Circuit Magazine #57

News

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Opinion

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Reviews

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Exclusives

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Intel

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JOURNALIST SAFETY In Hostile Environments

PRECIOUS PRINCIPALS Challenges of Protecting Children

TACTICAL FORMATIONS

Body Cover & Professional Distance

COOPER COLOR CODE

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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CYBER SECUR 1 ITY

contents ISSUE 57 04

UK FOREWORD

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US FOREWORD

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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WHERE YOU STAND MATTERS FORMATIONS, BODY COVER, & PROFESSIONAL DISTANCE

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SAFEGUARDING SENIORS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY CARE

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THE KIDNAPPING OF A GREEK TYCOON PART 2

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THE COOPER COLOR CODE WHO WAS JEFF COOPER?

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PREPARING JOURNALISTS FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS

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CYBER SECURITY

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LONGEVITY IN EP MEANS PLAYING THE LONG GAME IN HEALTH & WELLNESS

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CONSIDERING THE CORPORATE RISKS OF EMPLOYEES RETURNING TO OFFICES

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PRECIOUS PRINCIPALS THE CHALLENGES OF PROTECTING CHILDREN

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EXECUTIVE PROTECTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST HOW TO AVOID EMBARRASSING & COSTLY MISTAKES

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BASIC RANGE CONSIDERATIONS

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THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED COMBATIVES TRAINING FOR PROTECTIVE SERVICE PROFESSIONALS

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GLOBAL SITUATION REPORT

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FOOT STEPS EPISODE 8 MIKE BROWN

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INDUSTRY EVENTS

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KEEPING YOUR EDGE THE PROTECTOR APP

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CLASSIFIEDS

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EDITOR FOREWORDS

UK FOREWORD

Finally, the sun is shining a little brighter!

And things always feel good when the sun is out. So let's kick off this Spring season with another issue of the Circuit Magazine!

After 13 years of producing the bi-monthly edition of the Circuit magazine, we've also launched two new offerings for busy protectors. The first is a weekly podcast that supplements the magazine and goes by the same name. So, if you haven't downloaded it yet, be sure to find it on your Apple or Android device by searching for The Circuit Magazine Podcast. Yes, we like to keep things simple here!

Second, we now produce a weekly "On the Circuit" Newsletter released every Friday that recaps all of the industry's highlights and latest news and information. You can sign up for that at: www.getrevue.co/profile/circuit-magazine We hope these two additional resources will help you stay at the industry's cutting edge and bring you more access to jobs, networking, and titbits of useful information to support your professional career.

But you don't have to take our word for it. User feedback has been extremely positive so far, with some fantastic feedback and reviews about both productions! So, I'd like to thank all of our listeners and subscribers for the support. Sometimes it's hard to express yourself within the written word, so it's great to expand on articles from the magazine and draw a little more out from contributors via the podcast. It always feels a little more personal to hear someone delivering their knowledge and experiences over the air, straight from the horse's mouth, if you will. And God only knows with so much going on with a 24-hour news cycle, the weekly newsletter helps operators stay on top of the latest in the industry.

Meanwhile, everyone is starting to feel a slight ease

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of the situation surrounding the pandemic, even if it is different depending on where you are in the world. Things on the UK side feel more positive, with restrictions slowly starting to be eased. The UK vaccination rollout has been successful, with over 34 million people having received the vaccine to date. I'm hoping we'll see similar success elsewhere in the world. And I have no doubt we're still in for a long haul, but I'm sure we'll get there even if we have to adapt the way we are living slightly!

There is a lot of talk of "Covid status certification" schemes to allow safer travel and enable spectators to attend sporting events and concerts once again. The certification would record whether an individual has been vaccinated, when they have recently tested negative, or whether they have some other immunity to the coronavirus.

Undoubtedly, there will be teething problems and push back with some of these schemes. Still, I can only see positives and feel something like this will be a valuable aid in helping reopen all parts of society, keeping everyone safe. Will it happen? Let's watch this space.

Until next time I'd like to wish everyone well; stay safe in all that you do! And please remember to listen, like, share and subscribe to the Circuit Magazine Podcast and the On the Circuit Newsletter if you haven't done so already. The greater the reach and support, the more enhanced types of content we can attract, which will improve the experience for all. Thank you all for your continuing support!

Stay safe Shaun West Editor

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

US FOREWORD Welcome to the latest edition of The Circuit Magazine.

Depending on where you are geographically, the world is beginning to wake up from the turmoil caused by a once-in-ageneration, global pandemic. As such, the phone is starting to ring more and more for protectors, and for many that’s a welcomed sound. While there are a number of specialist that experienced no drop off in their workload as a result of the pandemic, many more suffered. This was particularly true if your client base was in an entertainment sector such as touring, or film production, where things virtually ground to a halt.

figured out ways to increase their value and marketability. This took the form of enrolling in courses, some for free, others for fee.

There is value in learning, and it will certainly make you more marketable in the months and years to come.

On a personal level, I’m glad that The Circuit can also play a part in helping to expand the knowledgebase by bringing protectors, news, information, and insight, from around the globe.

One thing I’m pretty certain of, is that as a collective, 2021 has got to be better than the previous While that was an economic blow, year. The other thing I’m certain of, is that wherever the journey what I was as really impressed takes us, The Circuit will be here with, was that many of those for the ride. agents pivoted, and found other areas that they could use their talents to make ends meet. They Elijah Shaw Editor also used the time wisely and 7

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

Industry News At A Glance

We cast our eye over the main stories impacting the security industry. Here's what's appeared on the radar since the last issue.

John McAfee's Bodyguard Pleads Not Guilty in the $13M Crypto Fraud Case New York, NY

stated both McAfee and Watson allegedly “raked in more than $13 million” from crypto investors.

The legal tussle between the U.S. authorities and John McAfee continues as his associate Jimmy Watson has entered a plea. The former antivirus tycoon’s bodyguard has pleaded not guilty to the alleged cryptocurrency fraud case.

The personal bodyguard of McAfee ostensibly served as an “executive adviser” of the “McAfee Team,” which was the website built to offer tips targeted to crypto traders, allegedly endorsed by the controversial tech entrepreneur.

McAfee and Watson Jr. Are Accused of Having Built a ‘Pump and Dump’ Scheme According to court documents, Jimmy Gale Watson Jr. entered his plea before the Magistrate Judge Kevin Fox at the Southern District of New York.

Watson Jr., a former navy seal, was arrested in Texas early this month, as the authorities indicted him with multiple charges that include money laundering and securities fraud. Law enforcement

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Currently, McAfee is jailed in Spain, as the Spanish authorities arrested him for separate tax evasion charges.

As the former antivirus tycoon is pending to face legal troubles in North America, the U.S. government is working on extraditing him, as he allegedly failed to file tax returns.

Source >

INDUSTRY NEWS SIA qualification changes London, UK

April 1, you can take the top-up training.

from April 1 among other changes to training qualifications, you must have a first aid qualification before you can take the training required for a door supervisor or security guard licence. From October you must take top-up training before you can apply for a door supervisor and security guard licence, even if you are renewing your badge and already passed the basic training. From

The sectors covered by the SIA except close protection, and vehicle immobilisation (in Northern Ireland only), are having more training hours added to the training courses that you have to take so as to apply for an SIA licence. The training typically covers first aid and counter terrorism. For the changes in brief visit the SIA website.

Kodak Black Ambushed, Bodyguard Shot Tallahassee, FL

off as they left a nightclub, and Kodak's camp pulled into the McDonald's and blocked the entrance with a car while KB went inside to pick up an order.

Kodak Black and his entourage were ambushed outside a fast food joint in Florida, and the shooting left one of his security guards in serious condition ... according to police.

Gunfire erupted around 3 AM Monday morning in the parking lot of a McDonald's in Tallahassee. Law enforcement tells us the shooter opened fire from a car that was tailing Kodak and co.

Law enforcement sources say the rapper's entourage was being followed by several cars attempting to cut them

Source >

We’re told one of the cars tailing Kodak went to the McDonald's, left and then came back ... and that's when people inside the vehicle started shooting.

Kodak's security guard was shot in the leg and rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries, police say, while Kodak was whisked away in an armored car and was unharmed.

Kodak was in town headlining a Sunday music festival, Cultur3 Fest, and the security guard is reportedly undergoing surgery after one of the shots apparently hit an artery.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 Trump never paid back bodyguard for McDonald's splurge Aberdeen, UK

started working for him but I guess that as we have all come to see, he is not a man of his word.”

DONALD TRUMP'S former bodyguard has claimed the former president still owes him more than $130 (£95) for McDonalds cheeseburgers.

Mr McKay said the event happened when Mr Trump and a cohort of vehicles were driving to Aberdeen airport and the former president demanded some McDonald’s for the flight back to New York.

Kevin McKay, 50, who worked as a security guard for Mr Trump for five years until 2012.

Mr McKay explained that he bought the food for Mr Trump back in 2008 when he visited a site that would later become the Trump International golf course in Scotland.

Mr Trump asked Kevin to pay for the food as he didn’t have any UK currency, so asked him if he could “front him the cash.”

“He still owes me money for McDonald's,” said Mr McKay, “He told me he would pay me back, but he never did.

Mr Trump has a notorious love for the fast food chain as according to ‘Fire and Fury’

by Michael Wolff, which documented Mr Trump’s behaviour in the White House, he ate McDonald’s to avoid being poisoned.

“I thought he was an okay guy when I first

Source >

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INDUSTRY NEWS Door staff shortage creates postlockdown headache for nightclubs Plymouth, UK The future of the UK’s nightclubs is being put under further stress because of a looming shortage of door staff, industry experts say.

With the relaxation of Government restrictions the UK Door Security Association (UKDSA) said it is now worried about how many licensed security staff will be available to work once businesses reopen.

As a result of the Covid pandemic and the extended period of restrictions on licensed premises/events, the trade body fears six in every 10 late night/pub/bars/club door supervisor positions are at risk of not being filled.

Although there have been more than 14,000 licence applications and renewals submitted each month to the Security Industry Authority (SIA), new door supervisor SIA licence applications in the past 12 months are

Bodyguard set up new venture to help with mental health Swindon, UK AN ex-Royal Marine set up a new organisation in a bid to promote mental wellbeing through motorcycling.

Duncan Wilkinson, 57, was a bodyguard for big-name celebrities including Robbie Williams, Queen, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez and many more.

significantly down on previous years.

And the UKDSA found many door supervisor licence renewals have actually been used for other security jobs, for example security guards using a door supervisor licence.

This is because many security professionals have had to seek other sources of employment during the pandemic and no longer want to work short hours, with increased risk to health, at low rates of pay on the doors at nightspots.

This leaves door security companies needing to fill significant staff shortages ahead of the reopening of night time events as planned under the Government’s roadmap, the UKDSA said.

And the industry body believes the situation is set to become worse with regulation changes that would see the costs to become a licensed door supervisor increase due to extended training requirements.

Source >

wellbeing through advanced rider training, basic maintenance and wellbeing therapy sessions.

Duncan said: “Covid pushed me to a change of life. My love of motorcycles and how they got me through some very dark times gave me the idea of combining the two skills of services and care.

“It’s been a good escape for me over the years.

But due to the impact of the ongoing pandemic on his career, the father of twin girls decided to use his free time to set up his own shop – Moto Cave – with his friend Paul Dobb.

“The pressures of life for the military, emergency services, and NHS can often be overlooked and treated as part of their job.

This manifests in many aspects of mental and physical health, personal relationships and quality of life.”

Duncan wanted to create a space within his shop for former and serving military, emergency services and NHS workers who share a common passion for biking.

He added: “People think of motorbikes as just a form of transport but it’s much more than that. The journey is more important than the destination.”

He decided to set up a non-profit organisation called Ride and Recover which promotes mental

Source >

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

FEC greenlights campaign spending for bodyguards Washington, DC

lawmakers on using campaign money for personal security needs beyond the hiring of bodyguards.

Members of Congress will now be allowed to hire bodyguards with campaign funds, according to a new ruling from the Federal Election Commission.

Some commissioners suggested they had concerns about the message sent by Thursday’s ruling.

After nearly three hours deliberating and updating drafts of the ruling, the commission said members of the House and Senate may spend campaign dollars to hire security personnel when they are not being protected by Capitol law enforcement on the Hill.

The ruling comes as lawmakers at every level of government are looking to protect themselves amid a flood of threats against them, their families and members of their staff.

The commission will also begin a process designed to give more guidance to

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The ruling comes at a time when threats against members of Congress have spiked and lawmakers are seeking new ways to protect themselves from threats of violence. The threats against members tracked by Capitol law enforcement have grown five-fold since 2016, from 902 reported in 2016 to 4,894 reported in 2020. The number of threats this year is on track to grow again.

State legislators have also looked to use campaign money for personal securityitems like bulletproof vests and pepper spray to protect themselves, their staff members and their families.

Source >

Membership starting from £5

admin@the-bba.org.uk www.the-bba.org.uk 13

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WHERE YOU STAND MATTERS

By: Orlando Wilson

Where You Stand Matters Formations, Body Cover, &

Professional Distance The nuances of where and how you take a stand as a close protection specialist matters. It will differentiate the truly consummate professional CPO from a mediocre or average one. So let’s dig in!

1. Formations The key words to remember when escorting a client on foot are flexibility and adaptability.

You must be flexible enough to constantly adapt your formations to the environment you are working in, the threat level, and the manpower available. Whatever formation you are using will only be as good as the people you are using in your team. You must

select your team carefully. Vet all potential members of your team before you employ them, even if you have known them for a while.

Many people can talk the business, but when they get on operations, they are useless. When time allows, conduct rehearsals of all your team drills so in the event of an emergency, everyone knows what to do and what everyone else is doing.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 There are numerous schools of thought on what formations are best. There are advantages and disadvantages to all formations.

You must decide which is best for your situation and what you are comfortable working with.

When escorting someone, say a celebrity, through crowds, it may be necessary to use a tight formation to surround the client with a wall of BGs. If you don’t have the personnel to do this, you will have to consider using an alternative entrance/exit to the venue, such as the back door or an obscure fire escape.

Personally, I prefer the use of loose rather than tight formations when escorting a client. Many people use the US law enforcement statistics on shooting incidents as a base from which to develop their tactics.

These statistics are a valuable source of information, but if you look outside the US, you will see that criminal and terrorist tactics have been changing over the past years. The primary weapon is the IED. If you do not detect the IED, the formation will not matter at all!

Since the end of the cold war, there has been an abundance of ex-military weaponry on the black market, along with unemployed former military personnel who are willing to use them or train others 16

to use them. In more and more criminal and terrorist incidents, we see the use of assault weapons, light anti-tank weapons, multiple shooters and military tactics being used. Wherever you are operating, it pays to get to know as much as possible about your opposition and keep up on other tactics being used around the world. If you learn the sequence that your opposition will use to attack you, you will be in a better position to predict their moves. The best way to learn how to defend is to learn how to attack.

2. Body Cover The use of body cover is another debated topic as far as close protection contact drills are concerned. Now, this is where the real-word and Hollywood movies collide on a major scale. The close protection industry attracts those who want a serious professional career and lots of others, especially those who wish to reinforce their masculinity and dream of being heroes.

I have heard too many people state they would take a bullet for their clients. They claim it’s their duty. Personally, I would say these people need a mental evaluation and pose a safety risk.

For government personnel, such as those protecting the Russian, UK or US Presidents, this may be

WHERE YOU STAND MATTERS

The use of body-cover is another debated topic as far as close protection contact drills are concerned.

Now, this is where the real-word and Hollywood movies collide on a major scale.

an understandable sentiment since they are not only protecting a person but whole national interests. If they are wounded in the line of duty, they will be cared for medically and financially. And if they are killed, their families will be compensated and looked after.

However, this is in stark contrast to what happens in the commercial world, where if you get hurt, and you’re lucky, you might have insurance so that if you can’t work, you can hopefully claim some benefits. If you are seriously injured in an overseas location, your employer will hopefully have a repatriation plan. If not, you will front the cost yourself.

If you are killed, and the story happens to make the media, you will most probably be labelled a desperado. The armchair experts will be lining up to assess and analyze where you took a misstep to lead to your demise. In the event you are seriously killed or injured on the job, then hopefully, the client/cause you were providing body cover for was worthwhile, and you aren’t willing to die for $25 an hour!

3. Professional Distance To provide body cover, you have to be close to the client. However, unlike the movies, a lot of real17

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life clients don’t want you next to them. This is where you need to understand professional distance.

earshot, especially if they are with their family, lovers, or talking with business partners.

Professional distance is the distance you are to be away from the client at any given time.

Consider this: would you want someone to be within arm’s length of you all the time? Always listening to your conversations and phone calls or being in your personal space? This would not only be annoying but also a breach of anyone’s privacy and personal security. In reality, most clients want you in sight but out of

Professional distance is something that can be arranged with a client to assess what is comfortable with them. Or with some experience and common sense, you can work it out for yourself. If all you have ever been taught is to stand next to a client in ridged postures, then your skillset is severely lacking!

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Another expectation that always seems to be argued by the tacticool entertainment crowd is that the

WHERE YOU STAND MATTERS clients must always have BG in front of them while being escorted.

This depends on several factors such as the environment, available manpower, and the client’s plans. It is far more tactically advantageous for small teams to make maximum use of their personnel to dominate the area by using protective surveillance than to rely on ineffective use of body cover.

Another obvious consideration that is forgotten is that bullets penetrate. In response, some will say then you need to wear a plate carrier and higher levels of armour. Fine. But how practical is it to walk around a shopping mall, golf course, chilling in a coffee shop or restaurant while wearing it?

Chances are you won’t be allowed entry to these venues, and the local security and police will rightfully want to know what you’re up to.

People also seem to forget that even if they are wearing plate carriers with armour that will stop a high-velocity round that their vital organs may be covered, but the rest of their bodies are not. Arms, legs and heads are exposed. A shot to the head will kill you; shots to the arms and legs can immediately disable you, which means you can’t defend yourself or escape; and if an artery is severed, you can bleed outright.

So as with all considerations, body cover is more for tacticool entertainment and bar talk than reality. There are far simpler and relevant tactics and techniques that can be employed to ensure the client’s and your safety.

Assassination Scenario - #1 An extremist terrorist group decides to assassinate one of its opponents. First, they have to plan when and where to attack the target and assess his security procedures. After several weeks of surveillance, they have discovered that every Tuesday from 14:00 to 16:00, the target visits his sick mother in the hospital. The target has four BGs, and they always use a four-person box formation. Now the assassins must be selected.

The terrorists decide that as well as killing their opponent, they will make the assassination a publicity stunt. The terrorists fund and run a terrorist training school. They take two of the best students to have the honor of serving their cause and assassinating their rival. The chosen assassins are two girls in their early teens. The girls receive several hours of training in the use of the AK-47. They are taught to shoot controlled bursts from a range of 10 meters into four house doors placed side by side. The four doors represent the area that the BGs and the target take up. After 19

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 several hours of training, the girls can confidently put 30 rounds into the doors in a few seconds. The girls also receive some training in the use of cover, what will and will not stop a bullet. And at the end of their few hours of training, they are shown how to throw a hand grenade.

many cases, the rounds have gone straight through one BG and into the client and the other BGs. One of the BGs manages to shoot and kill one of the girls before he passes out from blood loss. The second girl dies when she pulls the pin on her grenade, and it explodes instantaneously.

On the day of the assassination, the girls are shown pictures of the target and his BGs and briefed on their mission. One of the girls is selected to fire first; the other will count to five before opening fire. The girls are dressed in their best clothes and carry their AKs in shopping bags. They are each also given a grenade to be used after they have emptied their AKs. They are taken to the hospital and shown where the best fire positions will be and left to wait for the target to emerge from the hospital. As the target is leaving the hospital at 16:10 with his BGs in their usual box formation, a young girl appears at the 10 o’clock position and starts to fire an AK-47 at them. The BGs not hit with the initial bursts of fire react by pulling their client to the ground and drawing their weapons.

