memorable fifth year anniversary edition, which I’m very proud to bring you.
Shaun West Editor
Think about that for a moment. When I read commentary on Maritime situations around the Horn of Africa within these pages I know it’s written from the perspective of people who are involved in the craft of Close Protection. We see things slightly different from the mainstream media, and it’s those little nuances that I appreciate in the magazine. Lastly, while acknowledging the fact that the Network is real, I also have to say that the detractors are real. A few are blatant, most are covert, but all are puzzling to me because the magazine and the organizations are here for the enhancement and support of the Close Protection community as a whole. How could that be a bad thing? I suppose, if the idea didn’t originate from a specific person or organization, or seek their blessing, it has no merit? Wrong. Our membership numbers, circulation count and more importantly personal feedback prove that The Circuit Magazine, along with the North American & British Bodyguard Associations, are here to stay.
Elijah Shaw Managing Editor (US Edition)
Issue 20
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Contents Issue20 03Editorial 06Hypervigilance 08From PA to CP 10The Regulatory System: Part 1 The Weakest Link
A few years ago, I made a business decision to attend the very prestigious driving school Tony Scotti’s VDI.
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During the month of June the Taliban have executed and claimed credit for various complex suicide attacks on Military, US and GiroA (Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) installations.
Contents
Intel: World report
12Kidnapping 16Are you emotionally and professionally resilient? 20Keeping Your Edge 30The Weakest Link 34The Other Side Of The Coin 47Working Girl 50Regional overview 60Classifieds Issue 20
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Feature By Russ Saunders
Let’s face it, life can be tough. It is especially tough for folks in the protection business-both on and off the job. After years of dealing with people at their worst, and constantly being witness to the evil that people can do to each other, it becomes harder and harder to find the good side of the world.
I have seen some horrific things over the last 20+ years, both as a protection agent and a cop. I have witnessed first hand the sheer determination of some people, so devious and conniving while trying to do as much harm to a client as they can, that I can’t help but lose faith in human kind from time to time. It actually makes me wonder how much good they could do for the world if they put that much effort into positive ventures! I have come home from work so disgusted, fed up, and weary of the evils in society that all I want to do is curl up, shut the world out, and do nothing-just be left alone! One day when I was especially miserable (I didn’t notice, but everyone else did) I was minding my own business watching a training video when my wife entered the room and asked me to do something for her. I don’t recall what it was, a minor
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favor I’m sure, but to me it was a major disruption to my “important” work related activity I was doing. My response was short, curt, and quite frankly unpleasant. I made no bones about the fact that I “just want to be left alone!” That’s when she took the opportunity to “help” me with her wifely wisdom. In her best counselor voice she told me about a class that she had just attended and one that she knew would do me a world of good. It was given by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin and was called “Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement”. I immediately scoffed at the notion. First of all it sounded to me like a touchy feely Kumbaya singing around the campfire moment and certainly nothing I would be interested in! I also felt that just by going I would somehow be admitting
Hypervigilance
that I was weak and not strong enough to handle the ups and downs of my professional path. Not me, I’m a protector, a sheepdog! No thank you I said. Luckily for me my wife the counselor does not give up so easily. Also lucky for me, Dr Gilmartin wrote a book by the same title which I found strategically placed on my desk a few days later. I think I was about three or four pages into the book when I started to sit back in my chair and really pay attention to the words, and by the sixth or seventh page I actually said out loud “Oh my gosh, he is talking about me!” I learned that by shutting everything out to unwind, I was actually doing more harm than good. It seems I was the victim of the effects caused by hypervigilance. According to the book:
“Hypervigilance is the necessary manner of viewing the world from a threat-based perspective, having the mindset to see the events unfolding as potentially hazardous.” Kevin Gilmartin PhD, Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, (Tuscon: E-S Press, 2002), 35.
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At first glance this doesn’t really seem to be a bad thing right? I mean, as a protection specialist, police officer, or hell just being out with friends and family, hypervigilance and the ability to see everything around you and be prepared for whatever may come is a good thing right? It is-when used correctly. While it is always a good thing to be prepared for dangers and threats, it is imperative that we also have the ability to turn it off and have outside interests. By constantly remaining in a hypervigilant state, and surrounding ourselves with “the job” 24/7, we lose our ability to function well in our personal lives. Hypervigilance is in fact a biological state that is part of the neurological function of the brain (Gilmartin 2002). What that basically means is that while the mind is in a state of hypervigilance, the brain reacts by secreting chemicals to keep the body “ready for action”. I’m not a doctor, but I know that remaining constantly hyped up with no down time is bad for the body, as well as the mind. By simply learning how and when to unwind and relax I was able to completely change my attitude and perspective of the world. Over time I was able to see a bigger and more pleasant
(and probably more accurate) picture of the world that I live in. I became happier and less irritable! I also became curious as to how others relax and unwind. I was very interested in how others in this business “turn off ” the hypervigilant switch. So I went right to the source; I asked members of the NABA for input. What I found were answers as diverse as the people in the protection profession. Many of the responses were what I expected-some not so much! The results are not exactly scientific, but here’s what I heard. Quite a few people stated that they like to spend time with family. This is probably one of the best ways I can think of to unwind as well as maintain that all important bond that is pivotal to our sense of well being! It is very important to actively maintain the close ties of family. All too often we may give in to that inner demon that tells us we just want to be alone and to shut the world out. But remember, alone time can be very beneficial, but too much can be detrimental to the family bond. There were others (the 2nd biggest response) that like to workout or participate in some sort of competitive sport. The list varied from hitting balls at the local batting range or golf driving range, to martial arts and fighting sports, to hiking in the Tennessee woods. Some told me that doing housework, laundry etc was a great way to unwind and to “be in the moment” at home. The important part of that statement is to “be in the moment”. Be here, now. Not at work, not worrying about tomorrow (in most cases) but here-now. We should always take the opportunity to appreciate what we work so hard for. When I am home and doing chores like cleaning or fixing, I really am appreciative of what I have and I can take the time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. It really makes me grateful. Those were pretty good ways to unwind for most of us but of course there were some answers that were unexpected and actually made me laugh out loud! For instance, there is the fellow (no names here) who said he enjoyed getting a pedicure on his down time. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just that by looking at him you would never expect that for an answer. The bottom line is that you find what works for you. If you want to be the best you can be (and I know you do) you must disconnect from the profession in your down time and learn to unwind, be in the moment, and appreciate your loved ones by giving them the best gift you can--you. Doing so will truly help you to stay grounded and fully appreciate all you have, and keep you happy and healthier!
Issue 20
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Opinion
By Kate Bright
Kate Bright, a former PA for High Net Worth Individuals, talks about working alongside CP Teams and how and why she is now bringing together women in the industry. I never meant to become a PA, I sort of fell into it fifteen years ago when I graduated from University. I knew I wanted to work in London as I had always visited as a child and been very excited whenever family days out were planned. I would ask where we were visiting, and in those days (pre internet) my ‘recce’s’ were gleaned from the Encyclopedia Britannica’s scattered through my parent’s house, with extensive route planning using well thumbed A-Z’s. Fast forward fifteen years and not much has changed in terms of my approach to London and logistics. In this time working alongside oligarchs, billionaires and heiresses the key operational elements of my family days out remain ingrained. Failing to prepare routes & timings to get from Clapham to Mayfair can give a degree of variation in journey time from twenty two minutes door to door to over an hour. My mantra has always been ‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” To help myself with every eventuality, I set up a network of PA’s working for high profile & high net worth individuals ten years ago. It is now eighty strong with monthly events hosted at venues across London to share information and
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meet. This has been my salvation in mad moments where an inside contact, connection or piece of knowledge makes the difference between operation success or fail. During this time, I have been lucky enough to work with some of London’s best security companies and teams. In doing so, I always tried to fully integrated myself and my role as a PA with their aims and goals, without realizing the full extent of the work they were doing on a daily basis to protect myself and my Principal. It was during conversations with the head of one such team, where the subject of obtaining my Close Protection License was discussed. The conversation was, in essence, ‘Brighty you should definitely get some training. You know London like the back of your hand and you’re really bossy so you’d be perfect as a Team Leader’, or words to that effect. So ‘Kilo Bravo’, as I became known, went and did the SIA Close Protection Course, after which my first experience running a team of nine guys (and girls) looking after five VIPs at a black tie dinner felt very familiar, albeit with a very different emphasis.
From PA to CP During my time working ‘on the other side’ I realised the value I could give to my teams simply by my on the ground London knowledge, my experience being the ‘boss interface’ and being used to managing his/her expectations. The more practical areas where I was most helpful are where it is useful to have a female/blendable element to the team, such as being part of a Security Advanced Party team checking into a hotel without being an obvious security presence, or simply acting as the ‘PA/Nanny’ when situations or scenarios require it. During the course of meeting and interacting with more of the best of London’s teams working on a daily basis in and around the UK and it’s capital I have also enjoyed a sense of Continuous Professional Development within the Close Protection community that I did not have as a PA, most recently undertaking a day’s training with Ultimate Car Control learning advanced driving techniques highly recommended). Having a broad range of skills to add to the team environment is necessary in today’s Close Protection environment, it seems. It’s useful to have seen both sides of the Private Office function and now being more security aware, and I aim to work more with PA’s in private offices to talk about ways to help communication between the two functions. I now see
where barriers can present themselves when a well-meaning security team interacts with household and office staff, all working towards the same outcome of efficiency, but all with seemingly different objectives and approaches and how to overcome issues that might arise. In being on both sides of the fence, I realized that I could try to help in bringing together opportunity by creating a network for women in security, much like the one I set up all those years ago in the PA world. With the support of the Women’s Security Society I held my first networking event for the women in the industry in May, hosted by the Cadogan Hotel in London. Women gathered for the first time to talk about the opportunities and challenges they face, and I spoke about my aim to create a network that enabled women working within the security industry to share, learn and be provided with a greater range of opportunities and training. I believe that the diversity offered by bringing together women with a range of security backgrounds to work in partnership to develop skills and understanding of a PA, alongside on the ground knowledge can only serve to increase the quality of women in CP work and the opportunities this will present.
Issue 20
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Feature
The Regulatory System: Part 1 Why Is It Failing? If the proverbial Martian was to land in London today, as part of their gap year ‘Interplanetary cultural studies’ programme, the report that they would send back at the end of their stay would undoubtedly... ... comment on that fact that, at least to an educated observer, it seems that London, the UK, and much of the outside world is ruled on the basis of two basic principles: The first is The Golden Rule, namely, whoever has the gold, makes the rules, and the second is that in every area of public activity that has major impact on the lives of the vast numbers of citizens, whether it is global finacial matters, domestic banking, political management, MP’s expenses, press oversight, power safety or border controls, despite the fact that all of these actors are supposedly working within tightly-legislated and managed regulatory frameworks, they are in fact working to the law of the jungle, where those that are supposed to be ruled by the rules are free to make up new rules if they don’t like the present ones, and to ignore even those if they decide that it is in their interest to do so. The outstanding fact about many of the major headline stories of the past months - Fukushima meltdown, press intrusion and police complicity, the original collapse of
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HSBC, the trading of vulnerable girls in care for sex, Barclays and LIBOR, the recent HSBC money laundering accusations, has been that all of these organisations were engaged in activities that should have had alarm bells ringing in every regulatory office in the land - and yet not only were they left to carry on their ultimately destructive - and self-destructive - activities, but it subsequently became clear that it was done with a high level of collusion, if not outright manipulation, between the regulators themselves and those that they were tasked with overseeing. It has become common practice to state that we are living in what has increasingly become a ‘Regulatory State’, with every aspect of our lives now governed by rules and regulations that are often backed up with the threat of punitive action, whether it is failing to leave the household rubbish in the correct bag or in the correct position on the pavement, the need for tens of thousands of community-based volunteers to go through Criminal Record Checks, or the ability of
The Regulatory System: Part 1
”We have become use to the sight of senior politicians, who are ultimately responsible for creating the regulatory frameworks” increasing numbers of otherwise unauthorised people to claim access to both our private data and, in many cases, our homes and property. And yet when the self-interested and clearly irresponsible, if not actually illegal, actions of highpowered individuals lead to a melt-down in the institutions that underpin every aspect of our social fabric and daily life, it seems that they can merely walk away - often with multi-million pound pay-offs - and there is nothing that anyone can do to even question them about their activities, never mind punish them for their transgressions. We have become use to the sight of senior politicians, who are ultimately responsible for creating the regulatory frameworks that are supposedly responsible for preventing these failures, standing up in Parliament or at public enquiries to decry the clearly irresponsible behaviour that has led to the problems, to promise an enquiry as to how it happened, and to introduce new regulations and frameworks that will prevent any such occurence happening in the future. And yet, if regulation is failing, then merely putting up more regulation is not likely to be the solution. In many cases, the activities that have led to the need for the enquiry are manifestly undesirable, almost certainly unethical, and quite often actually illegal. The question is not what more needs to be done to increase regulation, but why are the systems that are already in place, and which have often been through mutliple rounds of review and improvement, are clealry not fulfilling the single function for which they were developed, namely the protection of the public and wider society from the self-interested actions of those that put their own benefit ahead of the need to observe the rules and regulations within which they are supposed to be operating. For our visiting Martian, there would be one other factor that would undoubtedly be highlighted in their report, with a brief, and probably perplexed, background essay on the strange habits of alien cultures. And that is, that in the midst of nuclear disasters, financial meltdowns, global recession and growing social disruption, with the complexity of global institutions reaching such a levels of inter-dependence that it is literally impossible to calculate the impact and implications of any one specific failure of the wider local, national and global network (as in, for example, the tsunami in Japan triggering a breakdown in global supply-chain management of car manufacturing components, leading to the closures of factories across north-east England), even in this highly unstable global environment, where the risks of disaster
are ever present and the impact of systems failures are both catastrophic and irreversible, both the sector leaders and the political leadership in general are calling not for greater and more closely managed oversight, but for actual deregulation, claiming that the need to adhere to instructionist government diktat’s is the one thing that is preventing the growth and prosperity that would be of general benefit to us all. Another notable aspect of the government response to recent issues, is the realisation that in many cases the behaviour that seems to us both demonstrably wrong and morally abhorrent is actually separate from any punitive framework that would allow those in power to bring the perpertrators to a court of law, charge and prosecute them as they would any orther person who acted against the laws of the country, In fact, when it comes to the ordinary citizen, it has seemingly become accepted in legal circles that punishment can be used pour ecourager les autres, as we have seen in the 2011 London riots, when youths who had been caught up in a momentary act of madness and had taken a pair of running shoes or a single bottle of water from a shop, were sentenced to months in prison and received a formal criminal record that would affect their abilities to go to university, to gain good jobs, and would certainly affect their right to travel freely to the United States. However, when it comes to bankers fixing international inter-banking rates for their own advantage, Vince Cable, the Minister for Business and a man who has had many years experience in the international business world, was left publicly impotent to do anything more than plaintively claim that it was the duty of the corporate shareholders to oversee the actions of their executives, and that the shame of doing nothing would be enough to persuade global institutions to take the necessary steps to prevent these situations happening in the future. David Rubens Associates David Rubens Associates is a specialist corporate security consultancy offering strategic security services to individuals and organisations across the world. DRA has worked with government agencies, NGO’s, international conglomerates and major global events, and brings a mixture of strategic vision, operational experience and academic research to all of its projects, however large or small.
Issue 20
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Feature
Hostage survival training – is it needed by the CP operative? The very thought that an experienced security detail and their Principal could be taken hostage might seem remote to those who operate in this area. However the reality of this “it will never happen to me”, “I can’t believe this is going on” scenario made headlines around the world in May 2007. Peter Moore, an IT consultant on a quick 3 month job was kidnapped in Baghdad. It would be another 946 days before he was released. Ask Peter Moore and he will tell you that he uttered words similar to these before his life changed forever. It was an even less fortunate turn of events for his security detail: none of them made it out alive. These were experienced men who had all been in the military before the lure of the “Circuit” caught their eye. At some stage during their military career they would have been taken through what the military calls “Conduct after Capture” training. Depending on when they enlisted this could have covered the “Big 4 or Big 6” information requirements. Once you leave the military circle and join the civilian sector, and yes, PMC’s are part of this sector, what constitutes the right process to convey information to your captors? Does your employer have a recognised mechanism in place for you to follow? Have they trained you on how to manage your expectations during captivity? Have they psychologically prepared you for a prolonged incarceration? Possibly not, as doing this would mean that the security apparatus, of which
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you are a part, has been breached. Where do they stand from a Duty of Care perspective? A lot of questions but ones that need asking if you are going to be put in harm’s way. Some in-depth research has been conducted on what is covered by CP training providers for those wanting to take up this profession. Courses vary in length, and knowledge and instructor ability plays a key role in educating the student to be proficient in detecting possible and potential threats. No CP course providers, as far as we have been able to ascertain, cover the area of Hostage Survival in any great detail, if at all. Prevention is of course better than cure and good security preparation, including an experienced CP team and up to date travel security advice should be made available by the client/principal/employer. If this is followed, the security risk can be minimised. But despite this, sometimes something goes wrong, or people fail to behave sensibly, and somebody gets kidnapped. What happens next? Fortunately most of us have no idea because we haven’t experienced being kidnapped, and it is tempting to say that there is nothing you can do about this. But in fact there is. High risk staff, and in this instance this includes the CP team who can help
Kidnapping – a grim reality
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Feature
There are up to 25,000 kidnappings per annum and this number appears to be on an increasing trend. 14
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Kidnapping – a grim reality
manage the security of their Principal during the ordeal, can be briefed on what may happen. This includes the period from the take down through captivity and eventual release, understanding their likely physical and psychological experiences and reactions, the stress that they and their captors will be under, and how best to cope and emerge from the ordeal in the best possible psychological and physical shape. Recognising this challenge, the UK military developed a hostage survival briefing package, drawing on many hours of debriefing former hostages (including their own military personnel), and integrating specialist advice from survival psychologists. This package has now been adapted for the corporate sector, responding to companies’ increasing consciousness of Duty of Care responsibilities in this area. It is delivered by highly experienced former military trainers, people who actually delivered this training over many years, not to be confused with those who might have done the course i.e. it is delivered by the trainers not the trainees A survey of business travellers in 2007 revealed that more than half believed that the world would become a more dangerous place over the next 5 years. And - employers please note - more than half would consider taking legal action in the event of an emergency being mishandled. As we can appreciate from recent news events the world has indeed become a more dangerous and unpredictable place. Living in a largely law abiding country, we tend not to think about being kidnapped but it does happen - and all over the world – whether being dragged to an ATM or being incarcerated for months or years by terrorists. It isn’t easy to obtain accurate statistics about kidnapping – many governments simply don’t want the publicity – but it has been estimated that there are up to 25,000 kidnappings per annum and this number appears to be on an increasing trend. And given that it is reckoned that only about 10% of kidnappings are reported, if you adjust this number to allow for this, you are looking at a figure of not far short of a quarter of million people. And it doesn’t end there. Assuming a positive outcome and the hostage(s) return home safely, is this the end of the story? What might these hostage survivors want and need, and what kind of support is available for them? What might they, their family and their work colleagues need to come to terms with their new reality? Are they walking into a media firestorm?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this but the ability for the individual and those around them to be able to call on a range of counselling and support services can help. Numerous psychologists have agreed that some training to endure the kidnapping event can be key to recovery. The more thorough and in-depth the training prior to the event the quicker/shorter the recovery period will be for the individual(s) affected. The specific briefing approach adopted by Dignity Hostage Survival Consultancy (DHSC) has been supported by leading practising trauma psychologists. Frequently individuals realize too late - after an incident has occurred - that they should have been better prepared. It is obviously prudent for an organisation to establish in advance whether it has properly equipped its high risk staff to withstand this kind of ordeal, and whether the organisation itself understands the nature of what it might face, and in turn if it is in good shape to manage the accompanying crisis. Although K&R insurance is sometimes in place, and intermittent crisis management exercises undertaken, experience shows that many organisations with an otherwise rigorous approach to security often fail to address the risks and issues associated with kidnapping in sufficient detail. Seen through the lens of Duty of Care, enlightened self interest should dictate a thorough approach to these matters. Even if the client hasn’t had this training, if the CP operative has, it will allow them to continue to provide support/ protection to the client throughout the kidnapping ordeal. Being able to advise a client on how to respond to and manage the pressures may save the clients life, which is after all what the CP professional is there to do. This pays dividends in the long run: higher staff morale, easier recruitment and manpower deployment, effective HSE compliance, reduced litigation exposure and costs, and reduced corporate reputation risk. Is this in the realms of probability for the CP operative? Probably not. Should it be provided for by the training provider and/or employer? Most definitely. Clint Miles CSC Director Dignity Hostage Survival Consultancy Ltd. www.dignity-hsc.com
Issue 20
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Feature
“Some of the best lessons are learned from past mistakes. The error of the past is the wisdom of the future�---Dale Turner
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Emotionally resilient?
