Circuit Magazine #1

Circuit The

The official magazine of the British Bodyguard Association

Interview with Top Hollywood bodyguard Elijah Shaw Body Armour Training the Untrained Negotiator International Close Protection News And Much More...

Number One Summer 2008

Circuit The

The official magazine of the British Bodyguard Association

This issue BBA NEWS INTERNATIONAL NEWS Close Protection News

INTERVIEW

With Elijah Shaw

FIELD REPORT

Training the Untrained Negotiator

Introduction Because you are sat reading this, you obviously know that we have changed The Bodyguard and Bouncer magazine.

Over the past twelve months we have had lots of feedback, by both Close Protection Officers and Door Supervisors, regarding the content and layout of the magazine.

Whilst almost everyone was pleased with the design and format, most said they would much prefer a specific magazine on one particular area of the industry, rather than one magazine on two quite different areas of the security industry.

Also, over the course of the previous twelve months, the costs of producing the hard-copy magazine exceeded the revenue we generated from subscriptions and advertising. So we have decided to move the magazines online. This first magazine is called The Circuit and will focus specifically on the close protection industry, and later this year we will produce an online magazine specific to the door supervisor industry.

Why online? For two reasons:

Firstly, costs. It is evident from the feedback we have received, that the close protection industry needs a quality, well produced magazine. However, the costs of printing and sending out hard-copy magazines across the world were very expensive for the subscriber and lossmaking for us, as occasionally we had to send a second copy as the first frequently went missing – especially to subscribers in Russia, Iraq, the Middle East and Asia.

We need to make a profit in order for us to produce such a magazine, source good editorial, and market the magazine to the global close protection community.

An online magazine is much cheaper to produce that publishing hard-copy.

Secondly, by going online, we can reach far more people worldwide than hardcopy and the more subscribers we have, the better the magazine will be.

The British Bodyguard Association and The Circuit are not, nor will ever be elitist. Although we are called the British Bodyguard Association our aim is to bring together, unite and assist any trained bodyguard, anywhere in the world – from the novice to the veteran, from the ex-doorman or security guard to ex-Special Force operator working in high-risk environments. And that is also the objectives of The Circuit, to appeal to the full range of operators in the field and although the magazine is the official magazine of the BBA, almost all of our articles will be generic and impartial.

I hope you enjoy this first issue and support us, and the industry, by subscribing and sponsoring us by advertising your services, products, equipment and courses.

Robin Barratt – EDITOR

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.

EQUIPMENT

Firearms and Ammo

CHAPTER SAMPLE

The Circuit – By Jacquieline Davis

FIELD REPORT

Surveillance for the CPO

THE WORLD OF MEN

By Geoff Thompson

NEW TECHNOLOGY The Armoured Seat

EQUIPMENT Body Armour

FIELD REPORT

CQC for Close Protection

STORIES FROM THE FIELD My First Protection Job

COUNTRY PROFILES

Somalia and Afghanistan

TEN TOP TIPS

For finding work

ON THE JOB

Dress and Behaviour

CLASSIFIED SECTION The Circuit is compiled, edited and published quarterly by: The British Bodyguard Association.

PO Box 3342, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 7GF. Website: www.The-BBA.org.uk Email: BritishBodyguardAssociation@yahoo.com Editorial and advertising sales: 01603 404955 Editor: Robin Barratt Design: Sarah Douglas & Ryan Moyce Illustrations: Ryan Moyce

Circuit The Circuit The

The official magazine of the British Bodyguard Association

BBA NEWS Summer 08

THE FORUM

WEBSITE ADVERTISING

BBA NETWORKING MEETING

We are planning to hold two more If you own a security company or networking events over the next couple provide services to the close protection of months. It will just be an informal chat a community, membership also includes about the industry in general and finding FREE listing in one section of our online work in particular, plus a chance to meet directory. If you are not a member, listing up with other BBA members in the area. costs £50.00 a year (why pay £50 when site l London - Sunday July 20th at 13.00 in you can join for £17.50?). The BBA so day a hits central London has hundreds of unique of way tive effec cost Access to the forum mely l North West - Sunday July 27th at this is an extre spam in also ase are We incre t ess. recen a busin of your use eting Beca mark 15.00 in Wilmslow, Cheshire. and junk being put on this forum, from offering website banner advertising on If anyone is interested in attending now onwards only staff will be allowed to EVERY page of the BBA website for please contact me for further place notices in the non-member’s area. £195.00 a year. This is open to anyone information, and confirmation of venue.

If you have a notice for the non-member’s in the CP industry and, for just £3.75 a area, please send it to us first and we week, a great way of increasing visitors g findin are we FACEBOOK Also, on. will get it straight to your website. , anies comp few a still are that there We have added a BBA group at individuals and organisations who are Facebook for members and their friends ES CAT TIFI CER of tion inten any non-members, nor have and colleagues to network, swap stories, certificate of BBA tive attrac new their Our eting mark bers, becoming mem photos and videos and to meet and arrived on the 05th March ips our bersh to ces mem servi and es cours cts, produ communicate with each other on a 2008. If you have been sent a temporary more personal basis. members via our forum. Sorry to be certificate BEFORE this date please harsh but we spend hours every week www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9119 issue a new one. will we and us ct jobs, for conta hing searc , forum updating the 392050&ref=mf certificates DO NOT say orary ts, temp even The and ions funct BBA ging arran Certificate of Membership, (white developing membership, printing BBA SHOP etc cates lettering on red background). certifi and membership cards The BBA shop is now open where you so if companies and / or individuals are can buy a large range of books specific unwilling to pay just £17.50 GBP a year NTRY CHAPTERS COU really don’t to close protection (via Amazon), as well we to join (33 pence a week!!) pleased to announce the are We ce.

Gree as BBA merchandise. want them on our forum - there are appointment of our Greek Chapter Director This join. www.the-bba.org.uk/shop.htm can they s forum other plenty of s. ouna Koud nis Gian hope forum is for BBA members only - I E-mail : BBAHellas@gmail.com, our members agree with this policy.

JOINING THE BBA Tel +30-210-5235558, 577, Joining the BBA is simple and takes Fax: (+30) 210 5235 Jobs 6 1074 2 6932 ) le (+30 about 2 minutes. Just go online and click We currently have almost 400 jobs listed Mobi the relevant BUY NOW button. on our forum; from event guarding, h Africa. We are pleased to Sout We accept all major credit cards online.

UK residential security and low risk the appointment of our new unce anno Your membership will be processed protection, to high risk PSD in Iraq, Director Trevor Ackermann. ter Chap SA normally within 24 hours. We will then Afghanistan, The Congo, Somalia etc. il: BBASA@live.co.za, E-ma contact you for your completed Also we are having more and more Tel: (+27) 827 910 119, application form and CV. Any trained ncies vaca companies sending us their 696 2061. Skype: tackf1 086 ) (+27 Fax: bodyguard, anywhere in the world can for us to list on our forum. IMPORTANT: join the BBA. In order to maintain and develop a good Australia and New Zealand. We are s working relationship with contractor pleased to announce the appointment of please ONLY apply for advertised our Australia and New Zealand Chapter and sted reque the positions if you have Director Damien Buckwell. relevant qualifications and experience.

E-mail: bbaanz@optusnet.com.au, You will gain nothing but develop a bad Mobile: + (61) 439 110 314 reputation if you blindly send CVs to each If you feel you would like to work with and every position advertised, plus the BBA then we are looking for more contractors will eventually stop sending ts rtmen Country Chapter Directors to promote us their vacancies as their HR depa read to time the BBA within their country. simply do not have the . priate appro not are that through CVs

From the 1st August 2008 the password to access the members’ area of the forum will change again. We will notify all current BBA members via e-mail. Please let us know if your emails (and other contact details) change, as we do have lots of emails returned to us as undeliverable.

The Circuit

NEWS BUSINESS IS BOOMING

Summer 08

£15,000 A WEEK ON BODYGUARDS FOR ‘BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT’ WINNER

According to a Samsung Economic Research Institute, The security business of providing close protection is a rapidly emerging industry around the world. According to the report, the global state security services market protecting against terrorism and natural disasters which topped US$20 billion in 2006 will reach $1.16 trillion by 2015. The private security sector for individuals, homes and companies is expected to grow an annual 7.3 percent to total $160 billion by 2010.

The swift rise of the security industry is due to the rapid increase of risk factors such as soaring violent crime, natural disasters caused by global warming, and terrorism among cultures, religions and classes.

Simon Cowell is reportedly spending £15,000 a week on bodyguards for Britain’s Got Talent winner George Sampson. The breakdancer is being trailed by three exSAS bodyguards after encountering scenes of “pandemonium” on the show’s live tour. Sampson’s popularity has proved problematic for tour organisers, with the 14-year-old having to change hotels in Manchester and Sheffield twice last week. A spokesperson for Cowell’s company SyCo said: “We are taking whatever measures necessary with security to ensure George is safe.”

BRITISH SECURITY FIRM IN INDIA FOR BOLLYWOOD STARS

KYLIE MINOGUE DENIES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS

The Bachchans, the first family of Bollywood, has employed the same British bodyguard company The Specialists International Ltd for years at any event or filming done outside India. “The Bachchans are a high profile family. And now with Aishwarya joining the family, the attention has gone up manifold. And so have the risks. So it has been decided to step up the security around the family,” said a source close to the family. The bodyguards will be flying to India to look at the house and come up with the correct security measures that need to be taken. “The entire security will be revised so as to meet international standards,” said the source. While in India, the family is given security by the police but they also employ their own personnel bodyguards.

MEXICO - BODYGUARDS HELD ON EXTORTION CHARGE

A top state police commander and his five bodyguards were being held on suspicion of extortion after a woman they detained outside their regular working hours accused them of demanding that her family pay $5,000 for her release.

Jose Angel Meza Valdez, commander of the Baja California Preventive Police in Tijuana, and five bodyguards were taken into custody in eastern Tijuana by members of the Mexican military Monday night.

As Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue embarked on her first concert tour of Russia, a newspaper reported that she feared for her safety. According to the Tvoi Den newspaper, Minogue is concerned about an assassination attempt while in Russia and that the pop singer had reportedly demanded extra security, including armed bodyguards in her hotel.

But Minogue’s management dismissed the reports as totally untrue; a spokesman for the singer said she had no fears for her safety during her tour of Russia.

INDIA – THREE INJURED AS BODYGUARDS OPEN FIRE

Bodyguards of Baba Gurmit Singh Ram Rahim, chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda, opened fire on a group of Sikhs protesting his visit killing one person and seriously injuring three others. Sikhs in the area had rushed to where the controversial Baba, who has a running feud with traditionalist Sikhs, was campaigning. When his bodyguards could not beat back the protesters, they fired five rounds into the crowd. A local resident, who was shopping in the vicinity, said he saw a group of about 50 local Sikhs charging towards Ram Rahim and shouting slogans against him. Within minutes, the bodyguards fire bullets.

“Immediately, Ram Rahim and his followers who had come in about 50 vehicles sped away from the scene.”

The Circuit

SOMALIA – BODYGUARDS KILLED

and two of his bodyguards were A senior Somali police commander nt Colonel Hassan Mohamed killed by a roadside bomb. Lieutena d tion of Mogadishu police comman Wasuge, head of the Western Sec urity they were taking part in the sec and two of his bodyguards died as President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. operation for the return of Somali president arrived in the capital. The The blast occurred shortly after the on dly destroyed by the huge explosi commander’s vehicle was reporte has one No the Somali capital. which could be heard in much of senior Somali police commander the of ion inat claimed for the assass were behind the blast. but Shaweye said that insurgents

AFGHANISTAN – CHIEF AND FOUR BODYGUARDS KILLED.

WEALTHY FAMILIES PAYING THOUSANDS FOR BODYGUARDS

ing Mail, wealthy UK families are pay According to a report in the Daily g hirin are ple Peo s. ard ygu r for bod tens of thousands of pounds a yea r ort them from their cars to thei personal protection experts to esc g oods and some are even recruitin urh homes and to patrol their neighbo they ure ens evening functions to bodyguards to tail them home from Residents’ groups in Regent’s s. inal are not being followed by crim and Kensington are paying up to Park, St John’s Wood, Maida Vale le one household in north-west £70,000 a year for the service, whi for 24-hour personal security.

London is paying £50,000 a year e l knifepoint robberies including thos Their decision comes after severa ise Den inning television producer of designer Nicole Farhi and Bafta-w at night outside their multimillionlate O’Donoghue, who were targeted ual s today reported a 70 per cent ann pound homes. Local security firm e anc adv in call to ts , which allow clien increase in “meet and greet” services rs. doo t fron r thei to and walk them for guards to meet them at the car

Militants in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost province gunned down a district chief along with his four on bodyguards. Provincial administrati : said htun Pas spokesman Khyber of “Mirza Jan Nimgali, district chief to way the on was rict, Qalandar dist nts rge insu ban Tali n whe e his offic ambushed his vehicle, killing him and his four bodyguards on the spot.” The past two weeks saw in continued bombings and attacks es, vinc pro the country’s eastern where Taliban or al-Qaida related militants were said to have bases.

PHILIPPINES – TWO BODYGUARDS SH KILLED IN AMBU town osphere pervading at the capital atm l

Gunshots broke the peacefu n ning of Saturday, June 7, 2008 whe of Naval, Biliran on the early eve ush amb was seriously wounded in an two bodyguards were killed and one The an Representative Glenn Chong. on Charlie Ong, the father of Bilir ved the bodyguards covered him and sho elder Chong was unhurt because t to wounded bodyguards were brough him inside their house. The three n irma cha ge villa er rto Parilla, a form the hospital but two of them died; Albe celo Bar onio Ant in the stomach and of Rosario Village who was shot who was shot at the back.

DS HIRES BODYGUwhiAR UMA THURMAN le on set extra security guards to guard her Uma Thurman has hired ried that a stalker is still out to get of her new movie as she is still wor r he tried breaking into Thurman’s her. Jack Jordan was arrested afte ie back in 2005 and in June 2008 trailer while she was shooting a mov king and harassing the actress.

Jordan was again charged with stal

CONVOY KILLS THREulE IRAQ – ATTACK ON larg est city of Basra, Maj. Gen. Abd The police chief of Iraq’s second voy roadside bomb attack on his con Jalil Khalaf, escaped unhurt as a . icles veh destroyed one of the convoy’s killed three of his bodyguards and

The Circuit

MAN BEATEN AND ROBBED BY STRIPPER’S BODYGUARDS

tic USA – two men who hired an exo and ten bea dancer ended up being robbed by the stripper’s two bodyguards. It all started when the ted two roommates decided they wan the for t men “to have some entertain night,” according to a police report.

One of the men called several agencies from his cellphone and ra found a place that could send ove The ed. stat girl that night, the report woman, in her 20s, arrived between irl 9 and 10 p.m. wearing a schoolg . ards ygu bod outfit and flanked by two and king After a few hours of drin dancing, the roommates paid the 0, stripper and her bodyguards $40 car. r thei to e and escorted the thre a As one of the men went to shake by ck stru was bodyguard’s hand, he ort rep the n, a semiautomatic handgu that ed and dem stated. The bodyguard the man hand over his wallet and cellphone. The roommates were then t, ordered back into the house at gunpoin e wer y The according to the report. taken to the basement bathroom t and were threatened with being sho s ber rob The . if they tried to escape a then wiped the door handle with s pair six with washrag and took off es, sho an Jord of collectible Nike Air valued at $1,800, the report stated and fled in a gray four-door sedan.

BODYGUARDS D AN AN RM AI CH SS NE SI BU – LIA SOMA CUSED OF BEATING AC ED LL KI DS AR BODYGU s UP PAPARAZZI d the chairman of Banadir busines Unidentified gunmen have shot dea ket in a yguards, at the main mar community alongside two of his bod third bodyguard received serious Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. A gunshot wounds in the attack.

A photographer snapping Rihann and Chris Brown at Brown’s 19th d birthday party in Florida has accuse ting bea of s ard ygu bod er’s the sing pa him up and stealing his camera. Tam , tana San Bay Times photographer Luis take to tried 25, claims that when he the set to have a ked floc ds san thou n whe ll pictures of Brown arriving at St. dsti stan Filming came to a at, raw was She lika Mal girl ght after glam Petersburg’s Vintage Ultra Lounge, he glimpse of Bollywood’s most sou , . ders zam min by E-A n haldow Mug ed e pinn Maan Gay chased and who plays a female lead in the film tana the s, San “Ye era. . cam bay at 00 $3,0 them his p who swiped ards to kee Producers had to hire 100 bodygu and it could get out of re befo and alleges he was left with abrasions ate per des htly slig situation had become s. arm bruises on his chest, back and security men. Mallika is the lead hand, I made arrangement for 100 y man to He says, “I’ve shot many my responsibility and it was my duty actress of my film. Hence she is ncy age l loca a d hire I celebrities and this was just another er. as a produc ed see that there is optimum safety notch on my belt. Then it just turn er. four g atin for her protection,” said the Produc stig inve sour.” Police are left unnamed male bodyguards who r. afte rtly sho e usin limo a in the scene of g killin the for th dea to ed n sentenc A leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq has bee los Faraj Rahho.The archbishop of Pau hop hbis Arc c the Chaldean Catholi apped in February by gunmen who the northern city of Mosul was kidn 65, two bodyguards. The archbishop, attacked his car, killing his driver and .