By this time, the second girl at the BGs 2 o’clock has appeared and started to fire at the stationary bodies on the floor. In a matter of 8 seconds, 60 7.62 rounds have been fired at the target and his BGs. In

Immediately the news of the attack is broadcast in the media.

The world is outraged at the deaths of the two girls. The terrorist group claims that the girls were part of their youth movement, and they were acting on their own initiative. The girls believed their cause was worth the sacrifice. The girls are declared heroes by the terrorists.

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There would be several reasons for using the girls to carry out the assassination. Firstly, young girls are not usually suspected of being part of a terrorist organization and can move freely. Secondly, there is the moral issue of whether the BGs will shoot a young girl. A lot of adults would at least hesitate before opening fire if they opened fire at all. The reason behind the grenade would be to kill the assassin to prevent them from being captured and informing the authorities where they were trained, by whom, and who put them up to the attack. Also, two

WHERE YOU STAND MATTERS

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 dead girls make good headlines in the media.

Assassination Scenario - #2 We will go straight to where the team are about to leave the hospital. The difference this time is that they are using a different formation. They send an advance man ahead of the formation by a minute or so. The client has two BGs with him in a loose formation, and a fourth BG is within shouting distance behind the client and his BGs watching their backs. As the advance man leaves the hotel, he notices the two girls hanging around but thinks nothing of it.

As the client and his BGs leave the hospital, the first girl opens fire on them. The client and the No 1 BG are wounded. The No 2 grabs the client and gets him out of the kill zone. The advance security man alerted by the gunfire turns around and engages to kill the first girl. The BG at the rear of the formation has moved to a flank and is covering the No 2 BG who is moving with the

client. The second girl fires a burst from her AK and is engaged and killed by the advance security and rear BG. A lot of people stress the importance of body cover. This is all well and good in some situations. Any shooter will tell you that it is harder to hit a moving target than a stationary one. If the opposition uses high-velocity weapons, the bullets will go straight through you and into the client anyway. Loose formations give you defense in-depth and extend your arcs of fire. They also provide the BGs with a better chance of surviving a contact.

In the end, formations, escorts and contact drills are not something that cannot be taught from a book or watching videos. They are a practical skill that needs to be practiced and applied. You must be flexible and adapt your tactics and procedures to the environment you are working in.

Orlando Wilson has worked in the security industry internationally for over 25 years. He has become accustomed to the types of complications that can occur, when dealing with international law enforcement agencies, organized criminal and Mafia groups.

He is the chief consultant for Risks Inc. and based in Miami but spends much of his time traveling and providing a wide range of kidnapping prevention and tactical training services to private and government clients.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

By Mark “Six” James CPO, EPS, CAS

Safeguarding Seniors and the Importance of Emergency Care

For Protectors safeguarding seniors, independent of if they are client or family member, no two situations that are alike.

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SAFEGUARDING SENIORS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY CARE Every individual may be dealing with a different level of senior capability and caregiver capacity.

However, we generally share a common objective to help our senior clients or family members maintain the quality of their life.

stages of Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, there are a variety of GPS trackers which provide both the caretaker as well as the caregiver enhanced peace of mind. It allows users to monitor their charges while still providing independence but remaining connected in the Assessing Capacity event of an emergency. Some Before we can determine the of the top rated GPS trackers best way to assist our senior, we for seniors: AngelSense, GPS need to first assess their current SmartSole, iTraq, Medical readiness whether we are taking Guardian, Pocketfinder, SPOT, Spy mental acuity, mobility or capacity. Tec Mini, Trackimo, and Trax.

Mental acuity is the sharpness of the mind. When it comes to While GPS trackers may provide assessing a person’s mental acuity increase accountability particularly are memory, focus, concentration for those at a distance, they are no and understanding. An elderly replacement for in person contact person with Alzheimer’s is less and care. As one of the greatest likely to remember how or when challenges many seniors face is something happened or the loneliness which can manifest identity of a loved one. itself in depression. When utilized the GPS tracker can provide Mobility is the ability to move or be location assistance it will never moved freely and easily. be a replacement for personal When we think capacity, we emotional contact. may incorporate a number of functional areas from medical Preparing the Residence consent, sexual consent, financial, As we look at preparing and, driving, testamentary consent or in some cases, hardening the independent living. The capacity residence, the goal is to make to manage one’s health and the home functionally more medications is an important area efficient as well as secure. Aging related to the capacity to live in place is a growing trend, that independently. focuses on keeping seniors in their homes longer as they age. One If any of us find a senior in our core element of aging in place is care that we may find in the early allowing a person to maintain their 25

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 quality of life through enhanced technology. Assistive Domotics focuses on home automation which may include assistive, adaptive or rehabilitative devices or it may be as simple use of remote control technology depending on the needs of the senior and their functional capabilities.

When it comes to preparing the residence, I break the residence into four distinct areas, the perimeter barriers, building exterior, building interior and the security plan. The perimeter barrier is the first line of defense it should be designed with the intent of deterring those who might consider entering the property uninvited. Typically fences, shrubs and lighting are examples of perimeter barriers. Lights may be motion controlled, remote controlled or automated. Who says security can’t be astatically pleasing. Rose or holly bushes make great exterior scrubs. While very pleasing to the eye, their thorns are often enough to repel many unwelcome quests from trying to enter particularly through windows.

Remember perimeter defenses often only delay intrusion they don’t guarantee prevention of intrusion. However, in many cases delay is good, as criminals don’t 26

Perimeter defenses should funnel people toward controlled access points and away from undesired access. Visibility of the protected dwelling should not be significantly reduced.

SAFEGUARDING SENIORS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY CARE like to work and will often seek easier targets. Perimeter defenses should funnel people toward controlled access points and away from undesired access. Visibility of the protected dwelling should not be significantly reduced.

Please make sure any fences meet local building codes, laws or homeowner’s covenants. When we think building exterior think: solid doors, hurricane resistant storm doors, windows, lights, roofs, and signage (beware of dog, alarm companies, etc.).

Home Interior Internal controls are the internal countermeasures used to enhance the protection of the respective dwelling, inhabitants, or contents.

Consider: Biometric access controls, automated deadbolt locks, intrusion alarms, intercom systems, cameras, peep holes, privacy curtains, safes, internal doors, reinforced door jams, and safe rooms. When I think safe rooms for seniors because of limited mobility, I recommend reinforcing the parts of the home

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where they spend the most time in. Those rooms ideally would have solid doors, reinforced door jams, and automated or remote closing and locking capabilities.

Along with high visible monitors for the security camera system.

The Tactical Plan

safe haven and require minimal to no movement for the senior to activate.

The Benefits of a K9 Many seniors often suffer from depression and loneliness.

They K9 represents a great companion as they provide the senior unconditional love and The tactical plan must be simple, companionship. Depending on efficient, and deployable within seconds. With seniors one the mobility of the senior partner, the daily dog walks provide the touch panic alarms are often senior a welcomed exercise best. Remote control or other automated locking systems should partner. If the K9 is protection help further secure the dwelling trained they may factor into the by locking off a portion or all of senior’s security plan. They can be the house or securing the senior’s used as an extension of internal 28

SAFEGUARDING SENIORS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY CARE

They K9 represents a great companion as they provide the senior unconditional love and companionship.

have a disparity of force over most seniors. Please familiarize yourself with the laws in your state particularly when it comes to self-defense and defending your residence.

Why Seniors Visit the Emergency Room (ER) If we understand the most common causes why seniors visit the ER, it can help us better understand strategies, training and at home emergency kits and devices which may be beneficial in times of need. Below are the most common causes why seniors visit the ER. • Heart Disease - Chest pains and shortness of breath can be associated with heart disease, which is still the leading cause defense strategies and can be of death for both men and deployed for under a number of women. It is a good idea to situations from perimeter defense, consider cardiovascular disease audible deterrent, search for a screening tests regularly to help potential intruder, engage on detect conditions that may lead contact or escort an intruder away to heart disease, like elevated from the senior. cholesterol levels.

• Stroke - One of the more Firearms serious conditions that sends If the senior family member is seniors to emergency care is not experiencing any signs of stroke. You can help reduce diminished mental acuity and still their chances of a stroke by has functional physical capabilities encouraging healthy living then a firearm may serve as a habits, including healthy eating, force multiplayer to help further regular exercise, maintaining enhance their capabilities. As the an appropriate weight, giving majority of potential assailants up smoking, and reducing your or invaders would probably 29

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 alcohol intake. Strokes generally don’t cause pain, but they can cause confusion, and paralysis on one side of the body. If they have trouble moving one arm or one leg, or if they can’t speak coherently, they could be having a stroke; you should call 911.

Treating for Stroke If you get to the hospital within 3 hours of the first symptoms of an ischemic stroke, you may get a type of medicine called a thrombolytic (a “clot-busting” drug) to break up blood clots. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a thrombolytic. tPA improves the chances of recovering from a stroke.

• Chest Pains - Seniors frequently land in the ER due to chest pains, which may or may not be caused by heart disease. Other causes for chest pains include respiratory infections and gastrointestinal problems.

• Pneumonia - Pneumococcal shot to prevent respiratory infections like pneumonia. The shot generally does not cover every possible strain of this virus, so it is a good idea to have the senior avoid contact with others who may be sick.

• Injuries and Accidents (Broken bones) - Osteoporosis (loss of bone density) can lead to bone fractures, another potential 30

If you get to the hospital within 3 hours of the first symptoms of an ischemic stroke, you may get a type of medicine called a thrombolytic (a “clotbusting” drug) to break up blood clots.

SAFEGUARDING SENIORS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY CARE

hazard for seniors. It can be a bleed or other internal injuries good idea to ask their doctor in the senior’s home first aid kit.

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary about maintaining bone strength by getting plenty of Disease (COPD) - Shortness of breath, emphysema, and calcium through their diet or supplements and doing weightbronchitis are often symptoms bearing exercises (if appropriate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), for their physical condition).

You also should consider having which is another leading reason for ER visits among seniors. emergency splints, gauze or ace bandages, compressions Smoking is the main cause of COPD and stopping smoking bandages, chest seals, and tourniquet for in the event a can go a long way in preventing this disease. broken bone leads to an arterial 31

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 Utilizing an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Check to see if the person is breathing and has a pulse. If you cannot feel a pulse and the person is not breathing, call for emergency help. Turn on the AED. The automated external defibrillator will give you step-by-step voice instructions explaining how to check for breathing and a pulse and how to position electrode pads on the person's chest. Deliver the shock. When the pads are in place, the AED automatically measures the person's heart rhythm and determines if a shock is needed.

If it is, the machine tells the user to stand back and push a button to deliver the shock. The AED is programmed not to deliver a shock if a shock isn't needed.

Administer CPR. Start CPR after the shock is delivered if CPR is still needed. The AED will also guide users through CPR. The process can be repeated as needed until

emergency crews take over.

Performing CPR It should only be performed when a person shows no signs of life or when they are: 1. Unconscious.

2. Unresponsive.

3. Not breathing or not breathing normally (in cardiac arrest, some people will take occasional gasping breaths – they still need CPR at this point. Don't wait until they are not breathing at all).

Treating for Shock Shock is a condition in which blood pressure is too low and not enough oxygenated blood can sustain your body. The symptoms of shock include cold and sweaty skin that may be pale or gray, weak but rapid pulse, irritability, thirst, irregular breathing, dizziness, profuse sweating, fatigue, dilated pupils, lackluster eyes, anxiety, confusion, nausea, and reduced urine flow. If untreated, shock is usually fatal.

Mark “Six” James is Founder and Executive Director of Panther Protection Services, LLC. He is an internationally published author, keynote speaker, security consultant to educational institutions and frequent contributor to several print, broadcast and online media.

Panther Protection Services is a full-service protection agency focusing on Risk and Crisis Mitigation, Protective Services, Self-Defense Training, and Firearm Instruction. www.pantherprotectionservices.com 32

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THE KIDNAPPING OF PERICLES PANAGOPOULOS PART 2 By: George Sardelis

part2

The Kidnapping of a Greek Tycoon In this second installment, we pick up where we left off… The Principle, Pericles Panagopoulos, a Greek shipping tycoon and his CPO, George Sardelis, have been sandwiched in residential roadway by two vehicles and ambushed by gunwielding kidnappers.

They smashed in the driver’s side window and have forcibly dragged them out of their vehicle and driven them to a distant, remote location near a field. We pick up here with the rest of this harrowing tale…

While at this remote location, I was told to turn my head away looking in towards the empty landscape.

Later, I discovered that it was so that I did not see there was a getaway vehicle and they had put 35

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 Mr. Panagopoulos in the trunk.

here with enormous power with this life-threatening situation! The Suddenly they pulled me up, least of my worries at that point dragged me back to the spot where was some broken teeth! When I the van and the jeep were and took finally jumped off the tree, I just my handcuffs. They told me be a made way in a random direction ‘’good boy’’ so they could handcuff without any insight as to where me to a pine tree. There I was.

I was. I was just trying to find Heart pounding. Head spinning. something or someone! I realized Adrenaline rushing. And with I was on a small rocky hillside and survival protector mode on high.

I could see an asphalt road about And handcuffed to a tree. I was still 500 m from where I was. After wearing the hood, but I realized a attempting 5 times to stop passing third car taking off. Then silence… cars waving my handcuffed hands, After taking a deep breath and a lady driver stopped because I calling out for Mr. Panagopoulos shouted out “Police, Police!” I don’t and getting no answer, I managed blame the other drivers for not to slip off my hood. I could see no stopping as my appearance on a one around! I could not believe I very cold January morning, with my was still alive! clothes torn and handcuffed, would make anyone think twice about Then BOOM! A big blast came from stopping to help. the vehicles nearby which had been on fire by the kidnappers to She took me to the nearby police eliminate a trail. I knew I had to get station and after a minute there, out! I had to do something to get it dawned on me that I was out of away from the blasting cars and the woods, the journey was just get to a phone or a nearby police beginning. station to get assistance to Mr. Panagopoulos! I was left thinking The kidnapping was all over the that while I might’ve survived the radio and the tv news bulletins kidnapping, I would surely die from were announcing the breaking the explosion! news story one after the other!

What has happened to Mr. The pine tree was about 4 m tall, Panagopoulos?

I had to break a branch with my teeth so I can climb up as I was still The police station captain asked handcuffed. The rush of adrenaline me if I was the driver he has is powerful and it was in full drive hearing about in the news. As other 36

THE KIDNAPPING OF PERICLES PANAGOPOULOS PART 2

It came to my understanding that my journey will never stop... What has happened to Mr. Panagopoulos?

The kidnapping was all over the radio and the tv news bulletins were one after the other!

policemen were trying to take off my handcuffs, I answered that “yes, I’m the driver of Mr. Panagopoulos.”

He held his head with both hands and tried to get in control of the situation.

I asked to make some phone calls and I immediately called Mr. Panagopoulos's residence to tell them what had happened. I spoke to his wife and told her that her husband had been kidnapped…

I then called my wife Helen and my two sons to calm them down as they were worried to death. Talk about emotional call phones!

After giving an account of what happened to the police captains, two black police jeeps loaded with special division policemen came and took me. They drove me back to the kidnapping scene so I could describe all the details of the incident as it is crucial for the police investigation to have on the spot details as soon as possible to the incident. After I explained every single detail, I could remember I left.

My next stop was the Panagopoulos residence. The whole house was full and the entire family was waiting for me. People from the office had come as well. Everyone was in anxious anticipation of the details.

37

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 I must’ve re-told the whole incident over 20 times trying to answer everybody’s questions. But after all the inquiries, all of thoughts were about the condition and the whereabouts of Mr. Panagopoulos came to the forefront. I never once thought about the possibility of him dying. The only thing I was worried about was his health issues and not being there to protect him.

I stayed at the family residence until the whole thing was over and until Mr. Panagopoulos was back at his house with his beloved ones again.

After not receiving any phone calls at all from any one of the kidnappers the first day ended, with me exhausted, sad, and questioning the whole state of affairs. I don’t know if having a professional bodyguard team would have helped to deal with this kind of kidnapping incident. But I am certain it would be a massive deterrent and that the kidnappers would have to think twice before making that choice! Nobody wants losses. Not even scumbags!

police officers were everywhere in the house, next to the telephones, advising us, etc.

All the while during the time spent waiting, I continued to replay the incident over and over in my head on what went wrong and how I could have avoided this terrible incident. I was blaming myself for not being persuasive enough to have a team escorting us. If only I had done this. And if only I had done that and so on. I left those thoughts after a while because the only thing that mattered was getting Mr. Panagopoulos back to his home safe and in one piece.

Post-Kidnapping, Day 3: On the third day, the kidnappers called again telling us to follow their instructions to retrieve a proof of life DVD from a highway point.

On it we would find a video of Mr. Panagopoulos speaking to prove that he was ok. He also requested on that DVD that I deliver the ransom money to the kidnappers.

Post-Kidnapping, Day 4: The fourth day was without any news at all and thoughts of things going south were on everyone’s mind.

Post-Kidnapping, Day 2: It wasn’t until late the next day that Mr. Panagopoulos’s wife got a call from the kidnappers demanding Post-Kidnapping, Day 5: the 30.000.000 euros ransom. They The fifth day came along and the were angry at first knowing that negotiations picked up again. The 38

THE KIDNAPPING OF PERICLES PANAGOPOULOS PART 2

police were trying to lower the ransom money, and yet the family wanted Mr. Panagopoulos back at any cost! The back and forth was excruciating, to say the least!

notes. The smell of all that money is something I will never forget!

The stuffed duffel bags were then locked and stored away in a small office and guarded all night.

Post-Kidnapping, Day 6: The sixth day was the day the family managed to get the money from the bank. And indeed, a lot of money! No one had ever seen so much money ever. It was stuffed in six huge duffle bags because it had to be delivered in small

Post-Kidnapping, Day 7: On the seventh day, we had instructions from the night before to wait on an early phone call from the kidnappers. The phone call came and provided instructions and directions for the drop-off.

Mr. Panagopoulos’s wife asked 39

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 the kidnappers if she could come along with me. And very bravely, she jumped in the car with me!

We left immediately loaded with 30.000.000 Euros and hopes to get our loved one back. We took an inconspicuous route and mode of travel to avoid the media which was all over the place.

We had instructions to stop every hour drive in various places to ensure that we were not being followed by any police. The instructions were to drive all the way from Athens to Thessalonica, a distance of 500klm. After driving for about 9 hours with multiple one-hour stops, we arrived at Thessalonica. The communication was of course done by a mobile telephone and each call we received was from a different number.

Minutes after our arriving at Thessalonica, the final call came from the kidnappers. They me to get on the phone. When I did, they were furious and swearing at me due to the fact that they spotted police vehicles tagging along our trail. I, myself, had spotted a police helicopter over us at one point.

Once again, I was instructed to leave Thessalonica and to return to the residence.

40

I was then told to throw the money bags and the mobile we had under another small bridge at the end of the dead end-road. So, I did, and we left the drop-off point immediately.

THE KIDNAPPING OF PERICLES PANAGOPOULOS PART 2 After a five-hour drive, this time without all the stops, we were back at the house. What an ordeal because the disappointment meant another day in captivity for Mr. Panagopoulos!

another small bridge at the end of the dead end-road. So, I did.

And we left the drop-off point immediately.

Later that night, we received a call instructing us to go to an Post-Kidnapping, Day 8: The eighth identified location to pick up Mr. Panagopoulos. Of course, the day came, and we got another Police beat us there! Once at the early morning telephone call. This police station, we finally saw that time we had instructions to follow we had gotten Mr. Panagopoulos the same route as the day before.