By Benjamin Alozie
Are you emotionally and professionally resilient? I cannot think of anything as refreshing as reading or hearing a testimony of how spoken words or actions taken have positively influence another person’s life. Now juxtapose that refreshing feeling with the demoralizing feeling you get from failures, disappointments and a harsh criticism especially after you’ve put your heart and soul into and all you want passionately is just success. If you’ve ever experienced any of the later then I am sure you know how damaging it can be to your core especially in a professional environment. THE WHY Over the period I have spent blogging on different security networks, I couldn’t help but notice how easily offended, overly emotional and feisty some professional discussions can get, especially when discussing hot topic issues. This trend has become the new normal on a lot of security forums with few exceptions that we can all be grateful to still have. Most times when I read provocative comments I wonder and ask myself if it’s still possible and ok to have a different perspective on a subject matter and still have a sane cerebral discussion with colleagues without anyone feeling offended?
a professional be in managing the real world risks and conflicts that protective services professionals face on a daily basis without making a bad situation worse? • Are there any real world implications if those tasked with the responsibility of mitigating risk and managing very difficult clients lack emotional and professional resilience? • Are we as professionals allowing our private life challenges overwhelm our professional life in a way that affects the professional interactions we should with our colleagues? • Do experienced professionals and leaders of the protective services craft have any professional obligation, demonstrating through their good examples how less experienced and new comers can maintain strong emotional and professional resilience? The observations and questions referenced above are the primary reasons for writing this article and I hope that the information and suggestions I share from personal experience can be of help to anyone seeking for solutions that works and helps to be emotionally and professionally resilient in the face of any type of challenges.
For the sake of clarity, let me remind all protective services professionals this simple fact, the protective services profession isn’t a profession for the light at heart neither is it for individuals who haven’t developed strong emotional and professional resilience skillset.
MY CHALLENGES Let me share some aspects of my life story and challenges that I believe gives me the ability to address this subject and offer some tips and proven suggestions that worked for me and for others.
The very important questions listed below are worthy everyone consideration: • If an experienced protection professional is lacking the emotional and professional temperament to accept differing viewpoints, how truly skillful is such a professional in effective communications, and how effective can such
In Africa – I was born in a third world African country that I will forever be proud and grateful for because of the real world training and preparation I received from the harsh realities of growing up. Fast forward for a second to my professional life as a protector that has legal residency in six countries in four continents of the world then you will understand and better appreciate how I got the deep information and country specific exposure to have very
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Feature informed opinions of life in certain regions of the world. Now back step to Africa and can see why without mincing words, I can confidently state that there are huge world differences between growing up in the toughest streets of a first class country and growing up in a corrupt third world African country. For starters back when I was growing up in a third world country most parents with growing kids don’t know the meaning of the phrase “A social safety net”, they don’t know it exists let alone know they are being deprived of it by the greedy and corrupt leaders. So if you are born in first class nation and having real worlds challenges either as a young adult or a full grown adult STOP and think about what am about to say next. Some of the challenges you may suddenly and unexpectedly experiencing as an adult are what some children were born into and died surrounded in.
“Always make the best out of what you have or don’t have”-- Unknown In the environment I grew up in, chances of survival were very slim if you didn’t have well-to-do parents or if you didn’t have a rich or influential relative that was willing to help you. I remembered that at age ten I was already street smart and knew how to defend myself from the absolute worst that society had to offer that included everything from ritualism to street trading and some even more insidious things. I also remember that by that age, every day presented very different survival challenges. The funny thing though is that the only thing that made a lot of us back then go to bed eager to wake up the next day was the hope we had for something better. As I grew older and ventured to Europe-Middle East-North America – Change of environment suddenly exposed me to new sets of unfamiliar challenges such as weather conditions, racial discrimination, culture clashes, language barriers, different social norms etc. Rejection from colleagues and supervisors took place and at work I was frequently denied information that would help me do my job well, advance in rank and be promoted. In countries where local language was a barrier, I received regular and direct verbal abuse from the places I took up temporary work. All the challenges I mentioned and more where issues I had to manage on a regular basis sometimes for much extended periods, until I was able to improvise adapt and overcome them. I can recall a time in Europe, I slept outside in my friend’s car during one cold winter because the wife of my host didn’t “like my face” and openly told the husband that I was going
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to be a professional threat to him. Now sleeping outside in the African heat, day or night, was no issue for me; but snow and winter was my nemesis (Laughing Hard) these natural phenomenon where foreign and extreme challenge to me. Throughout that period, I applied for several interesting job positions and was constantly rejected. One in particular was notably painful because I was openly rejected because of my country of origin and the color of my skin, the job interviewer told me this to my face and wasn’t bothered, I actually still thanked him for being openly truthful. I couldn’t sleep that night I questioned why I even left Africa only to come and be humiliated in a foreign country (Welcome to the Real World). Enlightenment & Wisdom After all the challenging experiences I was subjected to living life outside my home country, my enlightenment actually began the moment it hit me that nothing that I had passed through away from my home country was as emotionally traumatizing as the thought of becoming food for cannibals back home. I know at this point you are wondering if I used that word simply to make an exaggerated point. I did not. With this new mindset, I decided to start accepting and rolling with the challenges as they came the same way I was thought in jujitsu to use the attackers force against them. It all started making sense, what I had in my head was my biggest challenge I needed to cleanse my thought and change my Mindset to succeed. I needed to start seeing challenges different for me to be resilient and that’s exactly how I survived. Truth is all I have experienced had prepared me for the worstcase scenarios, my past challenges have proven to be my true life saver wherever I found myself stuck. My challenges toughened me and gave me the wisdom to manage different adverse conditions. My challenges had contributed in making me the emotionally and professionally resilient protector I am today. THE LESSONS I decided to use my personal story for this article, first because we often only hear people’s success stories, how great something went, the great things that happened or that they experienced, we rarely hear how bad something went or what it took to get to a particular moment in time. Some of the real world lessons learned and application from my personal story: • That If you want to be successful, great, achieve something original and meaningful with your life, you MUST learn to deal with failures, disappointments, rejection and criticism of all types. • That if you are as an example an artist or a professional of any kind your work, work application and even business proposal may be rejected by editors, curators, supervisors and even by an ordinary gatekeeper at the main entrance. • That each time you put your work or dreams in front
Are you emotionally ...
of the public, you expose yourself to possible failures, disappointments, rejection and harsh criticism and other realities of life. • That even if you are a business entrepreneur you will still face failures, disappointments, rejection and harsh criticism by (potential) competition, customers, partners and investors and that all these people won’t hesitate to criticize you justified or not if they are unhappy. • That if you are chasing your dream job you’ll receive your share of disappointing rejection letters and that some of this rejection letters may affect even your family and love life • That even when you land the job, taking flak when things go wrong is part of the deal. • That if you’re a protection specialist, it’s a battle to get on the team and if your performance isn’t up to scratch you’ll hear it from all sides - your detail leader, your team-mates and sometimes the Principal. • That if you’re a campaigner for change especially in an industry as ours (Protective services Industry) that is badly in need of change, you shall face inertia, resistance and hostility from everyone with an investment in the status quo. No wonder most people choose not to rock the boat. • Last but not the least, that failures, disappointments, rejection and harsh criticism can truly rob you of your dreams and makes you non-resilient, emotionally and professionally. As most of you would agree, my personal story isn’t unique because many people have experienced lesser, similar or worse challenges in life. Regardless of what your personal life story is or what prompts you to ticks you off emotionally to the extent that it affects our professional life. Remember these following facts of life: • That almost all humans without conscious preparation and training will react the same way to challenges such as failures, disappointments, rejection and harsh criticism. • That it is almost impossible NOT to take failures, disappointments, rejection and biting criticism personal and for very for valid reasons. • That anyone who says ‘don’t take some type of challenges personal hasn’t experienced it and as such doesn’t fully understand what it’s like when you have put in everything into something only to be hit by a major failure, disappointment, rejection or biting criticism.
• That as protection professionals we should be among the few that are required and duty bound to be able to consciously and effectively manage our challenges and not allow it emotionally deprive us of the benefits of knowledge sharing and professional networking. Some effective methods that have worked to helped me and others manage challenging situations both in my private and professional life while still maintaining my emotional and professional resilience. • Accept challenges as normal and start getting used to it as quickly as possible. It will help you better absorb the pain and get back into the fight • Sometimes when challenges come, accept and flow with it so that you can understand it and be able to redirect it away from you and better prevent it from happening the next time. See the challenges like a punch from a boxer and all good boxers and fighters must learn to take a punch at least to know what the opponent is capable of. • Are you still in the game? • Is the prize worth the price? • Find and use humor sometimes to manage challenges because there is power in humor and laughter which is why I always say “a smile a day keeps trouble away”. When challenged look for what makes you laugh either in the challenge or from something else. • Find and draw comfort from like-minded individuals or professionals who you share common values with. • Don’t give every challenge you face too relevance sometimes just ignore it and move on. • Challenge yourself before you are challenge because it helps you raise the bar sometimes higher than the challenge ANALYZE This- Sometimes we dream big, we think big, make big plans and do all we can hoping that all our dreams come to reality. Unfortunately because of real world challenges and the curve balls life will constantly through at us, our dreams may slip away. If you find that happening in your personal or professional life, take a moment to review some of my challenges, and know that if I can beat the odds, nearly anyone can. One reason for that? Because I am resilient, and you can be as well. Benjamin Alozie is the Global Director of International Operations at ICON Services Corporation and can be reached at B.Alozie@Industry-Icon.com.
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Keeping Your Edge
Keeping Your Edge No matter if you are escorting a diplomat to a meeting, driving a pastor to church service or waiting on a board meeting to end to move your client to his hotel suite, each area of protection work presents its own unique set of challenges. With that said, I thought it might be interesting for readers of “Keeping Your Edge” if I shared some of the actual activities (sanitized of course) involved with Protecting a celebrity on the day of a highly anticipated album release. To those involved with Celebrity Protection, it might just seem like another day at the office, while those immersed with other areas of the craft might think a one-way plane ticket to Bagdad might be the saner, if not safer, alterative. Itinerary Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 **Album Release Day** 9:30a Ground Pick-up 10:30-11:30a Breakfast Club Radio Interview 11:30a-1p Travel/Downtime 1-3p Sirius XM Radio Interview (1:00p) Sirius XM Radio Interview (1:20p) Sirius XM Radio Interview (1:40p) Sirius XM Radio Interview (2-3:00p) In studio performance with 3-4 songs in studio with 50 winners (*no video recording/ audio recording only approved) 3:00p
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Ground Pick-up 3:30-4p SIN station visit 4:30-5p E! News Interview (In Transit Phone Interview) 6-9p J&R In-store Autograph Signing Session 9:00-11:00p Dinner/Downtime 11p-until Private Release Event My day begins at 6:30am. One thing I should mention before we get too far is that the night previous ended at 3:30am, so that’s a full 3 hours of sleep. A quick dash down to the gym for a 30 minute workout, followed by shower and light breakfast and it’s out the door to brief the driver for the day. In a perfect world you would of course want a security driver. Baring that, you would want a driver you have worked with on a long-term basis, which understands how you do things and can keep up with the tempo. Unfortunately the real word dictates that more often than not you will have a recently contracted car service, and the driver will be whoever is available that day. That is why I make a special point in carving time into the schedule to meet the driver, get a feel for his capabilities, and brief him on the assignment parameters. This includes what I expect of him (drivers should focusing on driving) and what duties he may be accustomed to that I’ll be assuming, (I’d handle all the doors and windows of the vehicle). I deliver this in a
Elijah Shaw manner that does not make him feel diminished, but instead, incorporates him into the team.
I then proceed back up the client’s room to escort him to the vehicle located in the secure parking area and we are rolling (nearly) on schedule.
For the next 6 hours we engage in the process of shadowing the Protectee as he shakes hands, signs autographs, poses for photos, and in rare instances hugs fans, many of whom have waiting over 8 hours to see him. While you can calculate the time it will take for the client to greet each person in line and come up with an estimate of how long the “Meet and Greet” will take (see itinerary) you always have to account for the “human factor”. In this case the client intends to give everyone an opportunity to “feel special” as a way of showing his appreciation for their fan loyalty. That means a little extra conversation and interaction. Take your timeline, ball it up, and throw it out the window.
Upon arrival we pull up, I receive the all clear from the 2nd agent at which point he leads the way after debussing the Protectee. During the interview, which is in a secure location, we spend our time discussing the next stop as well as the day as a whole.
Upon conclusion, we place the exhausted Protectee into the vehicle at which point he is informed that with the In Store running much longer than anticipated, we would now have to forgo dinner plans and head directly to his Private Album release event.
Departure is much like arrival with the 2nd agent already curbside as we move the client to the car. After traversing heavy traffic, we have the good fortune of knowing that the next 4 radio visits all occur in the same (highly secure) building. Of note is the coordination of the “In Studio” performance, and “Meet & Greet” that will have fans in attendance.
At the site of the event, I found the VIP area to be less than ideal, and a hasty change was made. The next several hours were spent, regulating the flow of people around the Protectee (all invited guest). The vast majority of attendees knew the client personally and wanted to either congratulate him, or bask in the success of the occasion. Creating barriers for strangers is one thing, creating space and separation for associates is a science unto itself.
Next up is to receive a briefing on the sites we will be visiting from the second agent that is working with me on this assignment. The agent lets me know the estimated travel time between the hotel and the first radio station, the layout of the site and a general sense of what to expect.
The 3:30 station visit is much more low key, and it is then when I elect for the 2nd agent to head from here directly to the site of the autograph signing session to make sure all of the necessary arrangements are in place, including supplemental security, a secure “green room” for the client, and an adequate route that will navigate us past the 600 fans that have been waiting outside of the venue in a line that stretches 2 full city blocks.
At 4:00am the event winds down to a close at which point we escort the Principal to the vehicle and whisk him back to his hotel room. I discuss the highlights of the day briefly with the 2nd agent then wish him a good night and a quick rest, as the day begins anew in just 3 hours time. A day in the Life.