Iraq in d ucte abd be to ics ts ldean cler Dozens of suspected Islamic insurgen was the latest in a long line of Cha The Iraqi government r. late ks wee , two e eyn grav la-w llow Wan r sha a nea in hid along the roadside His body was found tence on Ahmed Ali sen th dea the d est ose thw imp sou had ers) rt met 70 miles (110 kilo said the criminal cou ed US embassy in Baghdad welcom iers of the capital and ambushed sold Ahmed, known as Abu Omar. The e ed by Christians hav own ses ines bus nce fina and the sts for prie s, ards in convoy of bodygu the verdict. Churche , appings by Sunni and Shia groups and interior ministers. Four soldiers been attacked repeatedly and kidn e the US-led invasion sinc mon com n d. bee e hav gs, gan were killed and two were wounde as well as criminal . oad abr the fled of e out hav ns was r istia The finance ministe in 2003. Many Chr country but it was not clear whether voy. the interior minister was in the con ia, milit ab hab in f al-S staf y the A spokesman for three Iranian embass Gunmen opened fire on a car carrying his Al med with clai ah ow, Sheik Muqtar Rob ge connecting Al Aazami Baghdad on Thursday near the brid ing e. Iran’s loye emp ive trat inis group carried out the attack, add adm i Iraq an Kazimiah, wounding them and s icle the veh in d two nde took wou that the insurgents Kazemi Qomi visited the Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan . iers es sold forc the urity from and some arms ministry said that Sec hospital. To that, a source in interior r identity. thei al reve to se refu ards ygu bod opened fire on the convoy after the

100 BODYGUARDS HIRED TO PROTECT BOLLYWOOD ACTRESS

DEATH PENALTY OVER IRAQ KILLING

SOMALIA – BODYGUARD CONVOY ATTACKED

GUNMEN ATTACK DIPLOMATIC CONVOY

FROM CASH HEIST BODYGUARDS RESCUE MAYORalm ost found himself in the

ie Naidoo South Africa - Deputy mayor Log ed lving a gang of seven heavily-arm invo t heis nsit -tra middle of a cash-in le whi ty safe to him ried hur urity team gunmen, But his quick-thinking sec n. t out of the vehicle and swung into actio his bodyguard Bhekani Ngubane leap . doo Nai said ,” iant brill was going on, he “Even though there was shooting an ion was an accident. But then we saw “At first, we thought all the commot .” way er und t heis a was e ther realised overturned cash-in-transit vehicle and s and 9mms, stopped a vehicle and The gang, armed with AK-47s, R-5 g hand over their cellphones. The gan ordered the occupants to get out and e e unable to return fire as there wer fired at the police officers who wer his of one in lved invo or, may deputy civilians in the way. Meanwhile, the ne. sce e crim the into ight stra ut to drive many official engagements, was abo ni Magwaza, who was driving, realised Xola ard, ygu bod Ngubane and another way, rsed to remove Naidoo out of harm’s what was happening. Magwaza reve to on the side of the road and got them while Ngubane rounded up the people ytraffic at bay. “It was an incredible earl safety, before keeping south-bound later. a more peaceful function a few hours morning experience,” Naidoo said at

IRAQ – ROADSIDE E BOMB KILLS THRE escaped

An Iraqi Sunni Arab politician r unhurt a roadside bomb attack nea ch whi d, hda his convoy in central Bag killed three of his bodyguards and b wounded seven “A roadside bom the r nea detonated before midday , convoy of Abdul Kareem al-Samarraie the in re a lawmaker and a key figu iam Iraqi Islamic Party, in Karradat Mar en Gre the neighborhood just outside rce sou Zone,” a source said. The confirmed that Samarraie survived unhurt and arrived later in the heavily fortified Green Zone which es houses the Iraqi government offic and foreign embassies.

The Circuit

KOSOVO –ATTACKERS OF UN BODYGUARDS CHARGED

for inst four Serbs from Gora_devac Charges have been brought aga chim Joa efs Chi R KFO and MIK to UN attacking bodyguards belonging The District Prosecution in Pe_ has c. nha Mar de ier Xav and Ruecker an avkovi_, Radojko Duni_ and Du_ charged Mili_ Mili_evi_, Milivoje Zdr p grou a n whe 7, t on December 7 200 Manojlovi_ and refers to an inciden c’s nha Mar de and r blows with Ruecke of Serbs from Gora_devac came to e speaking to Serb representatives wer ials offic two security teams, as the men wanted to speak to the UNMIK from the local UNMIK office. The four . d from doing so by their bodyguards and KFOR chiefs, but were prevente s rge aj told Pri_tina media that the cha District Prosecutor Agim Kurmeh g UN staff and their colleagues.” had been brought “for endangerin

IRAQ’S FIRST LADY ESCAPED ATTACK

Iraq’s first lady escaped unharmed n yesterday from a bomb attack in downtow de, Baghdad that struck her motorca Jalal injuring four bodyguards. President ed, Ahm Talabani’s wife, Hiro Ibrahim l ona nati tral cen was headed to the city’s hit, was de orca theatre when her mot was according to the President’s office. It et targ the was she ther unclear whe . bing bom om rand a was ck or if the atta

HOMES SEARCHED BOSNIA – BODYGUARb D’S war crimes suspect Radovan

INDIA - FEMALE CELEBRITIES PREFER WOMEN BODYGUARDS

With women celebrities opting for t trained women bodyguards and to mee Ser nian Bos for Police searching the growing demand for women homes of two of his former ices Karadzic say they have raided the for ing bodyguards, a private security serv ations unit was look stig inve cial spe A nia.

Bos in ing s bodyguard consultancy has set up a special train in the two homes in the former ts bou rea whe ic’s adz Kar ut ng abo clues programme with personal groomi Karadzic was the Bosnian Serbs’ Bosnian Serb stronghold of Pale. r afte ng hidi into t sessions for lady bodyguards. The an in 1992. He wen en leader during the war, which beg in training involves grooming of wom Hague, Netherlands, indicted him the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The k wor both physically and mentally to crimes. Bosnian Serb police were 1995 for genocide and other war a oint as bodyguards. “I can only app in recent years have begun reluctant to go after Karadzic but ity) is ic ebr es searching for him. Karadz lady bodyguard for a lady (cel cooperating with international forc ed. . ters por sup of ork netw provided the bodyguard is well train believed to be getting help from a s I went to various security agencie but in search for a lady bodyguard rds. couldn’t find any trained lady bodygua train Hence, I came with the idea to ate ladies myself,” Talele, who is a priv y, d detective and owns the compan ral police has been shot been dea The acting chief of Mexico’s fede ous at t sho was ez Gom an Mill said. “The training incorporates vari Edgar in Mexico City. Security officials say ic bas d. types of martial arts such as the Two of his bodyguards were wounde least nine times outside his home. use drug styles of aikido, judo karate and g large scale operations against g Millan was in charge of coordinatin the ned dem of different weapons. Besides, impartin pe Calderon has con Feli nt side Pre ican Mex ers. es fick niqu traf them with all the necessary tech e issued a statement saying the ees attack on Millan. The president’s offic this ed call it of fighting against enemies, the train pathy in light of what sym t pes dee its es ress exp ent and governm are also given driving lessons e in 2006, President Calderon has The “cowardly killing.” Since taking offic ed taught English speaking classes”. ficking, which is blam traf g dru on wn kdo crac ide is ad onw launched a nati required age to join the training squ the U.S. border. r nea larly ticu par ico, Mex in ided e for a rise in violenc between the age of 13 and 30 prov lthy. the aspirants are physically fit and hea as There are no restrictions as far their marital status is concerned.

MEXICO – POLICE CHIEF KILLED, BODYGUARDS INJURED

CHILE - HEAD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ATION BODYGUARD RESIGNS AMID INVESTIG s, put his

the presidential bodyguard Commander Aldo Vidal, head of s this of Police José Alejandro Bernale position in the hands of the Chief ial’s offic ller’s Office confirmed the morning after the National Comptro e icle for personal activity. “I have com unauthorized use of a public veh y to resign from my position. I feel to meet with the Chief of Police toda iate ation more transparent, it is appropr that, as a way of making the investig way t bes the and n atio of the investig to leave it up to whoever is in charge my position is now open for him to that s nale was to show General Ber with r arriving in uniform to a meeting do as he sees fit”, said Vidal. Afte ef Chi the that 15 minutes, Vidal stated Bernales, which lasted just over to red sfer n and that he would be tran of Police had accepted his decisio another unit.

The Circuit

YEMEN – POLITICIAN AND HIS BODYGUARD KILLED

Unknown gunmen ambushed and ent killed Yemeni member of parliam ince prov Saleh al-Hindi in the northern rs cke atta of Saada on Friday. The the opened fire on al-Hindi’s vehicle in the r nea ar, Suh of mountainous area his , him g killin bia, Ara di border with Sau r othe Six . ard ygu son and a bod ck. bodyguards were injured in the atta

ISRAEL - SHIN BET BODYGUARDS RTY LEADardER PROTECTicePA FAILED TO officer blasted bodygu s for Shin Bet security serv

AFGHANISTAN – BODYGUARDS EVACUATE PRESIDENT IN FIREFIGHT

a President Hamid Karzai escaped ban Tale dramatic attempt on his life when ic fighters opened fire with automat ary milit a ior ng sen A former weapons and rockets duri minister Ehud Barak at a violent nce defe and er lead y part ect prot to failing ion parade in Kabul. emely serious security and protect ign incident, in what he called “an extr d cke atta The President, Afghan MPs and fore vist acti ty while a Labor Par dor assa Amb h Britis the failure.” Shin Bet guards stood by ding y’s dignitaries inclu lom Simhon at a gathering at the part Barak and Agriculture Minister Sha y part er had to scramble for cover when they form of w in-la hershan, a brot un headquarters in Tel Aviv. Sami Sho g min came under fire at the end of a 21-g ak and Simhon, slam Bar ed ault ass dly orte rep ist s mun etz’ leader Amir Per salute to mark the downfall of the com ng a microphone from Barak. tchi sna and face ’s t hon mos Sim in tan’s a microphone government in 1992, Afghanis but throughout the incident, which red, inju was ak Bar who ai, said Karz es Mr . ess Eyewitn or important state occasion guards refrained from intervening y lasted several minutes, the security rs arte dqu had just saluted Afghan National Arm hea our ad, employees from Lab Inste . duty their ded is as oun k, surr Bara tely g edia ectin prot well soldiers, was imm Other ministers from the party, as rushed to defend the two ministers.

Shin the at by bodyguards then driven from the out ed lash nt, nded the eve e as and Knesset members who atte scene as a 15 minute gunfight brok r failure to act. It also thei for ards ygu bod ate priv ’s n hon Bet guards and Sim d out. He quickly appeared on televisio nts in the gathering had been checke transpired that none of the participa in, Rab to reassure the nation that he had e Minister Yitzhak Prim of ion inat ass ass the r ers’ Afte e. at the entranc survived. Witnesses described snip the Shin Bet’s VIP security unit, for ten writ e wer re es ctiv whe e dire stag new the in 1995, bullets ricocheting from for the state’s top seven leaders. ards ygu bod ide prov d to ere ice serv gath n the bee obliging the the dignitaries had e moment the security guards saw ts The former Shin Bet official said “Th uld sho and seeing MPs slump in their sea they ak, Bar of ts in the direction t iden pres The an. beg man leap up from the audience sea g ’t when the firin and Barak. If, as reported, they didn th. dea to e clos e cam tly have placed themselves between him aren re.” himself app ly grave security and protection failu lth intervene at all, this is an extreme Mohammad Amin Fatimie, the Hea res met e Minister who was seated just thre the from Mr Karzai, said: “As soon as red cove was t first bullets hit, the Presiden out. by bodyguards. He was escorted k blac , ting che rico ets I could see bull ture celebrations Cul of Mr ital der.”

Cap pow the gun ll ng sme duri l d coul rpoo smoke, and I Celebrities flocking to Live urity ices of accredited bodyguards. Sec Karzai has survived several assassination are increasing demand for the serv the services of top for ests requ with d date inun g attempts in the past and is one of the firms in Merseyside are bein , ism tour With . ation high ssin a of the city reaches targets for insurgents. The assa close protection officers as the profile ere side firms are sey Mer y man ay, erw und ects proj threat to the president is now so sev construction and regeneration tor trac Con his d of rove out s Authority’s (SIA) App that he rarely venture already seeking the Security Industry d security services. ate priv for lity qua of k heavily-guarded palace in Kabul, calle mar hall ed Scheme (ACS), a recognis s time tion all at edita accr ded oun ACS for surr the Arg, and is rity firms to apply Merseyside Police urged all private secu s. on building sites s ling dea ter sinis

by US-trained Afghan bodyguard wing follo stry, last year to legitimise the indu urity sec for n paig now launching a cam across the city. The Home Office is ies.

CHINA’S GROWTH STEPS UP has only been given to 442 compan h whic n, firms to apply for accreditatio st, We th Nor the in ce for the Home Offi DEMAND FOR BODYGUARDS Gail Porter, deputy regional director Liverpool feel visit and k wor live, who e thos n that said: “It is really important Private security is taking off as the natio pting the highest ado in e mad g bein ress prog of the safe and I therefore applaud struggles with some of the side effects ies And I would encourage all compan r standards for security employees. its booming growth. A widening rich-poo dards.” stan e thes pt ado to ices serv ing urity involved in providing sec gap has left wealthy Chinese feel of vulnerable. There are regular reports ese attacks targeting the rich. One Chin e. e polic her of one r company now offers kidnapping insuranc to be “deeply upset” afte said was ll nwa Cor of s hes Duc an THE ard “It’s a special period, China is in suicide at his home. Sergeant Rich , bodyguards apparently committed ved belie is , shire economic transition,” said He Jiahong country mansion in Wilt illa’s Cam at rity secu of d hea 55, r, ity Fulle professor of law at People’s Univers shotgun. The officer, who was married s to have shot himself to death with a rded rega ly high was in Beijing. “There are lots of conflict ber of the force and mem ular pop a was ren, child e thre ard with was appearing in society, and crimes tow er, who was coming up to retirement, why by the Duchess and her staff. The offic lain exp sibly pos rich people are inevitable… . This is lems which could prob ious obv no with py, hap ly rted and repo private guard services appeared Fuller, commended for bravery in Sgt life. his take to t wan ht mig he te why increased.” Chinese law prohibits priva threatening to shoot a colleague, was was who man gun a g stin arre for 5 s, 199 security guards from carrying gun in Bremhill, near Calne, Wiltshire. He found dead at his thatched cottage as 18, ie, han Step and there are strict regulations on rs, Jennifer, 21, and a leaves a widow, Jill, 45, two daughte .

Iraq in y Arm knives too; guards usually tote just is serving with the who iel, Dan , son old ear19-y a as well small stick - their hands and feet must serve as weapons.

CAPITAL OF CULTURE FUELS DEMAND FOR BODYGUARDS

IDE

DUCHESS’ BODYGUARD COMMITS SUIC

The Circuit

Interview Elijah Shaw is one of the USA’s top bodyguards.

He has protected most of the biggest names in Hollywood.

IS YOUR Q. WHAT BACKGROUND? I’ve been in the security industry all my adult life. Unlike most operators, I did not come from a military or law enforcement background; instead I saw the opportunities that the private sector presented and made a calculated effort to try and build a long-term career in the security industry, one that would provide me a respectable income and a sense of accomplishment.

DID YOU FIRST GET Q. HOW INTO CLOSE PROTECTION? My story is somewhat unique in that I went to film school with aspirations of being a movie director. I started doing security work at a local nightclub and, without being the biggest or baddest guy on the block, went from guarding an unused door to heading all of the club’s security operations.

The nightclub was owned by a celebrity, and I eventually made it onto his personal protection detail. When that long-term assignment ended, I made a commitment to gather as much knowledge and training as possible to succeed in the industry that I fell in love with.

Q.

WHAT TRAINING DID YOU DO?

In addition to the numerous courses I’ve taken as it relates to Profiling, Static Security, and Risk Assessments, 10

10

Circuit The

The Circuit

The official magazine of the British Bodyguard Association

I have received Corporate Executive Protection Training with R. Oatman and Associates in conjunction with the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS). I’ve also received training in Advanced Executive Protection from Trojan Securities International, which has a very intensive, no-fluff, program which, in my opinion, is one of the best in the industry.

WAS YOUR Q. WHAT FIRST ASSIGNMENT? My first assignment involved me working with a celebrity as the Advance Man. I was responsible for making sure all accommodations were in place for the Principal, including air travel, transportation, and accommodation. I spent a lot of time acting as liaison with local authorities and event security staff. I found that you could get much better results working with people associated with your industry than thinking you could do it all yourself. Because I was new and relatively inexperienced, I intentionally tried to make sure all my bases were covered and always had a back up plan for my back up plan, in case something went wrong.

I knew I had a talent when I found senior staff turning to me for answers instead of some of the guys who had been around for years.

DID YOU PROGRESS Q. HOW FROM BEING AN OPERATIVE TO RUNNING YOUR OWN COMPANY?

Prior to starting my own agency, I used to work in management for a larger firm that specialized in corporate security and investigations. I noticed a disturbing trend; we would hire, train, and mold excellent staff but inevitably loose

them to boredom and complacency.

When it became apparent that some of my “thinking-outside-ofthe-box” ideas were not cost effective to the final decision makers I elected to strike out on my own and attempt to “recreate the wheel”. One way I did this was by marrying the fast pace and sometimes exotic aspects of celebrity protection with the tried and trusted methods and professionalism of the corporate environment.

YOU ALWAYS Q. HAVE WORKED WITHIN THE CELEBRITY SECTOR?

During my 15 years in the industry, I have operated in almost every facet of private sector security from nightclub doorman, to operations, loss prevention and executive and diplomatic protection. It’s the ability to move from one world to the next, and carry over the same professional principals that makes my career enjoyable.

PREFER WORKING Q. DOWITHYOUCELEBRITY OR THE CORPORATE SECTOR?

Personally, I could not imagine one without the other. I think the two sectors compliment each other and help me maintain my edge as a wellrounded operator. I like to believe I can transition from the boardroom to the red carpet seamlessly. Both present a unique set of challenges, but the core skills are the same. Spend time with a CEO or with a rock star and both want the same thing: to get through their day with the least amount of intrusion as possible so they may effectively do what they are best at.

FOR WORKING Q. TIPS WITH CELEBRITIES Sometimes people get into the celebrity side of the industry for the wrong reasons. They loose focus and begin to begin to fall victim to the “glitz and glamour”. In the celebrity world, obsessive fans, or worse, will do anything to get close to the stars and those of us in the close protection industry face temptation on a daily basis. My advice is to always remember that you are there to do a job. Treat your client with respect and always try and maintain a professional distance.