About 150klm from departure from back! He was dressed in a tracksuit and had not shaved for all these Athens, we got a call to get off the days. He was very tired, but happy highway, go under a bridge, and to see us again. They had given onto a dirt road. The dirt road led him my handgun without the to a dead-end. magazine. After a couple of days I was then told to throw the money at the forensics, I got my gun bags and the mobile we had under back.

41

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 The Aftermath of the Kidnapping.

Three or four months after the incident, the kidnappers were caught. They were a team of around 18 people, nearly all known to the police with many convictions in murders, robberies and all sorts of violent behaviour. I then realized that the way things played out might’ve been the right choice under these circumstances.

Sometimes, it all comes down to the one true and only fact of life: Protection is Prevention.

If you cannot avoid kidnapping or any kind of life-threatening situation the only thing to do is manage to stay alive, collect as much evidence you can, and try to speak your way out of it.

Final Remarks: I’m honoured and grateful to have lived, worked, and been side by side until the very end with a great businessman, a brilliant mind, an honest person who got so much pleasure in helping others. And most of all a gentleman. I will always honour our conversations, respect your name, and teach your knowledge. Until we meet again ... Thank you, Pericles Panagopoulos.

Sadly, Mr. Panagopoulos passed away on 05/02/2019 from longstanding health issues.

Despite numerous training I had before the incident and the true passion in my profession, being in a real life-threatening situation like kidnapping is untrainable.

As of today, March 2021, the ransom money still has not been recovered. All the members of the kidnapping team have finished their sentences and are out of prison living a normal life thanks to the Greek democratic law.

I would also like to pass on my best regards to Mr. Tony Scotti for persuading me to tell my story.

Throughout the entirety of my career as a security officer and current CEO of Defensor Civitatis Security Services I have learned and taught many principles in security. Working in high-risk environments has benefited me to the utmost when it comes to making decisions and managing situations.

I founded Defensor Civitatis Security Services back in 2017. We successfully manage a wide range of clients, providing personalized security plans and structures rather than the basic and classic approach. We also pride ourselves on providing the best guarding personnel for each job and environment.

If you would like to connect in a professional capacity or want to know more about what my company offers, contact me at gps@defensor.gr or go to: www.defensor.gr

42

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

44

THE COOPER COLOUR CODE

THE COOPER COLOR CODE By: Ben Gunn, Olchon & Associates Ltd

Who was Jeff Cooper?

Jeff Cooper was born John Dean Cooper on 10th May 1920 and is respectfully known as ‘Jeff’. He was a former Lt Colonel in the US Marines who served in WWII and Korea. He was recognised as the father of what is commonly referred to as ‘the modern techniques of shooting’ and the use of firearms in their intended roles for personal protection rather than sport or recreation. Whilst his skill with firearms is almost legendary in the USA, little is known of Jeff Cooper in the UK and Europe. He is, however, best known for his ‘color codes’; and typically, being British myself, I’ve reverted to the British spelling of colour. Apologies to our US cousins!

Introducing the Cooper Colour Code Psychologists continue to burn the midnight oil, toiling over the theories regarding mental states, mind sets, and how the brain interprets day to day life situations.

Copious books have been written worldwide, and although I’m not trying to usurp these qualified individuals, I’ve simplified these pages and pages of theory by adapting the Cooper Colour Code for the modern-day security industry. My unqualified theory analysis is, ‘sometimes simplifying things gets the message across’.

Whilst teaching law enforcement Jeff Cooper devised the colour

45

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

WHITE - unaware YELLOW - situationally aware ORANGE - recognize & specific potential threat RED - ready to fight BLACK - in the fight codes relating to a state of mind so that armed Police Officers could reduce the risk of being taken by surprise when finding themselves in life-threatening situations.

This original idea has been plagiarised by Olchon using the same colour code concept with modifications so an individual can apply them in the security industry. Most importantly, the original idea by Cooper concentrated only on ‘armed’ personnel, whereas, of course, there is a very high percentage of individuals who do not carry a weapon. We’ve concentrated on training and awareness of 46

unarmed individuals working in Close Protection, Security Guarding, and Surveillance. For the purposes of this article, I’ll refer to these individuals as ‘Security Officers’, but our version of the Cooper Colour Code applies to everyone, and not only to security professionals at work and their day-to-day routine.

How does it apply?

People watching is a human habit.

We all carry this out to a certain level of inquisitiveness or scrutiny.

For Security Officers employed in these roles, they will watch people subconsciously or without even thinking and all as part of their daily routine.

THE COOPER COLOUR CODE As part of our Behaviour Detection training, a 1-day foundation course that incorporates the revised Cooper Colour Code, the two fundamental questions we ask are, ‘does a security officer have an operational awareness of his/ her surroundings’? And ‘if the Security Officer is people watching, is he/she aware that they may be the subject of ‘being watched’ too’? Both answers can be taught under ‘behaviour detection’ and being ‘situationally aware’ using the principle of ‘if you understand how your mindset works, you have a better chance of understanding how the mindset of an individual posing a threat works’.

with the interpretation of various others ‘Code Black’ explanations, where they imply that there’s a break-down of physical and mental performance. In my humble opinion, it’s a negative theory and goes on to explain that the four fundamental colour codes have been by-passed and that an individual is already under a form of attack.

Our interpretation of being ‘situationally aware’ is not really a human awareness level, but rather an individual’s perception or state of mind that, if applied, will make a Security Officer permanently alert to a situation.

The aptitude of a Security Officer to be situationally aware may depend on if he/she understands the modified Cooper Colour Code, which describes a state of mind. If a Security Officer is unaware, not focussed or oblivious and ignorant to his/her surroundings, then they may be inevitably taken by surprise and their reactions will be restricted. In situations where lives can depend upon good reactions, Jeff Cooper identified that an individual’s state of mind may play a crucial role.

Such situations may require a Security Officer having to potentially think about what to do while under pressure and under the physical and mental effects of adrenalin. Cooper chose four codes relating to the state of mind: Codes White, Yellow, Orange, and Red. Olchon, including others, have adopted a fifth code, Code Black. Once again, I do not agree

Code White State of Mind Relaxed, unaware and completely unprepared. This is where Cooper stated that 95 percent of the public spend 95 percent of their time - totally switched-off, not focussed and unprepared. This may be due to their immediate surroundings – at home or at work.

A lack of training and knowledge 47

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 may also be another contributing factor. Their physical/mental state, including being unfit, fatigued, stressed, anxious, or a lack of concentration, or a mixture of all or some, may also contribute.

Observations You can observe people in Code White all of the time. Individuals listening to cell phone headsets or walking and looking (texting) at their cell phone are common Code White culprits. It is rare that they will notice you looking at them.

Walking with their head down is also a common gait and may show a lack of confidence or are they trying to hide their face? Anyone who has worked in surveillance, following people, will know just how oblivious people can be of the people around them.

Security Implications If a Security Officer is attacked in this state, the attacker has everything on his side; the elements of surprise, aggression and speed may be witnessed from the attacker.

If we get an adrenal dump when in Code White, it will be a big one, but it may be belated. An attack may be over before they were aware it was even underway.

A Security Officer should always make the conscious decision to 48

The attacker has everything on his side; the elements of surprise, aggression and speed may be witnessed from the attacker. If we get an adrenal dump when in Code White, it will be a big one

THE COOPER COLOUR CODE move his/her state of mind into Code Yellow.

Code Yellow State of Mind Relaxed alertness. You are bristling with anticipation; you use your eyes and ears, and your carriage states ‘I am alert’. You run scenarios through your mind at work and at home and think of ways to overcome them whilst essentially remaining focussed. Your mindset is: ‘today could well be the day I have to defend myself.’ There is no specific threat, but you are aware that anything could happen, and bad things tend to happen when you are not expecting it! You need to concentrate to stay in Code Yellow until your mind has been trained to be permanently in Code Yellow.

Observations We may drift unconsciously into Code White, but it requires conscious thought to put us back into Code Yellow. When a Security Officer is asleep, he/she may eventually relapse to Code White but as he/she wakes up, the correct and immediate state of mind is to automatically revert to Code Yellow.

With a little practice, you can maintain and live in Code Yellow

indefinitely unless something happens that makes you move into Code Orange.

Security Implications If a Security Officer is attacked in this state, he/she has a slight advantage that he/she is already in the right state of mind. The attacker may believe they have everything on their side, but the Security Officer is alert to the situation. If we get an adrenal dump when in Code Yellow, it will be big, but the state of mind will already alleviate the big rush.

Code Orange State of Mind Because you are constantly focussed and alert in Code Yellow you will often see or hear things that push you into Code Orange.

This is a specific alert to your brain and is an evaluation stage in which you start making decisions in your mind and start to play out scenarios within the situation.

At this point you will have a heightened state of awareness.

Observations You shift your primary focus onto whatever your alert mind has noticed. This could be a possible threat, but you are never oblivious to other possible threats or potential incidents. It may also be a 49

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 small, innocent incident that raises your awareness into Code Orange, something as innocent as a thirdparty dropping a coffee cup…. but you see it as a diversionary tactic.

Security Implications You will be getting a small adrenalin rush. Your mind-set is: ‘if this situation develops as I think it might, I may have to make a decision based on my training’. What is that?

What I am going to do about it?

This heightened state of awareness can be maintained for several hours or several minutes depending on the situation and as you continue to assess the possible options open to you. If nothing happens, then you will gradually revert to Code Yellow. However, if something does happen, or the possible threat escalates, then you will enter Code Red. Code Red State of Mind Mentally, you are already ahead of the game. The ‘fight or response trigger’ is where we enter Code Red. When we were in Code Orange, we made decisions, or if time allowed, we at least started to assess options on what we might do if this threat happened.

If the focus of your attention in Code Orange does something 50

you find threatening, you will have automatically transferred into Code Red, and you can start carrying out your decisions and possible mitigation measures.

Observations If the potential threat’s actions dictate such a response, you will have already gone through a thought process. The adrenalin may have been drip-fed in Code Yellow, you received a boost

THE COOPER COLOUR CODE

is a key enabler, and if there is an in Code Orange, and now the adrenalin is making you focussed, attack, you will be better prepared to defend yourself or to carry out alert and prepared. your role.

Security Implications Code Black State of Mind You are under attack or about to come under attack. Your training Ooops…. you’re under attack.

You’ve probably gone from an kicks in. alert state of mind in Code Yellow Operational procedures are now and by-passed Orange and Red. being implemented, and you may You now have to re-focus, re-think and re-group in your mind to get have even prepared others for this eventuality. Communications you into Code Red. 51

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 Observations You were taken by surprise, and you may have been caught out and were totally unprepared. It happens. You may not even have been at work. No matter what the reasoning, you will have a massive adrenalin rush as you react to the situation.

Security Implications Your training will take precedence, and your state of mind and situational awareness will soon revert to Code Red. You will react to the situation even if you are not at work, and you will carry out a role that you’ve mentally and physically prepared for.

In Summary We believe that our version of the Cooper Colour Code will last the test of time because of its simplicity and relevance to modern-day life and individuals working in the security industry.

A Security Officer (armed or unarmed) or a security professional who is aware of his/ her mindset will sub-consciously and belatedly realise that they move from Code Yellow to Code Orange on a daily basis.

If you understand this version of the Cooper Colour Code, coupled with professional and appropriate training, supported by effective security policies, plans and procedures, a Security Officer will have an improved state of mind and enhanced situational awareness for whatever situation arises.

PS. You are probably reading this article in Code Yellow, and you may even be delving into Code Orange, thinking about situations and mentally rehearsing your reactions and procedures.

Stay safe.

Ben is a former member of the British Army spending 29 years out of a 33-year military career in UK Special Forces – 19 years in the Regulars and a further 10 years in the Reserve. He had a unique military career; initially expeditionary and latterly, 4 years seconded to Intelligence and a further 4 years in a Counter Terrorism liaison role.

Ben is a businessman, incorporating a UK Special Forces tenet into his business planning; ‘the unrelenting pursuit of excellence’ and as such, has established under his directorship, a truly global company based in London, offering a multiservice approach to the security of any asset; protecting People, Property (including Intellectual Property), and Possessions.

E: ben.gunn@olchon.co.uk T: +44 (0)203 1903030 W: www.olchon.co.uk 52

THE COOPER COLOUR CODE

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BBA are dedicated to bringing our members the best As a trusted professional membership organisation, Theand possible resources and tools to enhance their standing BBA are dedicated to bringingoperators our members thethe best credibility as close protection within industry. possible resources and tools to enhance their standing and credibility as close protection operators within the industry.

Visit our website at www.the-bba.org.uk to find out more.

Visit our website at www.the-bba.org.uk to find out more.

Visit our website at www.the-bba.org.uk to find out more.

Lockton Companies LLP is a limited liability partnership incorporated in England and Wales, registration number OC353198. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Lockton Companies LLP is a limited liability partnership incorporated in England and Wales,

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 By: Shaun Gowland

Preparing Journalists for Hostile Environments

Back in 2019, I found myself in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on a Military Special Forces camp delivering a Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) course for a diverse and experienced cross-section of professionals, the majority being journalists and documentary filmmakers.

Two attendees in particular on that course I knew quite well, even though we hadn’t met until that point. The Weinert Brothers— Dennis, and Patrick Weinert—are based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and are German independent filmmakers, photographers, and authors.

Doing my research months in advance, I’d seen their 54

work, watched their films and documentaries, read their books and articles, (some in German I may add which was challenging at best for a language challenged Geordie who can “hardly speak English” some might say). Research and planning were to become something the brothers would be introduced to quite quickly, it was in essence the very things they were both missing and in search

PREPARING JOURNALISTS FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS

for without really knowing it.

The Weinert’s are typical of the reason I created what many say, is the training the media need whilst visiting or operating in hostile and austere environments. For that, I thank them and still hold them as friends to this day.

Before the course, the Weinert brothers had worked in places such as; The Democratic Republic of Congo, SE Asia, India, and Afghanistan. Why were they now

looking for specific training that really, they should have sourced years before their jaunts around some of the most dangerous places and situations on Earth?

That very question was posed to them during our first meeting. This was in a busy café inside Kuala Lumpur’s International Airport: a Burger King! My last-ditch attempt at eating something westernised before our two-hour-long trip deep into the jungle to end off eating local food, I’m still not sure 55

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 which meal was worse. For some that might sound strange, but believe me, changing diets without slowly introducing foods and a new diet has its issues, and that’s made one hundred-fold worse when you’re stuck in the jungle with zero options. It became very apparent early on that this type of training was something that was missing. Or, dare I say it, not even thought about or maybe even brushed over by the media, in general, due to cost, and naivety.

Hostile Environment Awareness Training, or HEAT as it’s known in the business, is not nearly delivered to the media as much as it should be. What is currently delivered is, I and many would argue, not fit for purpose.

by the UN or armed governmental groups for safety. The Weinert brothers chose to travel alone, which on that occasion was a costly and dangerous mistake. Those incidents and the aforementioned kidnap were the catalysts to sourcing appropriate training and advice for the future by the brothers.

Whilst mainstream media outlets such as the BBC have dedicated departments, such as their HighRisk Team and other branches of its safety department, freelancers and smaller entities have very little in the way of anything remotely useful when it comes to the safety of staff going into hostile or austere environments. Most are going on a wing and a prayer into some very dangerous places and situations.

Patrick and Dennis are no strangers Shockingly not many know to conflict and danger. The pair there are dedicated companies were kidnapped, tortured, and and individuals out there more beaten badly during a documentary than willing to cover advice and filmmaking trip to the DRC. It is a training before, during, and after place where radical Islamist groups deployment to such areas. such as the ADF massacre whole villages for things like an Ebola What I found even more interesting breakout (what happened in the during my research phase was that village of Oicha, situated in the the advice and training given by the East of the DRC) and where dozens mainstream outlet departments of other armed groups roam were very generic, and not specific free killing and maiming at will. to the area, country, or problem After decades of problems in the the journalist was going into.

DRC, healthcare workers and the The only caveat to this was the media are normally transported risk assessments, prior planning 56

PREPARING JOURNALISTS FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS

Most are going on a wing and a prayer into some very dangerous places and situations.

Shockingly not many know there are dedicated companies and individuals out there more than willing to cover advice and training before, during, and after deployment to such areas.

if any, and basic on the ground intelligence available to them before deployment. This, of course, is not covered by the majority of freelancers and smaller entities. It is the individual’s problem should they choose to ignore it, which they inevitably do.

The BBC for instance doesn’t offer their BBC training courses to those on short or fixed-term contracts.

As freelancers, they are expected to arrange and pay for themselves any training and up-skilling required of them to perform the job/jobs competently. Unless of course if that freelancer holds a position of responsibility for the safety of others. In short, it’s a bit of a minefield and a legal nightmare for insurance purposes.

What is even more dangerous is often the journalist’s blasé approach to taking the Safety Department’s advice. They didn’t do any of their own planning, research, or very little if any at all, only basic risk assessments were completed. This was the case when it came to the Weinert Brothers.

“We only plan what we are wanting to film, where we are going to film it and how we get there and back,” Dennis told me. Dennis was, from what I could gather the leading hand of the brothers, being the older of the two and more 57

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 experienced I guess gave him the daunting task of being spokesman from time to time, including when it came to talking their way out of being killed at the hands of a rebel leader, or armed Islamic extremist intent on removing a head or two.

Good negotiation, and luck, had become their only weapons— weapons which backfired regularly.

The brothers were left feeling inadequate when it came to their safety and due to the workload,

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they had planned, they needed someone to lean on for advice.

“We can’t go through that again; I just don’t think we will be as lucky,” Patrick told me over an open-air, high humidity ant covered dinner later that night. Patrick would talk much more openly when alone and not with his brother. To me, he didn’t like to voice his opinion often, and when he did, he looked towards his brother for acceptance.

I can remember thinking this was something that I must work on,

PREPARING JOURNALISTS FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS albeit in secret so neither of them would realise I was manipulating the circumstances for Patrick’s personal growth. It had to be the way forward: he needed to be able to take the lead should things go wrong and do it with conviction and without the need for his brother’s approval. If the leader goes down, someone must take the reins and take them adequately.

Go back six months before the training week, when I first got the

call and inquiry to ask if I would be interested in the job. “Hi Shaun, are you available to run some training for us?” was the straight to the point question. No specification, no duration, just can you run this type of training, we have been let down again? It was a little short, but normal for the industry I’d spent 11 years in at that point. I was coming to the end of a contract in Northern Iraq, it had been a long final rotation of four months and I was looking forward to returning home for a rest and that familiar feeling you got whilst on the final leg of a return trip, sitting in Dubai thinking ‘my God, I’ve survived another one’.

It also held a bitter taste in my mouth as I’d decided not to return to the role after my month off and downtime having nearly been killed the year previous. It was the end of an era and possibly the end of my career at that time. It was refreshing to know when I received that call, other companies were headhunting me to deliver training on behalf of them. Little did I know, the complexity and requirement that was ahead of me.

I accepted the job and also another in the following weeks with the same company, agreed on a fee for both, and tentatively had the conversation that I would consider coming on board with them full time should both parties like the 59

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 way the other work.

I must add, it rarely works out that way, mainly due to my approach.

I’m very open and honest about that. I’m not easy to work with. I expect the best of everything and 100% commitment to what will be delivered. I do not cut corners in any way. I think when you deliver training that saves lives, cutting corners, chasing huge profits at the expense of the training outcome kills. Inevitably this costs money, and most companies are only there to make money, it’s all they want.

They care very little about the end product. Due to this many see me as a “bit of an arsehole” and arrogant. I never apologise for that.

I know what I deliver is the best I can, and it works. I don’t cut corners in pursuit of profit, nor do I bend on this. I do this because I care, the money always comes as an indirect benefit and result of delivering a good product and experience somewhere down the line. I chase saving lives not cash.