Elijah Shaw is the CEO of Icon Services Corporation and The National Director of the North American Bodyguard Association
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Feature
However confident we are in our own ability as a close protection operator, there are times when we have little option but to rely on those from other professions to complement our role of ensuring the safety of our principle. It’s fair to say that trying to form any kind of relationship with other members of a principle’s staff normally swings between two extremes...there’s either an almost immediate affinity or you know you’re in for one hell of a battle! A personal assistant who steadfastly refuses to take security seriously or a nanny who resents you being around the family at all can seriously hinder the job you’re being employed to do and how you’re able to do it. But one relationship, possibly more than any other, has the potential to either significantly aid the smooth running of your assignment or seriously complicate what you are trying to achieve...welcome to the world of the principle’s driver. This is where I can sit on the fence and see life on both sides because over the years I’ve been that CPO whose had to try
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By Andy Dubberley
everything and anything to build some kind of rapport with the bosses’ driver who has, in turn, gone to great lengths to make my life as awkward as possible. Equally, I’ve been the chauffeur who’s sat at the wheel gritting my teeth and biting my lip as I’m forced to work alongside a bodyguard with barely any communication skills beyond a grunt or a tour manager who’s seen far too many Kevin Costner movies and thinks he knows it all. This is where all that conflict management training we’ve done as part of our CP course comes into its own. Resentment is rife when you’re assigned to a principal that employs other staff, they see their own position as being undermined because working as a close protection operative means that you sometimes have little choice but to take the lead and give instruction. The first problem you often
DRIVEN TO SUCCEED encounter in the CPO-chauffeur relationship is the fact that the driver could well have worked for the principal for many years, is clearly trusted as a result and considers him or herself to be closer to their boss than any other member of staff. Consequently, their view will sometimes be one of ‘you can’t tell me anything’. Another occurrence that regularly rears its ugly head, especially within the celebrity world, is the chauffeur thinking that they already do a bodyguard’s job as part of their role. It doesn’t matter to them that they’ve had no formal training and in reality they have very little idea of what being a professional CPO entails, they still see themselves as the protector. It would be idiotic of me to tarnish all chauffeurs with the same brush because some are extremely capable individuals who would see working alongside a CPO as an opportunity to watch and learn and gain some new skills along the way. It is also the case that a CPO can learn a lot from a really good chauffeur, particularly when it comes to local knowledge and route planning. If you’re lucky enough to end up partnered with a driver who’s fully accepting of your presence and who has worked for your principle for a period of time, they will be an excellent source of high quality information regarding the person you’re being paid to keep safe. In order to understand why so too many chauffeurs lack any kind of coherent skill set or professional competence, it’s necessary to look at just how little a potential chauffeur or private hire driver has to do in order to become licensed in the UK and it appears that the US isn’t much different. The only requirement that exists to enable anyone to get licensed and become responsible for a passengers’ safety and security a short time later is a normal driving licence, a cursory Criminal Records Check and, in some but not all areas, a very basic local knowledge test. Although I am very proud to call myself a professional chauffeur as well as a CPO, I despair at the general standards displayed by many who frequent the industry, particularly in London. The chauffeur industry is its own worst enemy and it badly needs legislation and up to date regulation to completely overhaul it and dramatically raise these poor standards. One of the major problems in the UK is the disparity in licensing requirements throughout the country and so much could be achieved if one national organisation was formed to standardise licensing requirements and bring in a compulsory training programme of some kind. If I had my way even the old sweats wouldn’t escape because I can guarantee that many won’t have done even one day of formal training beyond an ordinary driving test and that could have been forty years ago! So, as a CPO, how can we attempt to forge that vital relationship with even the most amateur of drivers to ensure
the safety and security of our principal? Compromise and diplomacy are nice fluffy words which people use before they hug each other and go off to save the planet but they are key factors here. If you, as the bodyguard, go into a new assignment shouting orders and generally playing the big ‘I am’, I have little sympathy if you crash head-on into a wall of resentment and bad feeling. The best way then, is to go in with an open mind and give the chauffeur as much credit as possible for being in the position that he or she is. A little ego massaging goes a long way and if you can be gushing about how trusted they must be and how much the principle must think of them, (which is probably true) then they just might decide that you’re not that bad after all. If you display confidence, expertise and total professionalism in what you do, it is quite probable that they will ‘switch on’ and raise their game so they don’t lose face or give you reason to doubt their ability. Once you’ve got the basics of this, hopefully, fruitful relationship in place, it will prove more straightforward for you to gradually build on that and give them gentle instruction on how you want things done without putting their nose out of joint. On the other hand, if your principal employs a genuinely skilled and experienced driver, it should be much easier to communicate on equal terms and see the mutual benefits of working together and not against each other. As I mentioned earlier, a chauffeur at the top of their game will have as much to pass on to you, the CPO, as you do to them so it really could be a partnership made in heaven! Respecting each other’s abilities and experience is most definitely the way forward and it’ll be of huge benefit when it comes to you both being able to provide an effective and efficient service to the principle, which is the most important thing. Of course there will always be personality clashes, it’s human nature, but my view is that you have to get over it and be adult about such things (although I’m the first to admit that it’s not always as simple as that). In a perfect world, you’d be in the position of being able to pull in a driver you know well and trust implicitly to work alongside you but this, in my experience, is a rare occurrence. More often than not it’s a case of making the best of what you’ve got and when it comes to a chauffeur’s ability, it’s very much luck of the draw. I believe that any chauffeur who works at a high level in the industry should undertake a close protection or specific security chauffeur course so that they really do have the skill set to look after their principle properly but for far too many, ‘training’ seems to be a very dirty word.
Andy Dubberley ADS Chauffeur and Security Services Ltd www.adschauffeurservices.co.uk
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Feature
By Manhar Parshotam I have maintained a client from abroad for a period of six years now. This year I had one of the biggest events Durban had to offer from these clients. What an experience. Being a team leader for the last five years has brought me many things, from the ins and outs of close protection, to being a people’s person, dressing and hygiene. Every day as a team leader I learn something new, sometimes from the freshly trained candidate who is just looking to clock hours, to the client that has had many protection details before. This assignment was one of the quickest and deadliest I have had to handle.
is taken lightly and they wanted to know if we would provide the close protection and escorting details for celebrity’s and the teams arriving.
THE BEGINNING It all started three weeks before the event. My client followed the usual protocol, contacting us and informing us of their arrival and the usual. What did seem strange was that this time he was arriving with an unusual large entourage.
In the meantime my client being dictated by his sponsor started looking around for other suppliers. This did worry me as I now only had 1 week to plan and prep for a major event with local and international celebrities. So I started slowing down just in case another supplier does get it as I would have worked on plans without any luck of getting the work.
It still did not worry me as the operations were still going to be the same, one driver one CPO for him and his partner. Logistics they handle so there was not much work for me to do. Then he calls me for an urgent meeting at night, which was normal and drink plays a part in this. After 6 years our relationship grew and normally I would be invited to their parties and networking dinners with them. This meeting was an eye opener. The event was to be held in 2 weeks time and the funding for it was secured. Knowing this client nothing
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I did the usual, informed him of our company policy regarding large events and protection budgets and sent emails requesting principal’s information, event requirements, itineraries and so on.
ONE WEEK TO D DAY Monday night meeting, this had me worried. The client sits me down to tell me he is concerned about all these other companies visiting him and punting for work. He had credibility issues with them. Then he drops me with a bombshell. “Manhar I don’t want to worry about security, I will leave it all to you.” The shock had hit me five minutes after that statement, I
A DAY IN THE LIFE
had it all, which is good news but could it be done with just 5 days to go. I expressed my concerns to him. I still did not get any information from his office. I had no arrival and departure dates for anyone. I didn’t even know where the principals where staying. CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR – YOU HAVE WORK TO DO Tuesday morning, I was up on a high as any operator gets when summoned to work. Was I ready, or not. Trust me I sat down and did a prayer, emails the night before informed me that I had 32 principals with teams arriving that week. Only 1 principal provided me with her personal details. It took me 30 minutes to figure out a game plan, the client wanted me with him from today onwards, which meant I only had a Blackberry and an iPad to work with. My first point of call was my client’s office to urgently request all the information I asked for, which started dripping in but nothing solid. I believed the client withheld information until the last moment and this was a nightmare for me. I contacted the CEO of the company and we sat for a breakfast meeting, his words after speaking to the partners were – “Bring it on, clear your calendar, the client first. Do your best and your best will be good enough.”
GAME PLAN I engaged another team with the help of my CEO to take care of the event venue for me. Trust me this was a great help, now I could concentrate on getting my act together. My first email was to the POC at the airports requesting assistance. My second was to the police to get assistance. As the day went by I kept informing my client of my progress, even when assistance was not forthcoming I kept the client on par with me. I did this for one particular reason, if I failed at getting it, he knew and could not find fault in our services, after all the companies reputation was at stake. One of my issues was the airport; a reply email stated that help is at handed but limited due to the lack of time. The police issued me with a colonel’s number to assist at the airport and also for escorts to and from the airport. My client not satisfied with the answer, made a few contact calls and this jeopardized my entire operation. My POC at the airport, suddenly seemed very reluctant in assisting after a meeting called by the provincial government. I knew I was in for trouble. On advice from us the client agreed to arrange accommodation at one hotel, thank God for that. All I had
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Feature to do was sit with the management and tada – plans were in place for my teams, for parking and so on. QUALITY NOT QUANTITIY I sent the word out amongst groups to recruit freelance members for the details. My biggest mistake, one would think that South Africa would provide you with some of the best protection agents out there. I found and learnt through this operation that many are just persons with fraudulent information. One of them which I used as an overall manager had fake certificates, he pitched up improperly dressed, no equipment, and here comes the first claim – I worked in Afghanistan as a team leader. Agents from my office looked right thru him and informed me the first night that I made a mistake. Then came the lack of operational capabilities from members that he brought in. they all seemed to be friends of his and so on. I noted this on the first day and sat with him that night, discussing a possibility that I might relieve him of his duties if the need arises. He assured me of his experience and capabilities. Then I noted members without any information presenting for work and this was my last straw. I was stuck with a lot of incompetent staff and only had 24 hours to turn this around. My first staff meeting was held on Sunday night at 23:30, I called everyone to the hotel and sat with each one, after my interviews I was now sitting with only 10 percent of members who could actually work. Trust me everyone is a bodyguard, but no one was a professional. Thank you to my team of Dragons that were assigned to me for pulling strings and calling in people that could work! FIRST ARRIVAL My first arrival was a shambles, the cars came in last minute, my POC at the airport was playing hardball with me. He was obviously upset with the call that went over his head, which he later agreed with me. The following came out as major issues for me; • There were no porters to carry the clients luggage • We were not allowed into the arrivals area as permits were not issued by then • I had a crowd developing as people had found out about arrival times • Five minutes before the client lands, a media liaison individual calls me to arrange a press shoot for the event at the airport. If I had a migraine at that moment, I did not feel a thing – it all seemed like time just went by and finally, my principal walked out of the airport, into the motorcade and we were ready to go.
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Getting back to the hotel, I had an unhappy client waiting for me. We sat over dinner and we thrashed out the problems. We only had 2 more days to make it better. There was a bigger game plan to this, than just an event. I now carried the reputation of my country on my shoulders. If these celebrities were not happy, they throw a fit about it. My damage control came into play and this allowed my some free time away from the client. CHANGE OF PLANS That same night I called all my teams into a meeting. Pool side at the hotel, I changed everything. Firstly I moved my so-called management into the teams under our staff ’s control, much to my staff ’s disapproval. I made each team leader in charge of his/her team, and requested a daily meeting at the VOK with me before I met my client in the evenings. This allowed me to eliminate the worry of collecting receipts for expenses; dealing with staff issues and allowed me to collaborate my information from each reliable source. I then engaged an outside company to assist with the next arrival at the airport, they fast track customs, assist with luggage and meet and greet the principals on arrival. THE BIGGEST ARRIVAL YET One day before the event I met with the client for breakfast, issues arose again. My client’s credit card was maxed and renting of vehicles was going to be a problem for the biggest landing of international celebrities. Now I had another issue, no cars. I could have said that we were done for; I could have said I cannot help, hell I could have told him to piss off. What I did instead was out of protocol completely. I offered him our company credit card. Let me stress the risk I put myself in, COMPANY CREDIT CARD. Let me stop right there! THE DAY I FELT PROUD OF MYSELF Time was up for me; it’s the morning of the landings. All of the celebrities were landing on one flight. If I failed here, I failed in my duties as a team leader. No one would have told me anything, but I knew my reputation, the reputation of my company, the reputation of my city was at stake. As a team leader many of you are aware that phone calls and working on a wing is part of your duties. Stress is something you learn to deal with. Problems become a way of excitement for you. My first phone call came in, exactly one hour before they arrived. Their flights were split, international to JHB and the domestic to DBN. My team leader in JHB called to tell me that the flight landed and he had all the celebrities with him, the company we had arranged to assist with fast tracking made our job that much easier. I had one hour to arrange myself for DBN.
A DAY IN THE LIFE Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? I had it all arranged, meet and greets with government officials at the airport, parking arrangements at the airport; I had 300 policemen at my beck and call. The airport was busy, kids and families came in to see the celebs, press turned up by the dozens, even my POC at the airport turned up with an apology at hand. I used this to create a good rapport with him for the future, “now you owe me ten,” I said. It all ran like clockwork, my celebs were smiling. Some of my guys got into the press and on TV. Upon reaching the hotel with motorcade behind me, there’s my client standing at the main entrance with this huge smile across his face. He opened my door this time and said well done DRAGON; I heard from the celebs that they are all impressed. THE MAIN EVENT The main event went well and except for minor glitches back stage and crowd control the security all worked to ensure that all went well. The stars already started walking freely and also knew us all by our first names. It was magnificent to sit for a breakfast meeting amongst all these stars.
THE END I encountered many other problems and issues with my client and my teams in the field, this is the shortened version. I have never in my 10-year career in close protection and security encountered such an experience. This has made me, my company and team members a lot stronger now. Lessons were learnt and school fees were paid.
January 25-26, 2014 Orlando, FL Invitation Only For more info, visit www.ConquerTheSummit.com
Issue 20
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Interview
Mike Gillette’s bio describes him as a “Speaker, Author, Inventor and Peak-Performance Coach with a life story that reads like an action-adventure novel.” This includes being an Army Paratrooper, SWAT Commander, Government Counter-Terrorism Expert, Bodyguard to Fortune 500 Executives and a Record-Breaking Motivational Strongman. He describes himself as being passionate about making people better by teaching them to be stronger; both inside and out. His mission is the sharing of his mind/body improvement methods via speaking, workshops and private coaching. After following Mike’s informative and inspirational social media updates, I was keen to find out more about some aspects of his life and pick his mind about his thoughts on Executive Protection. If you like his style, add him on Facebook! Firstly Mike, congratulations on your Ripley’s Believe It Or Not achievement of having a 14-lb bowling ball dropped on you from 8 feet, 5 inches while lying on a bed of broken glass! What are some of your favorite feats of strength? Thanks Doug. Well it terms of notoriety, it’s hard to top that Ripley’s stunt for the moment. What made that stunt so ridiculous was not the bowling ball itself, but that I had an engineer come up with a way to get that bowling ball to impact my body with 6,000 pounds of force. That, plus the broken glass, is what made it “interesting.” What prompted your interest in the field of strength training? It really started over 30 years ago, once I had decided to join the Army. So, knowing that I needed to physically prepare myself, I joined a local gym. And being a young guy, I did what everyone else seemed to be doing. This was a good example of not knowing what you’re doing or having a specific goal in mind. So as a result, just spending time at the gym was considered productive. Once I was “in the Army”, I developed a much clearer idea of what kind of training was relevant to a soldier and I adapted my own training accordingly. At first I was simply concerned about getting perfect scores on the Army Physical Training Test or “PT Test”. This was a pretty simple proposition as there was only three tested
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activities: push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run. So if you know what constitutes a perfect score in each activity, you simply work towards the appropriate number of repetitions or times. This approach could accurately be described as “training to the test”. So all I had to do was lots of push-ups, sit-ups and running. Did it work? Yes, I hit perfect scores on every single PT test I took. But what I learned from that admittedly simplistic training approach was that if you really want something and you do the work, you’ll probably get what you want. In 1984 you had a serious rock climbing accident where you had a broken back and were told you wouldn’t be able to run again. Can you tell us a little bit about that and how you think that accident has affected your life for better or worse over the years. It was one of those kinds of experiences that shape your life in a meaningful way. And the lesson of that kind of experience is always up to you. At the time it was devastating. It happened after I had considerable success in the Army. I had just started attending college on an ROTC scholarship and things were looking bright. But my immediate prognosis after the accident was dire. Following surgery, I was expected to be able to walk again, but not run. And certainly no more jumping out of airplanes. To be able to turn that grim forecast into something positive took me over four years. And it took everything I had. Life ultimately turned out quite well, but when I was in the middle of it, things were very difficult. How did you end up in the field of Executive Protection? Like many of us, it was all about relationships. I was working for a training company which primarily served military and LEO customers. We were called upon to develop a training program for an EP company which would be used as an in-house “EP agent academy”. At the time, this EP company had a contract with a very well-resourced client. And the training program we developed was so well-received that over time we began to support that EP company on details for this client. Those details went well and
Mike Gillette each success would build on the next. We eventually became a prime vendor to that client and due to the close-knit world of EP work, were able to gradually expand our list of clients. So even though EP services were never considered at the company’s inception, EP services eventually became the primary revenue source for the company. It’s a very small industry of course. If you do well, everyone knows about it. Conversely, if you’re not very good at what you do, everyone will know that too. Then you simply disappear. As a self described “older and smaller member of the bodyguard field” did these attributes bring any advantages or disadvantages to the role? I do use that expression but I do so more in response to what some people expect a protective agent to look like. And many of us are quite average in appearance. There are no disadvantages that I can think of which would be associated with size, but my opinion here may simply be based on the kinds of clients that I’m used to. Our company is staffed with low-visibility, low-drama agents and we prefer to serve low-drama clients. And to be good at what we do, to make our clients comfortable, we need to blend into the background. It’s very easy for someone that is my size to do that. Age is an altogether different matter. It helps with some clients and circumstances and works against you in others. For example, there are nightclub venues where a guy my age looks really out of place. Some clients like an older agent to head up their estate team but some might prefer a younger one if there’s children. Then of course you can get into areas of special skills, such as scubadiving, snowboarding, being good with animals and so on. It’s more about being competent in general and finding ways to make what’s unique about you work suit the needs of the client. You can be a great agent, but you won’t be great for every client. Matching personalities is a huge part of this business and I think it has played a huge role in the success of our company. I believe you have recently turned 50. What differences do you find training at this age compared to say in your 20’s? The chief difference is how my body feels in general. When I was younger, training was more spontaneous because I could “get away” with doing more. And it was when I was young that I trained more like a bodybuilder, (not that you’d ever mistake me for one). So for years I did lots of benching, military presses behind the head, pull-ups behind the head and that sort of thing. I had been led to believe that those sorts of exercise were “hardcore” and that I was “hard-core” because I did them. In those days there was so much that I didn’t yet know about training and I didn’t realize just how much I was beating up my body. This led to a period in my early 40s where training was so painful and non-productive that I thought I might actually have to stop strength-training altogether. I think that this is something that many people experience and this is where many people give up. Thankfully, I was too obsessed to quit and through obsessive research as well as trial and error, I found ways to keep my training moving forward. Bottom line, when you’re 50, you learn not to take your strength for granted. So you do whatever you can to keep training… intelligently. You have a strong military and police background. Have you worked with Executive Protection personnel from a