Value your client’s confidentiality, I’ve seen a lot of guys blackballed from the industry because of their loose lips and pillow talk.

ARE THE MOST Q. WHAT IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES FOR SOMEONE WORKING WITHIN THIS SECTOR?

Maintaining a high degree of professionalism, even when others around you are not. It’s so easy to pick out the guys who are bored with their jobs or are in it for the wrong reasons.

They are the ones who spend more time talking to pretty girls or trying to take advantage of the free gifts than watching their client. Humility is also important, there are guys that can rattle off a laundry list of people they have worked for, but it’s not the quantity it’s the quality that counts.

Also, I think all too often protection agents don’t pay enough attention to the customer service aspect of the business. It’s not just the client you

need to be polite to and bodyguards often get a bad rap because the public thinks we’re rude - the problem is a lot of us are!

environment from an on-location film shoot in Los Angles gang infested neighborhoods, to the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan.

HAVE YOU Q. WHO WORKED WITH?

BOOKS IN THE Q. ANY PIPELINE?

Some of my biggest celebrity clients have included music superstar Usher Raymond, Multi-platinum rapper 50 Cent, and supermodel Naomi Campbell. My client roster also includes top executives of several Fortune 500 Companies, prominent religious personalities, and a former Head of State.

No books in the works but I do currently teach an intensive hands-on celebrity protection course in conjunction with the fine folk at Trojan Securities International. I also host a blog called “Icon- Behind the Bodyguard Business,” where I try and present a unique insiders outlook on the VIP Protection Business as well as share news, information, and resources.

Interested parties can visit www.IndustryIcon.com or www.BodyguardBlog.com for more details.

FUNNY ANECDOTES Q. ANY FROM OPERATIONS? Keeping in mind that this is a serious business, like any thing else, there are also moments that are humorous. One of my fondest memories is how, early in my career, I was assigned to a client’s hotel room door for the night.

In the wee hours of the morning my client exited his room and started walking down the hallway. Thinking he might have just wanted some ice from vending, I followed at a respectful distance. It took me a short while before it became apparent that he wasn’t looking for ice. Perhaps he was just going for a stroll to clear his head?

Upon reaching the elevator I mentioned that I could have the car brought around if he was planning on leaving at which point he shook his head and we returned to the room. It wasn’t until the next day that I learned he had no recollection of the late night journey and that he was sleepwalking!

As CEO of Icon Services Corporation, a U.S. based security agency which provides Executive Protection services, Elijah Shaw is one of the more recognizable “bodyguard to the stars”.

Elijah has coordinated security for a number of world famous celebrities as well as provided close protection, security consultation and staffing to high profile individuals and Fortune 500 Companies domestically and internationally.

Q.

Mr. Shaw is long standing member of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), as well as the British Bodyguard Association and also serves as a constituent to the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC); an organization which assesses international terrorism and the threat level to traveling US citizens

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR ICON?

Having made somewhat of a name for ourselves in the United States, our future plans entail increasing ICON’s presence on the international arena.

I’m a big believer in using local talent when traveling to a foreign country with a client, as they have the most up to date lay of the land, and access to resources. Forging relationships with operators who already have a high degree of training and professionalism means that we can be mutually beneficial to each other. As a by product of that, I’ve built up a team of specialist over the years that can operate in pretty much any

For the past several years, he has escorted some of the biggest names in entertainment down the red carpet the most prestigious celebrity gatherings including the MTV Europe Music Awards, The Oscars and The Grammy Awards. His agency has been featured in prestigious publications such as Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and Portfolio Magazine.

Mr. Shaw’s 15 year contribution to the security industry has been in applying licensed and trained talent, with a focus on professionalism and customer service, to an industry that is increasingly under the magnifying glass dealing with threats both domestically and internationally.

Circuit The Circuit The

The official magazine of the British Bodyguard Association

11

11

By Simon Atkinson GENERAL BACKGROUND In the previous issue, I introduced the categories of Hostage Taker and their motivations. I also discussed the ‘Aims of a Captive’. In this article I will focus upon guidance to the initial responder to a call in the middle of the night informing them that their Principal, employee, employer or loved one has been taken hostage. The actions taken by this person – the Untrained Negotiator often proves key to the successful outcome of the situation.

No pressure!

We will presume that the Hostage Takers (HTs) have demanded that there be no police involvement and that you will continue negotiations unassisted. This is not a recommended course of action, but one which many people often choose to take – certainly during the initial stages of an incident.

Professional negotiation is often crucial to a successful outcome and the points in this article are simply a guide to initial contingencies that should be considered.

THE NEGOTIATION Compared to the other options open for the resolution of an incident (sniper, assault, doing nothing, request surrender, chemical weapon), negotiation is really the only policy that can minimise risk of harm to hostages which does not rely upon us knowing the exact location where they are being held.

First thing to keep in your mind is safety. You must not put yourself, or third parties, in any position where their safety is compromised.

Irrespective of the outcome of the negotiation, you should always consider Force Protection of yourself and others – particularly if a ransom is to be paid. You do not want to be taken hostage yourself!

Emotions will run high – particularly initially and as any deadlines approach. Your role as a Negotiator

12

12

The Circuit

is to stabilise the situation and establish a ‘problem solving climate’.

It is not to make any demands or promises or to inadvertently set any deadlines yourself.

Negotiations in this situation are really no different from those in any business scenario; for them to be successful, both parties must establish a rapport and be satisfied with the outcome. Therefore, you should avoid a tone that forces a situation, or one that places you as some kind of pushover. Try and match your style – verbally and vocally - to that of the HT whilst always attempting to take the pressure off a situation as it develops.

This will assist you in establishing a rapport – common understanding/ mutual respect – with the HT, whilst allowing you to maintain an element of control over the situation.

During negotiations, you must ensure that you keep a detailed log of all events. This will help you to recall detail from previous conversations and will also prove essential to professional Negotiators, should they enter the situation at a later stage.

Information that should be included in the log are transcripts of conversations (recordings are even better) and the date/time groups of all events. Also provide a column that details actions taken, and by whom, following the event in the log.

Professional Negotiators – if they are called in - will benefit from this log as well as knowledge of other things relating to the situation. This information can be collated as the event progresses and will include: HT Information.

Name(s) of HT(s) and the organisation they represent. l What do they want? What is their motivation? l What is their past behaviour during negotiations and their emotional state? l Are they armed? l Is there a deadline that has been imposed? What has been said will happen at that deadline? l

Hostage Information Who is a Hostage? Why have they been taken? l What is their response to stress?

Are they aggressive? What is their emotional state? l Do they have any medical concerns? l Do they have any special training or skills that they may use in this scenario? l

Holding Area Information (if known). l Observation points – outside looking in and inside looking out. l Escape Routes. Are building plans available? l Blind approaches? l What communications are there?

Mobile phones, landline, internet? l What Life Support is there? Air conditioning, water, power?

As an Untrained Negotiator, you should stick to the following guidance during conversation with the HTs...

Do be polite but firm. A pushover will soon lose credibility and the ignorant or ‘bolshy’ person will risk harm to the hostage.

Request ‘Proof of Life’. You need evidence that the hostage is safe and well and in the custody of those who purport to have him before things can sensibly progress. This is best achieved by actually speaking with the hostage. This Proof of Life should be routinely re-requested.

Plead for time if deadlines have been given. You need to ‘speak with a higher authority to gain authorisation’ or ‘it will take longer than that to achieve what you want’. This will introduce doubt, manage expectations and may reduce the anger of the HT if the deadline is not met.

Arrange a further call. Do not allow a conversation to end without finding out when and how the next contact will be made.

Keep talking. Do not end a conversation yourself. Whilst the HT is talking, the hostage is safe.

Contain the incident. Have a plan for maintaining operational security.

How will the family be informed?

What if the media make enquiries?

Ensure any witnesses to the event are appropriately debriefed before they are allowed to leave the scene.

Try to gain information such as – age/sex of caller, name of caller, background noise, are they using a prepared text?

HUMANISE THE HOSTAGE (and the HTs). The Golden Rule; use their first name and refer to their loved ones. It is much more difficult to harm a person than it is to harm someone who represents a political or financial entity.

You should NOT – Put anyone else at risk. You have enough to deal with, without giving them extra hostages!

Ignore any communication. You must ensure that all communication is answered – 2 / .

Challenge a HT to carry out a threat.

They will see this as a challenge to their credibility and likely harm the hostage.

RANSOM AND RECOVERY If a ransom is to be paid you must have plans to ensure that the hostage is returned safely, on payment, and that the payment is not seen as a ‘deposit’ for a larger sum. You must also make all effort to ensure further hostages are not taken as payment is made.

The detail of these plans can only really be put together when the location and required mechanics of any drop off are known but you should start planning for a number of ‘broad brush’ contingencies as early as possible.

Upon recovery of the hostage, you should also ensure that appropriate resources are in place for their initial and longer term physical and psychological care as they will undoubtedly be, at best, severely stressed upon their release.

CONCLUSION Negotiations are difficult and stressful on all parties. The best

advice is, at the earliest opportunity, to hand over negotiations to a professional. However, the behaviour of the initial point of contact may often determine how the scene is set and a lot of harm can be done if procedures are not established and basic guides are ignored. Conversely, by application of common sense and considered response, even an Untrained Negotiator can positively affect the situation and hasten the safe return of any Hostage.

In the next issue, Simon will write about how the psychological strains experienced by hostages and how they can work to defeat them.

Simon is a former UK military Special Intelligence Officer. His company, Athena Security & Intelligence Consultants (ASIC) Ltd provides a global Intelligence training and operational service.

Visit the ASIC website: www. athenaintelligence.co.uk or call +44 (0)141 314 3983 for further information.

Represent yourself as a Final Decision Maker. You are a conduit or link man not the highest authority.

Make promises. Never make a promise you cannot deliver.

Always ‘I’ll see what I can do...’

Set deadlines. Do not set yourself or the HT any deadlines. Do not ask for a deadline. This will place more pressure on yourself or the HT to conduct a stated action. Ensure that a deadline is not set by the HT without passing comment, ‘...It may take longer to achieve that...’

Assume a private conversation with anyone. It is likely that any conversation you have will be monitored by other HTs. Certainly any conversation with a hostage will be listened to.

Disclose a Commander’s name.

If you do this, you will lose credibility as the HT will simply want to speak with them instead of you. Say something like...’...there is a group of people involved. I am their liaison...’

1

The Circuit 1

THE FIREARM A firearm is a device that can be used as a weapon that fires either single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced through rapid, confined burning of a propellant. This process of rapid burning is technically known as deflagration. Deflagration is a technical term describing subsonic combustion that usually propagates through thermal conductivity (ie hot burning material heats the next layer of cold material and ignites it). Modern firearms use smokeless powder, cordite, or other propellants. Most modern firearms (with the notable exception of smoothbore shotguns) have rifled barrels to impart spin to the projectile.

Rifling refers to helix-shaped pattern of grooves and lands that have been formed into the barrel of a firearm. It is the means by which a firearm imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis, to gyroscopically stabilize it to improve accuracy and stability.

The smallest of all small arms is the handgun (or pistol). There are three common types of handguns: single-shot, revolvers, and semi-automatic pistols.

Revolvers have a number of firing chambers or “charge holes” in a revolving cylinder; each chamber in the cylinder is loaded with a single cartridge. Semiautomatic pistols have a single fixed firing chamber machined into the rear of the barrel, and a removable magazine so they can be used to fire more than one round.

Handguns differ from rifles and shotguns in that they are smaller, lack a shoulder stock (though some pistols like the Luger and Browning Hi-Power accept a removable stock), are usually chambered for lesspowerful cartridges, and are designed to be fired with one or two hands. While the term “pistol” can be properly used to describe any handgun, it is common to refer to a single-shot or auto-loading handgun as a “pistol” and a revolver as a “revolver”.

The term “automatic pistol” is sometimes used and is somewhat misleading in that the term ‘automatic’ does not refer to the firing mechanism, but rather the reloading 1

The Circuit

mechanism. When fired, an automatic pistol uses recoil and/or propellant gases to automatically extract the spent cartridge and insert a fresh one from a magazine.

Usually (but not always) the firing mechanism is automatically cocked as well. An automatic pistol fires one shot per trigger pull, unlike an automatic firearm such as a machine gun, which fires as long as the trigger is held down and there are unspent cartridges in the chamber or magazine. There are, however, some fully automatic handguns (often referred to as machine pistols).

Prior to the 19th century, all handguns were single-shot muzzleloaders. With the invention of the revolver in 1818, handguns capable of holding multiple rounds became popular. Certain designs of auto-loading pistol appeared beginning in the 1870s and had largely supplanted revolvers in military applications by the end of WWI. By the end of the 20th century, most handguns carried regularly by military, police and civilians were semi-automatic, although revolvers were still widely used. Generally speaking, military and police forces use semi-automatic pistols due to their high magazine capacities (10 to 17 or, in some cases, over 25 rounds of ammunition) and ability to rapidly reload by simply removing the empty magazine and inserting a loaded one. Revolvers are very common among handgun hunters because revolver cartridges are usually more powerful than similar caliber semi-automatic pistol cartridges (which are designed for self-defense) and the strength, simplicity and durability of the revolver design is well-suited to outdoor use. Both designs are common among civilian gun owners, depending on the owner’s intention (self-defense, hunting, target shooting, competitions, collecting, etc).

Revolvers and auto-loading pistols are produced in a wide variety of sizes, with autoloaders generally categorized as one of four sizes: full-size, compact, sub-compact and ultra-compact. Each size has merits and shortcomings; a smaller handgun usually sacrifices ammunition capacity, recoil damping and/or long-range accuracy for increased concealability and ease of use

by smaller-framed shooters. Fully automatic, relatively easily concealed machine pistols, such as the MAC-10, Glock 18, and the Beretta 93R, were a late 20th century development.

Handguns are small and usually made to be carried in a holster, thus leaving both hands free. Small handguns can be easily concealed, thus making them a very common choice for personal protection. In the military, handguns are usually issued to those who are not expected to need more potent firearms, such as general and staff Officers, and to those for whom there is no room for a full-sized rifle, such as vehicle crews. Handguns were historically issued to riflemen as a secondary weapon, however the reliability and firepower of the modern assault rifle (and the increasing amount and cost of equipment carried by a soldier) has made this practice less common as of the end of the 20th century.

Outside the military, handguns are the usual armament for police and, where legal, for private citizens and private security service personnel.

THE CARTRIDGE A major innovation in small arms and light artillery came in the second half of the 19th century when ammunition, previously delivered as separate bullets and powder, was combined in a single metallic (usually brass) cartridge containing a percussion cap, powder, and a bullet in one weatherproof package. The main technical advantage of the brass cartridge case was the effective and reliable sealing of high pressure gasses at the breech, as the gas pressure forces the cartridge case to expand outward, pressing it firmly against the inside of the gun barrel chamber. This prevents the leakage of hot gas which could injure the shooter. The brass cartridge also opened the way for modern repeating arms, by uniting the bullet, gunpowder and primer into one assembly.

Cartridges with built-in percussion caps (called “primers”) are the standard in firearms. In cartridge-firing firearms, a hammer (or a firing pin struck by the

hammer) strikes the cartridge primer, which then ignites the gunpowder within.

The primer charge is at the base of the cartridge, either within the rim (a “rimfire” cartridge) or in a small percussion cap embedded in the center of the base (a “centerfire” cartridge). As a rule, centerfire cartridges are more powerful than rimfire cartridges, operating at considerably higher pressures than rimfire cartridges.

Centerfire cartridges are also safer, as a dropped rimfire cartridge has the potential to discharge if its rim strikes the ground with sufficient force to ignite the primer.

This is practically impossible with most centerfire cartridges.

Nearly all contemporary firearms load cartridges directly into their breech. Some additionally or exclusively load from a magazine that holds multiple cartridges. A magazine is usually a box or cylinder that is designed to be reusable and is detachable from the gun. Some magazines, such as that of the M1 Garand rifle and most centerfire hunting rifles, are internal to the firearm, and are loaded by using a clip, which is a device that holds the ammunition by the rim of the case. In most cases, a magazine and a clip are different in that the former’s function is to feed ammunition into the firearm’s breech, while the latter’s is to refill a magazine with ammunition.

REPEATING, SEMIAUTOMATIC, AND AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Many small arms are “single shot” firearms: i.e., each time a cartridge is fired, the operator must manually re-cock the firearm and load another cartridge. The classic single-barreled shotgun is a good example. A firearm that can load multiple cartridges as the firearm is re-cocked is considered a “repeating firearm” or simply a “repeater”. A lever-action rifle, a pumpaction shotgun, and most bolt-action rifles are good examples of repeating firearms. A firearm that automatically re-cocks and reloads the next round with each trigger pull is considered a semi-automatic firearm. An automatic (or “fully automatic”) firearm is one that automatically re-cocks, reloads, and fires as long as the trigger is depressed. Many modern military firearms have a selective-fire option, which is a mechanical switch that allows the firearm be fired either in the semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. In the current M16A2 and M16A4 variants of the US-made M16, continuous fully automatic fire is not possible, having been replaced by an automatic burst of three cartridges.

The first “rapid firing” firearms were usually similar to the 19th century Gatling gun, which would fire cartridges from a magazine as fast as and as long as the operator turned a crank. Eventually, the “rapid” firing mechanism was perfected and miniaturized to the extent that either

the recoil of the firearm or the gas pressure from firing could be used to operate it (which made the firing mechanisms truly “automatic”). Automatic rifles such as the Browning Automatic Rifle were in common use by the military during the early part of the 20th century, and automatic rifles that fired handgun rounds, known as submachine guns, also appeared in this time.

Submachine guns were originally about the size of carbines. Because they fire pistol ammunition, they have limited long-range use, but in close combat can be used in fully automatic in a controllable manner due to the light recoil of the pistol ammunition.