This the very thing that took the life of a former student on 17th May 2015. Michael Hampshire, or Mic as myself and my wife knew him, was killed when traveling in a European Union Police vehicle convoy when a Taliban suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed car near Kabul International Airport.

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In some ways I still hold myself a little responsible for his death and have at times found it hard to come to terms with it. It has also driven me too. You see, Mic had come to us after leaving the Royal Military Police’s Close Protection Unit.

PREPARING JOURNALISTS FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS Companies that put financials above anything else, should have zero input in things that concern the preservation of human life. I have my own thoughts on why Mic was killed and have had various conversations with friends who were around at that time, and I have received further information from other sources since. One friend in particular was given the task of collecting his body as part of the QRF (Quick Reaction Force) from the destroyed wreckage. He left that life in the rear-view mirror as many do after things of that nature. In some ways I still hold myself a little responsible for his death and have at times found it hard to come to terms with it. It has also driven me too. You see, Mic had come to us after leaving the Royal Military Police’s Close Protection Unit, the best of the best when it comes to that line of work and transitioning to the private sector. Through his position he was automatically eligible for, what at the time was called an RPL/ APL (Recognition of Prior Learning/ Accreditation of Prior Learning.)

That meant the minimum 140 hours contact time of training was cut down to around 3 days due to his past position in the RMP CPU (Close Protection Unit) It’s stupid really as the licence needed by overseas companies and that required Mic to do this sort of

transition training is only really needed for work within the UK. The overseas companies just use it as a ‘standard’ of training and sell that to the client during the tender process, ridiculous when you took into account his past experience.

What I couldn’t do at that time was give Mic my overall experience of the private sector, something he didn’t have, nor could I give him my own personal perspective on how I work or think. There’s just not the time to fit all that into such a short space of time. Given the way Mic lost his life, maybe just maybe what I normally say to others on the longer duration courses could have saved his life that day. In short, I have never run an RPL/APL course since and I never will, but I still know, and still tell others when to say ‘NO’ to companies that don’t act on good intelligence. It’s just more pronounced now should we say, let’s leave it at that. I have lost friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and nearly my own life in the past, so I do not bend when it comes to training and delivering what is required to save lives.

I had six months to come up with something special, so I set out to find out who exactly the training was for. Where were they going?

What do they do? Why do they need it? What had they done in 61

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 the past? Was I able to deliver a product that covered the diverse needs of each individual? It was a task that became an obsession. I remembered a statement from a paper I had read back in 2010, it read; What should be considered 'adequate' preparation and support for journalists and media workers in difficult, remote, and hostile environments? One would assume there would be numerous sources of feedback and contributions measuring the suitability of the training, as well as providing information regarding what improvements are necessary to ensure journalists are provided the best possible pre-deployment preparation.

However, after working and observing developments in this area over several years, three main issues have presented themselves.

First, little investigation or analysis is conducted into training programs. Secondly, few independent organisations are working to standardise the training and support provided to journalists. Finally, the extent of training and support to the local correspondents, fixers, and stringers in developing countries, that most international media 62

organisation depend on in these locations, has become an unfortunate casualty of shrinking international news budgets.

But providers of training such as myself do exist. And the training is required. It is something I am driven to rectify. To date, the relevant training is something many still don’t think is available.

It became apparent due to the nature of what each candidate required that a very similar training package was already being delivered to EU staff. It required some work to extract what was needed and discard what was not, then make it work for the private sector and location.

The current training on offer is over either one or two days maximum.

How they fit anything into that, given the training day and contact hours are normally between four to six hours give or take, including lunch and breaks. It’s at best a money-making effort and not fit for purpose.

The EU staff training is very indepth. I wanted to make it better in every way so after contemplation and setting out, I settled on seven days. The finalised course covered in short, the following subjects, tasks, and tests.

JOURNALIST SAFETY PRACTICE IN HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS

63

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Course Introduction Remote Medical Remote Medical Test 1 & 2 Security Information Security Threat & Risk Kidnap Attacks Firearms Orientation Communication 4x4 Vehicles IEDs Mines UXO Weapons Final Exercise Conduct Under Capture Training Conclusion

This was way beyond anything ever delivered in the private sector and was more akin to a Military style course. It was also costly due to time, equipment needed, and staffing. It was highly successful in its first guise and until the plug was pulled on it in early 2020, due to the Corona Virus and associated travel restrictions.

It was the first course of its type to address the needs of the media, journalists in particular. The first to ever bring realistic scenariobased training to the market. The final exercise was an epic two days covering everything they had been taught in the classroom. Route planning, Land Navigation, Vehicle convoy applications, Counter IED 64

procedures, Coms procedures, Dealing with tactical situations such as attacks, medical issues, etc. The following day they were subjected to a forced kidnap by local rebels in a mountainous jungle area.

Nothing of this level had ever been tried before. It was an intense week and even more intense the six months prior. The end product spoke for itself and the course was given rave reviews by all that attended.

It answered the statement of Shaun Fullers Responsible Media piece and opened up a new type of training for the media world to only be shut down by Covid 19. The course is still there, waiting to be delivered in the future, although I now feel it needs additions. If anything, the current pandemic has opened my eyes to new possibilities and new avenues for it.

In conclusion, the need for specific Journalist safety training in Hostile Environments is still and will always be needed. What is changing is how and why that’s delivered. No longer can the media sit back on classroom-based training power points and lessons. They need to get their hands dirty. What became very apparent over the courses I have ran, was that the actual job wasn’t for everyone. They would

PREPARING JOURNALISTS FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS simply fail should they get into the same or a similar scenario for real. Most just couldn’t cope under stress and the majority would have been killed in some circumstances.

This begs the question going forward, should the media have allocated professionals to assist

and escort them in such places?

At the end of the day, it will always come down to budget, and very rarely is that spent on adequate training these days. It’s very much a reactive and not proactive world when it comes to the lives of journalists in most cases.

Shaun is contactable via shaungowland@icloud.com for security based training and advisory.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 By: James Bore

cyber security fundamentals

cyber

Security I write and speak about this particular issue quite regularly, and it’s one that I believe is vital to grasping cyber security’s place in the world.

Especially while many people are still remote, technology has become more and more central to people’s lives, and we are talking about ways that things will or will not return to normal.

As we hear about more and more cyber security incidents, each supposedly carried out by ‘sophisticated threat actors with 66

unprecedented capabilities’, it’s time to talk about the mystique of cyber security and the problem it has with public perception.

Jon Moss once said to me, when I asked him for a definition of security, that it is the art (or science, it’s been a while and I forget which) of protecting an

CYBER SECURITY

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 asset from a threat. In many security fields that is immediately clear and obvious to practitioners. In cyber security, information security, or IT security it can be muddied and hidden away. Since it’s been a while since I last wrote about this topic in the Circuit, it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and reiterate some things, as not much has changed in the field since the last time I brought it up.

Cyber security is not magic There is an incredibly common perception, encouraged by some cyber security professionals and companies, that cyber security requires some sort of arcane, obscure, special knowledge which only a privileged few can access.

This perception not only discourages people from entering the field and taking ownership of their own security, it also gives an impression that cyber is somehow outside the reach of anyone other than specialists.

With the media stories out there, thinking about cyber security is stressful for many and the promotion of this view drives learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness is what happens when people repeatedly experience a stressful situation and feel it is out of their ability to control.

Enough experiences like this, which 68

There is an incredibly common perception, encouraged by some cyber security professionals and companies, that cyber security requires some sort of arcane, obscure, special knowledge

CYBER SECURITY

doesn’t take many repeats, people stop trying to do anything even when an opportunity to change arises. Getting people out of learned helplessness is difficult, and for years much of the cyber security industry and the media coverage has been driving the idea that not only is everyone under threat, but that protecting yourself from those threats is not possible without abilities beyond the reach

of ordinary people.

This idea extends to security professionals as well. Over the years I’ve had several conversations with experts in various security fields who are convinced that while they have expert knowledge, far beyond mine, in the security discipline they need to leave cyber security to the specialists.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 It’s a domain, not a discipline Security is a discipline, a skills toolkit, more about learning how to approach situations in general than about the details of those situations. The skills involved in security are applicable across multiple different domains, and all in the pursuit of protecting assets from threats. Cyber is a particular domain, an area in which those skills can be applied. All of the skills developed in other domains of security can be applied to cyber security by learning to reapply the models you use to technology.

for individuals to take ownership of their own security, or to protect other people. Call in the specialists when they’re needed, but take the time outside of that to ask questions and learn.

Any cyber security professional who won’t help people to understand the field most likely doesn’t understand it themselves.

To improve cyber security worldwide it isn’t enough to add new people to the field, we aren’t ever going to have enough and we struggle to get companies to understand what security they All of this is to say that cyber actually need in any case (if you’re security is just security applied wondering for the vast majority of to a poorly-defined mishmash companies the answers are ‘more of technology and information than you have’, along with ‘fewer security, it is not special, it does shiny technologies and more not deserve to be treated as an people’). We need for everyone ivory tower, and absolutely anyone to feel comfortable when dealing can not only learn it but excel if with a cyber security situation, given the opportunity. There’s no to not suffer from learned need to have amazing technical helplessness but instead to take skills, just an understanding of control of their own security how the technology can be used posture, take responsibility for and what attack vectors might their own protective measures, exist. Sure, the technical skills are and ask for help where it’s useful, but they aren’t essential needed.

James Bore is an independent cybersecurity consultant, speaker, and author with over a decade of experience in the domain. He has worked to secure national mobile networks, financial institutions, start-ups, and one of the largest attractions’ companies in the world, among others. If you would like to get in touch for help with any of the above, please reach out at james@bores.com 70

THE INDUSTRY AND THEVEIL UGLY TRUTH KEEPING BEHIND YOUR THE EDGE project based off of your skills are not now weighing the tone of the words and language you are using to express your political viewpoints. This might never be brought up in conversation, instead you are simply passed over in favor of someone who is a bit more opaque in their political passions.

“Grey man” is a term used in our industry to describe someone who blends into the environment, leaving very little wake in his passing. It is a state that many of us actively work to achieve, as it will allow us to more effectively complete our assignment, because by bringing as little attention to us as possible, we gain a tactical advantage. If this is a preferred state, then why are so many of us running counter to that, by actively trying to bring as much attention as possible to our political beliefs? In this new era of political expression via social media, our words and actions are not aligning with the codes we profess to exemplify. As we move into 2021, my question is, will it get better or worse?

ROBINBARRATT@YAHOO.COM

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

By Mark Roche

Longevity in EP Means Playing the Long Game in Health & Wellness

Hippocrates said, “healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.” No matter what you’re healing from, it takes time.

However, to take an opportunity to do something for your well-being does not.

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LONGEVITY IN EP MEANS PLAYING THE LONG GAME IN HEALTH & WELLNESS

One of the biggest things missed in our industry is attention to our health. Your career is dependent on it.

As a newcomer to the industry, I had huge eyes when it came to EP. Everything was exciting and new. Nothing seemed to matter but trying to get seen by agency owners and progressing along— all in the hopes of one day being among the best in the business.

I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to protect people that had important or extraordinary lives while being recognized as a professional. So off I went like a herd of turtles (things are slow at first). I had no clue what I wanted to obtain but knew that it was going to be what I made of it. All I needed was an opportunity.

I turned nothing down. I worked for peanuts just because I wanted to build a resume, no matter the client. But despite that ambition and drive, one thing that I never had as a priority was health and wellness. This changed for me when I became a full-time specialist.

One of the things that isn’t emphasized or taught in close protection courses in our industry is attention to our health. Ironically though, your career is absolutely dependent on you having good health. Your longevity in the highpaced life of executive protection will be determined by how you 73

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 treat your physical and mental wellness. Indeed, the word “life” applies because being in the upper tiers of protection is a “lifestyle” that involves a gruelling pace. It is constant, non-stop, and physically demanding. It’s also mentally gruelling and tests your mental fortitude on a minute-by-minute basis. Personal downtime in EP can be virtually non-existent when you’re working with certain clients.

It can involve 18+ hour days where you are planning, preparing, scheduling, and setting meetings not just for today but for tomorrow as well. If you don’t have your wellness finely tuned, it could be the beginning of the end.

Why focus on physical health?

There’s the obvious: you look out of shape. Things are progressing swiftly in this protection arena, and there are new and innovative ways of personal attacks. Our potential adversaries are not made up of one physical type. The clientele we work for are increasingly in better shape.

And some take their health very seriously. If they run, you run. If the bike, you bike. If the boat or swim, then you boat or swim. You get the picture. If you can’t honestly keep up, you have work to do.

If you smoke, quit. You smell. If you drink too much, stop. It can affect your reaction time. And while these are obvious, what can’t be seen is the internal damage being done, which can lead to a medical emergency while actively on a detail. You must incorporate a workout routine into your daily life. Notice that I didn’t say when in your day. That’s up to you to figure in, but you need to incorporate one. This may be when your client is asleep. Or any other time you are relieved from duty. Take those small chances because they are rare. You owe it to yourself and your client to be in the best physical shape you can be. They rely on that. And at the end of the day, they pay for that.

Also, strive to eat as well as you can. Being on the road can mean a lot of quick bites. Try and make them count. Try to avoid heavy foods, as they will weigh you down for hours. Eat healthier items when you can. They’re also more frequent around healthier clients, so more accessible and acceptable if you’re eating around them.

With clients demanding more and tighter deadlines, you have to ensure a healthy diet. Again, I didn’t say when you will do this, just that you have to do it.

With that said, it’s time for some hard truths that may not be easy to hear, but I say it for good reason: Mentally, you must take time 74

LONGEVITY IN EP MEANS PLAYING THE LONG GAME IN HEALTH & WELLNESS

to disconnect. The pace that a full-time specialist must keep is exhausting over time. You have to know how to maintain not only a clear mind but a healthy one.

Hundreds of actions and decisions are made by a CP daily, and a busy detail with a lot of moving parts could produce thousands of actions. You must condition your mind to meet those goals. I see it a lot on social media. I get the calls from specialists with fleeting hope for their EP careers, including making poor decisions on social media to the point where they can’t find work any longer.

Mentally, they can’t find the endurance to sustain the constant demand to create a safe environment for their client(s), and

they wind up with a shortened career. Take time off. Disconnect from EP. Decompress and unwind.

It is as necessary as drinking water.

Our minds and brain cannot be in overdrive constantly. They must rest in order to fulfil the needs of a busy client. When decisions must be made, you’ll call on your brain to defend you and your client, so keep it in good health.

There are those that will work hard and enjoy the fruits of their labor and those that will fade away. The industry as a whole, in my opinion, is getting better.

But more needs to be done. We must individually take measures to ensure our longevity and pass those traits down to the next generation of specialists.

Mark Roche is a US Based, full-time Executive Protection Specialist who works full time with a HNW Family. He is also a FAA Licensed Drone Pilot, specializing in EP related uses, and a graduate of multiple close protection programs.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57

By: Sam Lichtenstein

Considering the Corporate Risks of Employees Returning to Offices As the second quarter commences and most U.S. states begin to loosen restrictions as they increasingly bring COVID-19 under control, there are risks to consider as companies evaluate plans to reopen offices.

Corporate decisions will be based on a complex set of factors, including state and local laws, vaccine availability and use, input from employees, nature 76

of work, corporate culture, industry recommendations, and competitors' actions. For firms that decide to reopen offices, health, financial, legal, reputational,

RISKS OF EMPLOYEES RETURNING TO OFFICES operational and security implement workplace health considerations should be taken into protocols. account.

• Most immediately, a premature The immediate priority for or poorly planned return companies will be keeping to offices could catalyze an employees healthy, although outbreak that in the near term efforts to do so will raise complex disrupts business operations tradeoffs. Firms are likely to and in the long term reduces implement a wide array of employee (and customer) preventive health measures confidence and trust, which will generally seen as uncontroversial be difficult to regain. National and likely expected by employees, media attention on companies' such as increasing the frequency plans will magnify the negative and intensity of cleaning, but they impact of any botched returns. face serious considerations when weighing more significant policy • Companies face potential changes. Most notably, employers lawsuits and financial will have to decide whether to liabilities from employees who require staff to be vaccinated, believe either that corporate while even lesser requirements requirements overstep legal — such as mandating the use of limits — such as regarding face coverings, routine COVID-19 disability, discrimination or testing, medical questionnaires privacy — or, conversely, and other steps — could face that they are not upholding significant resistance from their obligations to provide employees who see them as a a safe workplace. Although violation of their legal rights or as most legal interpretations inappropriate employer overreach. suggest that employers can By contrast, employers also will mandate that their employees face staff who demand these be vaccinated, there are key aggressive preventive health steps exemptions, as well as legal and will hold them to account if and operational challenges they do not implement them. Even in tracking employees' health if many employees fall somewhere because of privacy restrictions. in between, the views of those on Lawsuits in California and New either end of the spectrum will Mexico challenge employer require companies to carefully mandates for vaccines approved consider how they message and only for emergency use, which 77

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 is the current status of all U.S. approved vaccines.

• Businesses also will face persistent reputational risks that could impact sales. As shown last year, companies seen as not prioritizing the health of their employees (or customers) face public backlash and boycotts, while those seen as infringing on individual freedoms are liable to witness similar forms of protest. As more offices reopen, inflammatory political rhetoric and media coverage of corporate policies will likely amplify these risks.

Beyond the impacts of these health-related considerations, companies will confront potential disruptions to their workplace operations and culture. These possible disturbances will be most notable in the immediate transition from homes to offices, but will pose ongoing challenges that may manifest in complex and unforeseen ways over time.

Employers should remain flexible and cognizant that no corporate policy, no matter how wellintentioned, will satisfy all staff.

• Most companies eventually developed effective processes to maintain operations while staff worked from home, raising 78

the risk that a return to offices, especially if only partial, may catalyze near-term disruptions.

At least initially, many companies are likely to adopt a hybrid model in which some employees work from home and others work from offices, potentially bifurcating staff into different operational routines and engendering two sets of possibly rival cultures. Simultaneously, those employees who do return to offices may suffer at least temporary decreases in productivity as they reacclimate to the workplace.

• Businesses also will have to take into account political, economic and social grievances that emerged during, and/or were amplified by, the pandemic.

Employees returning to offices may bring with them strong opinions on a host of charged topics and possibly even physical objects reflecting their beliefs.

Employers, especially those that have taken strong public stands, will have to give careful consideration to how to prepare and handle these situations lest they harm productivity and undermine culture.

• Many employers likely will face pressures to adjust office operations to address work-

RISKS OF EMPLOYEES RETURNING TO OFFICES life balance issues that have drawn national attention in the past year, but which may at least at first disrupt business activities and workplace culture.

Employee requests for more flexible work schedules, changes to offices' physical layouts, childcare assistance, mental health support and broader wellbeing initiatives are just some of the many likely demands that could alter office operations and culture as companies reconfigure their employee assistance plans.

physical security risks. Firms may face challenges confronting these threats because of budgetary pressures, the near-exclusive focus on cybersecurity while working from home at the expense of workplace safety, and the need to strike a balance between physical protection and office productivity.

While some physical security risks come from employees, others may target them, making it incumbent on companies to reevaluate their safety responsibilities and commitments.