civilian background and if so, have you noticed any differ ences? Yes, I and I haven’t noticed significant differences qualitatively speaking. If it’s a question about who makes the best agents, then I would say it depends. I am answering the question based on having trained both experienced agents and people who wish to become agents. So I have seen ex-cops, ex-contractors as well as civilians. And among these groups I’ve seen people who were very good at this line of work and those for whom EP work was just not the right fit. You have black belts in three martial arts. Can you tell us a little bit about this and the influence the martial arts have had on you over the years? The martial arts were something that I gravitated towards when I was young because I thought that if you were going to be a cop or a soldier, you needed to study the martial arts. It was that simple. Later, as I became involved in law enforcement the martial arts loomed larger on my vocational landscape. It was then that I realized that all of the best-known police trainers had deep martial arts backgrounds. So I kept at it. Ultimately, instructing the martial arts played a huge role in my development as a trainer. They taught me a lot about how to teach well, regardless of what the topic was that I might be teaching. You are aligned with the sports supplement company Triton Nutrition. How would you describe the role of nutrition in your life? Interestingly, while I’ve been fascinated by the study of nutrition for many years, I’ve never been much of a supplement consumer. This is probably because when I was much younger I was as taken in as the next person by the wild claims of supplement companies. And when those claims failed to materialize, I just found myself thinking about supplements less and less. So other than things like protein and fish oil, I just haven’t really participated in a lot of that. But ever since Triton put me on my very first strategicallydesigned supplement regimen, I’ve felt fantastic and my training has gone extremely well. Verdict? I’m a late arrival to the supplement party but very happy to have finally made it here. If you could pass on one piece of advice to people in the Executive Protection industry, what would that be? My best advice would be to get the right training from the outset. And while I may be biased on the topic of training, it’s simply because I helped develop the curriculum for the only protective services course to be accredited by a major university. A course taught by instructors who are active in the field, right now, at the highest levels of this industry. So perhaps the way I should say it is that my best advice is contained within PFC’s Protective Services Operator Certification Course. You have had an amazing career to date, what do you think the future holds for Mike Gillette? The future? More speaking, more writing and finding more ways to test myself. My interests have really moved into the realm of how to make people perform better, particularly in the realm of mental capabilities. This is the work that I currently find most interesting to me. If people want to find out more about what you are up to these days, where is the best place to look? For EP Training? www.pfctraining.com And for what I’m doing? www.mikegillette.com
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Feature
By Mark “Six” James EPS, CPO, CAS
The Weakest Link in the Protection Chain The Non Security Trained Driver A Tale of Three Cities A few years ago, I made a business decision to attend the very prestigious driving school Tony Scotti’s VDI. As a protection specialist and agent in charge, I often don’t drive my client’s, I usually occupy the front right seat of the VIP vehicle. Just because you aren’t driving doesn’t mean you have to give up control of the vehicle or not put your driving training to good use. Recently while working with one of my clients we did a quick three city tour involving New York City, Harrisburg, PA and Chicago. On this particular trip, I flew ahead and played the role of the advance agent. Whenever possible I try to work with our touring director or logistics manager to hire security trained drivers. Unfortunately those drivers are not always available. It has often been said that the weakest link in the protection chain is the non-security trained driver. Welcome to New York After flying into LaGuardia Airport my limo driver was awaiting me as I came down the escalator toward baggage claim. He asked if I had any checked luggage, I said no. As a seasoned traveler, I try to avoid checking luggage whenever possible. Unlike most limo drivers he never offered to assist me with my bags; but no big deal I normally carry or pull them myself anyway. As we prepared to exit the limo lot, we experienced extreme lot congestion. It took us 20 minutes just to get out of the limo lot. It normally only takes 20 – 30 minutes to get to midtown Manhattan from the airport. As we prepared to exit the lot, I could see my driver getting more and more anxious as the anxiety and frustration continued to build. I asked
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him if I was his first fare of the day he said yes, the earlier fare cancelled on him. As we departed the lot and made it onto the highway it was start/stop, speed up and brake etc. What I had was New York City cabbie in a suit, masquerading as a chauffeur driver. Good thing I was arriving ahead of the principal or was not drinking anything because if I was, I would have been wearing it. I then advised him, Dino if you need to try and catch up on another fare, please feel free to take me back to the airport and I will just pick up another car service. While my job exposes me to a certain elements of risk, this is one hazard I was not going to cosign. He then apologized and slowed down and agreed to take me off the bucking horse – roller coaster ride. As I changed car services for the remainder of our NYC trip and returned to greet the principal I gave the new driver my standard driver briefing which we will discuss later. Welcome to Harrisburg, PA Upon arrival in Harrisburg, I was met by a sharply dressed driver, who was well mannered, impeccably groomed but a little chatty. He had decent control of the vehicle so no real need to comment on is driving capabilities and his distance from the other vehicles was sufficient. I noticed he had two cigars nicely displayed in his shirt. I then commented, I see
The Weakest Link you can appreciate a fine cigar. He said absolutely. I try to smoke two a day. Knowing we would be working together for the next eight hours, I asked if he would not smoke during our time together, to avoid the smoke smell lingering in his suit or the vehicle. I explained our client was allergic to tobacco smoke. From the look on his face you would have thought I had just taken away his favorite hot-wheel toy. I then asked how long he had been driving. He said “I am a barber by trade, I just drive every now and then to pick up some extra money.” Immediately I thought about King Leonidas in the movie “300” when he meets Davos and the other Arcadians and he asked, “what is your profession and the various other soldiers go on to reply: potter, sculpture, blacksmith so much for my Spartan or trained security driver. Well at least I now understand why he was such a conversationalist being a barber by trade. Welcome to Chicago As we flew into Chi-Town we were greeted by the promotional liaison who advise us they will be dropping off our advance team at our hotel and the professional driver will be meeting me at the hotel a little later in time to pick up the principal. Later that evening arrives Bill a seasoned driver in his late 50’s who had been driving professionally for 20 years. As we took a ride to advance the routes prior to the principal’s arrival, I noticed he had excellent control of his vehicle and he actually went on to brief me about his background and that he had worked with many entertainers and not to worry he understands what is said in the vehicle stays in the vehicle, and that he should only speak when spoken to. As I continued to make mental notes, I said he is checking the boxes on most of the items on my virtual list. I had read about recent attacks on drivers for hire in Chicago, and I then asked Bill, if our SUV was being attacked what would he do? He said, “I don’t know probably freeze or wait and let you handle things.” I smiled and said, I appreciate your vote of confidence, but as our driver he plays a critical role in the safety of all involved. Since 42% of all assassination attempts happen in and around the vehicle our collective success was tied together. I told him we should both maintain our situational awareness and for him to stay alert to any instructions or commands I might give him throughout our time together. Later on that night we went out to dinner and as we debussed in front of the restaurant, I told him I wanted him to remain parked on the street in front on the restaurant exactly where he dropped us off. When it was time to depart the restaurant, I called to ask if he was there before we came down the stairs to the vehicle. He replied, “I am here.” As we walked down the steps, I opened the door asked by principal to pause and stay inside the foyer. I looked outside and did not see Bill. I called and he “said I am turning the corner now, I was parked in the lot around the corner.” I guess we had different
versions of what “here” means. After retiring the principal, for the evening, I me with Bill to prepare for the next day. I then asked Bill, if it had been an emergency earlier this evening, and I was trying to move the principal away from danger his being around the corner verses being in front of the building would have left us exposed. He apologized and never moved from where he dropped us off at again. He said if he was forced to move for any reason he would advise me prior to moving. Good answer! As we spent the next couple of days together I shared with him some additional security driver tips which would help enhance our collective safety. As I got ready to leave and he dropped us off at the airport he said, “Man you should come to Chicago and teach a session for drivers for hire.” I smiled and said not my lane but I have a good friend in New Jersey that I could recommend that could teach him all about navigating the vehicle and negotiating obstacles for protective situations as well as normal driving emergencies. He gave me a nice compliment saying he had learned more in 2 days with me than he had learned in 20 years of professional driving. From the above you can see these are ongoing challenges which agents are forced to deal with real time, everyday all around the world. To help minimize the challenges and strengthen the link in the chain below are some standard instructions, I review with all drivers to help enhance the safety and security of both our client as well as ourselves. Security Driver Instructions 1. Please make sure the vehicle is immaculate inside and out whenever you pick us up. 2. Please check to make sure the tires are properly inflated every morning before you pick us up. (If this is a large detail and we are working with a tactical commander, they would oversee these functions). 3. Please familiarize yourself with the routes prior picking us up. When possible I like to have the tactical commander or one of the other agents drive the routes with the driver to make notes of any choke points, hazards or other adverse conditions. 4. The driver should remain with the vehicle at all times (preferably seated in the vehicle). Any time you are parked waiting for us the vehicle should be backed in to make departing in an emergency easier. 5. I always ask the driver are you traveling with a firearm or any other weapon. If the driver says yes, I ask him to please lock it in the glove compartment for his safety as well as ours. If things were to become challenging, his singular focus is to drive and only drive. Most people don’t shoot well while they are driving or drive well while they are shooting. 6. Please avoid talking to the client unless he addresses you directly. Generally he will ask his questions through me. He often uses the drive time as a make shift green room to
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Feature
For additional safety tips visit www.pantherprotectionservices.com. Mark “Six” James is Founder and Executive Director of Panther Protection Services, LLC, and an internationally published author. Panther Protection Services is a full service protection agency focusing on Risk and Crisis Management, Executive Protection, Self-Defense Training, and Firearm Instruction. For firearms or self-defense training contact info@pantherprotectionservices.com
relax and prepare for the day, evening or next event. 7. The only thing we should focus on in the rearview mirror should be the traffic as all conversions in the vehicle are privileged and confidential. 8. Please leave the radio off until requested, he will let us know if he wants to hear the radio or a CD. 9. Please do not place any newspapers or magazines in the vehicle unless specified by us. 10. Please refrain from smoking during our time together (This is often a challenge with drivers in Europe and Asia). 11. Please avoid eating while in the vehicle when you are on break (this helps us keep the vehicle clean and eliminate odors). 12. During travel and when we are stopped at intersections always make sure you can see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you (this allows us the ability to navigate around it in the event of an emergency). 13. Please no texting while driving. If you need to text or update a GPS coordinate please do so before we leave or pull over to a secure location and handle it accordingly. 14. Please avoid using your cell phone (hands-free only) while the vehicle is in motion unless you are communicating with one of the other vehicles in the motorcade and the communication is directly related to
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our current movement. 15. Upon arrival and prior to debussing please keep the doors locked. I will unlock the doors when it is time to debuss. In general I try to control everything on the right side of the vehicle or left side of the vehicle in the United Kingdom. 16. If we are meeting an advance agent or other forward personal please stop the vehicle headlights at the advance agent or other forward person (do not pull forward to the VIP’s door). 17. Always pull up to place the client curbside when it is time to debuss. Please maintain a 3 foot minimum clearance away from the curb. This helps avoid the embarrassment or security issue of having an agent or the principal pinned in the vehicle and helps ensure a stable platform for footing. 18. If we are not able to keep the vehicle parked at the location where we debuss, I always want you to be no further than 30 seconds away from my voice. 19. We ask that you please reframe from asking for an autograph and photograph. 20. We appreciate your assistance and look forward to working with you. This helps ensure we both finish the assignment with a satisfied client (also helps avoid having to replace a driver).
Beginners By Paul “Rock” Higgins
Beginners, do you love them or hate them? Well for starters they are the life blood of any training school and they keep you in business. But why if you are experienced at what you do is it good to train with them? Little knowledge, uncoordinated, little control, possibly unfit and dangerous to themselves and others. Funny that last statement, isn’t it supposed to be the experts who are dangerous, though to others and not themselves? The main thing about beginners is that they do not act the way they are supposed to, they do not perform the techniques the way they are supposed to and it doesn’t matter what system they are learning, unarmed, armed, firearms it is all a muddle which to an experienced person and training partner can be frustrating. Hang on a minute, what I have just described is what happens on the street, uncooperative and unresponsive enemies with their own game plan who will not act how you think they should act in relation to your combat system and if untrained do not react or if trained do not respond as you are used to your training partners responding. You can’t get the pistol out of the beginners’ hand because his wrist is too stiff or his finger is on the trigger and
you don’t want to damage it. You can’t get the arm lock on because his arm bends the wrong way. You don’t like practicing with them because when they go to punch or kick you they try to take your head off or their kick is wrong and you cannot stop it because that is not how you were taught to stop that kick. WOW sounds just like on the street. Everyone likes to train with people of there own skill level where your training partner plays nice and your technique looks great, you can actually sometimes hear the groan when the beginner comes around to train with the experienced student. We were all beginners at one time and in reality we still are, we all have instructors who are more experienced than us and we train alongside students who are more experienced or advanced than us. So don’t look down on the beginner because you are still one yourself, learn from them as much as they can learn from you. Once a teacher, always a student. Stay Dangerous
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Feature
By Chris Bradford
While an alert Close Protection Operative is aware of potential threats, the principal is often oblivious to the dangers and even more to the vigilant work you’re doing to protect them. As an international best-selling author and a trained CPO, I have experienced both sides of the coin. I am pleased to report that my interactions with CPOs have invariably been good. When I appeared at the FNAC flagship store in Paris for a samurai sword display to launch my first book series, Young Samurai, I was assigned two security professionals. The FNAC security team regularly deals with high profile celebrities and the risks associated with such principals - only the previous week Christina Aguilera’s appearance had generated massive crowds.
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While my event didn’t trigger such a frenzied crush of fans, Thierry and his associate treated me with the same respect and protection they’d afforded the famous pop star. Their manner was professional, polite and helpful as I was escorted to-and-from the stage and then ‘protected’ during my postevent signing.
I was in the Green Room showing my samurai sword to a couple of interested guests, when a Royalty Protection Officer approached me. He politely yet firmly asked whether I intended having the weapon when I was presented to Her Royal Highness.
Although with my samurai sword in hand, I did wonder if they should have been protecting the audience from me!
‘Well, I normally use it in my show… but I could use a wooden replica on this occasion,’ I replied cautiously.
Another key encounter involved the Royalty Protection Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. The Duchess of Cornwall was attending the ‘The Biggest Book Show on Earth’ for World Book Day and, prior to her arrival, the security advance party swept the venue.
‘That would be appreciated,’ said the officer. Then with a smile, he added, ‘I’m sure you’re very quick with that sword, but I should point out that a bullet from a Glock 17 pistol travels at 375 m/s. So while I wouldn’t want to put it to the test, I guarantee I’d beat you to the draw!’
Circuit Magazine
The Other Side of the Coin
Considering the sensitivity of a royal member being present and the lethal nature of a samurai sword, this encounter could have been confrontational. But the officer in this case handled the situation with courtesy, tact and humour. A winning combination for any CPO. Both these experiences occurred before I acquired any personal knowledge of close protection. As a children’s author I strive for authenticity in my books. So when it came to writing my new series, BODYGUARD, I decided to train and qualify as a professional CPO. The bodyguard course (provided by Wilplan Training Ltd) turned out to be the most challenging and demanding research project I’d ever embarked upon. With my martial arts training, I thought I was quite self-aware – yet, as a result of the course, I’ve learnt to take nothing for granted. As a civilian with no military background, it was truly an eyeopening and informative experience. One of the biggest revelations was the amount of focus and attention to detail that a professional CPO needs. Rather than just relying on muscle and intimidation, I appreciated that the best bodyguards possess intelligence, people skills, quick thinking and total awareness of their environment. By the end of the three-week course, I’d officially crossed the line from principal to bodyguard. As a result I now hold a huge amount of respect for the people who work in the security industry and realise just how tough a job it is. I hope the following tips from the principal’s viewpoint, whilst not applying to all situations or working relationships, may help you to span the divide between principal and CPO: 1. The average principal knows nothing Few people outside the industry have any idea what a CPO really does or realize how many potential threats exist on a daily basis. What appears obvious to you will not necessarily be the case for the principal. This doesn’t mean they lack common sense, it’s just they’re uninitiated in the basic skills of close protection. If appropriate, briefly explain your role to the principal.
2. Don’t take it personally if the principal doesn’t want to talk to you At a busy event or public appearance, the principal may have to be engaged with countless people: talking, listening, promoting and answering questions for a significant period. Prior to it, they’ll need time to gather their thoughts and energy and, afterwards, they’ll probably need a moment of ‘social recovery’. Don’t take this silence as rudeness. In fact, they’ll appreciate your unobtrusive presence more than you’ll ever know. 3. The personal touch During a busy engagement, the principal often misses out on refreshments and may have another event to attend. Have bottled water waiting in the car (or even better the principal’s preferred drink), and fresh pre-packed snacks and fruit to hand. The well-prepared CPO stands out if they’ve gone that extra mile to care for the principal’s needs. 4. Treat all principals the same Making a principal feel on an equal standing to other VIPs is a great way to win them over. It’s not about inflating their ego, rather the reassurance that you apply the same professionalism and manner to them as you do to higher profile clients. You never know which up-and-coming principal is going to be the next big star! 5. A touch of humour goes a long way Just as the Royalty Protection Officer dealt with the samurai sword issue, a light-handed, relaxed approach to encounters not only diffuses any potential conflict, but reassures the principal of your ability to manage security issues effectively and without damaging their image or reputation. To conclude: the manner you interact with a principal (and their fans) is often as important as how effectively you protect them. Chris Bradford’s first book in the BODYGUARD series: HOSTAGE is out now (£6.99, Puffin) – www.bodyguard-books.co.uk
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Medical By Dean Bateman
Circulation Part 2
Following on from articles about breathing assessment, chest injury and its management, Prometheus Medicalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Instructor, Dean Bateman, continues the series on <C> ABC with part 1 of Circulation.
All Photographs ŠPrometheus Medical Ltd 2013
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Circulation Part 1 This article will deal with assessment and management of circulation. After the recognition and management of catastrophic haemorrhage, and airway and breathing, a rapid assessment of the circulation should be carried out to identify any other injuries that may lead to further blood loss and assess the patient for signs of hypovolaemic shock. The rapid assessment should comprise of feeling for a radial pulse to estimate the patient’s blood pressure and to measure the patient’s heart rate, followed by identifying areas of hidden breathing, remembered by the phrase “Blood on the Floor and Four More.” Blood on the Floor ‘Blood on the Floor’ means external blood loss. Estimating blood loss from the pool or splash of blood is notoriously difficult - a small amount of blood may look devastating on a tiled floor, compared to a catastrophic amount of blood loss soaked up in sand or carpet. Therefore, time should not be wasted trying to figure out how blood has been lost by examining the pool of blood. • At this point any external bleeding should be arrested using a good quality pressure dressing such as the Olaes® Modular Bandage. Assess if the wound needs packing
with gauze before application - this will ensure the wound is compressed rather than just covered. For significantly bleeding wounds, consider applying an haemostatic gauze such as ChitoGauze® XR Pro. • Check any tourniquets that have been applied under <C>. Wounds that were bleeding catastrophically, which are now controlled by application of a tourniquet should now be dressed. • Dress any complete or partially amputated limbs with a large sterile dressing like the Blast® bandage - even with a tourniquet in place, bone ends will often bleed as they have their own blood supply. This will also help reduce infection, potentially reducing mortality later on. Four More The ‘four more’ are sites where bleeding can be hidden and where blood loss can potentially be substantial. After the arrest of external haemorrhage, consideration should be given to these sites, which include: • Chest • Abdomen • Pelvis • Long bones (femurs) The last article covered the assessment and management of chest injuries and in the next one I will cover the recognition
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Medical and management of internal bleeding and fracture management. 7% of body weight is circulating blood - in most adults this is approximately 5 litres. The heart is the pump, which continually pushes blood around the system through the blood vessels. Arteries are the vessels that carry oxygenated blood to organs, muscles and tissues. Veins are the vessels that transport the blood carrying carbon dioxide back to the heart and lungs for oxygenation. Continuous oxygenation of the body’s tissues is essential to maintain life. Shock is a clinical diagnosis detected by the recognition of certain physical signs produced by the body’s response to poor tissue oxygenation. The assessment of the circulation should include assessing for signs of shock to give the medic an indication of blood loss and severity of injury. Shock may develop from a variety of causes including: • Hypovolaemic Shock Low blood pressure caused by loss of fluid, most commonly blood loss, but it may also be caused by severe dehydration, vomiting, diarrhoea and large burns. Hypovolaemic shock is the commonest form of shock seen in trauma patients. • Cardiogenic Shock A poorly functioning heart, usually caused by a heart attack.