They are also extremely inexpensive and simple to build in time of war, enabling a nation to quickly arm its military. In the latter half of the 20th century, submachine guns were being miniaturized to the point of being only slightly larger than some large handguns. The most widely used submachine gun at the end of the 20th century was the Heckler & Koch MP5. The MP5 is actually designated as a “machine pistol” by Heckler & Koch (MP5 stands for Maschinenpistole 5, or Machine Pistol 5), although some reserve this designation for even smaller submachine guns such as the MAC-10, which are about the size and shape of pistols.

Nazi Germany brought the world’s attention to what eventually became the class of firearm most widely adopted by the military: the assault rifle. An assault rifle is usually slightly smaller than a military rifle such as the K98k.

Generally, assault rifles have mechanisms that allow the user to select between single shots, fully automatic bursts, or fully automatic fire. Universally, civilian versions of military assault rifles are strictly semiautomatic.

The cartridge fired by these rifles is midway in power between a pistol cartridge and a high-power rifle round, which gives the soldier the close-in burst ability of a submachine gun with the more precision long-range shooting of a high-power rifle round. Soviet engineer Mikhail Kalashnikov quickly adapted the concept to the AK-47, which has become the world’s most widely used assault rifle. In United States, John Garand, adapted the assault rifle design to produce the M14, which was used by the US military until the 1960s. The significant recoil of the M14 when fired in full automatic mode was seen as a problem as it reduced accuracy, and in the 1960s it was replaced by Eugene Stoner’s AR-15, which also marked a switch from the highpowered but heavy .30-caliber rifle used by the US military since before World War I to the much smaller but far lighter and light recoiling .223-caliber rifle. The military later designated the AR-15 to the “M16”. The civilian version of the M16 continues to be known as the AR-15 and looks exactly like the military version, although it lacks the mechanism that permits fully automatic fire.

Modern designs call for compact weapons retaining firepower. The bullpup design, by mounting the magazine behind the trigger, unifies the accuracy and firepower of the traditional assault rifle with the compact size of the submachine gun (though submachine guns are still used); examples are the French FAMAS or the British SA80.

Recently, smaller but powerful ammunition types have been introduced, as to allow personal defence weapons to penetrate ballistic armour. Such designs are the basis for the FN P90 and Heckler & Koch MP7.

Caseless ammunition is another trend, (an example is the German Heckler & Koch G11). The flechette is yet another improvement over traditional ammunition, allowing for extreme penetration abilities and a very flat trajectory.

THE BULLET AP - Armour Piercing - A hard bullet made from steel or tungsten alloys in a pointed shape typically covered by a thin layer of lead and/or a copper/brass jacket. The lead and jacket are intended to prevent barrel wear from the hard core materials. The AP is slightly worse on un-armoured targets than FMJ. This is to indicate the hard AP projectiles’ tendency not to deform or reliably tumble/yaw.

FMJ - Full Metal Jacket - Made with a lead core surrounded by a full covering of brass, copper, or mild steel. These have very little deformation or expansion but will occasionally yaw/tumble. FMJ is a good choice when going up against a mix of armour types.

JSP - Jacketed Soft Point - In the late 1800s, the Indian Army arsenal at Dum Dum, near Calcutta, developed a variation of the FMJ design where the jacket did not cover the nose of the bullet. The soft lead nose was found to still expand in flesh while the remaining jacket still prevented lead fouling in the barrel.

The JSP gives more penetration than JHP but has more stopping power than the FMJ. JHP - Jacketed Hollow Point - Soon after the invention of the JSP, Woolwich Arsenal in Great Britain experimented with this design even further by forming a hole or cavity in the nose of the bullet while keeping most of the exterior profile intact. These bullets could theoretically deform even faster and expand to a larger diameter than the JSP. The Hague Accords ban the use of expanding projectiles against the military forces of other nations. Some countries accept this as a blanket ban against the use of expanding projectiles against anyone, while the U.S. feels free to use JSP and HP against terrorists and criminals.

(The U.S. didn’t sign the complete Hague Accords in any case, but still follows its guidelines in military conflicts.)

The Circuit 1

The Circuit In one year, I had taken 175 international flights. I worked on divorce cases, fraud investigations, surveillances, recces for child rescues and the rescues themselves. I worked for ISS, the Circuit, and independently.

Thomas and I did not meet for months.

On the tele-phone, he no longer asked what I was doing because he knew I would always say the same thing: “Working, but I can’t talk about it.”

“It’s dangerous. I don’t understand.

Why do you feel you have to do this?”

“They need somebody.”

The child rescues were the hardest to justify because they were the most dangerous. At worst, I could get shot at, or arrested and charged thousands of miles from home. And to cap it all, we invariably ended up out of pocket. I knew Thomas did not understand how desperate some of these women were. If we did not help them, there were people out there who would offer to commit murder for much less than the cost of a genuine child rescue. And having an ex-husband bumped off was a short cut many of these women would be prepare to take. I could not explain to Thomas how half-crazed and despairing they were. Thomas stopped talking to me about it. He knew that I knew his silence meant he disapproved.

I did not care much what the American State Department thought, or the British Foreign Office, or the newspapers for that matter, but when the one person who really mattered to me began to have reservations, I became defensive. I told myself Thomas would just have to tough it out for two more years until I would keep my promise to retire. Right now I had other men to deal with, men with an entirely different set of problems.

I had already made a reconnaissance in Pakistan for ISS when I drove to Sheffield to meet Anne Lewis. She was a middle-aged woman, introduced to me by mutual friends. We met in the lobby of a hotel and for the next two hours she poured out her story.

1

The Circuit

“I can’t believe Mahmood would do this to her,” she kept saying. “I’d never have thought he’d be like that. He’s the last person. He was always so kind.”

It was another of those cases where a sweetheart turns into a beast the minute he is married. Laura, Anne’s daughter, had been whisked off to Islamabad shortly after marrying him in Leeds six months before. And then — silence.

Apart from one worried call from a female relative of Mahmood’s, saying that Laura was losing a lot of weight, there had been no contact at all until a letter came two days ago. Or rather, a note. Anne handed me a crumpled sheet of lined paper torn from a pad.

Dear Mum, I really hope you get this. I have got to get out of here. I am locked in the house 24 hours a day.

I’ve got no key and no money and the servants spy on me. M. says I must stop living like a western woman. He hits me every single night. I am twelve weeks pregnant. I stopped eating to get back at him but then he stopped giving me food. I have to get out and he has got my pass-port. Please come and get me. I’m going crazy. I can’t have my baby here. Love Laura.

There was a row of Xs under the signature and a big blotch, as if she had wept onto the paper.

“I don’t know what to do. I can’t get her back on my own. I thought maybe the Consul could help or I could write to Benazir Bhutto.”

I had to tell her that in my experience, consuls do not intervene in domestic dramas like this one. They are there to promote trade, and if they start criticizing the Muslim way of life, even indirectly, by taking a wife’s side against her husband, it’s bad for business. So they don’t take a lot of notice when English girls are locked

away by local men. As for Benazir Bhutto, I had guarded her in the past so her name had come up in conversation with ISS. She had often been approached to help American wives and mothers, without positive results.

“So can you get Laura back?”

Anne asked.

“I can try, but it’ll be expensive. It’ll probably take three or four of us and we may have to hire a boat.”

When I had been to Pakistan before, it had been to recce a rescue out of Karachi by sea.

“I’ll mortgage my house,” she said at once.

By cutting costs to the bone I could barely do the job for the money she could afford. I got visa application forms and started calling around. At the low rates I could afford to pay, and with all the paper-work, it took four weeks to get my team in place. Anne sounded more worried every time I spoke to her. Laura was not getting any less preg-nant; time was precious.

Also, she would need a passport and she could not hang around in Pakistan waiting for one once we got her away from her husband. I would have to get Laura into India.

There would be three men and myself.

Mike and I flew out to Karachi first. As I saw it, I had only two options: either to get her to Srinagar by walking across the border through the low foothills of the Hindu Kush, or to get out by sea.

I rejected the idea of a long trek over rough terrain with an under-nourished woman who was expecting a baby. My idea was to rent a Zodiac, a rigid inflatable boat of the kind used by armed forces all over the world, get Laura out of Karachi in it and land with her on the Indian coast.

Mike and I were in Karachi for three days. We tried hard and got nowhere. I had not exactly taken to the city on my first visit and this second one did not change my view.

I found it dusty, noisy and the dirt and the poverty appalled me. You stayed in a hotel, in proper rooms with clean sheets and running hot and cold water, but the chambermaids and the man who cleaned the pool could be living in tarpaulin covered shacks within a hundred yards of you. We could not rent a car without a driver, so we gave up and took taxis everywhere, which played on my nerves but was typical of Pakistan: you were constantly having to interact with helpful people you wished you had never met. Down at the harbor they took us out in fishing boats, they begged off us, they tried to sell us everything from camel rides to dodgy watches, but none of them actually showed us a way out. The harbor was partly blocked by a big concrete chicane that nobody except a local pilot or fisherman could navigate around. The beaches up and down the coast were crowded with vacationers whenever we took a taxi there to have a look. And on the morning when Roger and Dave were supposed to arrive from London, we heard gunfire in the streets. Mike said a man in the elevator had told him it was an uprising. Whatever that meant.

So when Mike went to the airport to meet the others I was pondering other ways around the problem. With half a mind on what I was doing, I pushed my way down a bustling, garish market street and bought shalwar kamiz from a towering display in an open-fronted shop. These are the trousers and knee-length tunics that the local women wear, usually in vivid colors with embroidery, with wide shawls looped gracefully around the face. I chose brown, black and navy cotton.

Then I went back to the hotel, with my mind made up.

I had expected the two recent arrivals, and Mike, but when I walked into the lobby they were all sitting there with a new guy.

“This is Trev,” said Dave.

“Right,” I said. Maybe I looked annoyed. I do not know why, maybe it was irrational on my part, but I thought a six-footer with green eyes and hair the color of carrots was going to be a bit of a liability in Pakistan.

Trev gave me a dismissive nod.

Surly bastard.

“What’s your background?” I asked pleasantly.

“Special Boat Service and French Foreign Legion,” he said. “What’s yours, darling?”

“That’s none of your business,” I said.

“I’m paying you, so you don’t need to know.”

He subsided in his chair muttering about the day when he took orders off a woman. The others inspected their shoes.

“Dave, could we have a word?”

Dave followed me across the lobby.

“Where did you get him?”

“You said you wanted somebody that could handle a Zodiac. I’ve worked with him before. Sorry he’s like this.”

“What’s his excuse, PMS? I’m being very polite, Dave. You never even said you were bringing anybody.”

“I couldn’t go into it on the phone. I did a deal. He’s doing it for two-fifty a day.

And he is ex-SBS, I checked with a mate of mine.”

We went back to the others. Trevor was reclining with both arms stretched along the sofa back, staring at me as I crossed the lobby.

“Right. You guys must need a rest.

We’ll meet up at four in my room, okay?

I sat behind the desk. The two easy chairs were taken by Trevor and Mike.

Dave and Roger sat on the bed.

“I don’t know how much you guys already know, so you can consider this a briefing as well as a planning meeting.” Trevor raised his eyes to the ceiling. “This is the deal. The woman we want is called Laura; she’s being held against her will by her husband in Islamabad. She hasn’t got a passport—” “No, she wouldn’t have,” Trevor muttered under his breath.

“But she can get one in India, so that’s where we’re gonna take her. This is her.” I passed around some wedding photographs. “She’s a lot thinner since those were taken.”

Trevor took an uninterested glance and passed the pictures to Dave. I unfolded a map of Pakistan away from The Circuit 1

me across the desk and leaned across it to point with a pencil at markings which, from my awkward angle, were upside down.

“Here’s Islamabad. There are flights to Karachi every day and we’ve been talking about getting her out by sea.

On the other hand, there is a route across the mountains as far as Srinagar. You can see it there. Just.”

“How far’s that?” Roger asked.

“About 130 kilometers according to the map, just a little over eighty miles.”

Trevor made a snorting noise and crossed his arms. “There’s no active border post if you go round . . . here,” I continued.

“Just fucking snipers,” said Trevor.

“Yeah?” I looked at him.

“Yeah,” he said, sniggering. “It’s not like Hadrian’s fucking wall. Pakis vee Injuns, remember?”

“Well, thank you, Trevor. But that’s the way we’re going. I have decided that getting this girl out by sea is not an option.”

“How would you know?”

“Believe it or not, I have been in this country before. Mike and I have just spent three days checking out the harbor here. We—” “So?” he interrupted. “What about the beaches? Look, darling.” He tapped the map. “See those yellow strips near the blue space. Beaches.”

at the moment. If you’d been watching CNN in the last couple of hours, or even looked out of the window, you’d have noticed armed men in the streets. We are taking Laura over the mountains.”

“Brilliant.”

“You have a problem with that?”

“You dragged me out here to this shit-hole on a fourteen-hour flight just to walk some daft tart through a war zone?”

I sighed. Mike stared at the ceiling, Roger held his head in his hands and Dave looked at me apologetically.

“What is your room number?”

“Two-ten,” Trevor said. “You won’t get round me that way.”

Nobody laughed. I picked up the telephone.

“Hello. Could you get the bill ready for Room 210, please? He’s checking out.” I took five £50 notes from my bag and passed them across the desk. “On your bike.”

He stood up, kicking the desk. “You know what it is with you, darling? Your head’s so far up your arse you can’t see daylight.”

I waited as he walked across the room.

“Trevor, if you tell anybody about this job, you’ll never work on the Circuit again.”

“Last time I looked they were full of French tourists.”

He slammed out of the room. I took a deep breath.

Trevor leaned back and swung both feet on to the desk. They crushed a corner of the map. “What’s the problem? You’ll blend in nicely.”

“Right, anybody else want out of this?

Because if not, we’re on a flight to Islamabad in the morning.”

“Take your feet off the map, Trevor, Part of the problem is that there is a shooting war going on here in Karachi

1

The Circuit

And so we were. Dave, Roger, Mike and I fetched up at the Marriott Hotel, one of the tallest buildings in Islamabad. It was a concrete pile with fake Islamic arches on the penthouse

floor. I had learned from bitter experience, specifically rampant fleas, to stay only in up-market hotels whenever I went to Pakistan or India.

Most of this city was four- or five-floors high, built out of mud bricks, with balconies and gaily-painted advertisements in a script that was all dots and curves. Men of all ages ambled about in white kurta, baggy white trousers, and tweedy vests with smart little round hats. Islamabad was slower, cooler and quieter than Karachi and I relaxed. From the window of my room I could see ten or twenty miles to the foothills of the Himalayas beneath a hazy blue sky.

“Don’t get too fond of it,” I told myself.

“You’re working.”

I was still inwardly triumphant about the abrupt disappearance of Trevor. I caught up with Mike at the reception desk downstairs.

“We want a Christian cabbie,” he said.

“You what?”

“Don’t mess me about on this one, Jacquie. I know whereof I speak. I got badly done over by a Muslim taxi driver in Lahore.”

“Yeah, right.”

Anything for a happy ship. We split up.

Dave set off to have a look at the mountain path. Roger went to recce the route to the airport in case the mountains proved impossible, and Mike and I waited for our cab. When it came I saw a cross dangling behind the windscreen. The guy probably kept a supply in the glove compartment, I thought. Buddhas, Stars of David. The customer was always right.

“Okay, Mike?”

“Right.”

We set off for the wealthier suburbs north of the city. The house where Laura was being kept was in a street lined with head-high painted mud walls

with trees overhanging from inside.

The house had a wide double-sided iron gate. We circled the block and came back very slowly. I looked through the black bars of the gate and saw a skinny creature in blue shalwar kamiz, her head wrapped in a shawl, standing on a path in front of a veranda. As the car passed she looked at us. She was fair-skinned. It was Laura. I thought our eyes met for a moment. Then she was gone.

In the days that followed, we watched the place. The husband, Mahmood, a tall handsome man with a mustache who wore baggy, gray-cotton Pakistani trousers and kurta, left at about nine in the morning and returned midafternoon. At eight or nine in the evening he left again, and stayed out for four or five hours. In his absence there was nobody about except Laura, the two servants of whom one was very old, and also a grandfather. The grandfather could have existed only in my mind. We never saw him, but Anne had told me that Mahmood once said there was a grandfather who lived in the house and never left his room. I was taking no chances.

“Any dogs?”

“No dogs.”

We were a working team now.

Somehow we had all concluded that we were going to get the girl out and take her over the mountains to India.

Roger and Dave started to buy water, matches, canned food and Bergens in order to plant supplies along the route.

Not as difficult to find as you might think, as this area is a Mecca for serious hikers and climbers attracted by the nearby mountains. They recced the first few miles of the walk. The only obstacle seemed to be an old fort, a relic of the British Empire, now manned

by Pakistani soldiers,a few miles out of Islamabad that, they promised, we would be able to hike around.

I just had to get the timing right. Timing was everything. One night, Mike and I quietly left the taxi in the dusk and

started walking north. When we reached Laura’s house it was dark.

Mike gave me a leg up over the wall. I wore my black tunic and trousers, and with a black scarf wrapped around my face I glided silently between the trees in the garden. I approached the house and began to sidle along its walls.

Roger thought he had identified Laura’s bedroom yesterday, and I hoped he was right, because by moonlight alone I could not see a thing. This was a muggy night and every window aperture with its shutters open looked like a black cave.

At the one supposed to be Laura’s I spied a glimmer of light and peered over the sill. She was asleep on a single bunk inside. A tiny rush lamp flickered on the wall. I clambered into the room with inevitable scuffling noises, but she did not wake up. I paused. I could not hear a sound in the house; no television or radio, no snoring. I crept forward.

She lay on her side. I clamped my hand over her mouth and bent down. 1 saw a glint of white as her eyes jumped open in terror.

“Don’t be frightened,” I hissed. “Your mum sent me. When I take my hand away don’t scream.”