• The risk of workplace violence will reemerge, potentially with Employers also will have to prepare greater salience, as offices for renewed and newly emerging

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Firms also will have to prepare for physical security risks to their employees if disruptive and widespread protest activity reemerges this year, as it did last spring. reopen. Broadly, the combination of grievance narratives across of pent-up frustrations and the political spectrum suggests expanded opportunities to threats could arise from diverse conduct attacks will raise the risk actors. of violence across society. Recent mass shootings in Atlanta and • A return to offices also will likely Boulder, Colorado, illustrate that mean the resumption, even if customers, not just employees, in significantly reduced form, pose lethal threats. Individuals of business travel for at least whose mental health has a small number of employees. suffered during the pandemic Companies will have to expand may present elevated risks, their travel safety procedures especially if they also harbor beyond mitigating traditional personal grievances against threats like local crime and employers or co-workers. scams. These steps may include pre- and post-travel health • Firms also will have to prepare evaluations, emergency medical for physical security risks to evacuation capabilities, training their employees if disruptive to deal with social unrest and and widespread protest activity other resources to address reemerges this year, as it did business travelers' heightened last spring. Unlike last year physical security needs. when empty offices meant that companies' physical security In addition to physical security threats manifested mostly as concerns, companies also vandalism and looting, a return face an array of cybersecurity to offices may put staff at risk considerations. Amid persistent of harm, especially if their cyber threats from a variety of employers are specific targets of sources — including criminals, demonstrations. The persistence competitors and foreign intelligence 80

RISKS OF EMPLOYEES RETURNING TO OFFICES services — businesses will have to have confidential information prepare for employees who pose but are unlikely to have been either unwitting or deliberate risks strictly secured. Firms will to corporate networks. Firms that also need to evaluate risks adopt hybrid models in which some from workplace devices that employees permanently work from may have been compromised home, some return to the office while remaining dormant and full-time and others rotate are likely unguarded in the past year. to face particularly challenging cyber threats given the distributed • Returning employees also will workforce and potentially constant revive the risk of insider threats, rotation among homes and offices. as some may deliberately seek to access material stored on • Employees who may have office networks they could developed poor cybersecurity not access from home. Wellpractices while working from placed insiders financially home pose particular concerns. strained by the pandemic Among other threats, they may — and especially those with reconnect infected personal workplace grievances — may devices to corporate networks, face greater incentives to sell be vulnerable to business email valuable corporate information compromise or be susceptible to criminals, competitors or to a variety of online scams that foreign intelligence services, all take advantage of returning to of which may proactively target offices. them for recruitment. Insiders are aided by the increasing • Companies will need to consider digital storage of key information what to do with corporate and the proliferation of means devices provided to staff for to undetectably access and working from home, as these will transmit it.

Sam Lichtenstein is a global security analyst at Stratfor who focuses on a wide range of international security issues. He holds a master's degree from the Security Studies Program at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to joining Stratfor, he served for more than four years in the U.S. government, where he developed analytic expertise on various terrorism topics, including providing tactical and strategic assessments of terrorist groups' motivations, capabilities, plans and intentions, as well as opportunities to counter them.

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PRECIOUS PRINCIPALS - THE CHALLENGES OF PROTECTING CHILDREN

By Tracy Webster

Precious Principals The Challenges of Protecting Children As a bodyguard, I have been fortunate to have protected a variety of female principals amongst a cross-section of nationalities and cultures around the globe.

My principals' ages have also ranged from 4 to 65 years old. Amongst them all, I personally believe the most challenging principals are children. For me, the role of a bodyguard caring for a minor is all about balance, judgment, adaptation and a crystal-clear understanding of the parents' wishes.

Any bodyguard who chooses to serve ultra-high net worth clients and families is immediately thrown into a world that much of the population will likely never have the opportunity to experience. When money is no object, it affords individuals, their families, and children access to the most opulent hotels, lavish 83

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 properties and homes; reservations into Michelin star restaurants; holidaying on private islands, and chauffeur driven cars. This lifestyle level requires a massive infrastructure of household staff, house manager, butler, maids, nannies, protection detail, vehicles and drivers. Needless to say, children living within this lifestyle are inevitably shielded from reality.

In my experience, this can present challenges when managing their expectations. Some of the children you find yourself protecting may not understand the word 'No' as they have become accustomed to a life of 'Yes' at all odds where perhaps everything is readily available and on hand. So, when something isn't available, or it simply isn't possible for whatever reason, as the bodyguard, we will have to take the brunt of the fallout of the child's disappointment, including tantrums, tears, and a grumpy principal. To mitigate unwanted attention to the family or child, we have to be agile and rely on our emotional intelligence, creative flair and grounded appreciation to navigate the situation.

Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to protecting children.

Having a flexible character is an excellent trait and will help as the fluidity of days can rapidly change from one hour to the next. I was once the sole protector for three children. The nature of the job and 84

I don’t believe you have to be a mother or father to protect or indeed understand children.

I personally have absorbed parenting skills from family members and close friends.

PRECIOUS PRINCIPALS - THE CHALLENGES OF PROTECTING CHILDREN the family was often hectic, and the logistics of one nanny getting them all ready to go out meant that we were often late. On one occasion, it became clear that we would be at least 40 minutes late for the theatre performance we were scheduled to attend. Since this was unworkable, I had to adapt quickly and come up with a suitable alternative. I found performance and screening times at a nearby cinema, and we successfully diverted our plans. Whilst the children enjoyed the movie, I was able to rebook the theatre tickets for a couple of days later. All this highlights that nothing with children as the protectees is ever set in concrete, and you have to be able to realistically adjust to sudden unexpected changes. However, with a good strong team working together, you will prevail.

Many close protectors who are not parents themselves or who do not commonly deal with children may find the job nerve-wracking at first glance. However, I don't believe you have to be a mother or father to protect or understand children.

I have absorbed good parenting skills simply from observing family members and close friends.

However, the best practices and training ground comes from experiences 'on the ground.'

When it comes to the protection of children, the role of a bodyguard is dynamic and multifaceted. As

bodyguards, we are primarily engaged in carrying out a protective role, so it goes without question that we need to start thinking along the lines of precious cargo.

The child's welfare and security are of the utmost importance at all times. Beyond this, we need to also call upon and implement other transferable skills, occasionally imparting a little knowledge here and there and providing presence of mind. We are expected to wear the hat of a role model, parent, teacher, mentor, and playmate.

In general, children can quickly become bored. But it's fair to say that some children of UHNWs who haven't experienced a 'regular' upbringing can sometimes have difficulty appreciating the simpler and often free things in life. This is where bodyguards can be presented with challenges. We must have the ability to think outside the box and have a bag full of tricks and skills at the ready. Engaging your principal on a level that reflects their age and intellect is advised. This will help them understand your role and the importance of their safety while allowing for some creativity and fun with the role and knowing when to apply discipline.

After a long day at a well-known theme park in Europe, my very young principal became extremely agitated and was exhausted from the long day of fun. As soon as we 85

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 loaded up in the vehicle to start the journey back home, her bloodcurdling screaming and crying began.

It was so loud that no one in the car could even hear themself think. She was utterly inconsolable! Just then, I thought to put on music to calm the child down. Never had we all – driver, security, nanny and two children – appreciated the song "Baby Shark" as much as we did at that moment!

What could've been a painful and very long journey home became a dance party.

With all this in mind, we also have to be conscious not to cross the line and take over the role of the parent or the nanny. That is not our role as the protector, and we have to recognise when we are edging closer to that line to determine when to withdraw. We have all heard that familiarity breeds contempt, so holding boundaries will go a long way in ensuring your success as a bodyguard. When you first begin a new PPO role, you will be under the spotlight to see how you operate around the child, principal, and other key members of the family's infrastructure. This is your opportunity to show that you know how to work in a team, including embracing and respecting boundaries and each other's primary roles.

Parental styles can run the gambit across a wide spectrum. I have protected children whose parents 86

are engaging and genuinely wanted to be involved in their children's dayto-day life. I have also worked for parents who are entirely dependent on the nanny to step in and fill the parental role. To better navigate these nuances, I encourage forging a good working relationship with both nanny and maid. These key individuals are usually in place 24/7 and they serve a crucial function for the family. Working closely with them will provide strong foundations and make for smoother communications across all moving parts of your role, especially when it comes to your planning and preparation for the next day. Nannies and maids usually absorb a lot of information by their mere presence. Take advantage of this and extract as much information about your principal from them.

Nannies and maids will often impart invaluable details such as likes/ dislikes, hobbies and interests of those you are protecting.

I recall that whilst protecting a very young principal travelling from abroad during a cold winter in London, I had several conversations with his nanny, during which she lamented the lack of opportunity for him to be able to play and roam free.

His mum had extremely high hygiene standards and didn't want him to go to a standard soft play centre. Using my local knowledge and previous experience working with young UHNW clients, I suggested two select members' only clubs for children,

PRECIOUS PRINCIPALS - THE CHALLENGES OF PROTECTING CHILDREN

behaviours, and how they interact with their parents, nannies, and maids. The information you gather will be invaluable to you! What you observe will also be a good indicator of how you go about your own integration and begin the journey of building trust and gaining respect, both with the child and the parent(s).

All of this knowledge gained will When commencing a new PPO role or undoubtedly give you a head start joining an existing team that involves and aid your success in the critical a child principal, the onus is on you to role of forging a solid foundation watch, listen and learn everything you with the precious principal you are can about your principal's personality, charged with protecting. both of which featured a wide range of opportunities for socialisation and creative play. We ended up enrolling as members and visiting both venues frequently. The child's nanny - and subsequently his parents - were extremely pleased with both clubs, leading to glowing feedback to the main client.

Tracy Webster is the CEO of Pinnacle Risk Consultancy, which she founded in 2016 and has since gone on to become a leading security provider and a proud corporate business partner of the British Bodyguard Association. Tracy is a former Royal Military Police officer with experience in SIB (Specialist Investigation Branch). Since her service, Tracy has spent years in the specialist security industry developing a thorough understanding of close protection, residential security, travel risk security, pen testing, TSCM/Bug sweeps, surveillance techniques and undercover deployments.

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By: Ahmed Ateek

Executive Protection

in the Middle East

How to Avoid Embarrassing & Costly Mistakes That old saying that is still relevant today, particularly when it comes to Executive Protection. Good EP professionals understand the importance of thorough preparation and research before even accepting a task. This is arguably even more relevant when it comes to working in the Middle East where culture is king, and misunderstandings have the potential to ruin operations and future business partnerships.

To add a layer of nuance and complexity, each Middle Eastern city – be it Dubai, Cairo, or Riyadh - calls for a slightly different approach, making things that much more interesting.

One cultural misstep in the Middle East could cost millions for your clients, lives, or your job! While working with various clients across the Middle East and North Africa, I was tasked with looking after a HNW principal from the UK who 88

was visiting Dubai for the first time. Dubai is a safe city, so my services were mainly focused on cultural awareness and general know-how – something that can be overlooked by newbie EPs but is essential for a successful operator.

The Principal was keen on inviting an Emirati contact to a business lunch. The Holy Month of Ramadan had just begun, so I politely advised him this wouldn’t be possible.

Muslims don’t eat or drink in the daytime during Ramadan. So the principal suggested dinner instead.

I explained that Ramadan was very much a family time – especially the first few days. However, I informed him that since the Emiratis are known for their warm welcome and hospitality it wouldn’t be out of line for the business contact to host the Principal. And that it would be best to be mindful of the cultural norms to lay the foundations for good future business relations.

EXECUTIVE PROTECTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

One cultural misstep in the Middle East could cost millions for your clients, lives, or your job!

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 In the end, we agreed for him to visit the Emirati contact after the iftar dinner, which is the first meal after the sunset - around 1900hrs.

And after the contact had attended prayer – around 2200hrs. Setting a business meeting at such a time in the UK would have been unheard of! An inexperienced EP might’ve advised his Principal to put off the meeting until after the Holy month and resulted in a potential loss of millions in lost opportunity.

But knowing the cultural nuisance allowed for a successful meeting to take place during Ramadan and all under perfectly acceptable norms.

one another by kissing the cheek (North African countries) or touching noses (as in the UAE).

The practice remains a huge part of Middle Eastern culture, so it will likely return once things are safe.

• Know the prayer times (Muslims pray up to 5 times per day) and locations of the nearest mosques so that you are prepared if your principal requests to pray in between meetings or while driving from point A to B. Due to Covid, some Middle Eastern countries have restricted public gatherings which may include mosques. In such cases, your Any modern protector that has principal may request a private operated on the circuit a while spot or meeting room for prayer. will have a war story about a time They may even ask you to find where disaster or potential disaster out the direction of Mecca which by what seems to be a hair! This list is the point that Muslims face of dos and don’ts will help prepare when they pray. There are plenty you for Executive Protection in the of apps you can download for Middle East so you have a success just this purpose! story of your own.

• Turn the music down while driving your Middle Eastern Do’s principal when you hear the • Know the basic Arabic call to prayer from surrounding greeting – using it will make mosques. This is a sign of your principal happy, even if respect and will be greatly your pronunciation is a bit off appreciated. (recommended for all cities as • Show understanding and mentioned above). appreciation for the Holy • Be mindful that, before Covid, Month of Ramadan, and its it would a common sight to see special requirements. This Middle Eastern men greeting year, Ramadan is expected to 90

EXECUTIVE PROTECTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST fall around April 13 and will last until approximately May 12. Throughout the month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, so it’s a good idea to take note of the sunrise and sunset timings. Traffic can be especially challenging just before iftar – the time when Muslims break their fast – yet another good reason to keep tabs if you need to get your principal somewhere at short •

notice. If your principal is fasting, avoid eating or drinking in front of them or their family members as a sign of respect. You can still eat or drink when you’re alone, out of public sight. Beware: some Middle Eastern countries, particularly those in the Gulf, take this seriously and you may face fines or even imprisonment for flouting Ramadan rules.

Be mindful of your dress code,

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 particularly when it comes to showing tattoos in visible areas.

Cover them by wearing long sleeves, long trousers etc. or risk losing business opportunities.

In more conservative Middle Eastern cities like Riyadh, EPs with a visible tattoo would not be welcome. Principals may be more accepting of tattoos if you’re at the beach with them or doing the morning run – either way, have a discussion

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with the principal before getting too comfortable (highly recommended for tasks in KSA).

Visible body piercings, except 1 set of earrings for female EPs, are not acceptable.

• Always look smart and wellgroomed (applicable for all cities).

• Invest in a tailored suit and decent looking accessories, like a watch (only recommended in the UAE and KSA; wearing overtly

EXECUTIVE PROTECTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST expensive attire in North African of hours originally agreed on, countries may draw unwanted as time is not monitored as attention to you and your closely in the Middle East as it principal). Image is extremely is in Europe, for example. Most important in Middle Eastern Middle Eastern principals will tip society and yours is a reflection you generously to make up for on your principal. this, however.

• Be flexible – executive protection • Don’t befriend your principal or in some Middle Eastern cities, your principal’s family/friends. particularly safer and controlled Outwardly, your principal environments like Dubai, may may seem open and keen for involve assisting more than friendship, however a positive anything else. You could end up response on your part may be accompanying your principal and misinterpreted as overfamiliarity their family to the mall and be – especially if it is the first expected to carry the shopping, task with your Middle Eastern for example. principal. Similarly, be watchful for overfamiliarity from team Don’ts members to avoid compromising • Never shake hands with a the professionalism of the Middle Eastern woman as a male operation.

EP, even if her husband (the • Don’t use or repeat Arabic words principal, in this case) shakes if you don’t know their meanings, your hand. You can keep your as they might sound offensive hand on your chest by way of when pronounced incorrectly by greeting, then nod your head mistake. down and greet her verbally.

• Don’t use hand gestures, such This is also a great all-round as pointing, or other non-verbal solution for polite greetings in modes of communication as Covid times. they have a wide range • Don’t clock watch – your task of meaning and may offend may well exceed the amount your Middle Eastern principal.

Ahmed is a Certified Security Professional (ASP Instructor, USA/EP, Poland/TSCM Operative) from Egypt who has lived in Dubai for the past 15 years. His work experience includes security escort and deportee security with Emirates Airline and numerous EP assignments for international clients across the Middle East and North Africa. Ahmed is also the founder of the first fully licensed Krav Maga training facility in the UAE – Krav Maga Middle East (** include social media links). ???

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BASIC RANGE CONSIDERATIONS

By: Orlando Wilson

BASIC RANGE CONSIDERATIONS I have been dealing personally with firearms in a professional capacity for over 30 years.

My professional experience with firearms started when I was 17 years old, and I joined an Infantry Regiment in the British Army. After leaving the British Army five years later, I worked in an armed capacity in numerous countries while providing security services.

scared novice to the established expert, all while using a wide array of firearms.

My conclusion from 30 years in this space is that firearms are safe if handled properly. And gun ranges are safe if managed properly. Whether you're shooting a .22 air rifle in your back garden I've also been organizing firearms training events internationally since or a light anti-armor weapon on a military range, as long as the basic the late 1990s. Over the past 30 principles of firearms/weapons years, some firearms courses and training events have been on some safety and range management are very high-end and formal ranges followed, you shouldn't have any problems. and some in purely improvised locations with no formal infrastructure. I've also worked with In light of that, my aim with students of all skill levels, from the this article is to give you some 95

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 foundational points you need to consider to run a safe shooting range and shooting events. And if you are attending a training course, this will give you the knowledge and key insights into proper course setup.

Basic Considerations Backstops - Formal Shooting Ranges: Wherever you are shooting, and with whatever firearm or weapon system, you must ensure you have a good and sufficient backstop that can stop the ammunition that is being fired. From the outset,

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backstops need to be inspected before any live fire commences to ensure they are not faulty. For example, in the case of indoor ranges, I know of several where the backstop had failed due to steel plates slipping and rounds passing through the backstop and going through the exterior wall of the range. In addition to the initial quality control check, backstops also need to be inspected regularly.

And when possible, a second backstop should be employed in case of a failure in the first. On outdoor ranges, the dirt or sand should be inspected for anything

BASIC RANGE CONSIDERATIONS

You must ensure you have a good and sufficient backstop that can stop the ammunition that is being fired.

that could cause ricochets, such as steel targets, debris left by the previous shooters or a buildup of lead in overused areas of the backstop.

If you are running events, it's your responsibility to inspect the backstops of the ranges that you use. If there are any problems, you're the one that will have to deal with possible lawsuits if anyone is injured.

Backstops- Improvised Ranges: Personally, I prefer to use improvised ranges, whether it's the side of a hill, a gully, or a disused building, as these locations can give us a wider selection of training scenarios than your standard target shooting range.

When selecting an area for your improvised range, you must ensure there is a good backstop that will stop the rounds being fired. And, if the backstop fails, make sure that any rounds that pass through will go into a safe area. Additionally, you have to ensure there are no people in the area and especially behind the backstop.

If you are using a shoot house or a derelict building, ensure the place is searched and secured before any live fire commences. Always make sure everyone is accounted for before starting any live-fire drills, and no one could be in the building or shoot house. For example, If you are using the side of a hill as a backstop, ensure any wooded or scrub areas have been checked for anyone who could be wandering through the site, camping, 97

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or even homeless people living rough. I was on one range in South Africa many years ago, which had a problem with squatters setting up camp in the empty areas behind the backstop. Responsible shooters would check the site and at least 98

shout a warning before starting shooting. Remember, if you or your students shoot anyone, it will be your responsibility. It's far better to ensure there is no one in any potential lines of fire than have to deal with the legal consequences

BASIC RANGE CONSIDERATIONS of someone being shot or killed due to negligence. And remember, in today's world where lawsuits take priority, any accidents will be due to your negligence, and you will be deemed guilty until proven innocent.

Training Novice Shooters: Now everyone has to start somewhere, and I have had plenty of novices come through my courses. Initially, they were nervous around firearms but went on to become very competent in handling them. That said, there are some primary considerations to take into account when training a novice shooter. At the very least, novice shooters need oneon-one instruction for their first shots. When training a novice, initially, I am not worried if they are hitting the target or not. My concern is that they are handling the firearm safely, have good muzzle discipline, and are hitting the backstop when they shoot.

Once they are comfortable with the firearm and shooting, then I start to refine their targeting skills.