• Septic Shock Severe infection leading to dilation of the blood vessels, which results in a drop in blood pressure and poor tissue oxygenation. Assessment of Shock • Conscious level The patient’s conscious level is a useful marker of adequate brain and tissue oxygenation. By definition, a fully alert and orientated patient must have a sufficient amount of blood to oxygenate the brain. Early warning signs to look for are anxiety, confusion and agitation - these subtle signs could suggest a slight lack of oxygen to the brain and shouldn’t be ignored. • Respiratory Rate The respiratory rate should have been assessed as part of the chest assessment. The brain detects a drop in oxygen levels and responds by increasing the respiratory rate to compensate. Beware, as the brain and heart become more and more starved of oxygen, the respiratory rate will slow down until breathing completely stops. Normal adult respiratory rate is 12 – 20 breaths per minute, though an acceptable range is considered 10 – 30 breaths per minute in the injured patient.
• Neurogenic Shock Very low blood pressure due to dilation of the blood vessels, sometimes seen when the spinal cord has been damaged.
• Heart Rate An increase in heart rate maybe one of the earliest signs of shock. This is the brain’s response to a reduction in oxygen. In the injured patient a heart rate above 100 beats per minute at rest should be an indicator that the patient has lost, or is continuing to lose, blood until proven otherwise.
• Obstructive Shock Low blood pressure caused by a constriction of the major vessels in the chest (tension pneumothorax) or blood trapped around the heart (tamponade) reducing its pumping action.
• Skin Colour and Capillary Refill Patients in shock typically appear pale or grey in colour, with cold and clammy skin. This is due to the vessels constricting at the surface of the skin, prioritising blood flow to the heart, brain and internal organs. Capillary refill
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Circulation Part 1 time will be slowed to more than 2 seconds. This can be tested by pressing the nail bed or pressing a thumb on the sternum for 5 seconds - the colour should return in less than 2 seconds indicating adequate blood flow to the tissues. • Blood Pressure A rough estimate of the patient’s blood pressure can be assessed by taking the radial pulse. A radial pulse that can be felt indicates the blood pressure is above 80mmHg. In a healthy adult this should be enough pressure to oxygenate the brain. Therefore, if the patient has a reduced level of consciousness with a palpable radial pulse, other causes of
unconsciousness should be considered such as head injury or airway obstruction. In summary, scene safety, assessment and management of catastrophic haemorrhage, airway and breathing should be carried out - once this has been completed, assessment of the circulation should be carried out assessing for signs of shock and further blood loss using “Blood on the Floor and Four More.” The next article in this series will cover the recognition and management of fractures.
Dean Bateman is Prometheus’ Chief Instructor and has 20 years of experience of responding to medical emergencies in ambulances, fast-response paramedic cars, physician supported units and helicopters. In addition to his work in the UK, Dean also has experience of teaching in immediate medical care and providing medical cover in hostile environments across Africa.
Feature By Paul Ingram
The importance of conducting ‘quality’ pre-deployment hostile environment CP training The nature of the typical security contracts now being awarded to the many Private Security Companies (PSC’s) on the hostile environment circuit today, has seen a dramatic shift from well-funded government regeneration/infrastructure type contracts to those of a more commercial nature, such as the oil and gas industry contracts in Iraq. How does this affect us as Close Protection Operatives (CPO’s)?
In the past, those well resourced ‘cost plus’ government contracts allowed the PSC’s to have in place an in-country induction training team. Those teams were tasked with the induction training (typically 7 to 10 days) of former soldiers, many of whom had no formal CP training or qualifications, in order to get them up to a minimum standard to then take up a position as an operator in a security escort team. This was an excellent and vital package for any newly hired CPO, as those of us who enjoyed quality military careers, certainly then got to appreciate the different skill-set required to be applied in order to become a Hostile Environment CPO (HECPO). Although related, and critical for anyone considering a career in HECP, our military careers do not fully prepare former soldiers for them to hit the ground running on their first contract. HECP Licensing
The industry standard Level 3 CP courses (or rather, the more reputable ones), do go some way in delivering the basic (softer) skills of close protection through the fifteen modules as laid down by the SIA, but this course was specifically designed for those wishing to embark on a career in executive protection, typically in the UK, and is a requirement in order to then apply for the SIA front-line licence in close protection. As is commonly known, the SIA licence has now largely become a requirement for most contracts on the HECP Circuit, since the unfortunate event in Baghdad a few years ago when an unlicensed CPO with no CRB checks attacked and killed two colleagues after a drinking fight.
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The licensing of CPO’s and more importantly in my opinion, HECPO’s, should be a critical and fundamental requirement. Therefore, why is it that HECPO’s do not have to undergo specific to role training for the environments and job that they are hired to undertake? Surely it is a duty of care for all HECPO’s to undergo recognised and relevant training and to then be issued with an equivalent licence to that of the SIA, specific to hostile environment close protection? This training must be relevant and delivered by experienced HECPO’s and Team Leaders (TL’s) with vast operational experience, and not by someone who simply holds an up to date teaching qualification! Obviously, the commercial client (quite rightly), does not see why they should pay for the initial training of a newly hired HECPO, as they fully expect him to be trained and capable of taking up a position as an operator within a security escort team the minute they arrive in country. And why shouldn’t they? This is a commercial business we are in, and what other business would hire and retain the services of someone who wasn’t capable of carrying out the duties that they had been hired to conduct? Continuation training has largely always been left down to the TL to take the lead on, with direction from regional management based on the client’s requirements in order to remain contract compliant. But most TL’s on commercial contracts simply do not have the time or resources to now run through a full induction package for the new boy, as those who are working on commercial contracts will tell you, they typically work seven days a week for 12 hours a day.
CP training So what is the answer?
The training team at the Perseus academy believe it lies with quality hostile environment (close protection) predeployment training conducted in the UK prior to arriving in-country’ at a venue that can realistically replicate the environment and situations the newly hired HECPO is likely to encounter in Iraq or Afghanistan. This is NOT to be mistaken for hostile environment awareness training (HEAT) that is designed specifically for the civilians (or clients) that the HECPO is hired to protect. Subject’s specific to operating in places like Iraq and Afghanistan that are not taught as part of the fifteenmodule Level 3 SIA course should form the basis of the training. Those subjects being: • Introduction to operating as a HECPO • Pre-deployment requirements for a HECPO • The importance of cultural awareness and community outreach in hostile environments • Reacting to medical and trauma crisis in a hostile environment • Reaction to mounted and dismounted ambush in a hostile environment • Tactical driving • Safe weapon handling (WHT’s) and Rules for the Use of Force (RUF) and Graduated Response (GR) • Assessment of leadership credentials (most teams are Local National heavy these days) • Assessment of ‘robust’ physical fitness levels
Just as importantly, only those with ‘quality’ and proven military backgrounds should be able to undertake this training. I know I wasn’t the first HECPO to witness civilians with absolutely no historical military or police experience, swaggering around Baghdad’s International Zone with an AK47 strapped to their ill-fitting rig. However, I certainly hope that I will be the last! To conclude; with the inception of the International Code of Conduct (ICoC) for Private Security Companies that most of the PSC’s have signed up to, agreeing to a minimum standard across the board, surely it is time to introduce and then implement the need for quality specific to role hostile environment close protection training and licensing for former soldiers prior to arriving at their theatre of operation? Duty of care is a commonly used statement on the Circuit today and rightly so. Therefore who could argue that it is now time to begin applying it in relation to hostile environment close protection training?
Paul Ingram Chief Instructor Perseus Academy E: paul.i@perseusrisk.com W: www.perseusrisk.com
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Review By Scott Geddes Maritime Security Consultant & SIA Licensed Close Protection Officer
Why MIRA? Well I have been involved in several incidents during both my time in the military and private security incident. During the early days in the military first aid was taken for granted as something REMFS done, by everyone in my battalion, however once the Iraq and Afghanistan wars started I quickly realised how important first aid actually was and took part in as many team medic cadres and extra first aid training as I could. I completed FPOSi during the Phoenix CP course however after a year in the industry FPOSi is becoming more popular making it a little harder to make your CV stand out. I have been very proactive, completing courses both while I am away and while I am at home and decided that improving on my first aid would be a good way to give me that little extra edge towards gaining more employment in the future. So why Exmed’s MIRA? Well I had been looking at SOS Groups EMT – B course based in Guatemala as I liked the look of the clinical attachment, however due to it being 3 weeks long and due to my rotation I wouldn’t be able to fit it in. So I started looking at other options and I quickly noticed that MIRA was recognised by many of the big employers including G4S and CRG. Yes the course is only 5 days compared to the 20 of the EMT-B course but unlike the EMT course you need to have completed the 5 day FPOSi to be able to get a place on the MIRA course. So I booked onto Exmeds’ course for the first week of my leave. Upon booking the course I had to prove I had an in date FPOSi qualification by emailing them a scan of my certificates and then I received my joining instructions and a 144 page PDF file via email for pre course reading. Monday - Day 1 Upon arrival at Pengethley Manor Hotel this is their new training area and we are the first course to use the facilities here, it is very impressive as it is a beautiful estate (There is accommodation provided here full board, I however booked myself into a Travelodge a little further up the road). I made my way into the reception where I was guided to a room with the rest of the students, where G10 desert boots, Craghoppers and The North Face bubble jackets/body warmers must have been on the packing list that I missed. The students were mainly CP with a couple maritime guys and a girl from the BBC. The instructors took us to a class room where they introduced themselves and the course and what we could expect from the course. Their backgrounds were impressive, paramedics from
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the UK and USA, CMT1, anaesthetist/offshore medic and an Aussie army medic. All of whom are current as Exmed rotate their instructors around through the various placements that they have around the world. We were given a very professional looking booklet/hand-out including all the course material, an Exmed pan and a little key ring with a face mask inside! We then had to complete a short written assessment to check where our medical knowledge was. Our lessons started with airways and the lesson was more in depth than anything I have previously done, covering the pneumonic COLMA and yes there was also surgical airways, and ended with a round robin of practical scenarios, one of which was on surgical airways using pig tissue. It was explained several times that this should only be used as a last resort. I found this really helpful as before I had only watched videos of this being performed or been taught it with an ex American SF soldier, obviously without the chance to practice it. We also had a chance to practice basics such as the chin lift on a real person, again something I’ve never had a chance to practice except on a dummy, again it was explained that basics done well can make the difference and things like the surgical airway are a last resort. We also had a practice using different types of airways, which ones to use and when as well as how to measure up the casualty for the correct size. After airway we moved onto breathing as per the pneumonic CABCDE. Again we went into more depth with this than I had previously done, another pneumonic FLAPS TWELVE was to be learnt, as we were going through subjects like flail chest, tension pneumothorax (this is no longer taught on military team medic cadres), emphysema etc learning how to recognise and treat them. Another good part was again using pigs, we were shown pigs lungs and shown what happens with sucking chest wounds and tension pneumothorax’s using clear plastic bags as the chest. Tuesday – Day 2 Day 2 kicked off with some practical that we never had a chance to do the previous day. We practiced, auscultate and percussion which I had never done before. These are clearly important skills to have if you have to look after a casualty for any length of time before
Exmed MIRA hospital treatment is available, as they can help diagnose various chest problems. We also practiced other breathing skills such as using the bag and mask to help someone breathe before we moved onto needle decompression. Needle decompression is something that I have had lessons on before during my time in the military with an American SF soldier, however I never had the chance to practice it. We were taken through it on a dummy, which was good as it isn’t really a hard procedure to do, but before I would never have had the confidence to do it. Circulation was next on the agenda, covering tourniquets, Israeli dressings and fluid therapy. Again, this was taken in a round robin type class in small groups. The tourniquet and dressings were the same as my military training and drills that were used during my time in Afghanistan. The fluid therapy was new to me, and enjoyed the practical sessions, again practicing IV and F.A.S.T.1. on dummies. During the practice sessions we were constantly reminded when to use fluids and that their use could be dangerous, and that the course was developed for Remote Areas. I know that some medical practitioners look down on lowly people of my calibre using such techniques, however working in the maritime security industry I may not have the luxury of having a paramedic/ doctor with the relevant skills and equipment to save the casualty for hours or even days, so learning these skills and how and when to use them safely and correctly, could indeed save someone’s life, if I can keep them alive until further medical assistance can be provided. We finished off day 2 by going through a scenario in our groups, with a dummy casualty and swapping first aiders to keep everyone thinking. Wednesday – Day 3 Day 3 began with drugs, we learnt about several types of drugs their doses and when to give them. It was emphasized that we would need to check with our employer that we would need to check if we are legally allowed to administer any drugs that they had provided in the med kit. This section is clearly something that would need a lot of revision as it’s so important to get this right, as any mistakes could potentially be fatal. The next subject to be covered was head injuries, where we covered pupils with the pneumonic PEARL as well as a reminder on things from FPOSi such as checking for skull fractures etc. We then touched on burns and medical conditions again as a reminder to the FPOSi course with a little extra including giving fluids to a burn victim and the Parkland Formula for that, and then going over diabetes, epilepsy, anaphylaxis and asthma. The day was finished off by moving through several scenarios in groups of four, where we took turns being the medic/TL and treating casualties in various different incidents. Thursday – Day 4 Revision from the previous lessons was first today, where we were getting asked lots of questions on all the subjects covered. After the revision there were lessons on environmental injuries, both hot and cold, before we broke for lunch. After lunch we moved to an RTA scenario where we learned how to safely cut the roof off a car and remove a casualty, using only basic equipment which consisted of a wood saw and a hack saw. Both of
which do not take up much space and can be packed into vehicles before your expedition starts. This was a good practical lesson, not something aimed at HE CP, but could be useful for incidents in other remote areas such as south America or Africa. There was then another break where we could revise or practice any skills or drills with the instructors on hand, while we waited until later for the practical scenarios later in the evening. The practical scenarios consisted of us splitting into groups and then attending the scene of a “plane crash”. There were real amputees acting as casualties with all the make-up, fake blood etc. Using the real amputees as I had done in the military was good, the girl from the BBC who was in my group looked a little shocked at the fact though! We treated the casualty as we would unless we wanted to do any surgical airways where we were taken to a pig throat to carry out the technique or IV where we were taken to a prosthetic arm with blood in the veins, where we carried out that technique. Afterwards there was a BBQ that we were all invited to (previous days only lunch had been included in the course price). After the BBQ it was time to retire and revise for the tests tomorrow! Friday – Day 5 – Test day Test day kicked off with some revision, one of the instructors went round the class asking various questions, before we were split down into 2 groups, one group doing the written test first and one group doing the practical test first. I was doing the practical first. Set out similar to a military team medic cadre, I went to the area outside where I collected my med bag and made my way to a casualty after being briefed by the examiner. I was part of a patrol in Afghanistan when my client had been shot, then he fell into a wadi. I assessed the scene and sent an ETHANE report before moving in and seeing that Injuries sustained were a catastrophic bleed to the upper left leg to which I put on a tourniquet, straight away before moving onto ABCDE. On B I noticed that he also had a tension pneumothorax probably sustained from the fall so needle decompression was needed. He also had a suspected head injury due to his pupils responding slowly to light. After successfully treating the casualty it was onto the written exams. The first was around 100 questions long with the pass mark set at 70%, the second included watching videos and answering questions on them, including what injuries we would expect to find and what treatments we would give. After everyone had passed, including those who needed retested, we were given a good closing brief and were told that if we had any questions, used first aid from the course, were looking to buy kit or do more courses to send them an email, even if it wasn’t Exmed kit or courses. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the course, and feel that I have benefited from it by improving my first aid skills. A friend on the circuit send me a Facebook message asking how I got on, and told me that for him it opened up more opportunities and said that employers liked the MIRA qualification. I know that having successfully completed this course does not make me a paramedic, however it is a good course for exactly what it is aimed at, TEAM medics, keeping someone alive until you can get them into hospital or medical care.
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Feature By Raffaele Di Giorgio
To the executive protection specialists and their agencies, I present one question. What is your purpose? I like to believe that in one sentence. “Where talents and the needs of the world cross, therein lies your vocation. “ Aristotle summarized and could have saved us years of career counseling, especially as it relates to this field. Over the past several years, I have spent a great deal of time consulting individuals and agencies on the process of discovering themselves. It is sometimes amazing that not only do people who are relatively new to the career field, but well-established companies as well can take days or sometimes weeks to answer the above question concisely. Let’s take a couple of minutes to look at the verbiage and the ideas behind this. Talent “n”: Natural aptitude or skill. Needs of the world: Self evident, as I believe we all understand and accept the fact that the world needs protectors and protection.
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Vocation “a”: a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action. If protection work is truly your vocation, or calling, then your passion or purpose for being in the field will supersede any and all obstacles that could possibly be put in your way. On the other hand, I have found that people that come into this field, or any field, halfheartedly or thinking that it is the means to an easy paycheck tend to enjoy an immense amount of frustration, anxiety, and eventually move on to other fields. If that is the case, then other field should be their vocation. As a business owner, I review hundreds of resumes every year, I also review dozens, if not hundreds, of agencies solicitations and promotion products (websites, pamphlets, and marketing material) and I always encounter a variation of the same the same message. Key examples are under, Objective; To find a job in the
What is your purpose?