I moved my hand and she twisted around to face me.

“Yes, I’ll get dressed.”

“Not yet. Stay there. We’ve got to get you out without getting caught. I’m going now, but we’re going to come back for you this week or next. If an English guy turns up and says Jacquie sent him, do what he tells you, okay?”

“Sssh.”

She heard it before I did: a footfall in the corridor. She lay still on her bed. In a flash I was standing behind the door holding my breath. The latch clicked and the door opened inward with a gentle sigh. I pulled the pistol out of my waistband. If whoever it was came in, I would be ready to clobber him with the weight of the gun in both hands. The door slowly shut again. For thirty seconds I held my breath as the person shuffled down the corridor.

“It was only Fayed,” she whispered.

“He’s old, he worries about me. He can’t do anything, he’s only a servant.”

“I’m going,” I whispered back. “Be ready to leave day or night.”

Extract from Chapter 22 of The Circuit, By Jacquieline Davis ISBN: 0 - 1 1 - - Available from all good bookshops and online at www.the-bba.org.uk/bookshop.htm

“Who are you?”

“I’m Jacquie. Your mum sent me. D’ you want to leave here?”

“Yes.” She sat up suddenly. In the flickering light she looked eerily skeletal. “Of course I do.”

“Hold on. You can’t go now. Not tonight. Are you all right?”

“I’m covered in bruises. I’m four months gone, does she know?”

“Yes. Can you walk?”

“Of course.”

“Can you walk a long way?”

When Jacquieline Davis, a young London police officer eager for a career change, accepted a new job with a description that required her to “Drop every-thing at a moment’s notice, go anywhere in the world and risk your life,” she stepped into the dangerous world of covert operations. Her first assignment was protecting a royal family, but intensive training by members of Special Forces led her into increasingly dangerous undercover assignments that included infiltrating a Columbian cocaine cartel and rescuing hostages from Asia and the Middle East. Trained in both armed and unarmed combat, Jacquieline Davis is an expert in covert operations, close protection, surveillance, counter-industrial espionage and security. Her clients include many celebrities, royalty and high-profile executives. A huge success when first published in the UK and now updated, The Circuit is the fascinating story of the world’s top female bodyguard told in her own words.

The Circuit 1

Ballistic Armour

By Special Forces Kit Supplies

Forget JDAMs and MOABs, satellites and stealth bombers. For the troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, the true technological marvel will be the 2 pound ceramic plates slipped into flak jackets in conjunction with soft armour.

Capable of stopping most bullets, the body armour worn by virtually all of the coalition forces and Civilian Close protection operators are being credited with saving many lives. Soldiers shot at close range are walking away with no more than sore backs and broken ribs. [1] Humans have been wearing armour for thousands of years. Ancient tribes fastened animal hide and plant material around their bodies when they went out on the hunt, and the warriors of ancient Rome and medieval Europe covered their torsos in metal plates before going into battle. By the 1400s, armour in the Western world had become highly sophisticated. With the right armour, you were nearly invincible.

All that changed with the development of cannons and guns in the 1500s. These weapons hurl projectiles at a high rate of speed, giving them enough energy to penetrate thin layers of metal. You can increase the thickness of traditional armour materials, but they soon become too cumbersome and heavy for a person to wear. [2] It wasn’t until the 1960s that engineers developed a reliable bullet-resistant armour that a person could wear comfortably.

Unlike traditional armour, this soft body armour is not made out of pieces of metal; it is formed from advanced woven fibers that can be sewn into vests and other soft clothing.

In this article, we’ll look at soft body armour and other modern armour technologies to see how they can stop bullets. We’ll also find out about the range of body armour options available and see how the government tests and rates body armour. [3]

Modern Soft Body Armour Soft body armour is a fairly mystifying concept: How can a soft piece of clothing stop bullets? The principle at work is actually quite simple. At its heart, a piece of bulletproof material is just a very strong net.

To see how this works, think of a soccer goal. The back of the goal consists of a net formed by many long lengths of tether, interlaced with each other and fastened to

20

The Circuit

the goal frame. When you kick the soccer ball into the goal, the ball has a certain amount of energy, in the form of forward inertia. When the ball hits the net, it pushes back on the tether lines at that particular point. Each tether extends from one side of the frame to the other, dispersing the energy from the point of impact over a wide area.

The energy is further dispersed because the tethers are interlaced. When the ball pushes on a horizontal length of tether, that tether pulls on every interlaced vertical tether. These tethers in turn pull on all the connected horizontal tethers. In this way, the whole net works to absorb the ball’s inertial energy, no matter where the ball hits.

If you were to put a piece of bulletproof material under a powerful microscope, you would see a similar structure. Long strands of fiber are interlaced to form a dense net.

A bullet is traveling much faster than a soccer ball, of course, so the net needs to be made from stronger material. The most famous material used in body armour is DuPont’s Kevlar fiber. Kevlar is lightweight, like a traditional clothing fiber, but it is five times stronger than a piece of steel of the same weight. When interwoven into a dense net, this material can absorb a great amount of energy.

In addition to stopping the bullet from reaching your body, a piece of body armour also has to protect against blunt trauma caused by the force of the bullet.

Later in this article we’ll see how soft body armour deals with this energy so that the wearer doesn’t suffer severe injuries. A person wearing body armour will still feel the energy of a bullet’s impact, of course, but over the whole torso rather than in a specific area. If everything works correctly, the victim won’t be seriously hurt.

Combination Stab and Ballistic Vests Vests that combined stab and ballistic protection were a significant innovation in the 1990s. The starting point for this development were the ballistic-only offerings of that time using NIJ Level 2A, 2, and 3A or Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) HG 1 and 2, with compliant ballistic vest products being manufactured with aerial densities of between 5.5-6 kg/m3 (1.1-1.2 lb/ft2).

However police forces were evaluating their “street threats” and requiring vests with both knife and ballistic protection. This

multi-threat approach is common in England and Europe but is less popular in the USA.

Military Carriers The military type of carrier, English police waistcoat carrier, or police tactical carrier most typically has a series of webbing, hook and loop and snap type connectors on the front and back face. MOLLE attachments are by far the most popular way to attach additional pouches to assault vests. MOLLE is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and rucksacks utilized by the British and United States Army. The system’s modularity is derived from the use of PALS webbing, rows of heavy-duty nylon stitched onto the vest as to allow for attachment of various MOLLEcompatible pouches and accessories. This permits the wearer to mount various gear to the carrier in a flexible way.

Concealable Carriers Law enforcement carriers in some countries are concealable. The carrier holds the ballistic panels close to the wearer’s body and the uniform shirt is worn over the carrier. This type of carrier must be designed to conform closely to the officer’s body shape. For concealable armour to conform to the body the fit is important. Many programs specify full custom measurement and manufacturing of armour panels and carriers to ensure good fit and comfort for concealable armour. Female officers have the most difficulty in getting accurately measured and fabricated armour that is comfortable. [5]

Body Armour Standards Body armour standards are regional. While many standards exist a few standards are widely used as models. The American National Institute of Justice ballistic and stab documents are examples of broadly accepted standards, In addition to US NIJ the English Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) standards are used by a number of other countries and organizations. The United States National Institute of Justice (NIJ Standard 0101.04) have specific performance standards for bullet resistant vests used by law enforcement. The US NIJ and British HOSDB rates on a scale against penetration and also blunt trauma protection and deformation.

Blunt Trauma and Ranking Resistance As we have mentioned, a piece of soft bulletproof material works in the same basic way as the net in a soccer goal. Like a soccer goal, it has to “give” a certain amount to absorb the energy of a projectile.

When you kick a ball into a soccer goal, the net is pushed back pretty far, slowing the ball down gradually. This is a very efficient design for a goal because it keeps the ball from bouncing out into the field.

But bulletproof material can’t give this much because the vest would push too far into the wearer’s body at the point of impact. Focusing the blunt trauma of the impact in a small area can cause severe internal injuries.

Bulletproof vests have to spread the blunt trauma out over the whole vest so that the force isn’t felt too intensely in any one spot.

To do this, the bulletproof material must have a very tight weave. Typically, the individual fibers are twisted, increasing their density and their thickness at each point. To make it even more rigid, the material is coated with a resin substance and sandwiched between two layers of plastic film. Since no one layer can move a good distance, the vest has to slow the bullet down using many different layers.

Each “net” slows the bullet a little bit more, until the bullet finally stops.

The material also causes the bullet to deform at the point of the impact.

Essentially, the bullet spreads out at the tip, in the same way a piece of clay spreads out if you throw it against a wall.

This process, which further reduces the energy of the bullet, is called “mushrooming.”

No bulletproof vest is completely impenetrable, and there is no piece of body armour that will make you invulnerable to attack.

There’s actually a wide range of body armour available today, and the types vary considerably in effectiveness.

We just saw that modern soft body armour consists of several layers of super-strong webbing. This material disperses the energy of a bullet over a wide area, preventing penetration and dissipating blunt trauma. This sort of armour, as well as hard armour, ranges considerably in effectiveness, depending on the materials used as well as the armour design.

Beyond Kevlar Kevlar is by far the most common fiber used to make body armour, but other materials are being developed. The most readily available alternative fiber is called Vectran, which is approximately twice as strong as Kevlar. Vectran is 5 to 10 times stronger than steel.

Another rapidly emerging fiber is spider silk. Yes, spider silk! Goats have been genetically engineered to produce the chemical constituents of spider silk, and the resulting material is called Biosteel. A strand of Biosteel can be up to 20 times stronger than an equivalent strand of steel.

Chicken feathers are also a possibility.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers are spinning them into cloth that is lightweight and very sturdy. Because the feathers have a fine honeycomb texture, they could be resistant to bullets.

Hard Body Armour Modern body armour is divided into two main categories: hard body armour and soft body armour.

Hard body armour, made out of thick ceramic or metal plates, functions basically the same way as the iron suits worn by medieval knights: It is hard enough that a bullet or other weapon is deflected. That is, the armour material pushes out on the bullet with the same force (or nearly the same force) with which the bullet pushes in, so the armour is not penetrated.

Typically, hard body armour offers more protection than soft body armour, but it is much more cumbersome. Police officers, PSD and military personnel may wear this sort of protection when there is high risk of attack, but for everyday use they generally wear soft body armour, flexible protection that you wear like an ordinary shirt or jacket.

Ceramic Hard Armour Why would body armour be made with ceramic plates? Bathroom tile is made of ceramic and it is extremely brittle and fragile. However, the ceramic used in body armour is called alumina, with the chemical formula Al2O3. Sapphires are made of alumina, and sapphire is a very strong material. You can also find rigid plates made out of the plastic polyethylene. It is thicker than ceramic and not quite as strong, but lighter.

Many rifle armour components contain both hard ceramic components and laminated textile materials used together.

Various ceramic materials types are in use however Aluminum Oxide, Boron Carbide and Silicon Carbide are the most common.

The fibers used in these systems are the same as found in soft textile armour.

However for rifle protection high pressure lamination of ultra high molecular weight Polyethylene with a Kraton matrix is the most common. [6] While ceramic materials have some outstanding properties for ballistics they are not strong under tensile loads. Failure of ceramic plates by cracking must also be controlled. For this reason many ceramic rifle plates are a composite. The strike face is ceramic with the back face formed of laminated fiber and resin materials. The hardness of the ceramic prevents the penetration of the bullet while the tensile strength of the fiber backing helps prevent tensile failure.

Why do we need Hard Armour?

Firstly lets get down to basics and look at a simple velocity question, which would you rather have hit you?

The answer is quite simple but it does give you a little background on the question of armour. l A 5-ounce

baseball traveling at 130 miles per hour (good fastball pitchers today throw at about 100 mph), or

l

l

Based on a 9.7-gram, 0.30-caliber bullet as it exits the barrel of a rifle at 1,875 mph?*

A bullet slows as it travels through the air. Its speed is 1,600 mph at 200 yards and 1,350 mph at 400 yards, corresponding to baseball speeds of 110 mph and 95 mph.

When a person is hit by a moving object, the object transfers its momentum to that person. Newtonian physics dictate that momentum is conserved, meaning it cannot be lost. The momentum transferred from the object to the person is the “push” that can knock us over. Momentum equals the mass of the object multiplied by its velocity. The lighter the object, the faster it needs to travel to have the same momentum as a heavier object. Therefore, a baseball moving at 130 mph and a rifle bullet moving at 1,875 mph will have an equally hard impact.

Common sense says that, painful as the choice may be, we would much rather be hit by the baseball. The problem with the bullet hitting you is that it travels at such high speeds that it can penetrate an individual and cause considerable damage. The baseball, on the other hand, is larger and slower, and stays outside the body. That, in fact, is the only difference. Otherwise, the ability of the two impacts to knock us over is

The Circuit 21

about the same. The challenge for body armour designers is to convert a bullet’s impact to the equivalent of a blunt blow.

Thus the role of body armour, or bullet-proof vests, is clear. We cannot stop momentum transferred by the bullet to the person that is a fundamental, conserved quantity but we can place protective armour between the person and the bullet so that it does not puncture the person.

Body armour should be designed so that it adds enough material to deform the bullet and slow it down so that, by the time the momentum reaches the wearer, the bullet impacts like a baseball hitting skin. Such an impact will leave bruises and perhaps break a rib, but these consequences are preferable to the damage caused by a bullet penetrating the body.

Two threats: ball and armour piercing ammunition Regular rifle bullets, used by military and hunters, are called ball rounds because they are similar to the lead spherical rounds that were fired out of muskets. Today’s ball round is filled with lead and usually has an outer metal jacket of copper or gilding metal.

However, rifles can also fire armour-piercing rounds, so called because they can pierce metal armour on vehicles. These rounds have a hard steel core, a small amount of lead on the front and back, and a metal jacket of copper or gilding metal. Armourpiercing rounds are much harder to stop than ball rounds, yet it is necessary to have armours that protect against both.

The ceramic plate design A common combination is a thin alumina ceramic tile backed by Kevlar fabric in a stiffening resin. We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of polyethylene hard armour which is generally lighter than Ceramic later.

Please refer to the ballistic table for general NIJ ballistic ratings between the two.

Alumina is a very hard ceramic with the composition Al2O3 - the same chemical composition as sapphire, which is known for its superior hardness. It comes in various grades with different ballistic 22

The Circuit

performances. Kevlar is a poly (paraphenylene terephthalamide), which is a long organic molecule that includes aromatic rings and nitrogen in the chain. The fibers are spun into strands, which are then woven into fabric. In body armour, the fabrics are used as a weave or they are placed in a hardening resin to give stiffness - thus the final composite can behave either as a flexible fabric or a stiff plate.

Armours comprised of a hard layer (ceramic) backed by a soft layer (Kevlar) highlight the two key features of armour design: materials and geometry. These are the only variables available to armour designers - either the material itself is changed or the way the materials are positioned is changed. Current body armour designs have been obtained through years of experimentation to determine the required amounts of materials. Experiments are the final arbitrators in ballistics. In the end, the question always remains: Did the armour stop the projectile?

What is known about how ceramic plates stop bullets ball or armour piercing ammunition begins to deform when it first hits the hard ceramic. Virtually no penetration occurs for a length of time called the “fracture time.” For ball rounds, this is on the order of 10 microseconds.

During this time, the ceramic tile maintains its shape and the projectile nose are flattened. At the same time, the ceramic begins to fracture.

Initially there is the fracture time, and all the projectile momentum for the shortened length of the projectile is transferred to the ceramic tile. Next, while the projectile penetrates broken ceramic, the projectile continues to erode, so the time spent in the armour is longer than it would be if the projectile were rigid and the front velocity of the projectile were the same as the back velocity, thus transferring more momentum from the projectile to the target.

Fracture begins at the impact site and micro seconds later fracture initiates on the opposite side of the ceramic as it bends away from the impact site. The projectile then penetrates the fractured ceramic, which is much softer than the intact ceramic.

The failed material under the projectile then begins to load the backing material, which can be a ductile metal, a composite based on glass fibers, Kevlar, or some other fabric. The projectile always pushes the crushed ceramic before it, loading the backing material over a larger area, and decreasing the velocity of the projectile.

Either the backing material holds or it breaks, tears, or plugs. When failure occurs, the projectile travels through the armour, carrying pieces of it, and hits the

person the armour tried to protect. Even when it holds, the deformation can be large enough to bruise the wearer. The backing material is what the wearer feels. If the area is large enough and the velocity low enough, the impact will feel more like that of a baseball than that of a bullet.

What has been learned?

So far, the most important feature identified is the time it takes the ceramic to initially fracture. Institute scientists are conducting experimental work to investigate this important variable. The longer the ceramic holds together, completely resisting penetration, the more the projectile length is reduced and the lower the velocity of what remains of the projectile. The remaining, slower projectile can more easily be captured by substrates or backing materials.

Armour Levels Type I (.22 LR; .380 ACP) This armour protects against 22 calibre Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets, with nominal masses of 2.6 g (40 gr) at a reference velocity of 329 m/s (1080 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 6.2 g (95 gr) at a reference velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s)

Type IIA (9 mm; .40 S&W) This armour protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 341 m/s (1120 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .40 S&W caliber Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets, with nominal masses of 11.7 g (180 gr) at a reference velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Type I].

Type II (9 mm; .357 Magnum) This armour protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 367 m/s (1205 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and 357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point (JSP) bullets, with nominal masses of 10.2 g (158 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I and IIA].

Type IIIA (High Velocity 9 mm; .44 Magnum) This armour protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124

gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets, with nominal masses of 15.6 g (240 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against most handgun threats, as well as the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, and II].

Type III (Rifles) This armour protects against 7.62 mm Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets (U.S. Military designation M80), with nominal masses of 9.6 g (148 gr) at a reference velocity of 847 m/s (2780 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) or less. It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, and IIIA].

Type IV (Armour Piercing Rifle) This armour protects against .30 caliber armour piercing (AP) bullets (U.S. Military designation M2 AP), with nominal masses of 10.8 g (166 gr) at a reference velocity of 878 m/s (2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides at least single hit protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, IIIA, and III].