Keep in mind that over-critiquing and criticizing first-time shooters can make them more nervous and impede their will for future training.

At this early stage for a novice, it's the instructor's job to safely build the shooter's confidence. The main problem with beginners is muzzle

discipline. As long as the weapon is pointed toward the backstop, there can be little harm done. But after their first shot, if they drop the gun or panic with their finger still in the trigger guard, there can be issues.

This needs to be considered, especially where fully automatic weapons are being used around those that are not used to shooting them. When training novices, the instructor should be close enough to the student to take control of the firearm from the rear and top to prevent muzzle climb that could send rounds over the backstop.

If you are training novices, keep in mind that their safety is your responsibility, and you will be liable for any mistake they make.

Training Scared Shooters: If you think that only novice shooters are scared of guns, you would be very wrong. In fact, many of those who carry firearms for work, such as security guards, police officers, and military personnel, are not that well-trained.

They only shoot when required and only carry a gun because it's part of their uniform. If someone is fumbling, getting agitated, or stressed when handling firearms, you need to supervise them closely.

Help them to relax and reassure them. Scared shooters are just as much a danger to themselves as they are to others, especially when 99

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 practicing live fire holster drills.

Shooters Lacking Common Sense: People lacking common sense or idiots, as I like to call them, are a fact of life in all environments and workplaces. But in the firearms industry, we need to be ever vigilant for them. Not only can they hurt themselves and others, but their lack of common sense can also disrupt training courses and legal ramifications.

The gun business attracts more than its fair share of wackos, usually emasculated males trying to make up for some deficit in their lives. These people are more than a liability.

They give responsible people in the firearms business a bad name. I expect most experienced firearms instructors have plenty of stories of stupid things done while on live-fire ranges. I will give you one example.

While at an indoor public range in South Florida with a private client who was practicing their grouping with a pistol at 25 yards, it became clear that someone else was firing on their target. I quickly located the culprit dressed in his shooting team hat, shirt, competition gun belt with mag pouches and holster for his race gun. He was shooting at side-by-side targets at about 10 yards, and the rounds from his left-hand target were hitting my client's target at 25 yards.

When I asked him if he could stop 100

People lacking common sense or idiots, as I like to call them, are a fact of life in all environments and workplaces. But in the firearms industry, we need to be ever vigilant for them.

BASIC RANGE CONSIDERATIONS shooting my client's target, he had an attitude. Of course, he would; he was an "expert" after all. I had to get a member of the range staff to point out to him that his rounds were going through his target and hitting my client's. One of the first rules of firearms safety is always knowing what's behind your target, right? Whether this "expert" competition shooter was that stupid or just that arrogant not to be concerned about where his rounds were going… who knows?

But his arrogance, combined with ignorance and incompetence, puts him in the category of major liability in my books. Many who perceive and sell themselves as firearms "experts" and "instructors" only take a few oneday classes and need to be viewed with as much caution, if not more, than novices.

the firearm remains pointing at the backstop or towards a safe area, so there is no chance anyone can be harmed. One cause of malfunction that can be an issue, especially on outdoor ranges, is a semi-auto pistol or rifle that starts to shoot in fully-auto. This tends to happen with firearms that have been modified. I had one student who spent a lot of money on a custom 1911. This weapon had just been taken out of its box, and after a few rounds, it started to shoot fully-auto. The safety issue, in this case, is that if the shooter does not have control of the weapon. Rounds can go over the backstop. If a semi-auto firearm starts to shoot full-auto, it needs to be unloaded, boxed for safety and legal reasons, and returned to the manufacturer or fixed by a professional gunsmith.

Firearms Malfunctions: Guns are just bits of machinery, and as such, do break and malfunction. Everyone on your range must know what to do if their firearm malfunctions. For novices, this can be putting the firearm down and calling for assistance from the range officer.

For experienced shooters, clearing their own stoppages and signalling to the range officer if they have a complicated stoppage or firearm malfunction. Again, the key is that

The Range Safety Brief: Before anyone commences firing, they need to receive a range brief on the safety rules and regulations for that specific range. It should very clear to the students the safe arcs of fire, where they can point firearms when shooting, loading or unloading, and the areas where they cannot point firearms. Also, the rules for moving firearms behind the firing line or entry to the shooting lane, where they can load and unload, emergency 101

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 procedures, the course of fire should be emphasized. The range brief is extremely important and must be understood by all of your students. Remember, if anything goes wrong, it is you who will ultimately be held responsible.

of drugs or alcohol. If a student is problematic or unsafe, they will need to be removed from the range. Always remain calm, cautious, and explain why the student is being asked to leave.

There is a lot more to range management, firearms instruction General Range Principles: and running firearms courses All shooting ranges differ in and events than just doing a few some ways, but common one-day courses and getting a few principles of how they run and are managed will always apply. In instructor or range safety officer addition to ensuring the range is in certificates. You need to be able to assess your ranges, plan and good order, you must ensure the prepare your range safety briefs shooters also have the required and courses of fire. Understand eye and ear protection, are the firearms and ammunition that dressed adequately, have your students will be using and the required ammunition that communicate confidently and is safe for that range, and their effectively with your students, firearms are in a serviceable members of your training team, condition. and range staff. But as a starting point, these basic considerations Always be helpful and courteous will go a long way in ensuring to all shooters while, at the same time, assessing their body you start off on the right foot in range safety for your next training language to see if they are overly course. nervous or under the influence

Orlando Wilson has worked in the security industry internationally for over 25 years. He has become accustomed to the types of complications that can occur, when dealing with international law enforcement agencies, organized criminal and Mafia groups. He is the chief consultant for Risks Inc. and based in Miami but spends much of his time traveling and providing a wide range of kidnapping prevention and tactical training services to private and government clients.

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COVER & EVACUATE VS. COMBAT By: Devon Taitt

Cover & Evacuate

vs. Combat

The Importance of Combative Training for Protective Service Professionals Within the industry, it's been long debated whether or not martial arts training is essential to an agent. And if so, what style? In my opinion, the short answer is, of course, it's essential.

and other traditional arts indeed have a combative application, but usually, they take some time to learn and even more time to execute the techniques in a realworld scenario effectively. That is because they are primarily rooted Choose Your Style in tradition. Combat sport systems So the natural next question is such as kickboxing, boxing, muay where do I start in selecting the right combative training program? Thai, judo, and jiu-jitsu are styles Establishing what style you practice that have techniques that are readily applicable to the streets and how often is solely up to you. and can be effective. They can also But let's go over a basic outline of the styles and systems that are be tied into your fitness regimen available in most areas. via shadow boxing, the heavy bag, grappling dummy, or even a couple of pairs of three-to-fiveStyles like karate, hapkido, Kenpo, In this industry, we voluntarily take on responsibility for someone else's defense. This implies that we should have an adept ability to protect ourselves proficiently.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 pound weights and a mirror for the times that you're on the road.

Other systems like Krav Maga (and others) can be very beneficial to the protective service agent because it is a melting pot of several of the systems listed above and solely focuses on self-defense while providing a journey and supportive community to its practitioners.

Whichever style you decide to commit to, make sure you research the instructor, the system, and watch a class or two to ensure it fits with your overall objective. Many protection schools are starting to tie in some defensive tactics training programs into their curriculum.

This is great because it is crucial to understand how certain techniques apply directly to the profession. However, these shorterrange programs should not be the only time you train. They are a great introduction to concepts, but it takes many repetitions and drills to truly lock in a solid combative skills platform. My recommendation is to start with a strong foundation from some of the systems listed above then use the specialized programs to build and supplement knowledge.

On-the-Job Skills at The Ready Some might be thinking, "it is not my job as an agent to stand and fight.

I want to cover and evacuate." And 106

Whichever style you decide to commit to, make sure you research the instructor, the system, and watch a class or two to ensure it fits with your overall objective.

COVER & EVACUATE VS. COMBAT that is 100% true. We always want to be as far away from danger as possible. But what if you're in a situation where danger meets you where you are regardless? For example, your client is in their hotel for the night and as you're going down to move the vehicles and you see a member of the entourage getting assaulted? What if you're a solo detail in a country where you cannot carry, and you have no way out but to fight? Or if you're out with your own loved ones (our most important "clients") and we have to defend them against an attack? No matter what we want to believe, we cannot plan for everything. Any of these things can happen on any given day.

Because of that, we have to put in the physical work and training to be sure the odds are in our favor when they do.

Raising Your Standards It is commendable to see protectors invest in themselves by attending training courses, continuing their education, investing in the right gear, and reading industry-relevant publications and books. All these

acts help in the development of laying a professional foundation for your individual brand. Similarly, by choosing to enroll in combative training, you are committing yourself to self-improvement, your craft, and your overall warrior ethos. Almost every city has some kind of combatives gym that can be accessed or utilized immediately to get you started on your journey.

Many take up martial arts classes to learn discipline, gain selfconfidence, get in shape, or learn to protect themselves. All of these qualities apply to the professional protector at an even higher standard because we have additional responsibilities. As a lifelong martial artist and a private security professional, I can attest that you will be more confident and capable of tackling the task of a protection professional once you've had intense encounters on the mats or in the ring. Training and putting yourself through simulated hell will not only toughen your body but your mind as well. Once you step back into the real world, you can tackle any obstacles or punch life throws at you!

Devon is the owner of Kingdom Risk Mitigation Services , a self-defense company based in Los Angeles California. He can be reached at Devon@KingdomAcademyTraining.com 107

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Global Situation Report ANALYSIS

Each issue our global geopolitical partner, Stratfor, provides an indepth analysis of global incidents via in-house experts, cutting edge technology and through a comprehensive globally sourced network. Here is your summary from the last 30 days.

Afghanistan: Taliban Increases Pressure on U.S. to Withdraw Forces Mar 31, 2021 Taliban fighters fired two rockets at a U.S.-led coalition military base in Khost province.

There were no casualties, but this marks the first attack on U.S. forces by the Taliban in over a year, when both sides signed the Doha Agreement.

Why It Matters: The risk for similar attacks will increase as the May 1 deadline draws nearer, which will put more pressure on the U.S. to withdraw and could create room for security threats to proliferate. The Taliban has repeatedly emphasized that a troop withdrawal is mandatory for peace talks to move forward. Increasing U.S.-Taliban hostilities will also ease pressure on the Islamic State, which maintains a presence in Afghanistan and could pose a greater threat in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan.

Ivory Coast: Suspected al Qaeda Jihadists Attack on Burkina Faso Border Mar 29, 2021 Gunmen attacked two Ivory Coast military posts near the northern border with Burkina Faso overnight March 28-29. Military sources speaking to Reuters said two soldiers died in an attack on the military post at Kafolo and another soldier was killed in an attack against a post in nearby Tehini.

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GLOBAL SITUATION REPORT Why It Matters: While no one has yet claimed responsibility, suspicions have fallen on Amadou Kouffa's Katiba Macina subgroup of al Qaeda's Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, the primary jihadist group active in southwestern Burkina Faso. Katiba Macina's presence near northern Burkina Faso and Ghana also raises the possibility of one-off large terrorist attacks targeting tourists and Westerners in Ivory Coast akin to the 2016 Grand-Bassam terrorist attack in southern Ivory Coast.

China, Iran: Comprehensive Strategic Agreement Signed Mar 29, 2021 China and Iran signed a 25-year "Comprehensive Strategic Agreement" covering economic, security and political issues. Full details on the agreement have not been released, but an 18-page document in Persian was leaked on Iranian social media in 2020. The leaked document outlined a number of areas of cooperation including the development of strategic infrastructure in Iran, like the Chabahar port and investment into sectors including oil and gas and petrochemicals.

Why It Matters: China views Iran as a critical node of its Belt and Road Initiative given its strategic location; it has entered a similar agreement with the nearby United Arab Emirates. The terms of the agreement are vague and the signing of the document has generated controversy in Iran over concerns of becoming too dependent on China and of giving China too much control over issues like natural resources.

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FEATURED ASSESSMENT Iran Mar 26, 2021 The recent uptick in maritime attacks between Israel and Iran risks triggering a broader escalation that leads to more attacks on Israeli commercial interests. Coming after reports that an Iranian missile hit an Israeli-owned container ship in the Arabian Sea while it was traveling from Tanzania to India.

Suez Canal Mar 24, 2021 The Ever Given — one of the world’s largest class of container ships, with space for over 20,000 containers — became lodged across the width of one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes. The extreme backlog will result in immediate security risks and add further delays to covid-19 disrupted trade routes.

North Korea Mar 25, 2021 North Korea’s first ballistic missile test since U.S. President Joe Biden took office suggests that Pyongyang will seek to advance the development of key weapons systems without jeopardizing the prospect for long-term U.S. outreach or unifying the international community around a harder-line stance against the regime.

EU Mar 18, 2021 The European Commission unveiled on March 17 a plan to create a Digital Green Certificate with verified information on people’s COVID-19 status. If approved, the certificate will be proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result, or recovered from the virus.

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A Battle in Central Yemen Further Dims Hopes for Peace An ongoing battle in the heart of Yemen could become a major setback in U.S.Saudi efforts to end the country’s civil war, should it leave the resource-rich city of Marib in Houthi hands.

Talks reportedly took place in Oman between U.S. and Houthi officials on Feb. 26 as part of U.S. President Joe Biden’s renewed diplomatic push to facilitate a cease-fire in Yemen and ease the country’s humanitarian crisis, which includes 2 million refugees in the surrounding Marib province. But fighting has nonetheless continued apace in Marib, with Houthi rebels making unprecedented gains in its offensive — stoking fears that President Mansoor Hadi’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government could soon lose control of the strategic central city for the

GLOBAL SITUATION REPORT

first time in Yemen’s nearly seven-yearlong civil war.

• Yemeni Houthis have continued to launch routine attacks on Saudi Arabia itself, including drone, missile and rocket strikes on the kingdom’s southern border.

The Saudi-backed but domestically weak Yemeni government has so far managed to hold control of Marib, but the city and surrounding region’s oil, gas and agricultural resources have made it an increasingly attractive target for Houthi rebels.

The United States, meanwhile, has been pressuring Saudi Arabia to restrain its military campaign in Yemen, leaving the Hadi government with less direct support on the ground.

Over the course of its five-year military intervention in Yemen, Saudi Arabia has sought to keep its troops out of the direct line of fire by relying on airpower, proxies and special forces. Such tactics, however, have resulted in allegations of human rights abuses and civilian casualties.

The loss of Marib city before the start of substantial peace talks would likely further weaken the Hadi government while emboldening Houthi military action against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Al Qaeda in the Arabia Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State in Yemen could seek to take advantage of a weaker Yemeni government.

• Yemen’s ongoing civil war has undercut joint counterterrorism operations between the Hadi government, STC, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Russia Mar 9, 2021 Russia’s parliament called for new laws to “protect digital sovereignty” after Facebook blocked access to articles published by Russian news sites that the U.S. social media company determined were inaccurate.

Saudi Arabia Mar 8, 2021 Although the Houthis have claimed a March 7 attack on Saudi Aramco targets that caused minimal damage, several signs suggest it could have originated from Iraq or Iran.

Nevertheless, further attacks against Saudi Arabia and Saudi Aramco from both Yemen and Iraq are likely.

El Salvador Mar 4, 2021 Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele will be free to implement sweeping reforms that may strain his relationship with the new U.S. administration. A surprise landslide victory has vastly bolstered the 39-year-old president’s hold on Congress Northern Ireland Mar 4, 2021 Disputes over customs controls in Northern Ireland threaten the trade and security agreements the European Union and the United Kingdom reached in 2019 and 2020, and risk a reignition of sectarian violence.

They will also make it hard for Brussels and London to find deals on issues such as financial services.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 Myanmar: U.S. Suspends Trade Dialogue Following Deadly Protest Crackdown Mar 29, 2021 The White House suspended bilateral U.S.-Myanmar engagement under the 2013 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement effective March 29 until the restoration of a democratically elected government, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced.

Why It Matters: While suspending this dialogue will not tangibly impact U.S.Myanmar trade, it does lay the groundwork for the United States to potentially reverse aspects of its economic opening to Myanmar a decade ago. Washington will tread carefully, however, given the risk of economic impacts on the Myanmar population and of pushing the Myanmar government closer to China, which already dominates the Myanmar economic picture.

Taiwan, China: Taipei's Use of Missile Deterrence May Invite Strategic Risks Mar 29, 2021 Taiwanese Deputy Defence Minister Chang Che-ping stated on March 29 that Taiwan's military is now "largely using land-based missiles" instead of just aircraft to track Chinese aircraft when they fly into Taiwanese airspace, Reuters reported.

Chang cited repeated Chinese incursions as a "war of attrition."

Why It Matters: The uptick in Chinese air incursions has led Taiwan to consider the costs of scrambling jets almost daily. Chinese incursions into Taiwanese airspace increased rapidly in late 2020, reaching a total of 380 sorties for the year, the largest annual rate since 1998. Taiwan will continue to use jets for interception, but increased reliance on missile systems raises questions about effective air deterrence and risks of escalation, as it is unclear whether Taiwan tracks Chinese incursions with scanning radar, targeting radar or even radar locks. As the United States strengthens military ties with Taiwan, Beijing will increase economic and military pressure on the island, including via air incursions.

Venezuela: Border Conflict Breaks Out Between Military and Colombian Militants Mar 26, 2021 An armed conflict between the Venezuelan military and former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) members broke out on March 21 in the western Venezuelan border province of Apure and has continued through the week.

The clashes, which have involved aerial bombs and landmines, have so far left two Venezuelan soldiers dead, 32 Colombian guerrillas detained and six former FARC camps dismantled.

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GLOBAL SITUATION REPORT Why It Matters: The former FARC guerrillas have retained territory thus far, indicating that violence is likely to continue in the next week as the Venezuelan military attempts to push the rebels out of Apure. Regardless of the immediate fighting, violence along the border with Colombia is likely to continue due to a persistent lack of state presence amid Venezuela's continued instability.

China, U.K.: Beijing Sanctions London Over Xinjiang ‘Disinformation’ Mar 26, 2021 China has sanctioned 10 individuals and four entities from the United Kingdom, according to a March 26 statement released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which condemned British concerns over “so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang” as “nothing but lies and disinformation.” In response, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated that China should allow U.N. investigators into Xinjiang if Beijing truly wanted to ease human rights concerns.

Why It Matters: U.K.-Chinese relations risk continuing to sour amid Beijing’s persistent and seemingly obstructionist diplomatic practices. Though the United Kingdom is attempting to balance human rights concerns in China with collaboration on climate change and trade, the new sanctions will further push London toward the U.S.-led campaign to counter China’s most aggressive economic and security advances.

Jordan: Protesters Demand Political Reforms on Anniversary of Arab Spring Mar 25, 2021 Several thousand protesters gathered in cities across Jordan demanding political reforms on the tenth anniversary of the country’s first Arab Spring protest.

Why It Matters: The government’s strong response to the protests, which included media content control and security force deployments, demonstrates its capacity to manage unrest before it becomes a threat. But the protests are nonetheless indicative of the potentially destabilizing economic and political grievances harbored by many Jordanians, especially as the country emerges from the COVID-19 crisis.

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FOOT STEPS By: Jose Casillas

foot steps Episode 8: Mike Brown

Mike Brown is one of those individuals who has found success as an operator by envisioning where he wanted to end up and trusting the process to take him there. In his time in the industry,

he has earned his stripes and now reaps the rewards running a successful business and managing the protective detail for a very wellknown public figure. I speak to Mike to learn some of his keys to success.

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 What would your 30 sec elevator pitch sound like?

Hi, I'm Mike Brown, owner of BV security. I've been professionally working in the security industry for 11 years. In my work as a protector, find solutions that are custom fitted for the client which are productive, sufficient and cost effective.

Describe your time in Executive Protection?