“Where talents and the needs of the world cross, therein lies your vocation.” Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) executive protection industry, to become part of the team, to continue to grow in the industry, stating the skill sets that the applicant believes are important to either the job announcement or to the hiring authority. For the agency or business marketing materials, the same pattern seems to repeat itself as the same message is continually put out there. “I am chasing your business, I want you to write me a check, I want to sell you my services, we do it better than the next guy, we are cheaper, or less expensive than our competitors.” For the sake of clarity, I want to ensure that everyone is using the same definition of purpose. Purpose “n”-The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. Please understand that this article is not in reference to branding, whether personally or businesswise, as I believe branding comes later after you’ve identified your purpose. Nor is the intention to tell you how to market yourself. Rather, I would like to spur everyone who is reading this article to take a few minutes and do an honest self-assessment of why you are in this business or any other business that you care to call your profession, calling or career. When speaking to protection and medical specialists throughout the years, I have found that the ones that are continuously unemployed or underemployed to be the same ones that cannot give a crisp and concise answer to the question presented. “What is your self-assessed purpose?” Just the same as has been said for many professions, this profession is not for everybody. As evidenced by the sheer number of people that come into the profession make it for a few years and then are never heard from again. Developing skill sets, competency and industry separators are absolutely a must in this profession. Nobody can teach you, your individual purpose. You as an individual or an agency have to decide what that is. While thousands enter the field every year with very similar backgrounds (police, military, uniformed security, public safety, and so on), a very small amount actually develop this
into a long-term career or business. Some individuals and agencies will spend thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars working hard to develop the skills necessary to make them a competent professional/provider. Yet, even with that investment, success still evades them and as they grow frustrated and disenchanted with the industry as a whole. I am not implying that there is a dollar figure that has to be reached in order to be successful in this field. Nor am I implying that you must have “X” amount of certifications in order to be successful. But when all things are equal, the people that enjoy, this or any other profession for a lifetime, usually have a purpose that transcends the monetary value associated with the weekly paycheck. Yes, I fully acknowledge that we are all here to make money. What I do believe is that the desire to make money is not a sufficient replacement for purpose. For those familiar with military and law enforcement applications of the OODA loop (observe, orient, decide, and act), we find that by looking at the work of physiologist and physicist Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (August 31, 1821 – September 8, 1894) in reference to the structured method of thinking, a parallel formula exists for developing a roadmap for identifying, presenting, taking action and implementing purpose into your personal or business endeavors. Professor von Helmholtz presents a very easy-to-use four step process. Investigation, incubation, illumination and illustration. Investigation: This investigates the character, guiding beliefs and ideals that are organic to you or your business. Incubation: Armed with the results of your investigation, take those core traits and guiding beliefs and promote the development of those core competencies in order to understand what role you, or your business, play in the world at large. This is the time to let your imagination, and those around you with a valued opinion, consider all the expected or unexpected convergences that are available to you and the world. This should lead you directly into the next step, illumination.
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Feature Illumination: This should serve as the intersection of the investigation and the incubation findings. This is also the place to start crafting your purpose statement. In this step, it is crucial to be able to articulate and clearly define your illumination. As this will help you to have an ironclad understanding of how you perceive your talents and the needs of the world intersecting and how to move forward. If you cannot properly describe your purpose to yourself and your confidants, how can you possibly project this purpose forward to potential employers and/or clients? Illustration: Illustration is when you bring your master idea or purpose to life for all of those who will be introduced to it, through the use of carefully selected words, deeds and other assorted mediums. Illustration is the means to project and amplify your purpose. Do not confuse your purpose with an advertising slogan, as that is not the intention. Rather, it should serve as a clear and concise way for you to communicate your beliefs, talents, drive, and even your aspirations. This process has successfully served thousands of people and hundreds of companies, along with dozens of my clients. It has been my experience that many of these clients, both individually and as agencies, see and acknowledge that their current methods are not working or are inadequate. But they fail to look inwards and identify whether they have gone off course, or have never established a definitive course to begin with. They are trying to fit the proverbial round peg into a square hole. If this, or any other profession is your true calling, you will find very few excuses or barriers that would stop you from success. Most of the time the successes that follow these consultations are usually predicated on the first few weeks of information gleaned from answering the simple questions that have been presented to you within this article. Some of the greatest gains from these consultations have been for people, who decided to exit the industry, realizing that it wasn’t their true calling, but they were able to realize and clearly delineate where their true calling and purpose lies. I understand that calling someone leaving the industry a success may seem askew. But ask yourself how many people have you spoken to over the years that are disgruntled with their profession, would actually speak of the profession or career field in a positive light? Negativity in any industry
begets more negativity, which, by sheer momentum drags all of us down collectively. Not only amongst ourselves, but also to the clients we serve, the public that seems to thrive on negativity, and the profession as a whole. Not to mention I personally believe that life is way too short to be miserable or unhappy in what you do. These days most have been on social media and, I would imagine, has been on one professional association message board or another. I ask you to look at some of the postings of people in this profession; you will find pages upon pages of people vehemently defending their position on such subjects such as which handgun to use. People will write ad nauseam about which self-defense technique is the best but yet the same people cannot give you three to five concise sentences describing their purpose for being in this business and what they bring to you, your agency or the client. Before questioning what you or your agency does not have, consider taking full stock of your personal and business ethos. Are you staying true to the purpose that you originally came into this business for? Have you taken the time to make an honest assessment of your core character and the purpose for you or your business in this industry? Once you are able to articulate, after properly identifying your core purpose, your overarching purpose, you will find that the passion to your career establishes itself and/or returns for those who have been in the business for a while. Whether I am being paid or not, I speak, lecture, instruct and provide services for topics that drive me. Fortunately for me, my career choice and who I am as an individual are almost identical. I am very fortunate in the fact that I don’t do sales presentations, instead I approach my peers, clients, and possibly new clients the same way that I approach my friends and family when it comes to discussing my business and the services I provide. So I will finish where I started. What is your purpose? Raffaele Di Giorgio is the CEO of Global Options & Solutions and an active Operation within the circuit. For more information visit www.GOS911.com
“Have you taken the time to make an honest
assessment of your core character and the purpose for you or your business in this industry?”
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Opinion
WORKING GIRL
Passport, Luggage, credit cards, got them all and I am at the principalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s address to pick them up and whisk them off on their annual summer holiday to the South of France.
This sounds easy but add in the wife, three children, two nannies, the PA and it starts to resemble a school outing. The client insists on his own vehicle so he can work on his laptop on the way to the airport, his wife insists on traveling with the youngest child so that leaves the nannies, two other children and PA to go in the people carrier. Now we have four vehicles (one for the luggage) and are off in convoy to Heathrow, upon arrival at the terminal and attempting to check in, the main principal has left his passport at home. The wife rolls her eyes at her husband and tryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to calm the crying baby, the nannies are standing around looking embarrassed and the PA has now been dispatched with the driver back to the house to pickup the passport. The team now has to split up so they can take the family and entourage through security, I stay with the main principal at the check in area. The time is ticking along and we have one hour till wheels up but still no passport or PA. Upon phoning the driver we discover the A4 is clogged due to an accident so I suggest to the principal that we rebook our flight for the afternoon one. He readily agrees, I phone the CP operators
in the terminal with the family and get them to explain to the wife that her husband will be on the later flight. I can hear the principals phone ringing he refuses to answer it he knows its the wife wanting to have a go at him. All of the above happens often, no matter how ready we are if the principals forget something it can throw the whole operation into chaos. The CP team gets split but we adapt and overcome as our training and knowledge teaches us. The main party arrives at Nice airport and are driven to the Villa, another car and driver has to be sent later in the evening to pick up the principal, the PA and me. The budget is now blown and re planning has to take place. Thinking on our feet and having solutions to problems that crop up at a moments notice is major part of a CPOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job, yes we have done recces and risk assessments but we cannot always plan for human error. Hope you have a great Summer season, stay safe Jacquie Davis
Jacquie Davis is Director of Protective Services at Optimal Risk. Web: www.optimalrisk.com
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Intel: World report
Libya Resentment against Libya’s myriad of militias has been growing; however, the GNC appears to be unable to control them. The government has tried to co‐opt or license some of the more powerful groups to maintain a semblance of power, while shutting down some others; however, the recent incident in which some of the SSC’s members clashed with a rival militia in Tripoli is just one instance highlighting the rivalries between the rampant militias in Libya. Further exemplifying the country’s unrest, an armed group of about 30 men dressed in fatigues has been occupying the Interior Ministry in Tripoli for four days. The militias possess arsenals that are far superior to that at the disposal of government forces. This is part of the reason why Libya’s new authorities, who are struggling to form a professional army and police force, make use of former rebels to secure the borders or to intervene in tribal conflicts. A large portion of the population disapproves of the permissiveness of the authorities and their association with militias. Should the government fail to end militia rule and restore a functioning state, Libyan citizens are likely to grow even more disillusioned with the GNC. Should disillusion and frustration reach a breaking point, the already anarchic state awash with weapons could slide into civil war. With militias teeming with arms and gunmen shooting it out in the streets, the international community is likely to devote more attention to the state of lawlessness that is gripping post‐Gadhaffi Libya, in order to restore security in the country before it plunges into full‐scale civil war. Afghanistan During the month of June the Taliban have executed and claimed credit for various complex suicide attacks on Military, US and GiroA (Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) installations. With the start of the Taliban spring offensive they stressed they would use “special military tactics” and “collective martyrdom operations,” a reference to suicide assaults and insider attacks, or green on blue attacks. The most ambitious attack carried out during this period was when the Taliban targeted the presidential Palace in Kabul on June 25th, hours before President Hamid Karzai was to address reporters at the US Embassy. The CIA headquarters at the Ariana Hotel was also said to have been targeted in the attack. The attack began early in the morning as Taliban fighter’s driving a white Toyota Land Cruiser (similar to those used by Coalition Forces) penetrated security at a high-security area, typically reserved for senior government officials. The white Land Cruiser was stopped at an Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) check point. Reports suggest that the occupants of the vehicle flashed a red, diplomatic license plate and fake ID cards to try and circumvent the ANSF check point. The ANSF guards did not lift the
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drop-arm barrier, where after a passenger exited the Land Cruiser and opened fire towards the check point. Afghan and US security forces battled the Taliban fighters for nearly two hours before the assault was defeated. Five Taliban fighters and two Afghan guards were killed during the firefight. Taliban spokeman, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the main target of the attack was the CIA station and the Ariana Hotel. The attack in Kabul takes place as the international community is seeking a negotiated settlement with the Taliban after the group set up a “political office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” in Doha, Qatar in a move which was pre-empted back in January 2012, in an article by Jon Moss titled ‘Afghan Endgame’ which featured in Issue 14 of the Circuit Magazine. Egypt The ousting of Mohamed Morsi from the Egyptian presidency represents a possible second residual wave of the Arab Spring and its political reform. Morsi’s removal has been widely supported by a substantial portion of the population (as seen by the Tamarod’s over 22 million signatures), many Muslim and Christian religious leaders, and celebrated oppositional candidates, like Mohammed ElBaradei. Aside from domestic backing, countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE provided support for the new government. The strong support, in tandem with the Egyptian Army’s stalwart domestic authority and respect, will ensure that Morsi’s ousting will likely be permanent. His removal provides a tabula rasa of sorts for Egyptian politicians to ensure a moderate political playing ground and greater democratic ideals, possibly forcing the MB to temper its political platform, but Egypt’s stability has brittle foundations in its political legacy. Aside from the political opportunities for the opposition that is now in control, the ousting is noteworthy for other reasons. Firstly, although the MB purported to be a moderate Islamist party, its removal indicates at least some level of discontent with strong Islamist ideals in the political sphere. Secondly, the effective and swift military operation reflects the strength of the Egyptian military, as well as how it prepared itself, over time, to counter Morsi’s politics; despite its immense power, however, the military is expected to recede and allow civilian leadership to take charge. Lastly, it is unclear how Morsi’s removal will set a precedent for future presidents. It is possible that it could unconsciously become institutionally accepted for the military to remove an unpopular leader, with Morsi and former President Hosni Mubarak in mind. Iraq Iraq experienced a number of high casualty terrorist attacks during this reporting period, continuing with the trend of sectarian violence throughout the country. On June 25, a number of car bomb explosions claimed more than 42 lives in and around Baghdad. On June 27, at least 16 people were killed in a series of bombings that struck cafés in Baghdad. Also on June 27 at least 12 people, most of them boys under the age of 16 were killed in a blast while playing soccer.
Intel On July 1, the United Nations released its monthly report saying that the number of people killed in militant attacks across Iraq reached 761 in June, a decrease from the over 1,000 people killed in May. The majority of the casualties were civilian and although the number went down, it is still a substantial amount of casualties. While the number may fluctuate from month to month, the fact that militants can attack with relative impunity demonstrates the lack of security measures in place and the continuing operations of jihadist groups in the country. A day later, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a Shi’ite mosque in Muqdadiya, destroying the ceiling of the religious building and killing at least 22 people whom were attending a mourning ceremony marking the death of a police officer. The figure was expected to rise as many of the injured were still trapped beneath the rubble. It is thought that the alQaeda affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq, was behind the mosque attack, and are said to have regained strength in recent months. Nigeria In recent months, Boko Haram has increased its synergies with national and regional militant groups. The first sign of collaboration between Boko Haram, Ansaru and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) could have been a June 1 prison attack in Niger. This attack was typical of Boko Haram, and it freed a member of AQIM and 21 other prisoners. With the various militant groups in the region, they could integrate further as their members spend time in prisons together. Meanwhile, Boko Haram is unlikely to withstand the Nigerian army, which could push its leaders into neighboring countries, where they would likely connect
with other militant groups. The region lacks a coherent strategy to deal with these groups, enabling them to exploit the porous borders in West Africa. Perhaps Nigeria could minimize its domestic threat by addressing what drives Boko Haram’s recruitment and violence, by means of dealing with youth unemployment as discussed in great detail in ‘FocusOn: Nigeria’ in Issue 19 of the Circuit Magazine. Mexico President Peña Nieto and his administration have consistently pledged to create a new and innovative security strategy to resolve the ongoing conflict with criminal organizations in the country. As a result, Peña Nieto has created a two-pronged plan. The first part is a series of social programs focused on Mexico’s most dangerous municipalities. This long term project hopes to strengthen communities by dissuading young men and women from joining gangs and criminal organizations in the first place. The second prong consists of a series of police actions, including the creation of a national gendarmerie. The most recent deployment of military personnel into Michoacán is a steep escalation and not part of Peña Nieto’s official security plan. It seems likely that this deployment could be followed by many more. Military involvement in certain states could influence youth to join cartels as a response to heavy handed policing efforts or have an unintended ‘cockroach effect’ of influencing criminal organizations to move operations to other regions with a weaker state security presence. Although Peña Nieto’s social program is a positive step towards creating a long term solution the overt use of military force could have negative consequences which could hamper the progress of the social programs in the short term.
Afghanistan
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Regional overview
TURKEY
Aleppo
Foreign jihadists kidnapped and publically executed a teenage boy after accusing him of blasphemy. Jabhat al-Nusra denied responsibility and condemned the incident.
Idib
Syrian government aircraft scattered leaflets over the city, calling on rebels to hand themselves over and urging foreign fighters to return to their homelands.
HALAB
AR RAQQAH
IDLIB AL LADHIQIYAH HAMAH Talkalakh
The Syrian army took control of the town after intense fighting. This consolidates the government’s control around the city of Homs and an important highway to Lebanon.
TARTUS
Beirut
A minibus carrying 25 Syrians was attacked in the neighborhood of Jisr al-Wati by eight men wielding knives, injuring five.
Damascus
LEBANON RIF DIMASHQ AL QUNAYTIRAH ISRAEL 50
DARA
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HIMS
Three suicide bombers attacked a police station in northern Damascus, killing five people. Three other men attempted to detonate vests but were captured by security forces.
Dara’a
The Syrian Revolution General Commission reported that army tanks pounded the rebel stronghold, continuing a months-long campaign to defeat the insurgency there.
AS SUWAYDA
Karak
Government shelling killed eight women and girls in a village to the east of Dara’a. The government launched an offensive in the region in order to seize territory along the Jordanian border and strike back against nearby rebel gains.
JORDON
Intel Amuda
AL HASAKAH Hasaka
The Syrian air force conducted aerial bombardments in Hasaka province, specifically targeting food depots and a sports stadium. There were also reports of improvised barrel bombs dropped from helicopters.
Members of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) shot and killed three people, and injured another ten at a rally held to protest against the detention of three Kurdish activists held by the party.
DAYR AZ ZAWR Deir az-Zour
State media reported that a military unit foiled a rebel attack on an checkpoint in the Deir azZour countryside, killing three rebel commanders.
syria
Issue 20
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FocusOn: Syria
Geo-political Developments Around 900 US troops, along with PATRIOT missiles and F-16 fighter jets, remained stationed in Jordan after a joint military exercise dubbed Operation Eager Lion, conducted from June 9-20. The US and Jordan have both publicly stated that the US troops stationed in Jordan will not be used for any offensive purposes into Syria, only that they are there to protect the Jordanian border. However, it is widely believed that Jordan has been sending arms to the Syrian rebels since 2012. In response, sporadic protests have occurred against the heightened US presence as many worry that this will further enmesh Jordan in the conflict. On June 13, President Obama announced that the US has conclusive evidence that the Syrian government has used Chemical Weapons (CW), resulting in the deaths of 100-150 people. Since the conflict began, the US government has maintained that the use of CWs would be a red line which, if crossed, would result in consequences. In response, Obama authorized lethal aid for the Syrian rebels, allowing for small arms and ammunition to be delivered around mid-July. Syrian rebel leaders have responded saying the light weapons are not enough, rather, they need heavier weaponry and have requested the implementation of a no fly zone. US policy thus far has been a steady increase in support, beginning with humanitarian aid. It seems likely that this increase will continue if the opposition is unable to make offensive progress on the ground. On June 27, Russia pulled all of its military and non-diplomatic personnel from Syria, including its naval base in Tartus. This came as a surprising move, as the base was seen as a primary reason for Russian support for Syria. Despite President Vladimir Putin announcing that Russia would maintain a permanent naval presence in the Mediterranean, he has effectively abandoned Russia’s only base outside the former USSR. The move was likely done out of safety concerns for the personnel and bolstered by Russia’s ability to refuel and refit ships in Cyprus, a relationship that has grown closer since Russia assisted with its financial crisis earlier this year.