Conclusion Stopping a bullet is a more complex process than most people realize. To do it with lightweight materials and little space requires a clear understanding of the relevant physics and mechanics. The approach of experimentation, large-scale numerical simulations, and analytical modeling provides a basis for understanding how projectiles penetrate body armour.

This knowledge will ultimately pave the way for the design of better armour and result in increased safety for soldiers and law enforcement personnel. [7]

Sources: [1- 4] Tom Harris [5] Wikipedia

[6] A Ceramic Armour Material Database Authors: T. J. Holmquist; A. M. Rajendran; D. W. Templeton; K. D. Bishnoi; TACOM RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER WARREN MI [7] Tom Harris

This article was submitted by Special Forces Kit Supplies Special Forces Kit Supplies is the sole UK distributor of BULLDOG amour. BULLDOG armour is duel rated to USA NIJ and British HOSDB standards with a 10 year warranty.

The secret is in the armour material within our vests, which is impregnated with a special resin unique to this material. This has several beneficial affects on the performance of the armour: l l l

l

l

l

Not affected by moisture (waterproof).

Makes the armour stab resistant.

Increases the ballistic performance of the armour.

Increases the fragmentation resistance of the armour.

Minimizes blunt trauma injuries behind the vest by absorbing more of the energy.

Excellent V50 for fragmentation rating depending on desired armour.

Special Forces Kit Supplies also offers a variety of carriers for the armour, from Military carriers with full MOLLE attachment to civilian and covert vests. Our armour service will also re-armour popular plate carriers such as all Blackhawk, Paraclete and Warrior assault systems.

T: 01446 772812 W: www.specialforceskit.co.uk E: andy@specialforceskit.co.uk

The Circuit 2

SURVEILLANCE IN CLOSE PROTECTION

By Damian Ozenbrook In the last issue we discussed the advantages of understanding surveillance and how a modern working surveillance team operates.

Having a basic understanding of the various methods and systems used can be of such a great advantage to close protection teams and Individual bodyguards.

you. As a protection team, always aim to cover a 360 degree arc of cover and looking for that multiple sighting - one day it may be your saving grace. As an individual always beware of the 10 to 2 rule and bear it in mind during all operational stages. It’s simply a matter of staying switched on at all times.

Whatever system a surveillance team may utilise it still always comes down to the basics of good team work and good communication to all team members.

In this issue we are going to explore the methods of foot surveillance and how a surveillance team operates effectively.

When operating on foot, a surveillance team must always endeavour to act naturally and within their given surroundings. A team must always try to blend in and ultimately have a reason for being there. One such example; during a recent training course one student used a telephone box as cover, which was fine however the student didn’t pick up the hand set. Immediately this looked strange and would definitely be classed as unusual behaviour - he immediately would draw attention to himself if being watched by a trained and curious ‘eye’. Remember as a close protection team you are always looking for the unusual and things that aren’t quite right or stick out.

The main advantage of the A.B, C system is that it allows a surveillance team to cover both sides of the target. Nothing is ever set in stone and the system allows for several different options in order to maintain an ‘eyeball’ on the target.

The whole purpose is to maintain a visual presence without over exposing any member of the surveillance team and to keep it flowing for as long as possible. A three operative team may not always be possible so a similar tactical formation can be used by a two operative team.

Each team member will try and rotate through the ‘eyeball’ position to minimise exposure and ultimately stop any compromise through multiple sightings, also all operatives must remain natural to their surroundings as not to arouse suspicion through unusual behaviour.

FOOT SURVEILLANCE:

Foot surveillance can be very risky indeed and the exposure levels of a team can be very high depending upon the environment in which the surveillance team is operating.

A surveillance team will most certainly obtain it’s most valuable information when operating on foot, however getting close to a given target / subject to gain this information has its risks; the main one being the exposure of the team.

Confidence and experience is paramount when operating on foot and the ability to blend into a range of environments and situations is the key to successful foot surveillance.

There are two main factors that will contribute to a surveillance team ‘being noticed’ while carrying out foot surveillance: l l

Unusual or erratic Behaviour Multiple Sightings

As a commercial surveillance team is often ruled by a budget it therefore doesn’t have the luxury of utilising large numbers of surveillance operators. This is good news for a protection team whose principle is the primary target of surveillance because it increases the chances of multiple sightings.

The more times a target / subject see’s you, then the more chance there is of the target/ subject remembering you. A professional and experienced surveillance operative will always try to stay clear of the ’10 to 2’ arc of vision from the target/subject. Always remember that if you can directly see the target/subject then he or she can also see

24

2

Circuit The

The Circuit

The official magazine of the British Bodyguard Association

There are a number of objects that can be utilised as cover when carrying out foot surveillance and a professional team will always be looking to use such objects.

Temporary cover could consist of the following: l Shop doorways l l l l l

Bus shelters Parked cars

Telephone boxes Shop windows

Other members of the public

Remember….it’s all about having a reason for being there.

TACTICS

One of the most tried and tested methods of foot surveillance, is the use of a system known as the ‘A, B, and C’ system. It is used widely by various organisations and law enforcement agencies throughout the world, as well as by private and commercial operational teams.

A – ‘Eyeball’

B – ‘Backing’ C – ‘Tail end’

As already previously mentioned, surveillance is all about team work, communication and being able to adapt quickly to change.

Confidence and experience are the two major factors and can make all the difference between success and compromise. This is relevant to all the various methods of surveillance we have mentioned and by understanding the basics can only enhance surveillance skills or help identify possible surveillance threats when operating within a security role.

Next issue we will look at the methods and systems of mobile surveillance and also look at the various vehicles often used to carryout a successful surveillance operation.

Damian Ozenbrook is the Managing Director of Blue Square Global Ltd, specialists in surveillance and surveillance detection training.

Tel: 0 00 1 www.bluesquareglobal.com

EPO-PSD Tactical

Keeping you and your client alive whatever the situation!

1 day Introduction to the V.I.P.A System of CP Close Quarter Combat 2 day CP Close Quarter Combat Course 2 day Weapon Retention / Disarm Course (firearms) 3 day Weapon Transition Course 10% discount for 5 day Hostile Environment Course BBA members

The V.I.P.A System, only one of a few dedicated close protection combat systems in the world today.

Open to CPOs, Military and Law Enforcement personnel only.

For more info or a course brochure contact: The Course Director, EPO-PSD Tactical E-mail: epo-psdtactical@live.co.uk or epotacticaltraining@supanet.com Tel: +44 (0) 7954 218125 Website: www.epo-psdtactical.com TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS - TRAINED BY PROFESSIONALS

THE WORLD Geoff Thommpson

OF MEN

I think God wants us to grow. I believe that the universe is hungry for us to expand - and it is continually offering us the means to accomplish this.

Many people feel that meditation is the prime exercise for this expansion, and whilst I agree that it is hugely beneficial, I have to add my own personal experience based caveat; whilst I love to grow my conscious net though meditation I have to say that my very deep development always came through my very hard experience where I learned to dissolve fear whilst facing fear, and expand into new realities by engaging new realities.

An example; I nearly killed a man once in a car park match-fight.

Afterwards I saw God. It was the last place I expected to encounter Him, but He was there and he spoke to me through my pain. I was certain that this man (my opponent) was dead and I was also certain that my life was over. After a bloody encounter (triggered by two obese egos and an argument over personal territory) he was deeply unconscious and on his way to hospital and I was in my own version of Dante’s inferno.

Within minutes of the affray I was deeply remorseful, within hours I believed I was on my way to prison.

When I drove my car home that night, it was about midnight, I felt as though my world had collapsed. If he was dead, and I was sure he was, I was about to lose everything that I held dear; ironically everything I had become complacent of. It was then 2

The Circuit

that the realisation hit me; I was about to lose the most precious gift of all. My liberty.

My car seemed to be flying, the roads glimmered like gold, the street lights were glowing, celestial orbs. When I got home my wife was asleep in one room, my children in another, completely unaware of my crime and my pain. As I lay next to my wife on the bed she seemed so much more beautiful than the lady I had left to go to work just six hours earlier. She was positively glowing. Her skin was like silk, it was as though the corporeal veil had dropped and I could see right into her soul. My kids appeared to me like angels, I just could not believe how beautiful they were – and I was about to lose them all.

Then another startling realisation; the man I kicked around the tarmac like a football, the man that I had dehumanised, the man I had thought my enemy, was also a human being, someone’s husband, someone’s father, someone’s son. I was filled with remorse. I unashamedly got onto my knees and prayed to God, I asked Him for one more chance, I promised that if He allowed this man to live I would turn this baby around, I would change my life. After a very long dark night of the soul I found out that the guy had not only survived, he was walking around completely without injury.

I kept my promise, I renounced violence and I started my search for meaning.

The huge revelation for me here, which was epiphanic, was that all

those folk I felt were my enemies were not my enemies, I have no enemies.

Another experience based epiphany occurred when I delved heavily into the martial aspect of the combat arts and learned how to kill people. You would think that if you trained intently in a killing art that it would give you a thirst for killing, but the opposite is true, the ability to kill, taking the martial arts to it’s obvious ends, triggered a transition in me, I could feel how ugly it was to hurt another person, and suddenly all I wanted to do was hug everyone. Of course I had a reputation for being a fighting man, so everyone thought that my marbles and I had parted company, but I was actually happier than I had ever been, all I wanted to do was help people, serve people, and the thought of harming another human being was anathema.

These revelations might seem obvious, you will have read about the futility of violence many times, I am sure. You will have read about killing all your enemies by making them friends, no doubt. But for me this was not mere information taken from a library or a book of quotes, it was not learned, this was earned wisdom, it was actual elixir.

I can now say with certainty that violence always rebounds on its self, and use this knowing to uncreate violence in all it’s forms. I can say I have no enemies with absolute faith and pray even and especially for those that would do me harm.

This is what extreme physical experience gave me.

I have had similar thoughts and revelations in meditation, but until I tested them, they remained simply pregnant pieces of information looking for a birth in the outside world.

But of course I was up for the challenge because I wanted to be free.

As much as I love meditation and as much as I practice it and concur on its benefits, I do find that people are often guilty of courting deep states of relaxation in order to avoid raw states of experiential growth. I was never a man to sit at a bar and talk challenge, or theorise challenge or intellectualise challenge. I didn’t take the concept of challenge to a lab and do qualitative and quantitative experiments with mice or rats. I took my bones out onto the concrete and I was my own experiment. I was ‘Rat A’ at the world was my laboratory.

If it worked I got to walk away. If it didn’t I ended up in a police cell or a hospital ward.

Ironically what I found was that all the external challenges I faced as a martial artist, and a nightclub doorman and as a man in the world of men turned out to be internal challenges, they all forced me back inside. The real Jihad is the internal jihad. In fact all jihads are battles with the self; the self is your only friend and the self is your only enemy.

But for me it was only in facing the fears and challenges that I had created out there - because ultimately they are only projections from the self, or maya (illusion) - that I was able to level the hills and fill the valleys ‘in here.’

The bigger challenges are often closer than you think.

It is easier to march angrily through London with an ‘anti-war’ banner than it is to pick up the phone and end the war with the sister that you don’t talk to anymore, the ex-wife that hates your guts or the son/daughter that you haven’t seen since a family argument all those lost years ago. People want to stop the war ‘out there’ whilst the war in their own life, or inside their own bodies is raging away almost unnoticed and often ignored.

I think that ‘out there’ is often an easy distraction for what is ‘in here.’

People are in love with the idea of challenge but do not actually take on the real challenge, they want to change the world but are unable to even change their own personal habits. They want sovereignty over the material before earning sovereignty over the self.

Idyllic retreats and lonely caves are nice and I highly recommend them for respite and recovery, but they do not prepare you for the world of men.

The world of men is where you prepare for the world of men.

With that thought as my sponsor I changed my whole universe for the better. And my method was simple; I made a list of all the things that I dreamed of doing, all the things that I was frightened of doing…and I did them.

But in order to do that I had one major hurdle to over come.

My self.

I was my own enemy.

So I killed my enemy by making him my friend.

If you want to master the world, first master yourself. If you want to take on the world, start first by taking on the self.

Be well Geoff Thompson

Geoff Thompson Until the age of 0 Geoff Thompson worked through a plethora of menial jobs, from glass collector to floor sweeper; he even spent a decade working as a nightclub bouncer.

Convinced that there must be more to life than this, Geoff decided to become a martial arts instructor (polled as the number one self defence instructor in the world by Black Belt magazine USA) then followed this by living out his dream of becoming a writer.

He is now the author of over thirty books, a stage play, a BAFTA winning short film and two feature films.

The Circuit 2

™ The Portable Armored Seat shieldS the upper back, sides of the body and feet.

The completely portable Armored Sea sets up easily in minutes. It is compatible with bucket and bench seats for any vehicle and aircraft. The Armored Seat transports easily in its portable and compact carrying configuration and weighs only 32 pounds (14.5kg). It has a built-in Q.E.S. (Quick Extraction System). The Q.E.S. allows for an incapacitated person to be quickly extracted from a vehicle or aircraft. Reverse the straps, secure the fasteners, grab the Q.E.S. handles and pull. The secured person can then be dragged to a safe area, still protected by the Armored Seat.

About the seat – The Circuit talks to its inventor Jeff Peabody at Portable Armor Technologies, USA.

The Circuit: Where did the “Seat” originate from?

JP: The concept for the Armored Seat came from watching documentaries of soldiers getting hurt from IED’s and related gunfire. They were currently sitting on their vests or helmets which did not afford them enough protection. Seeing and hearing about the injuries happening in hostile regions, that could have been prevented, I designed a piece of equipment that was portable, affordable and provided protection to the user. The thought was for them to have a portable, bullet-proof seat cover that they could carry with them from vehicle - I wanted the user to have that additional underside protection they so needed; thus The Armored Seat was born.

The Circuit: What functions did you feel you needed it to fulfill and why?

JP: The Armor Seat provides rear and side

protection to the user. It shields a person from the tips of his/her toes to the head.

The Armored Seat is fully adjustable for individual heights. I needed The Armored Seat to be portable. The seat is easily transported from vehicle to vehicle, aircraft to vehicle and also incorporates a Quick Extraction Device (QES). The QES facilitates quick extraction of an injured person. The Armored Seat can then be used as a stretcher.

The Circuit: How long was it from concept to design and prototype?

JP: From the first idea on paper to prototype was about six months. We constantly looked at ways to improve the design before the final prototype appeared.

The Circuit: What Threat Level is it and can it be modified for a higher threat level?

JP: The Armored Seat is a Threat Level IIIA. This means that it will stop handgun rounds. The Armored Seat stops fully automatic fire from weapons like the MP-5, Mac 10, Tec-9 and Uzi. It also stops the 12 gauge rifled slug and the 12 gauge 00 (double-ought) buckshot. We are able to do custom work when requested. We have sewn pockets in certain areas for the user to add their own ceramic plates. However, in order to keep it portable the weight must be kept manageable.

The Circuit: How are the individual panels attached together?

JP: The panels of the Armored Seat are attached together with full length strips of 2” Velcro. The armor panels are soft. The individual layers are cut, stacked and sewn together. We then encase the armor in envelopes made up of 1080 Senior Ballistic Cloth.

The Circuit: Can a bullet penetrate the Armored Seat where the panels are joined?

JP: Unlikely, but always a possibility. The Armored Seat panels ballistically overlap each other 3”. We use 100% Kevlar ballistic fabric manufactured by U.S. Armor.

The Circuit: How big is the seat when it’s rolled up in the stored position?

JP: When rolled up, the Armored Seat is 21” wide by 10” diameter.

The Circuit: What are the dimensions of a deployed seat?

JP: A fully deployed 6-panel seat is 76”

2

The Circuit

long by 39” wide.

The Circuit: How long does it take to deploy an Armored Seat?

JP: The Armored Seat can be deployed on any bench or bucket seat in under two minutes.

The Circuit: Who has ordered and in what environments?

The DEA working in Afghanistan, CEO’s (especially those travelling across the US/ Mexico border), private contractors, members of the Executive/VIP Protection industry, among many others. US Custom officials are very excited about the product as are members of the DOD.

The Circuit: What feedback have you had about the seat?

JP: We hear “Finally!” and “I no longer have to sit on my vest!” Those that protect VIP or CEO’s love the versatility the seat brings in protecting their clients. It has been all positive and excited feedback.

The Circuit: Is there any product like the Armored Seat?

JP: In a word…NO. The concept of the multi panels Armored Seat is unique and protected by United States Patent Pending. No other product on the market comes close to the design concept or versatility of the Armored Seat.

The Circuit: Where is it available?

JP: Portable Armor Technologies is the only place where you can buy The Armored Seat. All price quotes, orders, invoicing, production and product shipping are handled from our main office in Phoenix, Arizona. The price of the seat is in U.S. dollars and the shipping is F.O.B. – Phoenix, Arizona. All export, import, documentation, and/or other fees, as well as shipping are in the addition to the product price.

Portable Armor Technologies, LLC 7000 N 16th St. Suite 120 #404 Phoenix, Arizona USA 85020 E: sales@thearmoredseat.com W: www. thearmoredseat.com T: + 1 602 795 2678 F: + 1 602 296 7941

DRESS AND BEHAVIOUR for the Close Protection Officer

By Kevin Horak, Clearwater Special Projects

Basic principles of conduct: Despite all of the training you can possibly pay for and irrespective of what Military or civilian experience your may have, if you cannot communicate properly with a variety of Principals you will not get employment or remain in it for very long.

The most common flaw in the Close Protection Operative is a lack of social etiquette. I have flinched many a time with the way someone has spoken to a Principal, from either being too informal, too personal or commenting on matters not of their concern. From a smile that reveals a pierced tongue to bad breath and a bad smell; you will get to see it all!

A team leader may not be the one who selects the team but he will be the one who is responsible for it and has to control it.