I started in EP at the age of 21. I did EP full time after my short 6 months of doing armed security in Chicago. I then realized security is something I wanted to proceed with. To be honest, I didn't want to get into law enforcement or enlist in the military. I really truly loved security. I found EP is the highest caliber of security and started to pursue my goal.

I took a loan for my parents whom I'll be forever grateful for.

I did my research on EP schools, which funny enough, included the Circuit magazine. And I began my training. Eleven years later, I made it a full-time career and it changed my family's life. Since that time, I’ve started a business and have employed over 26 people full-time.

How to retain client longevity and different roles in EP? I've been with my current client for 6 years. But the root of that really stems from my time at ICON because that was my first EP school. The owner, Elijah Shaw was impressed with my drive along 116

I was working with ICON for 3-4 years and it was my time there got me ready for my own client. I leveraged my mentorship to aid me in my longevity, and paid homage to my mentors and the industry. A lot of guys take shortcuts and don't last very long.

FOOT STERPS with a fellow protector named, JD Woolsey who had an Arizona branch at the time. JD called me and put me on my first detail ever.

And after that, Elijah gave me an opportunity to gain additional hands-on experience in the field. A lot of people don't get the chance to prove themselves because there are risks that come with trusting a newer agent.

made a list of what he orders from every fast food and restaurant establishment. Now the client can travel lighter because I can help fulfill additional roles, many of which will save money in terms of client budgeting.

Any Real world vs text book scenarios you have experienced?

In EP school, they tell you to not be a “buddy-guard” and get too Additionally, individuals such as Eric close to the client. But in reality, Konohia, Avery Mitchell, and Mark this is a very practical job and you have to learn to have a personal James helped mentor me along relationship with the client in order the way. I was working with ICON to better navigate any hurdles you for 3-4 years and it was my time may come across. there got me ready for my own client. I leveraged my mentorship If someone were to follow in to aid me in my longevity and I your Footsteps what would you paid homage to my mentors and tell them? the industry along the way. A lot Be ready and prepare for sacrifices of guys take shortcuts and don't along the road to success. last very long. I learned from my Remember that this career is a mentors and used that to aid me lifestyle. I know a lot of people say in my client retention, which has that as a cliché. But this is a huge led to 6 years with the same client time commitment because you're doing concerts, tours, managing on the road for 60, 100, 200 days two estate details, and multiple and you may not have time to call businesses. much less be with your significant other. Also prioritize your time off, Do you have Any Ep roles that aren't in the job description but because you'll burn yourself out always thinking about work. Enjoy still vital to do as a facilitator? your time in EP but have your It's funny because I always think about the guys who say they don't checks and balances or else you'll lose your mind. carry bags… because I carry bags!

I assist in personal assistant duties How did Covid affect E.P in your that aren't in my job description. perspective When the client says, "Hey can The virus made us aware about you get me food from so and unseen threats. We mostly think so?" I don't have to ask because I 117

CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 about AOP’s but this has made us aware about germs and diseases.

Now we implemented wearing masks, Covid tests. Plus make sure the client’s rooms are sanitized to a much higher degree.

advance first aid like EMT, Stop the bleed, or TCCC. Someone with experience in surveillance detection and time management is also key when handling multiple tasks and duties.

As an Op Manager now what has changed from how you how you did EP before and how it affected your work load as head of security?

It has made it more chaotic, but I had to learn how to be a balanced businessman. I'm still operational 14 days out of the month. And yet, I’m still working 9 to 5 in my house on operational duties. I have to manage the schedule, personnel, coverage, and payroll. If the client is moving, I have to make sure the vehicles are ready and make sure the team in place knows what's going on. This has also taught me to ask for help and divide the work so I don't get smothered doing all the administrative workload.

Why do you specialize in Celebrity protection?

I don't specialize in celebrity protection. I specialize in Executive Protection. Celebrity protection is just a platform of level of service I provide, but it all falls under EP. Most people get caught up in terms and subsections in EP and think just because you protect entertainers that means it's less than, or not equal to, corporate level EP. But in actuality, you may be more trained and have more skills than someone who does corporate. It just so happens to be a famous person that you work with. Most celebrities are very business structured so you still have to navigate corporate structures. You need a broad level of EP in order to fit the mold and provide a multitude of services.

It really shows how flexible you can be from going to tours and concerts, to attending corporate business meetings and a variety of business collaborations.

What do you look for in particular when hiring personal for E.P Completion of a validated EP school, minimum first aid and CPR, but prefer someone who has

Jose Casillas is a Los Angles based Executive Protection Agent who specializes in red carpet events, movie premiers & estate security.

He also teaches martial arts and works as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

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FOOT STERPS

INTRODUCTION TO CYBERSECURITY

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Security 500 Conferences (Washington DC) 15 Nov, 2021 Washington, DC

Fifth Annual Cyber Physical Convergence Forum London 10 Jun, 2021 London, UK

IFSEC International 12-14 July, 2021 London, UK

ISC West 2021 19-21 July, 2021 Las Vegas, NV

GSX+ 27 – 29 Sept 2021 Orlando, FL

Expo Seguridad Mexico 6 – 8 Jul, 2021 Mexico

LAAD Defence and Security Brazil 6 – 9 Apr, 2021 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ISC East 17 – 18 Nov, 2021 New York City, NY

Intersec 16 – 18 Jan, 2022 Dubai, UAE

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INDUSTRY EVENTS Sixth Annual Executive Security and CP Technology Forum London Jan 28, 2021

Counter Terror Expo 14 – 16 Sept, 2021 London, UK

The Security Event 7 – 9 September Birmingham, UK

International Security Expo London 28 – 29 Sept, 2021 London, UK

Safety and Security Expo Asia (Singapore) 30 March - 1 April, 2021 Singapore

ASIS Europe 2021 6 May, 2021 Czech Republic GISEC 31 May – 2 Jun, 2021 Dubai, UAE

Do you have a security event that is not listed here that you would like our readers to know about? Contact us: info@circuit-magazine.com 121

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Keeping Your Edge: The Protector App So we've been working behind the scenes on an exciting new launch! By the time Issue 57 of the Circuit Magazine gets in your hands, you might be among a handful of early adopters reading this article inside the brand new app developed by the North American Bodyguard Association!

Keeping Your Edge: Action vs. Reaction

By: Elijah Shaw

That's right, we are finally live and have launched the NABA: Protector App! When I tell you I feel great about it, that’s not an understatement. So it’s at this point I’m going to need to split the audience into two.

1. Those that have it, and are using the app, even in its infancy.

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2. Those I have no idea what I’m talking about.

So the first group, I say welcome and thank you! I hope the experience has been a great one in terms, of information, ease of use, and yes, enjoyment. Just like all new tech, I imagine there will be a few wrinkles to iron out keep improving

KEEPING YOUR EDGE Regarding the resources, what we did was take things that were in frequent use by professional in our industry, we then combined them with other assets that were in demand, but maybe not as readily available. We then put them all in one place and made it user-friendly It helps us get out in front of other no matter what type of mobile protectors that could benefit from it. device you use. it. Of course, I would love to hear your feedback on what we can do to make it even better for you.

And if you are already loving it, please take a moment to leave a review in the Apple or Android store.

To those who have not yet tried out the app, this is the part where I say, now that you know about it, what are you waiting for? If I had to summarize it, I'd say the value of the the Protector app comes down to two things. The first is resources.

The second is community. And both work to support you to keep your edge and be a top notch protector in our industry.

Now ask yourself, how many times a client or a teammate ever asked you a question andexpected you to have the answer off the top of your head? Well, having the Protector App at your fingertips is your secret weapon and the next best thing to knowing the answer right away.

You will have access to a wealth of knowledge and experience from

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 working CPOs in your back pocket, literally!

Personally speaking, I couldn’t even begin to add up all the times I’ve had someone new to the business ask me, what’s a good checklist for go-bag components, or if I had any additional tips for conducting a thorough hotel advance? Try as I might, I can’t answer them all. But now we have a solution that allows members access to templates, checklist, form letters, surveys

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and more. An additional benefit of gathering industry specific resources, means we get to save time and aggravation searching for things around the web, like an interesting tutorial or article.

News, information, even digital access to this magazine, is all in one place, all in the palm of your hand.

The second part, which, in my opinion is actually the most valuable, is community. We as

KEEPING YOUR EDGE professionals always use the word brotherhood (and sisterhood) often, but once we get outside our immediate circle, we more and more have to rely on social media to connect. The problem is the major providers, have audiences so broad, that we get bombarded with distractions from the time we log on, until the time we sign off. I can speak first-hand about logging on to Facebook to catch up on posts in the North American Bodyguard Association’s members-only group, only to get side tracked looking at a funny video of a goat getting his head stuck in a So just imagine-I'm scrolling through a college friend’s timeline. 15 minutes later, I might get back on track, but just think about how productive I would be if I had a week’s worth of those 15 minutes back? What about a month? Now the industry can interact peer-to-peer, no matter what subsection of the craft you are in. In addition to the general discussion room, we have sector-

specific rooms for topics that relate more closely to the worlds of Corporate Protection, Celebrity Protection, High Risk/PSD, as well as the Protection of the Clergy. If you are a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter user, you’ll immediately feel at home, with the functionality and layout.

Then there’s the videos, case studies, access to podcast, members-only events, and training modules. In short: Community, Resources, and Support. So do me a favor, don’t take my word for it, read the reviews, then take a look around the site, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The NABA and our sister organization the BBA, have always been channeling our efforts to unite Protectors worldwide. The NABA: Protector App, is our newest innovation and vehicle to do so.

Learn more at www.TheProtectorApp.com or find it in your Apple or Google app stores.

Elijah Shaw is the National Director of the North American Bodyguard Association and the CEO of ICON Global, and International Executive Protection Consulting Firm. Elijah, who has been featured in international publications such as Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, and Portfolio, runs the ICON Academy, an EP Training Program specializing in Celebrity & VIP Protection. He also currently sits on the Board of Directors of Executive Security International (ESI), the United States oldest Executive Protection Training School. His book, An Introduction to Executive Protection & Touring: A Guide to Mastering the Business of VIP Security, hit the Amazon best sellers list, and is available now worldwide.

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CLASSIFIEDS

Email: info@circuit-magazine.com United Kingdom 3D Security Ltd Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1TG Based in Taunton 3D Security provides security services for a wide range of clients.

Whether you need a security guard in Somerset, event security in Leeds or Close Protection in London we will provide a solution for your needs.

T: +44 (0)1823 253 001 W - www.3dsecurity.org E - enquiries@3dsecurity.org.uk A.B.I. Solutions A.B.I Solutions is a dynamic, forward thinking company, specialising in surveillance, security and investigations with local, national and internationalexperience. A.B.I provides a wide range of services to the corporate sector and individuals alike.

W - www.abisolutions.co.uk Amanda Campbell A highly motivated and experienced female operative both CP and Surveillence training T – 07596542249 W - www.amandacampbell.org.uk E - ac@amandacampbell.org.uk Alex Morgan - Close Protection Officer I am a hardworking, enthusiastic and committed person. Adaptable and driven, I have great attention to detail and high standards. I am honest, reliable, friendly and work well as part of a team as well as on my own initiative. I am also a good listener who has the ability to communicate with people at all levels. I am comfortable, both taking and issuing direction. I am looking for the opportunity to apply and expand my skills.

E: adsmorgan74@gmail.com T: 07775 636964 Ambassador Security Management ASM MK Lions Arena, Grafton Court, Snowden Drive, Winterhill, Milton Keynes, MK6 1AJ, GBR. After successfully gaining ACS (Door Supervision and Manned Guarding) along

with ISO 9000, we here at ASM have a dedicated management team with hundreds of years combined experience in the security industry.

W: www.asmsecurity.co.uk E: scott@asmsecurity.com T: 08458335750 Amber Security and Protection United Kingdom At Amber Security and Protection Ltd we pride ourselves on providing a bespoke and tailored Close Protection, Residential Security, World Class Travel Security and Risk Management service to all our National and International clients. The Directors and Senior Operators are former military, law enforcement or special forces personnel who are fully operational SIA licensed close protection operatives who have over 40 years experience in both the military and civilian private security sectors.

E: info@ambersecurityandprotection.com T: 07425868014 (07540392093) W: https://ambersecurityandprotection. com Ark Personal and Asset Protection Ark, 2b Crow Lane, Rochester, Kent, ME11RF, GBR A small, efficient, highly descrete company employing ex special forces and detectives for all civil and corporate covert needs.

E: Office@arkprotect.com T: +0044 01634 845526 Argus Europe County Durham Argus Europe has been providing specialist training for high-net worth clients and their families for close to 20 years, worldwide.

Argus Europe now offer accredited training for CPO’s, Surveillance Operators and Private detectives. Argus Europe is an operational company working globally with an extensive variety of contracts.

W: www.arguseurope.co.uk T: +44 (0) 8456 123 843 Atlantian Business Solutions Group Rutland, LE15 6SD, GBR Atlantian Business Solutions has been

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 designed to help both individuals and New Companies build for the future as well as support others with training needs.

T: 07725970954 W: www.atlantianbsgroup.com E: info@atlantianbsgroup.com Briareus Security Our aim is to give a complete, discreet and professional service to all of our clients, be they large corporations, small businesses, local authorities or private individuals, all tailored to meet their individual needs.

W: www.briareussecurity.com E: info@briareussecurity.com Mark Corder - Chief Executive of Carmdale Ltd Suite 3 219 Bow Road London E3 2SJ Mark is a former Senior Police Officer specialising in counter-terrorism; firearms; public order; training and also physical, Critical National Infrastructure and nuclear security, having had responsibility for the security of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. A former Head of Operations, Operational Support and Training, Mark has been involved in a number large-scale incidents (including 7/7) and has also worked at the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) at the Home Office as part of a review into Critical National Infrastructure security. Mark has an MBA via the OU. E: mark.corder@carmdale.co.uk T: +44 (0)844 995 9900 W: www.carmdale.co.uk Alastair Christie Advice on site security, perimeter fencing, lighting, CCTV and manning requirements. Monitor and advise on guard force setting up site procedures and guard SOP’s.

T : +44 (0)7736 328112 E : ally.c9496@yahoo.co.uk Control Risk Management Solutions - CRMS - Ireland Executive Close Protection Operations & Training (B Tec Level 3 Diploma Edexcel) Threat & Risk Assessments, Consultancy Services.

W: www.crmsinternational.com E: martin@crmsinternational.com Crest Security & Surveillance Ltd 51 The Crest, West Heath, Birmingham, West Mids, B31 3QA, GBR Highly experienced Security Consultant with a proven record of accomplishment in the field of protective security.

Skilled in all phases of risk assessment, operational planning, logistical organisation, implementation of security measures, security team leadership, project coordination, and delivery of security advice to a high profile clientele.

E: info@stephencahill.co.uk T: 447977071427

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CSI Protection Ltd International, GBR A well established security consultant and personal protection operative providing high or low Key protection to high risk and prestigious clientele. Specialising in the maritime industry as a consultant for private vessel protection on super yachts world wide.

W: www.csi-protection.co.uk E: gary@csi-protection.co.uk Custodia Custodia is an independent client focused Specialist Security & Risk Management Company, specialising in Risk consultancy and Security project management. Providing a comprehensive portfolio of Risk mitigation solutions to assist Businesses and individuals to plan for, manage and mitigate risk.

T: 01432 277693 W: www.custodia.co.uk Daniel Gentry Close Protection Operative I am a former RAF Regiment Gunner with 8 years experience, including various command roles and operational tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. My previous role as a behaviour specialist saw me de-escalating potentially dangerous situations on a daily basis. These two jobs combined have put me in a position where I am now very effective at managing not only a variety of situations but also a variety of different people, often from very diverse cultures.

E: dangentry@hotmail.co.uk T: 07445181281 DF Risk Management Solutions DF Risk Management Solutions N.I. is a modern, professional risk management company, with a diverse range of global strategic experiences and a team of executives who possess dynamic but complementary backgrounds.

T: +44 (0)7837642686 +44 (0)7758743918 W: www.dfriskmanagementsolutionsni.com Executive Protection Officer Worldwide CP services W: www.executiveprotectionofficer.com First Class Executive Security Nottingham, UK, Nottingham based, full-service company specializing in Bodyguards and Security Consulting services.

Extensive experience in VIP security, also caters for public and private sectors.

W: www.firstclasssecurity.co.uk T: 0115 9266466 G6 Global G6 are specialists in all types of radio, telephony and satellite communications for both voice and data with particular emphasis on covert communications installations in both

CLASSIFIEDS vehicles and fixed locations. In addition, our range of personal covert radios and bespoke accessories is extensive.

W: info@g6-global.com T: +44 (0)1454 610050 Gordon Russell Highly trained frontline Close Protection Operatives available for UK and International contracts. Our experienced CPO’s can offer bespoke packages to meet all clients needs, including a variety of language skills. All SIA licenced, BBA member E: Bodyguard-cpo@Email.cz T: +44 (0)7917 281 004 Gareth Evans - CPO, MSO Reliable dedicated hard-working security professional, with outstanding communication skills. Strategic approach to problem solving combined with exceptional interpersonal skills, quick to grasp new concepts and information. Highly motivated, results-driven and thrives under pressure. Strong leadership and management skills with proven experience committed to continuous personal and professional development.

E : evansgareth1979@yahoo.co.uk T : +44 (0)7900058603 James Izett All close protection task undertaken, including training tasks. Medic (Registered with the HPCSA, Registered FAAW instructor and Assessor E : J.Izett@gmail.com T : +971 (0)505 574 350 Janice Gurney Proficient and diligent Security Professional gaining extensive knowledge and experience within the security sector. Proactive individual who has a logical, flexible and conscientious approach to all challenges undertaken, ability to work as a member of a team or as an individual willing to work anywhere.

T : +44 (0)7885 793061 E : janice382006@gmail.com King Cobra Security Ltd King Cobra Security are a Milton Keynes based company, incorporating Certificated Enforcement Agents, Security and Surveillance officers carrying services for the Domestic & Corporate Sector. Being one of Milton Keynes leading and vibrant companies not scared by trying new technologies sets us out from the rest. We are capable of tasking agents throughout the UK & Internationally when required.

E : info@kingcobrasecurity.co.uk T: 0330 223 5099 W: www.kingcobrasecurity.co.uk International Centre of Special Training International Centre of Special Training is an international training and security company based in the United Kingdom.

Its priority objective is to provide services to the highest level.

W: www.icost-team.com T: +44 796 736 55 65 IPSS Security Northfield, Aberdeen, AB16 7EX Security and protection services - UK and overseas. BBA Member.

T: + 44 (0) 1224 69455 W: www.ippssecurity.co.uk ISS Training Ltd Riverside Cottages, Nidd Walk, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5NA ISS Training Limited are providers of specialist covert surveillance training courses and publications to the security and investigative industries, enforcement agencies and specialist military units. Formed in 1990, we are the longest established surveillance training ompany in the United Kingdom. Our credibility and reputation is widespread and we offer nationally recognised qualifications. BBA Member.

T: + 44 (0) 1423 712265 W: www.intelsecurity.co.uk Jason Morris Security Hertfordshire, UK Providing a wide range of Door supervision/security for V.I.P and prestige venues, Concerts, Functions, Corporate and Personal Security, Weddings, Private Parties, Gala Dinners, Business Awards & School Proms, Close Protection and Body Guarding Static Guarding and Stewards.

T: 01462 478900 W: www.jasonmorrissecurity.co.uk E: agosselin@jasonmorrissecurity.co.uk John Featherstone Security professional with operational experience gained in a variety of theatres. Main specialities close protection and surveillance.

T: 24hrs : +44 (0)7702 740722 E: john@johnfeatherstone.co.uk W: www.johnfeatherstone.co.uk K9 Support Services Ltd K9 Support Services UK Ltd is a supplier of specialist drugs and explosives dog/ handler detection service (which includes arms & ammunition) to individuals, businesses, and the public sector.