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Flashpoints to Monitor M1 and M5 Highways: Corridor to the Coast • Bashir al-Assad’s forces have made a concerted effort to gain strategic territory along the M1 and M5 highways that connect Damascus to the Alawite communities on the coast. Going northeast from Damascus, the M5 highway skirts the AntiLebanon Mountains, passes the mouth of the Bekaa Valley near Qusair, and enters Homs and continuing through Hama and Aleppo. The M1 highway connects Homs to Tartus via the Homs Gap, a strategic pass that separates the Nusayriyah Mountains from the Lebanon Mountains. These highways are the best way for the rebels to move personnel and supplies about the western fronts and the Homs Gap is the easiest access to the coast. Furthermore, while Assad’s position has been growing in the last two months, it is still likely that he would attempt to maintain a safe corridor to Tartus and Latakia. • In Damascus, the majority of the fighting centered on the districts of Jobar and Qaboon where the M5 highway enters the city. This is an apparent attempt to prevent rebel reinforcements from accessing the city. To the north, the military took the town of Talkalakh on the M1 highway, forcing the rebels to retreat to a nearby Crusader castle. Further skirmishes around Homs on these highways show the regime’s efforts to ensure they have an unmolested passage of weapons and troops from Russian shipments. Should Homs fall, the next steps would be to seize Hama and key towns along the M5 highway, which would shore up the regime’s western holdings and assist the assault on Aleppo. Jordan’s Involvement • With riots in Turkey, Jordan has become the West’s most stable and supportive Middle Eastern country able to influence the Syrian conflict. While Jordan’s PM and King have consistently said that Jordan will not take part in interfering in Syria, it is widely believed that it has been supplying the rebels for some time. It is likely that as the US increases its aid to the Syrian opposition it will use, if it is not already, Jordan as a safe haven to vet rebel commanders receiving aid, train rebel troops and to more closely monitor the situation in Syria. • Over this reporting period there were a number of developments
Intel which indicate the increased focus on Jordan by Western powers. Sources reported CIA and US special operations forces training Syrian rebels in Jordan since November in the use of anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. While these allegations have been dismissed by PM Abdullah Ensour, the US has had a minor military troop presence in Jordan for several months and the CIA is well known for training rebel soldiers clandestinely during protracted conflicts. Around 700 American troops were left in Jordan after Operation Eager Lion ended, bringing the current number to about 900. along with a number of PATRIOT missiles and F-16 fighter jets. With these troops and military material deployed, the US has increased its capability to conduct airstrikes inside Syria. Finally, after the Friends of Syria meeting there came renewed support and aid in Jordan’s hosting of the growing Syrian refugee population. • There has however been growing criticism of the US military presence, as demonstrated by protests in Amman as citizens and various Jordanian leaders worry this will pull their country deeper into the conflict in Syria. Jordan is already hosting over a half million Syrian refugees whose protracted presence has been felt by the Jordanian populace. As such, the US and Jordan will have to tread carefully to not destabilize the country in their attempt to help the rebels in Syria. Outlook Short-Medium Term Operation Northern Storm The regime’s effort to take Aleppo is unlikely to go as smoothly as the recent Qusair offensive. This is largely due to the large role that Hezbollah played in the latter conflict. Despite Hassan Nasrallah’s promises to stand with Assad and the presence of Hezbollah fighters in the offensive, Aleppo is not as critical to the Lebanese group as Qusair was. Hezbollah initially justified their actions in Qusair as an effort to prevent Jabhat al-Nusra from being able to threaten Lebanese Shia on the border. Nasrallah has called Aleppo “more of a Syrian matter,” and Hezbollah will play a smaller role than they did in Qusair. According to a Hezbollah commander, they will provide tactical support and advise rather than filling combat roles.
numbers to only rise. While Amiri painted all Syrian rebels as alQaeda followers, a gross overgeneralization, he did bring up a useful point. That is, as the conflict in Syria has continued, the sectarian rifts between Shia and Sunni in the region have grown. Syrians on both sides of the conflict have targeted mosques, religious leaders and holy sites. As a result, Shia powers like Iran, Iraq and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, have become increasingly involved in supporting the Assad regime. On the other side, Sunni majority countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey have supported the opposition. While these countries are invested on a geo-political and security level, a growing number of their citizens are joining the conflict due to their strong religious beliefs and with the support of their imams. The Syrian civil war began as a democratic movement for greater equality and liberty for its people. As the violence has continued into its third year, the conflict has become increasingly religious and fundamentalist in nature. The growing influx of foreign fighters is a dangerous trend as their motivation for fighting is mainly the victory of their sect rather than the creation of an inclusive and peaceful state. It seems likely that as the conflict continues, the number of mujahideen fighters will continue to rise on either side, making the possibility of a negotiated settlement or a stable democracy significantly harder to attain.
More importantly, the countryside around Aleppo has been solidly in the control of the rebels for around a year with steady supplies coming in from Turkey. Conversely, the proximity of Qusair to Lebanon meant that Hezbollah had greater ability to cut off supply lines and surround the city leading up to the offensive. That will not be the case in Aleppo, though the regime has already started shelling the countryside north of the city in order to disrupt the lines. Finally, Aleppo is simply much larger than Qusair. Before the war, Aleppo had a population of three million, the second largest in Syria, versus Qusair’s 30,000 residents. While the battle for Aleppo will take longer than the fight over Qusair, which lasted several weeks, if the regime takes the city it would be an enormous loss to the rebels and a signal that Assad is winning the war. Medium-Long Term Involvement of Foreign Fighters In an interview with Reuters on June 21, Hadi al-Amiri, Iraq’s Transport Minister spoke about the possibility of thousands of Shia Muslims from Iraq and the Arab world, taking up arms in support of Assad against al-Qaeda. Hundreds, if not thousands, have already joined the conflict, and Amiri predicts these
Issue 20
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Feature By Dr. Amy Burrell
Opportunity knocks (and not in a good way)
Many people only think about crime and risk in terms of the characteristics of perpetrators, i.e. that some people are inherently bad and/or the product of circumstance (broken homes, poor education, poverty etc.) and spend a lot of time and energy commenting on how these factors impact on the motivation to commit crime, participate in terrorist activity and so on. The perpetrator-centred approach also leads to an emphasis on profiling people to identify and assess risk. Whilst important, one major drawback of the people-centred approach is that it fails to consider the role of situation in explaining crime and assessing risk. Anyone who completes threat analyses can tell you that assessing situation and context is crucial to success in close protection operations. What you may not know is that there are a number of criminological theories that could help you think about the role of situation in more depth. “Oh no, she’s going to bore us with theory” I hear you cry. Well, yes I am going to discuss theory but I hope it will be anything but boring. Rational Choice and Routine Activities In the late 1970s and early 1980s, two prominent theories emerged from the criminological literature which turned tradition on its head. Rational Choice Theory, proposed by Derek Cornish and Ron Clarke in their critically acclaimed 1986 book The Reasoning Criminal, argued that we should think about offenders as rational decision makers who weigh up the pros and cons prior to committing crime. Furthermore, varying circumstances offer different opportunities to commit crime and so the offender will have to make different kinds of decisions depending on where they are and what kind of offence they plan to commit.
Routine Activity Theory (developed by Marcus Felson and Lawrence Cohen) suggests that offenders will spot opportunities to commit crime whilst going about their day to day business. Let’s be honest, even the most prolific offenders are not committing crime all the time. However, what they are doing is constantly increasing their knowledge
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of their local area as they shop, socialise etc. This expansion of their “awareness space”, i.e. knowledge of buildings, routes, how people move around and so on, helps them identify low risk options to commit crime (e.g. walking past the same house every day which always has an open window in the unoccupied front room is likely to be burgled at some point by an offender who realises their risk of being caught is low). Routine Activity Theory therefore predicts that crime will occur when a motivated offender and a suitable victim come together in time and space in the absence of a capable guardian (see Figure 1). Crucially, crime will only occur if all conditions are met. This is great news for us as it means we only need to tackle one to stop the crime happening. This would apply to close protection too; the most obvious example is the use of bodyguards as capable guardians to protect the principal/VIP from harm. Why are these theories important? The two theories complement each other. Both encourage us to “think thief ”, i.e. put ourselves in the offenders shoes and try to identify who and what they are going to target and when. In fact, the approach taken by these theories encourage us to examine how we live our own lives to provide clues about offender decision making. For example, I am a lazy person by nature and will do just about anything for an easy life (this explains why I am using a specialist company to identify a venue for an upcoming event I am organising rather than doing all the legwork myself). This gets you thinking – if I’m lazy then I’ll bet some offenders are lazy too. How might this impact on how and where they commit crime and who they target? Perhaps one example of laziness in crime is to consider that a significant proportion of burglaries are
Opportunity knocks Figure 1: Routine Activity Theory the event may enable them to be arrested prior to a public appearance by your principal/VIP. • Removing the suitable victim – for example, limiting where the VIP can go. Ensuring they are wearing body armour to reduce the chances of them being serious injured in a shooting (i.e. reducing their suitability as a victim). • Introducing a capable guardian – that would, of course, be you the close protection officer and your team. • Time – for example, ensure sharing details of when the VIP will be in risky locations are kept to a minimum (if possible). • Place – consider where engagements will take place. Is the location particularly risky? Could you argue for the location to be moved to somewhere more appropriate?
through insecure doors and windows (e.g. 20% in research in Liverpool by Alex Hirschfield and colleagues in 2010) – burglars simply can’t be bothered to break in, they just look out for open windows (i.e. good opportunities to burgle). Similarly, closing down opportunities provides a strong argument for explaining the sharp decline in car theft after immobilisers were introduced as standard (I would say at this point that Nick Ross has written an excellent book called Crime: How to solve it and why so much of what we’re told is wrong which provides lots of examples of how opportunity impacts on national, and sometimes global, crime trends). Closing down opportunities in close protection As you will be well aware, the close protection officer completes a range of tasks, generally involving the protection of a wealthy or well-known person from danger including (but not limited to) theft, kidnapping, assault, and murder. I would argue that your opponents are offenders by another name and so the theories outlined above will be relevant. They are still human after all and so predisposed to behave in the same way as the rest of us, just with different (often criminal) aims and objectives. I would encourage you to consider how you can disrupt the opportunity for the opponent to reach their target (i.e. your principal/VIP) using the theories (and especially Figure 1) as inspiration. Thus, you could focus on disrupting the opportunity in the following ways:
• Removing the motivated offender – for example, increase their risk of being captured thus reducing motivation or sourcing intelligence to identify the offender prior to
These are quite basic examples but I hope they demonstrate my point as to the value of using the theories. I would add one word of caution that I think is particularly relevant to applying theory in a close protection context - although Routine Activity Theory argues that you only need to disrupt one of the elements to prevent the crime/incident, there is of course a strong argument for having multiple layers of protection where there are particularly high risks or the consequences of an incident happening are very serious (e.g. death). For those of you familiar with “defence in depth” this will not be a new concept, as the theory posits that the more layers there are, the better as more determined offenders will also be deterred. Some of the people you are dealing with are very dangerous and I am not for one moment advocating only implementing one intervention where risk is high. However, the model will still provide ideas for what interventions might be layered to gain maximum protection for the VIP. Conclusion To summarise, you may find that you already consider opportunities when assessing in your close protection role. However, you may not have realised that this is what you were doing. I hope that by highlighting this approach I have provided a useful tool for conducting threat assessments, particularly when working in a challenging environment. About Dr Amy Burrell Amy holds a BSc in Applied Psychology, an MSc in Forensic Behavioural Science, and has recently completed a PhD in Psychology. Amy is an Associate Trainer at Perpetuity Training; a company specialising in security and risk management training. To find out more about Perpetuity Training see www.perpetuitytraining.com or email training@ perpetuitytraining.com Amy also works as the Network Facilitator for the Crime Linkage International NetworK (C-LINK) project based at the University of Birmingham. To find out more about C-LINK email Amy on a.burrell@bham.ac.uk
Issue 20
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Front Right Seat By Eric Konohia
Front Right Seat
Industry Thief named “Relevancy”
The CRAFT is no different from other industries where ideas, inventions, training and other processes are pirated in the same way as the proprietary music and films of those we protect. The days when technology was only hi-jacked in the made race for faster and smarter computers and phones are OVER. For many years the industry has experienced countless socalled executive protection schools and individuals teaching proprietary material [manuals] that belonged exclusively to another academy. Stealing a course is one thing. Then you attempt to deliver that course in the same way it was developed and intended to be taught? Well that is absurd. This trend of using others industry specific methodology is making a mockery of the CRAFT. There is a desperate attempt to stay relevant today without any discretion. Maintaining some level of relevancy has taken a front seat to making money. If a person or group is not relevant, no one will invest in what they do or stand for. The result is a dead income stream. I lost count of how many swings at me occurred when I pushed the whole “Mentor” program that I implemented. Specialists and providers came at me from all angles in disagreement with the noble idea. Once the program was cosigned by leaders in our industry, the buzzword “Mentor” is used in every sentence as if they have been doing it since the beginning of time. I am in no way saying that the concept of mentorship was mine, however a specific program catered to this industry was NEW. Cutting edge ideas and programs will always receive a head scratch from others until they witness the success. Then the pirating starts. Enter the 2013 First Annual ICON Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. In its infant stages and launch of the idea support
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only came from the close believers and those that were intrigued by the gathering of a group that they never thought we be gathered under the same roof, let alone working together for the same cause: Giving back to the industry as opposed to taking from its members. Each member of the Summit Group brought their own individual expertise in how to make the Summit a success. In order for the message of the presenters to be heard, there had to be an agreement on what was important for the industry. THAT was the secret sauce to the Summit, not the presenters or the topics. The idea of gathering members of the industry together in order to afford them contemporaneous topics is not a new idea and conferences for all industries are a commonplace. Where the Summit Group differentiated from any other conference in our industry is plain and simple. The Summit was not and “OPEN” invite to anyone that wanted to attend. Each attendee was personally selected. Secondly, the topics discussed directly affected every attendee’s success in the industry. We did not select general protection related topics. Rather, we decided to present specific topics that could be implemented immediately by each attendee. The momentum of the Summit never subsided contrary to those who have tried to pull off their own versions of the same in previous years. Rather than improving upon what they already have I have noticed an attempt to use pieces of the Summit’s success to catapult their own venture. Attempts to separate the individual parts to strengthen your cause
Industry Thief “Relevancy in this industry is like a new computer. As soon as it is released the developer has already moved on to improve the technology.”
will NOT diminish the sum total of the Summit’s continued success. Relevancy in this industry is like a new computer. As soon as it is released the developer has already moved on to improve the technology. If you try to stay current with the “Just released” technology you are already 2 steps behind. Doing so makes you look like you are chasing rabbits down holes. Lastly, it shows desperation at maintaining relevancy. The secret to relevancy at the highest levels in this industry has nothing to do with flowery posts or comments on social media. Contrary to common belief it has very little to do with your most recent detail. Relevancy is a direct result of TRUST from others in the CRAFT. Working a long-term or permanent detail does not make you relevant, BUT if you hold the keys on how to afford others the same opportunities, then you have entered the true realm of relevancy. As you try to mimic what you see on the outside [Success] you fail to realize that it is what you don’t see [Mindset] that makes the program successful. If you take my earlier example of stolen and/or pirated training manuals and try to deliver the same product you will always come up short because the nexus of the course is in the brain housing group of the developer. The manual and power point presentation
is only a guide for the real course – The Mindset that went into developing it. The term, “Mindset is Key” has been a mantra for BPI since its inception and still remains true for every aspect of this industry. Your mindset is key to being or maintaining relevancy. Stealing someone else’s product and ideas is a key to your unsuccessful survival in this CRAFT. As a specialist or industry service provider you should always be making every effort to on the cutting edge of your training and processes for income streams. What does that mean? It means that short cuts or circumventing hard work will never last for long. As a specialist you should never use another’s ideas to present yourself in an elevated light, when you know that those ideas, methodologies, and processes were developed by someone else. Likewise, industry service should always be developing new methods and processes for viable income streams. Remember this, people don’t invest in ideas, they invest in you. If you and your methods appear to be antiquated or non-fertile you should assess where you need to change and start fresh. Retro-fitting successful ideas of others into your dormant idea will not revive it. In the end, the members of the industry will pick up on your desperate attempt to use another’s ideas to propel yourself. We are smarter than that.
Issue 20
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Feature
Report Writing: Getting It Right the First Time You can be the best Police Officer, Security Officer or Personal Protection Specialist, but if you can’t express yourself you will never truly be the “best”.
By z Being able to express yourself orally and in writing is just as important as keeping in shape or shooting a qualifying score on the range. Law Enforcement, Security and the Executive Protection field is all about documentation and may just be the difference between success and failure or life and death. The key to good report writing is taking good notes. You should already have the necessary interviewing skills down pat and all it takes is to record the interview in some form. Being that I am old school, I still use the small 3 X 5 notebook to take notes because it always works and it does not need charging. If you choose to use other note taking media make sure you know how to use it and that it works. The time to try out a gadget is
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not during a serious event. One thing when you use recording devices is sometimes people do not like to be recorded or you are in a place that due to the environment you may not be able to record. At least have a notebook as a “Plan B”. So you have your method of note taking and now you need to organize your notes. Depending on how many interviews you do or cases you work on, you will need to put a date or case number to separate your notes so they don’t run together. You never know how long you will be working and when you will able to sit down and organize yourself. It is pretty easy to get interviews out of order or forget when you conducted that interview. I use case numbers and dates and then I folded the bottom of the page over
Report Writing at a diagonal, alternating the sides I folded separating the cases from one another. Professional reports are written in the first person (i.e., I did, I saw). As a rule of thumb I use third person (i.e., Your Affiant, Reporting Officer, and the Undersigned) for legal documents such as Search Warrant Affidavits. Reports are written in chronological order. That way they make sense to whoever is reading it. Organize the report into headings with a couple of paragraphs under each. Professional reports do not read like research papers. Their duty is to inform the reader. Report headings are case specific. A few sample headings could be: Evidence Seized, Miranda Warnings Given or Search Warrant Executed. The Michigan Department of State Police put out a book of recommended headings based on the type of crime you are investigating. Likewise, you can create your own template of common cases that you investigate. I have attached a sample template that I use when I teach report writing. One thing that you have to have in the report is a case or complaint number and year for organization purposes. Some rules in effective report writing is to be brief and concise. This is no time to be wordy or colorful. Avoid the use of jargon or excessive use of acronyms in your report. The person reading your report may not be in the field that you are in so a “hard car” (Armored car) or “six pack” (Photo line-up) may be foreign to your audience and cause you some issues if taken out of context. When using acronyms, spell out the acronym and then use it in the report. But don’t use too many of these as they tend to be viewed as unprofessional. If a person uses profanity, include it in your report, don’t clean it up. We are all adults and profanity is something that occurs in the “real world”. The late Jack Webb portrayed Sergeant Joe Friday in the Dragnet series. His famous tag line, “just the facts ma’am”, is one of the mantras of professional reports. A report should contain facts, not opinions or speculation. It must also contain ALL information (exculpatory) even if that information is not favorable to your case or your side of the story. A true professional puts all information in a report and allows the reader to arrive at a conclusion. If something is not in your report, it did not happen. I will say it again, “IF IT IS NOT IN YOUR REPORT IT DID NOT HAPPEN”. It is important
that you remember that because you cannot add information in court or down the road. Then it will be a matter of whether your report or recollection of the events is better. Doing so, will affect your credibility. Spelling and proofreading is a must. Your report is a reflection of you, so if you have misspellings or can’t form a sentence, you will be looked down upon. As they say, “you only get one chance at a first impression”. Spell check does not always work. Don’t depend on your computer to make you look good. I would suggest that in lieu of having someone else read it, that you read the report backwards. What? This is an old newspaper editor trick. Read the report backwards, beginning on the back page. This causes you to focus on each word, thus catching your spelling errors. Don’t hurry this process; you will be glad you caught your spelling errors. Once you are finished with your report, you put a professional closing on it, such as “Respectfully Submitted”, leaving a few spaces for your signature. Then add your name and badge number if you are assigned one. Sign your name in blue ink, thus indicating the report is an original. Make two copies, keep one for yourself; the original is your file copy. Notes. Throw them away. Discard them. Your notes reflect your report. There is no legal requirement or Supreme Court decision that says that you have to preserve your report notes. Once you write your report, you discard your notes. If you keep your notes, even though they may be considered “work product”, they can be the product of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Your notes can be compared to your report and if there is something in your notes that is not in the report, it will be hard to explain. Also if your notes contain a personal grocery list or a boyfriend/girlfriend’s phone number and you are married…fill in the blanks. Report writing is a necessary evil in the Law Enforcement and Security fields. Like public speaking, it is not very popular but in order to be a well rounded officer, it is necessary for your success. Taking notes and organization of your report sets the dedicated apart from the wannabe. Take the extra time to read through your report, make your corrections and make the professional statement that you want to make.