Firstly, a team leader must be respected by the team and take the role of leader. Trying to befriend the team or mix with the team while off duty does not bring out the best in the team. For a team to do things together or socialise when on down time is one thing but as soon as the team leader gets personally involved with the team, respect can be lost and advantage can be taken. What was a formal line of communication can now be severed. That is not to say that the boss cannot ever socialise with the team, but he must not put himself in a position where he loses the credibility of the team. As Team Leader one of the key functions is responsibility of the team and respect for the chain of command.

The company you are working for should guide you exactly on what is expected of you; from the job description to your overall presentation and the lines of communication.

When working in large teams, for example a foreign dignitary and his family, there may be multiple Principals, from the main subject himself to the remainder of the family. It is not unusual to have as many as 30 CPOs in a team for this type of contract. If you ever work on this type of detail it is the absolute responsibility of your team leader and the company you are working for to inform you of your exact duties and who is your immediate supervisor.

Behaviour The most important attribute of a good CPO is professional conduct and this will have considerable bearing on what the Principal thinks of him. That is what will guarantee reemployment. It may have nothing to do with how well you ‘performed’ as a good CPO but how you presented yourself, ‘how you communicated and how you followed instructions.

This may come as a surprise to some, as sometimes judgments can be made on your etiquette and not necessarily your skills in threat analysis. There are many schools of

0

The Circuit

thought that suggest you should not communicate with the Principal at all as this is unprofessional.

This may be true, but you should always talk to a Principal if they are making conversation with you. By not communicating you will appear to be rude and possibly arrogant.

Various Principals have commented in the past that he is miserable or too talkative. This type of behaviour can equally cause a problem. If you are working full time with a Principal on a two month assignment it is inevitable that at some point you will end up in conversation with him. When this happens be courteous but not servile. Bad manners will affect your re-employment.

A good CP operative is not a servant but will always have to use his common sense when on an assignment. This will include the carrying of bags and other such tasks. As mentioned in team options, you should not involve yourself in domestic tasks but you will have to be flexible. Some will say that you should never carry bags (as an example) as your hands will not be free and therefore you are not providing cover - this is true. But refusing on those grounds will not be accepted by most Principal’s. If you have to accompany a Principal to a store and are asked to carry some of the shopping to a car, you will probably have to do it. By refusing you will be seen as unapproachable and possibly unemployable. Always try to arrange someone else to carry baggage. The big department stores will usually have someone to do this and you should deflect this request their way. When you are in this situation do not be over familiar or relax too much. Always use the appropriate form of address.

If protecting a Principal of the opposite sex for example, you are a male and assigned to protect the wife of a male Principal, make sure that the rules of etiquette remain. Be very careful if the ‘relationship’ becomes too relaxed. If in a store she offers to buy a gift for you - refusal can offend, but accepting a gift can also place you in a difficult situation.

Depending on what the gift is and if it is of ‘small’ monitory value it is usually best to accept (after declining first, but she is insistent) - but be aware of what the main Principal will think of this when he finds out (especially if his credit card has been used).

To cover yourself you should mention this to your employer and disclose what was bought for you and when. Having gifts bought for you in some sectors of Close Protection can be quite common.

Job parameters - beware of taking on additional responsibilities or carrying out tasks not covered in your contract or working brief. If unsure, ask for advice from your immediate team leader or the company you are working for. Items of value can be included here; for example - a Principal may ask you to transport an expensive piece of

artwork. Are you covered in your contract to undertake this? A number of Close Protection Operatives would not think twice about carrying out this service, but if the artwork is extremely valuable are you insured for this?

In most cases not. This again is a difficult call as you do not want to appear to be awkward to the Principal. If you get into this situation you may wish to enquire very diplomatically of the Principal whether you are insured through their insurance.

Never transport packages that you are unsure of, or start collecting wrapped packages on a regular basis. Do not become an international courier service for your Principal. Always find out what you are transporting.

Basic Principles Of Conduct Drink and Drugs - This should be obvious. If you are working for a company you would normally have to sign up to a code of conduct.

The taking of drink and drugs whilst employed will probably be right at the top of the list of the things that will lead to instant dismissal.

This is not the same as having to take prescribed medication. Your company must be informed immediately of any medication that you have to take. Be aware that if you having a night off and decide to go for a drink (not recommended) that the smell of alcohol may be on your breath the next day and you may still be over the limit not just to work but possibly to drive as well.

Swearing and coarse language - Swearing should never happen in front of a Principal or any of their associates. If you feel that you can have a conversation with a Principal and use bad language then clearly the ‘relationship’ has become too close and too relaxed.

Be aware of the Principal’s religion and customs. If your Principal has religious beliefs they must be observed and respected. Every culture has different customs and you must have a good understanding of these before you enter a different country or protect someone of a different nationality. Always take advice on this through your network or carry out some research through a library or the internet.

Punctuality - I believe this to be of prime importance. It can be very frustrating if a Principal is late for everything but it is not

acceptable for Close Protection Operatives to be late at all. Punctuality is always on my mind when employing CPOs and they usually have to report in to me when they arrive on jobs, especially for the first time or on the first day. There are plenty of people who are good on the ground as CPOs but I do not employ them if I cannot trust their punctuality. In this business if you say you are going to do something or be somewhere at a certain time you must mean it. Your Word Is What You Stand For. Demeanour - It is important that you are correctly presented for each situation and must dress accordingly. Demeanour is about you; from the way you dress, your body language and how you conduct yourself and how you generally communicate with people.

Aggressiveness and heavy handed approaches will not work in the corporate sector and rarely works anywhere else. Your demeanour will also be reflected in your confidence; it is vitally important to be confident in this line of business but over confidence can lead to ‘cockiness’ and arrogance. Those who say that they do not fear anything generally do, or are simply dangerous people to work with.

Appearance & Image - It amazes me how many CPOs wear earrings (especially those working in the entertainment sector) or other piercings that can be seen. They need to be removed or covered up. Your hair will also reflect your image and the type of person you are. Unkempt hair will reflect a scruffy personality and a completely shaven head can look aggressive. Be conscious of this.

Always look to portray a professional image.

First impressions count.

Socialising when stood down - When stood down, you do not want to remain in the hotel for the whole of the time, this is not healthy.

Try to remove yourself from the place of work or where the Principal is staying. A truly British trait is to go to the pub and have a drink but sometimes it is done to excess. This behaviour is completely unprofessional because when working as a CPO, events can change at any moment and you may be recalled at any time.

If you are under the influence of alcohol your temper can change suddenly as well as having ‘recollective problems’. Your movements will be slow as well as your reactions. If you are a team that is known to drink socially together, this is a prime time for members of the public or journalists to get snippets of information regarding your Principal, as well as a potential threat by identifying your weaknesses. Don’t do it!

Corrupt practices - Never accept a bribe for information. If you do this once you now have a price and have been ‘bought’, therefore you can be bought again. Bribes can come from the media for celebrity information but also from protected family members, i.e. if a child comes in late at night and offers you something of value in return for keeping quiet about it. Once you have been corrupted you will always be corruptible. Do not get carried away by being surrounded by wealth - it is not yours and it never will be. Once you have been bought, you will be bought again, and often for a cheaper price. The person who has ‘bought1 you will always have leverage over you. Receiving objects as a gift or

gratuity is not the same as taking something as a bribe. However be clear of the circumstances in which it was presented and who was present.

Etiquette - Social inadequacy is not a myth and it can be very uncomfortable if you are caught up in something or somewhere that you do not understand. Whether we like it or not, the fact is that in all societies there is a class structure. Integrating with different classes, especially the upper classes, can be very difficult, especially if you are someone who is more at home in more informal circumstances. By nature, wealthy people will attend formal events where you are surrounded by the rich. It is on these occasions that flaws will show, especially when it comes to dining out.

Formal dinners and banquets All events have practically the same procedures where there is food or a meal involved. After arrival there will usually be drinks on reception such as champagne, Pimms or red or white wine. Pre dinner drinks will be served from the time that is stated on the invite and will usually last for 1/2 - 1 hour. This time is used for socialising and general integration of guests. Unless you are your Principal’s guest it would not be usual for you to be involved at this point. You may be at the other side of the room or even at the front reception or outside with the cars. If you are a guest of the Principal you will be expected to integrate with other people (this is very rare).

If you are ever in this position it is vital that you behave properly, especially your use of language. Never try to overdo it or pretend to be something that you are not. Someone who pretends to be rich, influential and travelled can often be caught out and ‘old money’ will always be able to detect an impostor. However it is vitally important that you discuss this with your Principal before the event as it may not be in the interest to answer’/ am Mr. so and so’s Bodyguard’ Your Principal may not and probably will not wish for you to disclose who you are.

After pre-dinner drinks there will be the meal itself, often followed by speeches, presentations or words of thanks. There may be further drinks before departing.

At a formal dinner where an arrival time is stated it must be adhered to. For example the invite says 7.30 - 8.00 then 8.00 will be the sit down time and it will be very poor ‘form’ to walk into a room after this time where everyone will notice you. It is possible that you may also be refused entry - imagine your Principal is running very late, you are not ready with the car and your Principal is refused entry - you will certainly be blamed.

be a seating plan available and hopefully, if you have AST they will have helped make the seating arrangements, or liaised with those who do. The seating plan will be available for all to see and this will be outside the main function room or in the reception lounge. You should study this on arrival to note where the Principal will be in the room. You will of course be able to see who else is attending the function and if there is any known threat or other potential problems in the room. If you are going to be present, each table will usually have a table number or object for you to look for, and your name will be on a name card at the table. It is customary to greet other people at the table. If you are going to be meeting people you will need to clear it with your Principal as to what you say as to your reason for being there. You may be on a security table with other CPOs in which case the evening will be full of interesting conversation (or not!).

The guest(s) of honour will sit at a top table and will probably be the last to enter the room. On very formal occasions with dignitaries in attendance other guests will remain standing until those on the top table have sat down. The cutlery on the table will reflect the amount of courses there will be and this can be daunting for the rookie CPO who sits at a table like this for the first time….

Chapter extract from ‘The New Bodyguard A Practical Guide To The Close Protection Industry’, by Author: Kevin Horak, Clearwater Special Projects ‘The New Bodyguard - A Practical Guide To The Close Protection Industry’ is a fact filled educational guide of the demands of the Close Protection Industry. Over 20 pages long with 1 0 photographs and diagrams spread over 2 chapters; this book is an authorative insight for those who are not just considering this career but for those already working in the industry who wish to use it as a point of reference. 1 % Discount for BBA members: the normal retail for the book is £2 . + postage. Price for BBA members £21.2 + £1. 0 p&p. To order the book send a cheque for £22. payable to Robin Barratt and post to PO Box 2, Norwich, Norfolk, NR JU.

At this type of occasion you will probably not be next to the Principal or even in the room at all. There will

The Circuit 1

10 Key Points

On How To Find Work In Close Protection.

I have about 25 CVs sent to me via email each and every week from people all over the world looking for work. Some emails don’t have any message, just an attachment with their CV, others a brief note saying something like “please find attached my CV, contact me if I can be of assistance.” Generally they are not addressed to anyone in particular and some emails have not even been blindcopied so I can see they have sent the same email to hundreds of other people. This is NOT a good way of finding work.

If I had £1 for every time someone said to me that there is no work in the close protection industry, I would be retired in a quiet little cottage in France overlooking the sea. There is plenty of work in the industry, you just need to get up of your backside and find it. In London alone, there are hundreds of close protection officers working full-time, and thousands on temporary contracts for events, short-term assignments, meetings, conferences etc. There are at least 15 countries with the highest threat level, and over 55 countries with the second highest threat-level, and in almost these countries nearly every foreign company or organisation employs security, and there are hundreds, if not thousands of foreign companies working in these high-risk areas. There are said to be 10,000 bodyguards operating in Iraq alone.

The only reason you cannot find work is that you have not spent enough time finding work!

The phone does not start ringing just because you have spent £2000 on a training course and have your SIA badge. Bizarrely, most people spend every penny they have training and nothing on finding work and then complain time and time again that there is no work. Or they write 50 letters and wonder why they have only had one reply. 50 letters equates to about £20 investment, do you really think that you will secure a great job with just a £20 investment? Yes, you might be very, very lucky and write to the right person, at exactly the right time, but this is unlikely. So what can you do to find work in close protection?

1. The first and most important thing is to decide in which environment do you want to work? You cannot do anything unless you make this fundamental decision. Do you want to work abroad or in the UK? If abroad, where – define specific areas and do not just say you will work anywhere in the world because you cannot. So be more specific; do you want to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia, The Congo, Russia and by being specific it becomes a lot easier to target your marketing campaign. If you decide to stay in the UK are you interested in corporate or celebrity protection? Events, concerts, galas, opening nights, witness protection, residential security,

2

The Circuit

corporate security, etc. However, bear in mind that if you only want to be UK based the chances of finding full-time work is a lot less – we just don’t live in a higher enough risk country for many people to employ full-time protection. But if you have a good idea of where you want to work, what you want to do and who you want to work with then targeting possible employers becomes a little easier.

2. Be brave and pioneering and start up your own

security consultancy company specialising in a high risk part of the world. If, for example, you specialised entirely in The Democratic Republic of Congo, and you marketed this aspect carefully to companies and organisation trading and operational in that country, it would not take you very long to develop a good network of foreign clients who would use your services. I did this in Russia in the mid 90’s and to this day am still one of just a handful of British individuals recognised for providing close protection services in Moscow.

3. Use the internet as a resource. Find out

who employs who and in what environment.

Make a list of employers within your defined areas of possible service. You cannot target the hundred thousand or so security companies in Europe alone, so narrow it down and concentrate on a small selection. If a website says they are not accepting CVs, then don’t send them your CV. Keep a note of the site for future reference, but don’t waste your time and money by sending your CV to someone who might immediately bin or delete it.

4. IMPORTANT – Call first and ask for the name of the person in charge of recruitment and if you can speak to them then even better. Ask if they are recruiting, if not, again make a note to call back in a few weeks / months. Ask if you can send them your CV. If they say no, then don’t send it. Don’t try to talk them into receiving it as for sure it will go in the bin! Be polite, make friends with them and call them back at another time. Have a note book and make a systematic structure of whom you have called, who to call back on, who you have sent your CV to, who has replied etc.

5. DO NOT send copies of your CV via email to everyone without first calling as detailed above. Yes, it is a cheap way of sending your CV out to as many people as you think possible, but I can almost guarantee 99% are deleted even before they are opened. I get about 25 a week without having any available positions - how on earth am I ever going to open and read them all? And why should I spend hours upon hours of my time reading CVs? For what purpose? If I was paid for it, yes of course, but wasting time and money is not a priority for recruitment officers and personnel departments.

6. Always follow up your CV with a call. Ask if

they got it, if they have managed to read it and if not when would be a good time for you to call back. If you are told you are not suitable, try to find out why, and then ask if they have something more suitable to your current CV until you gain more experience and training.

You have to develop a rapport with HR. I had 70 CVs sent to me once for a five man team I needed in Moscow. I think I tended to look more closely at the CVs from the people I had spoken to and developed a slight working relationship with. It is natural. If you don’t have the bollocks to call and ask, then you definitely should not be in this industry.

7. Make sure your CV is perfect – no mistakes and no bullshit.

8. Networking is a great resource as many positions are still gained via word of mouth and via referrals and recommendations. In close protection we naturally tend to work with people we trust. Make contact with as many people in the industry as you can as one of them might someday give you that vital ‘heads up’ on a great position.

9. Join close protection forums. Whilst some

of the notices and threads are very unprofessional and extremely arrogant, there is still a lot of good information to be had via the forums.

(You will also notice how those replies and unprofessional threads usually come from people out of work). If you join a forum remain professional at all times and do not get involved in petty arguments and political situations.

10. LASTLY - Join the BBA! Someone said to me recently; why spend £17.50 joining the BBA when they can probably get all the info they need via the internet themselves. Of course you can, but why would you want to? For less than 40 pence a week the BBA does all of this for you, yet you would prefer to spend hours on the internet at an hourly rate of say £10-15 an hour? Again, people that question spending £17.50 a year finding work are those generally without work. As from the 1st July 2008, The BBA had over 400 jobs on its forum; surely this alone is worth 40 pence a week? © Robin Barratt The British Bodyguard Association

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

“

My First

”

Jobas a

Close Protection Operative The unmistakeable voice of Liam Gallagher woke me at 0500. As I stretched last nights sleep from my body, my mind started to sing along with Liam…

“Catch the silver sunlight in your hands….Hey Lyla…”

I reached over and hit the snooze button which cut Liam off abruptly.

Generally at this point it takes a few moments for the sleepy haze to clear from my mind, and for me to piece together the plans for the coming day, but today however was different. As the snooze button was hit, before Liam’s voice faded, my mind was awake, active and excited….it was going to be my first job as a close protection operative.

When I think about how I came to work in close protection, I can think of chronological dates; applying for my course, receiving details, the course itself etc, but I think, as a career, I was always going to end up in the industry of security and protection.

I grew up on a run-of-the-mill estate, a son to my mother and father and a brother to my sister. My mother was, and still is, a great role model for me.

I account all of my attributes that make me a hard working, loyal and professional, to her. From an early age we became a one-parent family my dear Nan looking me and my

The Circuit

By Nick Short

sister while my mother went out to work.

Growing up in that environment without a father figure - I felt I should try to be the man of the house and protect those who were (and still are) important to me. In some respects this also played a negative part in my life; it was both a tricky time for me, and a very difficult time for my mother. We had a great many ups and downs but after time, and a lot of effort, it all came good. I believe this period in my life moulded me into the person I am today and without a doubt had a hand in my choice of career. At the time it was extremely hard for everyone involved but, like many problems in life, it eventually turned out positive.

Life took a pretty normal path from then on. School was filled with the laughs, as well as the odd bit of skulduggery, that comes with adolescence. Then into the working world with manual labour my choice of career – in other words ‘bloody hard graft.’

I never felt content in my work and I was always looking to make a change and start some sort of a career that I could put everything into.