“Once you are finished with your report, you put a professional closing on it, such as “Respectfully Submitted”, leaving a few spaces for your signature.” Issue 20
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Classifieds
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Briareus Security Our aim is to give a complete, discreet and professional service to all of our clients, be they large corporations, small businesses, local authorities or private individuals, all tailored to meet their individual needs. W: www.briareussecurity.com E: info@briareussecurity.com
Alastair Christie Advice on site security, perimeter fencing, lighting, CCTV and manning requirements. Monitor and advise on guard force setting up site procedures and guard SOP’s. T : +44 (0)7736 328112 E : ally.c9496@yahoo.co.uk Control Risk Management Solutions - CRMS Ireland Executive Close Protection Operations & Training (B Tec Level 3 Diploma Edexcel) Threat & Risk Assessments, Consultancy Services. W: www.crmsinternational.com E: martin@crmsinternational.com Crest Security & Surveillance Ltd 51 The Crest, West Heath, Birmingham, West Mids, B31 3QA, GBR Highly experienced Security Consultant with a proven record of accomplishment in the field of protective security. Skilled in all phases of risk assessment, operational planning, logistical organisation, implementation of security measures, security team leadership, project coordination, and delivery of security advice to a high profile clientele. E: info@stephencahill.co.uk T: 447977071427 CSI Protection Ltd International, GBR A well established security consultant and personal protection operative providing high or low Key protection to high risk and prestigious clientele. Specialising in the maritime industry as a consultant for private vessel protection on super yachts world wide. W: www.csi-protection.co.uk E: gary@csi-protection.co.uk Custodia Custodia is an independent client focused Specialist Security & Risk Management Company, specialising in Risk consultancy and Security project management. Providing a comprehensive portfolio of Risk mitigation solutions to assist Businesses and individuals to plan for, manage and mitigate risk. T: 01432 277693 W: www.custodia.co.uk DF Risk Management Solutions DF Risk Management Solutions N.I. is a modern, professional risk management company, with a diverse range of global strategic experiences and a team of executives who possess dynamic but complementary backgrounds. T: +44 (0)7837642686 +44 (0)7758743918 W: www.dfriskmanagementsolutionsni.com Executive Protection Officer Worldwide CP services W: www.executiveprotectionofficer.com
First Class Executive Security Nottingham, UK, Nottingham based, full-service company specializing in Bodyguards and Security Consulting services. Extensive experience in VIP security, also caters for public and private sectors. W: www.firstclasssecurity.co.uk T: 0115 9266466 G6 Global G6 are specialists in all types of radio, telephony and satellite communications for both voice and data with particular emphasis on covert communications installations in both vehicles and fixed locations. In addition, our range of personal covert radios and bespoke accessories is extensive. W: info@g6-global.com T: +44 (0)1454 610050 Gordon Russell Highly trained frontline Close Protection Operatives available for UK and International contracts. Our experienced CPO’s can offer bespoke packages to meet all clients needs, including a variety of language skills. All SIA licenced, BBA member E: Bodyguard-cpo@Email.cz T: +44 (0)7917 281 004 James Izett All close protection task undertaken, including training tasks. Medic (Registered with the HPCSA, Registered FAAW instructor and Assessor E : J.Izett@gmail.com T : +971 (0)505 574 350 Janice Gurney Proficient and diligent Security Professional gaining extensive knowledge and experience within the security sector. Proactive individual who has a logical, flexible and conscientious approach to all challenges undertaken, ability to work as a member of a team or as an individual willing to work anywhere. T : +44 (0)7885 793061 E : janice382006@gmail.com International Centre of Special Training International Centre of Special Training is an international training and security company based in the United Kingdom. Its priority objective is to provide services to the highest level. W: www.icost-team.com T: +44 796 736 55 65 IPSS Security Northfield, Aberdeen, AB16 7EX Security and protection services - UK and overseas. BBA Member. T: + 44 (0) 1224 69455 W: www.ippssecurity.co.uk ISS Training Ltd Riverside Cottages, Nidd Walk, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5NA ISS Training Limited are providers of specialist covert surveillance training courses and publications to the security and investigative industries, enforcement agencies and specialist military units. Formed in 1990, we are the longest established surveillance training company in the United Kingdom. Our credibility and reputation
is widespread and we offer nationally recognised qualifications. BBA Member. T: + 44 (0) 1423 712265 W: www.intelsecurity.co.uk Jason Morris Security Hertfordshire, UK Providing a wide range of Door supervision/ security for V.I.P and prestige venues, Concerts, Functions, Corporate and Personal Security, Weddings, Private Parties, Gala Dinners, Business Awards & School Proms, Close Protection and Body Guarding Static Guarding and Stewards. T: 01462 478900 W: www.jasonmorrissecurity.co.uk E: agosselin@jasonmorrissecurity.co.uk John Featherstone Security professional with operational experience gained in a variety of theatres. Main specialities close protection and surveillance. T: 24hrs : +44 (0)7702 740722 E: john@johnfeatherstone.co.uk W: www.johnfeatherstone.co.uk K9 Support Services Ltd K9 Support Services UK Ltd is a supplier of specialist drugs and explosives dog/ handler detection service (which includes arms & ammunition) to individuals, businesses, and the public sector. T: 0845 643 6393 E: info@k9support.org.uk Logas International Tyne & Wear, SR1, GBR Front line SIA, International CPO. Private Investigation and Surveillance operator. E: wscarr@logasinternational.com MLK Security and Protection Services Swindon, UK Close Protection Officer and Door Supervisor E: mattleekane@hotmail.com T: 07917654978 LJE Security Services North Yorkshire, HG1, GBR Close Protection, Residential Security, Asset Protection, VIP red carpet Security and Private Investigation. E: leanneedmondson@yahoo.co.uk One Events Grantham One Events offers you a stress free solution in the organisation, putting together and running of an event. Thisis accomplished by having a group of specialised companies from different industries working together for a more complete service for you. TEL: 0870 974 6779 W: www.oneevents.info Plymouth Close Protection Highly versatile, physically fit and accomplished security professional with cumulative experience in the areas of security management, close protection, crisis management, risk assessment, emergency management, asset protection and security training. E : chris@plymouthcp.co.uk W : www.plymouthcp.co.uk T : +44 (0)1752 500807 PPSS Group Body armour and stab vests provide a functional solution to individuals who require extra protection in their chosen vocation. All PPSS (formerly ASEO) body armour and stab vests are certified by the UK’s Home Office (HOSDB) and offer unrivalled protection from blunt trauma caused by a punch, blow or kick. Based on our professional frontline experience and extensive research we can confirm that an impact based assault is a more likely event than an attack
involving an edged weapon or firearm. T: +44 (0) 845 5193 953 F: +44 (0) 1765 603 512 E: info@ppss-group.com W: www.ppss-group.com Presence Security Presence Security (“ PS ”) is a bespoke security company providing protection for private individuals and VIPs, as well as security services for businesses and organizations. T: 0800 002 9734 E: info@presencesecurity.co.uk Prestige Risks LTD 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N, 3AX, GBR. Close Protection Secure Chauffeurs Surveillance Residential Security Executive Protection Security Guards Asset Protection T : +44 (0)207 5588182 E : info@prestigerisks.com W : www.prestigerisks.com Prometheus Medical Ltd Prometheus deliver unrivalled bespoke emergency medical support in the form of specialist equipment, training, strategic advice and deployed clinical care. T: (+44) 1568 613942 W: www.prometheusmedical.co.uk Prosec Consultancy Ltd 10 Oakfield business park Westbury, BA13 4WF. Prosec Consultancy Limited are dedicated in providing a professional service, which covers a whole range of security services throughout the security industry. T: 01373 228055 W: www.prosec-ltd.co E: info@prosec-ltd.com ProTouch Security ProTouch Security is one of the UK’s key providers of event safety, event security, crowd management, door supervisors, stewards, event management and health and safety. T: 01724 279 522 W: www.protouchsecurity.co.uk Python Security and Protection Ltd Providing Close Protection Officers and Door Supervisors for Events and Venue Security. E : mattleekane@hotmail.com RSM Security UK Ltd London, UK RSM Security UK Ltd offers the experience and expertise necessary to provide security personnel of the highest calibre when you need them. T: 07850091979 or 07792948523 W: www.rsmsecurity.co.uk E: info@rsmsecurity.co.uk RWSSI Rob W is a professional security consultant with world wide experience and capabilities in Security, Surveillance and Investigation; I can support you to overcome any problems and enable you to achieve your goals E: rob@rwssi.co.uk T: +44 (0)7818 220985 SDS Solutions SDS solutions provide our clients with protective solutions that are second to none, our consultants will discuss every aspect of the problems that you are facing that dictate the need for a protective solution, we promise our clients a tailor made service to meet individual requirements. Whether based in the UK or abroad our protective service T: 01453 887815 E: info@sds-solutions.org Shadow Close Protection A leading company specializing in Executive
Protection as a professional sector, with participation in high and low risk missions, providing global security solutions and consultancy to individuals, corporations and national agencies worldwide. W: www.shadowcp.gr E: info@shadowcp.gr T: + 30 6948539664 Shaun West United Kingdom SIA licensed, Highly Experienced Frontline CPO. Ronin SA trained. Providing security for both corporate and hostile environments. E: sw@shaunwest.co.uk T: +44 (0)7830 109 601 W: www.shaunwest.co.uk Spotllght Protection Services Essex based business which provides a broad and growing range of security services to businesses and organisations large and small. T: 07870560208 E: info@spotlightprotectionservices.co.uk W: www.spotlightprotectionservices.co.uk VIPA Tactical Training A specialist training academy dealing with four specific areas of combat: VIPA Civilian Self Protection Program, VIPA Close Protection Combat System, VIPA Police Defence Tactics and VIPA Military Close Quarter Combat. BBA Member. W: www.VIPAtacticaltraining.com Europe & Africa International Security Academy P.O.Box 5833, Herzeliya, 46000, ISRAEL. Our graduates are more recognized, respected and sought after by Distinguish Protection service “consumers” and by most of the “Providers” of Protection services worldwide. Organisers of the 2008 International Summit of Protection Officers. BBA Member. T: + 972 9 950 0969 W: www.SecurityAcademy.org.il Javier Galan Spain Security specialist available for operations around the world. E: oejju@hotmail.com T: 34.637080771 Military Grade Encryption Phones PO Box 52310, Limassol, CYPRUS Built-in encryption software which converts your voice to encrypted data using a constantly changing mathematical formula. It uses a dual layered RSA/ AES combination and a changing session key which modifies the encryption algorithm every second. € 1,398.00 + VAT. All prices include new Nokia N73 phone. BBA Member. T: + 357 7777 7276 W: www.protechcy.com/new Security Concierge Group SCG Special Projects Ltd, Avenida, Bartolome Vicente Ramon No 10, B16, Ibiza, 07800, ESP Security Concierge Group is a privately owned and fully independent provider of exceptional security services to an interesting and varied range of clients. T: 00 34 600 665 275 W: www.securityconciergegroup.com E: joe.buckle@securityconciergegroup.com Americas Bodyguard Careers Bodyguard Careers is an informational site with the purpose of providing bodyguards with all the information and tools necessary to succeed in the Close Protection Industry Info@BodyguardCareers.com www.BodyguardCareers.com
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Classifieds
To place a classified lineage or box advertisement telephone our sales team on: +44 (0) 191 6450 865
Canadian Use of Force Systems 7975 Yonge St. # 7124, Innisfil, ON, L9S 1L0, CANADA A professional Use of Force and Defensive. Tactics organization teaching a full range of controlled response options for Self-Protection and Use of Force considerations in public and professional environments. BBA Associate Member. T: + 1 705 456 4333 W: www.canadianuseofforce.com
protection agency offering such services as threat assessment, executive protection, self-defense training, firearms instruction, and high risk tactical protection. Our executive protection specialists have over 75 years of experience. Panther can handle your protection needs whether around the corner or around the world. Member: BBA and NABA T: (404) 349-9117 W: www.pantherprotectionservices.com
Contact Front Photography Contact Front Photography is the world’s 1st photography studio dedicated to the Close Protection Professional. Stop putting generic or pirated photos on your website; instead commission custom shots to best represent you or your agency. T: +1 (612) 369-6134 E: Info@ContractFrontPhotography.com W: www.ContactFrontPhotography.com
SILVER STAR PROTECTION Executive protection, site and event security with global experience. Serving southern Minnesota with integrity and professionalism. Former USSS, ICON Alumni. available for domestic and international travel. Robert E. Jones Manager/CEO W: www.silver-star-protection.com E: rejones@silver-star-protection.com
Decisiones Estratégicas Buenos Aires – Argentina Executive protection specialists we have experienced in all Latin America, for multinationals companies, also providing support in project throughout Latin America to consulting first the US. and UK. We have a team of specialists and psychologists in assistance and crisis negotiation. T: +54(911) 6415 1941 E: jbenitez@d–estrategicas.com W: www.d–estrategicas.com Detective Lacerda P.O.BOX 25996, São Paulo, 05513-970, BRAZIL Providing the full range of security and investigation services throughout Latin America. BBA Member. T: + 55 (11) 3452 4388 W: www.detectivelacerda.cjb.net Global Bear Protection PO Box 11488, Jackson, Wyoming, 83002, USA Provision of British and US Ex Special forces security/medical specialists. T: 307 413 3619 W: www.globalbearprotection.com E: bear@globalbearprotection.com Icon Services Corporation 1043 Grand Ave. #312, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA A full service security and investigative agency specializing in providing high-level security and bodyguards to international celebrities, public figures and corporations. Licensed, bonded and insured, our diverse roster of clients reads as a virtual who’s who in the corporate, motion picture, fashion and recording industry. Entering into our 10th year, Icon has been the hand picked choice to provide Executive Protection to everyone from Superintendents to Supermodels. BBA Member. T: + 1 651 695 8778 W: www.Industry-Icon.com Imperial Protective Service, LLC 15849 N. 71st Street, Suite 100, Scottsdale , Arizona, 85254, USA Imperial Protective Service’ (IPS) is a security consulting and services firm founded in 1978. IPS provides both national and international corporate, executive and celebrity protective services. BBA Member. T: + 1 480 281 1588 W: www.executiveprotect.com Panther Protection Services 3695F Cascade Road, Suite 2207, Atlanta, GA 30331 Panther Protection Services is a full service
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Circuit Magazine
TSICS (T6) Miami, Florida, USA TSICS (T6) provides the following services in Central America: Executive Protection, Individual Bodyguard, Close Protection Training, Corporate Invest. W: www.security-professionals.org/members/ saldrix E: tsics.t6@gmail.com T: +502 6645 6822 Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute 1162 St. Georges Ave, Suite 277 , Avenel, NJ 07001, USA The first name in advanced driver training, offering our highly acclaimed Protective/Evasive Driving Programs. Designed specifically for today’s executive chauffeurs, executive protection professionals and others who are responsible for providing safe and secure transportation services. BBA Member. T: + 1 732 738 5221 W: www.vehicledynamics.net Vindex Personal Protection & Investigation Inc. 497 Hooksett Rd #365 Manchester NH 03104 603.289.3161 / Full service Private Investigations & Executive Protection. 10 years combined Law Enforcement, Private security, close protection work, & security contracting. NY Mayors, U.S. President’s, NFL owners, and VIP’s are some of the protection work I’ve gained experience with. ICON alumni, NABA member. T: + 1 732 738 5221 E: vindexinc@aol.com W: www.vindexinc.com
The Team: Editor Managing Editor International Editor Art Direction
Shaun West Jon Moss Elijah Shaw Peter Falkous
Contributors: Russ Saunders Kate Bright Benjamin Alozie Andy Dubberley Manhar Parshotam Mark “Six” James Paul “Rock” Higgins Chris Bradford Eric Konohia Robert S Michels
Paul Ingram Scott Geddes Raffaele Di Giorgio Dean Bateman Eric Konohia Dr Amy Burrell Jacquie Davis Elijah Shaw Shaun West Jon Moss
Our Sincere Thanks to all those that continue to contribute their wisdom and experience for the enjoyment of others The Circuit is compiled, edited and published in the UK and US quarterly. W: www.circuit-magazine.com E: info@circuit-magazine.com T: +44 845 519 2538
Asia Pacific Asia Protective Group Ltd Asia Protective Group (APG) is a Hong Kong based risk management company, specializing in executive protection, overseas travel security and security consultancy services. APG has an extensive network of security specialists operating throughout the Asia Pacific region. W: www.asia-pg.com E: jim@asia-pg.com E: yvonne@asia-pg.com
To place a classified lineage or box advertisement telephone our sales team on: +44 (0) 191 6450 865
DISCLAIMER While every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is both accurate and up-to-date, The Circuit accepts no liability in any part for loss or damage incurred by reliance on information contained in this magazine through omissions, errors, howsoever caused. ©COPYRIGHT Copyright remains with the authors and contributors at all times. No part of this publication can be copied or reproduced in any way whatsoever without permission from the publisher AND the author / contributor.
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