In the summer of 2007 I came across a website offering close protection training. It seemed to me that this was what I had been looking for all along and so, after a little research, I eventually chose a company, paid the appropriate deposit and enrolled in a three week close protection training course.

I studied hard and trained hard and was singled out on the course for showing a high level of competence.

Not only was the course all I had hoped for; informative, interesting and immensely exciting, but the small group of lads that I met quickly became great companions. All of them, except one, were ex-military and I rapidly established a camaraderie you only hear of in the Armed Forces and remain friends with some of the guys up to this very day.

Such was my enjoyment of the course I felt it a real shame when it came to an end, but I had eventually achieved what I had set out to achieve and had become a qualified Close Protection Operative (qualified in respect to holding the SIA Level III licence, which I recognize is very different to being qualified through experience).

And so, a few days after the course, I began to search for work in the close protection industry. I was not naïve enough to think I will be getting work from anywhere but the very bottom end of the protection hierarchy and felt myself very lucky when, during a conversation with a guy who was fairly established within the circuit, I was offered the chance to work as part of a residential security team at a top London hotel. My telephone number was passed on to the Head of Security and amazingly I was contacted later that evening After a vague and relatively short conversation, I was given brief details

of where to be, at what time, and what to wear. Excitement and, if I’m honest, a fair amount of uneasiness and apprehension filled me that evening.

I never needed to hit the snooze button again. I jumped out of bed, showered, got my things together and took the bus to my nearest underground station and then the tube to Regent’s Street station, a short walk from the hotel. As I walked out of the tube station on a bright sunny morning and made my way to the hotel, I was excited about the first day of what would hopefully be a long and substantial career in close protection. Just before entering the hotel I tried to make a couple of call to the only contact number I had for the job, but to no avail; the phone was not responding, so I walked up to the hotel entrance, exchanged pleasantries with the doorman as he held the door open for me, and made my way across the foyer to the front desk.

The size and grandeur of the hotel didn’t escape my attention, but wanting to be as professional as possible, I walked through the lobby as if I had been there many times before. As I approached the desk, a well known former rugby star walked straight past me, out the hotel and in to an awaiting car. Was this going to be my new life?

“Can I help you sir?” asked the male receptionist at the front desk. I explained I was working with a security company and had been told to make my way to the third floor.

“No problem sir,” he said, “if you could just ring who you are meeting to verify everything, I’ll then be glad to point you in the right direction.”

I was unsure of what to do. I couldn’t get through to my contact via the mobile number and the time was now agonisingly close to when I should be reporting somewhere on the third floor. I must have looked desperate.

The receptionist then asked if I knew which room I was supposed to report to.

“317” I immediately replied, guessing.

“I can ring up to the room” he said.

He dialled the number and passed me the phone, several rings came

and went. No answer. My mind was in turmoil – was this some kind of setup? Was I here at the right time? Was this even the right hotel! My mind was starting to fill with doubt; when I originally got the call I was concentrating so much on how I didn’t want to make any mistakes in what I said and how I answered his questions, maybe I had misheard some of the information.

“Hello?” said a voice at the end of the line. Thank God! With relief I preceded to explain who I was and asked if I should come straight up.

The answer I got was a little more vaguer than I expected. To be honest, it was more of a grunt than an answer, and then the phone went dead. I looked up at the man sitting at the reception desk, I think both of us realised then that the room we had just called was not in fact the room assigned to the security team but of one of the hotels clients whom I had just woken up.

The receptionist gave me a look as if to say ‘not the best start eh?’ then winked and told me I could go straight up.

As I made my way up the stairs, I felt my career in close protection could be over before it had even begun!

At the top of the stairs I saw someone suited and booted at the end of the corridor standing outside a room. He starred intently at me as I approached him, and I noticed him muttering something into his sleeve microphone. I wished him a good morning, introduced myself and briefly explained what I was doing. He then radioed through and from the door opposite emerged another member of the security team who took me inside and introduced me to the person running the job – the person I had previously spoken to on the phone. We briefly talked about my background and I was then given a full briefing on the job.

Principle’s wife was already out with her current close protection operative.

Apparently she was unhappy with that person and that was the reason for me to be taking over. I didn’t ask why they couldn’t use someone already on the team (rather than me who had never protected anyone in my life), I was just delighted at being given the opportunity.

I was told to meet a driver outside the hotel and then to make my way to a well-known department store in Knightsbridge where I would locate the Principle and take over the duties of her current protection officer. This was another lesson I quickly learned; you can be set in your mind on the task in hand and find yourself having to adapt very quickly to a whole new situation. This is an attribute you have to posses as a CPO; the ability to adapt.

We pulled up outside the department store. I jumped out, quickly checked my appearance in the glass doors and walked into the store. A feeling of surrealism came over me. This is what I had wanted to do and what I had trained to do, but like some things in life, when you actually eventually get what you want; it seems unreal, imaginary and weird.

I radioed through to Operations and was told exactly where the Principle and her CPO were. I quickly found them; briefly introduced myself to her, and her existing close protection operative was then released by the ops room. I learnt later that he was told to make his own way back to the hotel, while the car stayed with the Principle. I was informed that we would continue shopping for the remainder of the morning.

I was expecting a long stint sat outside a hotel room, but surprisingly I was given the task of providing immediate security cover to the wife of the Principle. My expectations for the day had just been exceeded. The The Circuit

The next few days consisted mainly of escorting the Principle shopping and to the occasional lunches with friends at some very nice restaurants! After few days into the job my confidence was growing.

One morning I was told to escort the principle back to her favourite department store where I had first met her. I have shopped in many department stores over the years, going about my business quietly like every other shopper. All major department stores have plain-clothed store detectives and, thinking back on my many trips to these stores, I can truthfully say I have never once noticed any of these people at work.

However, with my mind fully alert, I can honestly say I could pick out each and every one of them. I even passed the same guy a few times in the space of an hour - the last couple of times we acknowledge each other with a discreet nod!

That morning, being an avid football fan, I found myself in a position where I had to maintain the highest standard of operational etiquette. As the Principle was browsing in a concession within the store, I noticed the guy standing next to me was a top-class, worldwide known footballer.

It could have been so easy to be distracted - I desperately wanted to

say hello - but I had to concentrate on the job. I am sure (and hope) there will be many more times in my career when I am in the company of a famous face. A close protection operative quick with his autograph book is one slow in his career!

Over the past few days I had lost count of the times I was approached by shoppers asking directions. I suppose the suit, along with time spent standing around in the store, obviously gave customers the impression that I worked there. The first few times resulted in me explaining I was not an employee of the store, the last few times I found it easier and quicker to actually give them directions if known, (at the end of that particular operation I probably new the layout all of London’s top department store better than their employees).

As the principle would browse the store, I would keep her in my peripheral vision whilst being fully aware of my surroundings. As she took a dress to try on and walked to the back of the store and into the changing area, I followed a few paces behind and took position in a place I consider fit – where I had vision of the whole store as well as a vision of the changing area the Principle had just entered.

That particular day had been the longest day so far and admittedly I found it hard to keep my concentration and alertness levels at their highest. I understood that experience and knowledge of the industry would eventually change all of this and it would become second nature, but I found myself going into a slight trance, with my eyes fixed on a certain spot. Suddenly found my Principle’s aide standing in front of me - I hadn’t even noticed her approach. She placed her hand on my arm and, to my embarrassment, asked me to avert my gaze from the changing area! Did the principle think I was trying to watch her get changed? I quickly explained that I was in no way being inappropriate. My fears of losing sight of the principle, or an incident occurring, were suddenly dwarfed by what had just been said to me by her assistant. I was meant to be a professional close protection operative providing security to the

The Circuit

principle but I felt like a naughty school boy getting caught out wandering into the girls’ changing rooms! Thankfully, it turned out the Principle hadn’t noticed at all – it was her assistant doing the job she was being paid to do. I quickly altered my position and my gaze and thanked her (and my lucky stars that the Principle didn’t think I was trying to catch sight of her in her smalls!).

That was another lesson I quickly learned that day, that mistakes can and will be made but the objective was to learn and adapt from them.

The rest of that day went well and my main fear of losing sight of the Principle was never realised – something, which I have been told, has happened to a great many Protections Officers during their careers; one experienced and (very) honest close protection operative told me a story of his attention wavering slightly on a job which resulted in him running around searching for his Principle in a busy shopping centre, only to find she had got into the waiting car and gone back to the hotel.

An incident I wanted to avoid!

Once back at the hotel, I was stood down for the day.

With a good instructor, a ot can be learned on a close protection training course but, as I found out very early in my career, nothing teaches you better than the real thing.

Nick Short can be contacted at: nickshort@hotmail.co.uk

The Combat Zone

By John Paul Higgins

Position A

Seated Positioning

Look at the photograph (1) of the two operative’s sitting down. Each position is totally different. When our reactions to threats and attacks are measured in fractions of a second, everything we do out in the field as Close Protection Officers has to be immediate and accurate. Let’s break each position down and see how we can best establish the correct sitting position when out in the field as a CPO. The operator sitting on the left (position A) is sitting straight backed with his backside at the rear of the seat. His head is high and looking forward. His hands will either rest on the armrests (if the chair has any), rest on the thighs or clasped together in the lap, as is the case here.

His legs are shoulder width apart and the feet are flat to the floor. The body’s weight is to the rear of the body, making quick movement of any kind difficult.

In position B (on the right), the operative is sitting slightly forward, away from the rear of the seat. His head is in line with the spine but he is more relaxed. His right leg is pulled back under the seat and the heel is raised off the floor. His left leg is forward of the body, bent at the knee and the foot is flat to the floor. His left forearm is placed on the left thigh and his right palm is placed on the right thigh just in front of the jacket. Weight from the upper body is evenly distributed and central, allowing swift movement in any direction.

By using the above formula we can see which position is ideal for us as CPOs. Try adopting each position and quickly stand up - you will see how quickly you can react from position B compared to position A.

Essentially this is a squat position and standing straight up from this position, without the assistance of your arms, is not easy. The body is square-on which gives a potential aggressor any number of target areas to attack. By using your arms and hands to assist you when standing up means that these are therefore not available to counter any attack. Also, there is no lateral movement so you have to stand up first before moving off to one side or the other, so intercepting anyone from any angle apart from straight-on, is seriously impaired. Sitting in this position has no tactical value.

Position B

In position B the upper body is covered by leaning forward and facing at a 45 degree angle. When standing up there is no prior movement and needs no assistance by the arms and hands.

Lateral movement is enhanced by the positioning of the feet. As you stand up the front hand can be used to fend off an attacker. If armed, the drawing of a weapon is facilitated by the right hand resting at the top of the thigh near the jacket; this is the correct position for a hip or shoulder holster.

Standing Positions

Look at the photograph (2), again there are two very different positions.

Position A is the typical ‘bouncer’s stance’, now adopted by many protection officers. The stance is square on with the hands either clasped in front or behind the body. The legs are shoulder width apart with the feet flat to the floor.

The body’s weight is evenly distributed onto both legs.

Position B, the operator is standing at

a 45 degree angle but the head is looking forward and the hands are held down by the sides. The right leg is to the rear with the body’s weight on it.

The left leg is forward of the body and both feet point at a 45 degree angle.

Position A

All the body’s target areas are facing any aggressor standing to the front.

The feet, being flat to the floor, offer no movement in any direction and no balance. If we are armed, the drawing of a weapon must include a full body movement in order to get into the right position, thus giving away our intention.

Position B

All the body’s target areas are facing away from any would be aggressor.

The triangle that the feet form, gives balance and movement in any direction, whether voluntary or involuntary. The front arm is protecting the mid section of the body and can be brought up to fend off an attack. The body and the rear hand is in the correct position for drawing a side-arm hence no warning of our intention.

Position B looks none aggressive and calm, whilst still being a ‘ready’ stance.

Note: Left handed people obviously adopt an opposite position.

We have to be realistic in CQC, as you cannot really expect to stand / sit in specific positions indefinitely. A thorough assessment of the environment should dictate which stances you need to adopt and only adopt specific tactical positions when you perceive a possible threat or are in any way uncomfortable with the environment and people nearby or near the principal. However, it is good practice if you can learn to adopt tactical positions as much as possible in everyday life.

John Paul Higgins works full time as an EPO for an international businessman and is the Course Director for the EPO Tactical Training School, running hostile environment training for PSD / EPO personnel.

E-Mail: epotacticaltraining@supanet.com Tel: +44 (0) 7954 218125 Website: www.epo-psdtactical.com

The Circuit

classifieds Personnel Available CP Operative, Martial art’s background, SIA licence, based in London, team and cars (AudiA8) also available. + 44 (0)788 686 0200 / E-mail: michal@closeprotection.uk.com Female CPO, Specialist in executive / close protection.

Deployment worldwide.

E-mail: rachelcpo@hotmail.com / www.female-bodyguard.com / www.elle-security.com Female CPO, UK SIA licence, based in south-east England, looking for any security work.

E-mail: andersson_320@hotmail.com Professional CPO / BG Ex- mil.

15 years worked in London, Europe, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Instructor with IBA. E-mail: mervcarpenter@hotmail.com Security and surveillance specialist. Ex-British Army (10 yrs) - 23 yrs Security Industry.

Tel: + 44 (0) 1908 225 474 / E-mail: Dmac911129@aol.com / www.dmckenzieasociates.com

Equipment and Misc. Services Translation Services. Translate your website, brochures, newsletters, intel information etc into Russian. Specialist in security and intelligence. Excellent prices.

E-mail:invazab@yahoo.com / www.russotranslationservices.com

The Head 2 Toe Security shop provides a full range of clothing and equipment to the security industry. 10% discount for B&B subscribers. www.head2toesecurity.co.uk / + 44 (0) 1202 532465.

KD Medical Services - full range of tactical medical supplies, individual supplies to full team kits.

BBA Members discount.

E-mail: kdmedserv@msn.com Swat Digest – www.SwatDigest.com Aegis manufactures dual purpose body armour (HOSDB 2007) to defeat ballistic, stab, spike threats.

Suppliers to UK Police and MOD. E-mail: sales@aegis-eng.com / tel: 01925 840048 / www.aegis-eng.com High Quality Earpieces.

E-mail: sales@earpieceonline / www.EarpieceOnline.co.uk

Training Arrest and Plastic Restraint (handcuffing) training programme.

Fully accredited. Contact Andy Walker at + 44 (0) 7737 416422 / www.fedstraining.co.uk Hostile Environment and PSD Trauma Courses aimed at close protection personnel operating in hostile conditions, away from conventional medical facilities.

E-mail:kdmedical@hotmail.co.uk / + 44 (0) 1709 830387.

Specialist Surveillance Training.

Fully accredited Level 3 award.

Monthly courses.

Tel: + 44 (0) 844 800 3419 / www.bluesquareglobal.com The NIBSSS is one of Northern Irelands leading SIA leading close protection training providers.

E-mail: nibsss@btinternet.com / www.nibsss.co.uk / Tel: + 44 (0) 289 266 8486.

Discount for BBA Members.

Security Contractors Russia – Security, investigations, operations, executive protection.

UK Based, fully operational throughout the Russian Federation.

E-mail: RobinBarratt@yahoo.com South Africa - S.T.I.N.G. is a national and international, fullservice firm, specializing in Bodyguards and Security Consulting. www.sting-protection.co.za Sweden - Heimrisks Services.

Security and risk management, security awareness training and close protection. Specialist in the Middle East. www.heimrisks.com

To place you classified advert please e-mail: robinbarratt@yahoo.com or call 01603 404 955. Just £1.00 a word, no VAT. The magazine is quarterly so your advert will be out for THREE months – excellent value!!

The Circuit

The BRITISH BODYGUARD ASSOCIATION aims to unite and support trained bodyguards, both in the UK and abroad, via its membership and information programme.

MEMBERSHIP

Annual individual membership to the BBA includes: l

A personalised membership card

l

l

Weekly updates on job and contract opportunities worldwide

FREE Registration on our contractors and suppliers database

l

l

Extensive networking

If required, personal one-to-one assistance with your CV and CP job applications

l

Practical and useful contacts in the industry

l

Special offers on services and products

A monthly newsletter

l

Use of our logo on your letterheads and website (terms and conditions apply)

l

BRITISH CHAPTER

Membership is open to any trained Bodyguard that holds a British passport and / or residency.

Note: We have had a great many enquiries from non-SIA licensed British operatives asking whether they can still join The BBA. We are not associated or affiliated to the Security Industry Authority and although licenses are now compulsory within certain sectors of Close Protection in the UK, we appreciate there are many, many British bodyguards operating legally both inside and outside the UK without an SIA license. ANY trained Bodyguard, anywhere in the world is more than welcome to join the BBA as long as they can prove to us if requested - some form of recognized CP or related training.

Individual Membership fee: ONLY £17.50 for the first YEAR and thereafter £22.50 per year.

Please enroll me as a member for: 1 year @ £17.50 FIRST Name:

2 years @ £40.00

3 years @ £62.50

LAST Name:

Address:

Post Code:

Country:

E-mail Address:

Tel:

Mobile:

Web Site:

Detail your qualifications / training (please note – we may ask for evidence):

Please make UK cheques payable to I Zabrodskaya (BBA) and post to: THE BBA, PO Box 3342, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 7GF, GREAT BRITAIN. Please note: due to high bank charges we cannot accept foreign cheques.

Or pay online at www.Paypal.co.uk crediting BritishBodyguardAssociation@yahoo.com. We accept all major credit cards at Paypal. If paying online please clearly state your address which we will match to your application. We also accept Western Union, BACS and Bankers Transfer. For further details on membership and payment options please call us on 01603 404 955 / 07932 637738 or e-mail us at BritishBodyguardAssociation@yahoo.com

INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER

We also warmly welcome applications from The British Commonwealth States, The EU, The USA and foreign trained bodyguards who maintain close ties with the UK (business connections, family, contracts etc).

International Rates (non UK): 40 USD / 35 Euro.

www.The-BBA.org.uk