T: 0845 643 6393 E: info@k9support.org.uk Logas International Tyne & Wear, SR1, GBR Front line SIA, International CPO. Private Investigation and Surveillance operator.

E: wscarr@logasinternational.com

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 Adam McErlane Close Protection & Client Management A qualified/licenced close protection operative and live events technician from the UK. • 12+ years of experience operating within the live events sector as on operational technician/engineer (Touring & In-House) • Extensive knowledge of the operational procedures, security protocols & logistical processes of large tours and venues. • Personal protection/client management experience (unlicensed) for a high net-worth individuals. Personal Qualities - • Determined, motivated & hard working. • Punctual and reliable. • Able to work independently & as part of a team • High ethical & moral standing. • Act quickly and decisively when required. • Working knowledge of defensive tactics in hostile situations. • Patient & Tolerant in stressful situations with others. • Rudimentary understanding of the Spanish languages. • Effective communicator with a diplomatic approach. • Very resourceful & able to find solutions to complex problems. • Possess good foresight & vigilance.

• Years of experience working long & unsociable hours. • Physically fit & Healthy E: adammcerlane1989@outlook.com T: +44 7751953009 Michael Boreland Close Protection Officer Since leaving the British Army in 2006 I have been working in hostile environments for private security companies in various roles ranging from Training & Close protection. I have successfully managed a training wing in Afghanistan providing security operations training for local nationals & Expats conducting operations in the region I believe with my skills and experience of the employment I have done in the past I would be an asset to any organisation taking myself on as an employee. mike.boreland@gmail.com Marcin Gebler Close Protection Officer I have experience with work as an armed security officer, an armed security guard at army unit and army airport, an armed officer responsible for searching and identifying explosive devices, an armed CP in Poland. I have experience with work as a mobile patrol security officer and static security guard in UK. I have experience with work as a security officer at hotels, production sites, private households in UK. I am SIA CP and DS licensed. First Aid at Work Level 3 completed in 2020. Firearms Training Course Combat Pistol 1 for CPOs Shockfire in Poland 2020.

E: p.i.gebler@gmail.com T: + 44 07799907528 MLK Security and Protection Services Swindon, UK Close Protection Officer and Door Supervisor E: mattleekane@hotmail.com T: 07917654978

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LJE Security Services North Yorkshire, HG1, GBR Close Protection, Residential Security, Asset Protection, VIP red carpet Security and Private Investigation.

E: leanneedmondson@yahoo.co.uk Oliver Mike Close Protection Operative I came from Hungary and live in the Uk in London since 2014. I was a Police Officer for 23 years as a CounterTerrorism Specialist. Next to the police I became a Close Protection Operative and self-defense instructor (Krav Maga). I was a member of the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF). During my service I have been protecting Hungarian Prime Ministers, Interior Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Ambassador of Israel and other politicians of other countries.

E: info@formerpol.com T: +447413190349 W: www.formerpol.com One Events Grantham One Events offers you a stress free solution in the organisation, putting together and running of an event. Thisis accomplished by having a group of specialised companies from different industries working together for a more complete service for you.

TEL: 0870 974 6779 W: www.oneevents.info Paul Lovatt – CPO After serving 15 year in the Army a move to the Security Industry was a natural step, during the last 10 years I have worked in almost every role in the industry from Door Supervisor and loss prevention to Operations Manager and Director. I have been responsible for the creation and implementation of highly successful crime reduction schemes across Yorkshire working closely with other agencies in the areas of responsibility. Currently I am responsible for the overall running of large events security teams from stewards to Close Protection Officers. Operational planning, contingency planning and flexibility are I feel among my key strengths.

E : paul@deltasecurity-eventmanagement.co.uk T : +44 (0)7506726336 Paul Tyler – VIP Protection & Concierge Specialist in discreet personal protection & surveillance. A good current working knowledge of London & its challenges gained through ongoing high risk security operations.

Experienced in dealing with high net worth clients with all matters security & concierge striving go the extra mile to exceed expectations through thorough planning & interaction with all involved parties. A strong communicator with a smart appearance who remains synonymous with the principals lifestyle, whilst discretely ensuring a safe environment is maintained at all times, physically capable of adopting a higher profile when required to do so. Demonstrates sound judgement and capability to operate with great levels of

CLASSIFIEDS autonomy. Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to understand, interact & connect with a diverse range of people.

E : paul@apparitio.co.uk T : +44 (0)7552515604 W : www.apparitio.co.uk Peter Jenkins Peter Jenkins is the director of surveillance training company ISS Training Ltd. He has been managing his own commercial and corporate investigation business in Yorkshire for the past 25 years. Previous to this, Peter spent 12 years in the Royal Marines where he specialised in various roles which included reconnaissance, intelligence, counter terrorism and instructing. He continues to carry out surveillance work on a regular basis and regularly instructs on surveillance training courses internationally.

E: info@intelsecurity.co.uk W: www.intelsecurity.co.uk Plymouth Close Protection Highly versatile, physically fit and accomplished security professional with cumulative experience in the areas of security management, close protection, crisis management, risk assessment, emergency management, asset protection and security training.

E : chris@plymouthcp.co.uk W : www.plymouthcp.co.uk T : +44 (0)1752 500807

W : www.prestigerisks.com Prometheus Medical Ltd Prometheus deliver unrivalled bespoke emergency medical support in the form of specialist equipment, training, strategic advice and deployed clinical care.

T: (+44) 1568 613942 W: www.prometheusmedical.co.uk Prosec Consultancy Ltd 10 Oakfield business park Westbury, BA13 4WF. Prosec Consultancy Limited are dedicated in providing a professional service, which covers a whole range of security services throughout the security industry.

T: 01373 228055 W: www.prosec-ltd.co E: info@prosec-ltd.com ProTouch Security ProTouch Security is one of the UK’s key providers of event safety, event security, crowd management, door supervisors, stewards, event management and health and safety.

T: 01724 279 522 W: www.protouchsecurity.co.uk

Presence Security Presence Security (“ PS ”) is a bespoke security company providing protection for private individuals and VIPs, as well as security services for businesses and organizations.

T: 0800 002 9734 E: info@presencesecurity.co.uk

Python Security and Protection Ltd Providing Close Protection Officers and Door Supervisors for Events and Venue Security.

E : mattleekane@hotmail.com Radoslav Savkov - CPO / Security Consultant Oxford - United Kingdom I would introduce myself as a high calibre Security professional with strong customer oriented skills and managerial experience in the Security Industry, interested in a challenging position, which would fully utilize competences gained and provides opportunities for professional and personal development. With 15 + years of international experience in the sector at all levels and a military background (National Service) as well as a practical Close Protection experience in an executive environment, corporate intelligence and investigations.

As a Security professional, I never consider my training and development as a complete, therefore I always look to update further my skills and knowledge. In personal plan I am very loyal, discreet , independent and willing to embrace challenges.

E: r.savkov@gmail.com T: +44 (0)7886591525

Prestige Risks LTD 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N, 3AX, GBR. Close Protection Secure Chauffeurs Surveillance Residential Security Executive Protection Security Guards Asset T : +44 (0)207 5588182 E : info@prestigerisks.com

RSM Security UK Ltd London, UK RSM Security UK Ltd offers the experience and expertise necessary to provide security personnel of the highest calibre when you need them.

T: 07850091979 or 07792948523 W: www.rsmsecurity.co.uk E: info@rsmsecurity.co.uk

PPSS Group Body armour and stab vests provide a functional solution to individuals who require extra protection in their chosen vocation. All PPSS (formerly ASEO) body armour and stab vests are certified by the UK’s Home Office (HOSDB) and offer unrivalled protection from blunt trauma caused by a punch, blow or kick. Based on our professional frontline experience and extensive research we can confirm that an impact based assault is a more likely event than an attack involving an edged weapon or firearm.

T: +44 (0) 845 5193 953 F: +44 (0) 1765 603 512 E: info@ppss-group.com W: www.ppss-group.com

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 RWSSI Rob W is a professional security consultant with world wide experience and capabilities in Security, Surveillance and Investigation; I can support you to overcome any problems and enable you to achieve your goals E: rob@rwssi.co.uk T: +44 (0)7818 220985 SDS Solutions SDS solutions provide our clients with protective solutions that are second to none, our consultants will discuss every aspect of the problems that you are facing that dictate the need for a protective solution, we promise our clients a tailor made service to meet individual requirements. Whether based in the UK or abroad our protective service T: 01453 887815 E: info@sds-solutions.org Stephen OCallaghan Founder & Managing Director Strategically oriented Close Protection Security Specialist with a proven track record for providing effective leadership and exceeding performance objectives. Has been responsible for implementation of security standards in hostile and non-hostile job roles, security awareness and education, coordination of sensitive investigations, analysis of emerging industry trends and threats and the evaluation of overall team effectiveness. Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships within a team, whilst at all times keeping the main objective and security needs at the fore front.

E: enquiries@protegimusprotection.com T: +44 7306395194 W: www.protegimusprotection.com Shadow Close Protection A leading company specializing in Executive Protection as a professional sector, with participation in high and low risk missions, providing global security solutions and consultancy to individuals, corporations and national agencies worldwide.

W: www.shadowcp.gr E: info@shadowcp.gr T: + 30 6948539664 Shaun West United Kingdom SIA licensed, Highly Experienced Frontline CPO. Ronin SA trained. Providing security for both corporate and hostile environments.

E: sw@shaunwest.co.uk T: +44 (0)7830 109 601 W: www.shaunwest.co.uk Steve Pittman - Security Manager of Operations I have been active in the security industry for over 25 years in various roles including close protection where I have been responsiblefor the the welfare of high net worth individuals

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in low and high risk situations . I have also a vast amount of experience in many other areas of there security industry including Door Supervision, Security Management, Event Security, and Residential Security. I have recently finished a diploma in Private Investigations and am a member of UKPIN. E: steve@covert protection.com T: 07818800778 W: Company Website: https://covertprotection.com Mark Claydon-Smith – CP Team Leader and Medic I have spent 13 years in the Royal Navy Culminating in the rank of SNCO Petty Officer. In 2004 I started my security career and have worked in Hostile environments. I have held several positions including Operations Manager, Team Leader and Rig Site Manager. I have worked in Kurdistan, Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the UK and Europe.

E : mark@claydon-smith.com T : +964 (0)7815 970433 Philip Shearman MSyl – CPO, Risk Manager A professionally Qualified Close Protection and Surveillance Operator and Team Leader with over twenty two years of experience gained in the Military Police, the last fifteen of which were spent with the Military Police Close Protection Unit, working in various hostile countries throughout the world. Since leaving the Army in Nov 06 I have worked in the Private Security sector.

I have gained valuable experience in demanding and challenging operational environments, where I have proved to be a self motivated and resourceful individual, performing well under pressure, communicating effectively at all levels whilst exercising tact, diplomacy and integrity.

E : benshearman10@hotmail.com T : +44 (0)7930 277586 Spotllght Protection Services Essex based business which provides a broad and growing range of security services to businesses and organisations large and small.

T: 07870560208 E: info@spotlightprotectionservices.co.uk W: www.spotlightprotectionservices.co.uk Vas Sotiropoulos London, UK I am a security operator with over nineteen years of experience in close protection, counter-surveillance, diplomatic protection, door supervision, and CCTV monitoring in the United Kingdom and Greece. Second Lieutenant in the elite of the Hellenic Army, the Special Forces. Undertaken a number of close protection courses run by the Greek Ministry of Defence, the VIP Protection Unit of the Hellenic Police, and the Surveillance Department of the US Embassy in Athens. Highly motivated and confident relocated to the UK for further career progression and to install my own footprint in the private security sector. Fully

CLASSIFIEDS licensed Close Protection Officer by the British Security Industry Authority.

E: info@spartanelitesecurity.co.uk T 02038882020 W: https://spartanelitesecurity.co.uk

most of the “Providers” of Protection services worldwide.

Organisers of the 2008 International Summit of Protection Officers. BBA Member.

T: + 972 9 950 0969 W: www.SecurityAcademy.org.il

VIPA Tactical Training A specialist training academy dealing with four specific areas of combat: VIPA Civilian Self Protection Program, VIPA Close Protection Combat System, VIPA Police Defence Tactics and VIPA Military Close Quarter Combat. BBA Member.

W: www.VIPAtacticaltraining.com

Javier Galan Spain - Security specialist available for operations around the world.

E: oejju@hotmail.com T: 34.637080771

Wagtail UK Wales, UK Wagtail UK are international specialists in detection dogs and dog handler training. Established in 2003, Wagtail UK provides detection dogs and related services for government agencies such as UK Border Force, HM Revenue & Customs, Police, Trading Standards and Armed Forces. Wagtail International School of Excellence in North Wales is a fully approved training centre endorsed by Highfield Awarding Body for Certification.

T: +44(0)1745 561166 E: info@wagtailuk.com W: http://www.wagtailuk.com Westminster Security Ltd London, UK Westminster Security Ltd are an independent, industry leading private security company in London; providing security and investigation services throughout the UK, EU and worldwide for our clients. We specialise in close protection services; providing ex-military and police bodyguards to many national and international companies, heads of state, royalty, high-profile personalities, CEO's, private individuals and families.

T: +44 (0)207 123 4544 E: Info@westminstersecurity.co.uk W: www.westminstersecurity.co.uk

Military Grade Encryption Phones PO Box 52310, Limassol, CYPRUS Built-in encryption software which converts your voice to encrypted data using a constantly changing mathematical formula. It uses a dual layered RSA/AES combination and a changing session key which modifies the encryption algorithm every second. € 1,398.00 + VAT. All prices include new Nokia N73 phone. BBA Member.

T: + 357 7777 7276 W: www.protechcy.com/new Nemesis Protection Ruma, Serbia Nemesis Protection is a Risk Management Company specialized in providing viable, bespoke, optimal, feasible and cost-effective security and training solutions for corporations, government institutions, and private clients worldwide. Nemesis Protection offers a full spectrum of services including Risk Advisory, Close Protection, Asset Protection, Security Driving, Surveillance & Private Investigation, Information Security, Transport Security, Staffing, and Specialist Security Training.

T: 00381644679650 E: contact@nemesisprotection.com W: www.nemesisprotection.com

Yoji Security We established Yoji Security in response to our perception of declining professional standards across the security industry.

We strive to provide first class customer service in everything we do, drawing on our extensive experience in the fields of special operations, intelligence, counter terrorism and close protection.

T : +44 7903231076 E : enquries@yojisecurity.com

TPT Firearms Training Bratislava , Slovakia and Rome , Italy We know from our extensive experience within the industry that it can be daunting when initially carrying a firearm and being responsible for protecting a clients life, but learning the proper techniques and having the ability to understand the weapon will make the job a lot easier and more enjoyable. Hopefully you will never have to use the weapons you carry, but should this prove necessary you will be confident and knowledgeable enough to handle the situation professionally and effectively.

T : +44 (0) 7734101910 E : info@tacticalprotectionteam.co.uk W : www.tacticalprotectionteam.co.uk

Europe & Africa International Security Academy P.O.Box 5833, Herzeliya, 46000, ISRAEL. zOur graduates are more recognized, respected and sought after by Distinguish Protection service “consumers” and by

Security Concierge Group SCG Special Projects Ltd, Avenida, Bartolome Vicente Ramon No 10, B16, Ibiza, 07800, ESP Security Concierge Group is a privately owned and fully independent provider of exceptional security services to an

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CIRCUIT MAGAZINE ISSUE 57 interesting and varied range of clients.

T: 00 34 600 665 275 W: www.securityconciergegroup.com E: joe.buckle@securityconciergegroup.com Wille Heino, Security Specialist, Owner Finland Gambeson is a security training & Consulting Company specialized in countering modern day threats. - Security & safety planning for different events. - Security training: Active shooter/Terrorism awareness/Surveillance detection/ Other. - Security consulting. We are specialized in executive protection related services. Local knowledge, trained and licensed close protection offers, mission support, other.

E: wille.heino@gambeson.fi W: www.gambeson.fi Zika Rakita Managing Director Ruma 22400, Serbia Accomplished, result-driven, and highly motivated Close Protection Operative, conducting protective operations internationally. A background encompassing planning, organizing, leading, and undertaking Close Protection operations in both corporate fields and hostile environments. Proven in achieving results and completing tasks on time, discreetly, and to the highest standards. A confident communicator with the ability to sensitively solve a range of clients’ and colleagues’ problems and inquiries.

With the ability to use sound judgment and understanding the operational balance and needs.

E: contact@nemesisprotection.com T: 00381644679650 Americas Bodyguard Careers Bodyguard Careers is an informational site with the purpose of providing bodyguards with all the information and tools necessary to succeed in the Close Protection Industry Info@BodyguardCareers.com www.BodyguardCareers.com Canadian Use of Force Systems 7975 Yonge St. # 7124, Innisfil, ON, L9S 1L0, CANADA A professional Use of Force and Defensive. Tactics organization teaching a full range of controlled response options for Self-Protection and Use of Force considerations in public and professional environments. BBA Associate Member.

T: + 1 705 456 4333 W: www.canadianuseofforce.com Contact Front Photography Contact Front Photography is the world’s 1st photography studio dedicated to the Close Protection Professional. Stop putting generic or pirated photos on your website; instead

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commission custom shots to best represent you or your agency.

T: +1 (612) 369-6134 E: Info@ContractFrontPhotography.com W: www.ContactFrontPhotography.com Decisiones Estratégicas Buenos Aires – Argentina Executive protection specialists we have experienced in all Latin America, for multinationals companies, also providing support in project throughout Latin America to consulting first the US. and UK. We have a team of specialists and psychologists in assistance and crisis negotiation.

T: +54(911) 6415 1941 E: jbenitez@d–estrategicas.com W: www.d–estrategicas.com Detective Lacerda P.O.BOX 25996, São Paulo, 05513-970, BRAZIL Providing the full range of security and investigation services throughout Latin America. BBA Member.

T: + 55 (11) 3452 4388 W: www.detectivelacerda.cjb.net Giovanni Rossi South Africa Doctorates in Criminology, Vessel Security Officer, ASP Instructor, ISSPC Member, BBA Member, IAPPA Member, American Bodyguard and Protection Instructors Association - Lifetime Member E: rossi1@mweb.co.za T: +2783 415 9205 USA Global Bear Protection PO Box 11488, Jackson, Wyoming, 83002, USA Provision of British and US Ex Special forces security/ medical specialists.

T: 307 413 3619 W: www.globalbearprotection.com E: bear@globalbearprotection.com Icon Services Corporation 1043 Grand Ave. #312, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA A full service security and investigative agency specializing in providing high-level security and bodyguards to international celebrities, public figures and corporations.

Licensed, bonded and insured, our diverse roster of clients reads as a virtual who’s who in the corporate, motion picture, fashion and recording industry. Icon has been the hand picked choice to provide Executive Protection to everyone from Superintendents to Supermodels. BBA Member.

T: + 1 651 695 8778 W: www.Industry-Icon.com

CLASSIFIEDS Imperial Protective Service, LLC 15849 N. 71st Street, Suite 100, Scottsdale , Arizona, 85254, USA Imperial Protective Service’ (IPS) is a security consulting and services firm founded in 1978. IPS provides both national and international corporate, executive and celebrity protective services. BBA Member.

T: + 1 480 281 1588 W: www.executiveprotect.com Panther Protection Services 3695F Cascade Road, Suite 2207, Atlanta, GA 30331 Panther Protection Services is a full service protection agency offering such services as threat assessment, executive protection, self-defense training, firearms instruction, and high risk tactical protection. Our executive protection specialists have over 75 years of experience.

Panther can handle your protection needs whether around the corner or around the world. Member: BBA and NABA T: (404) 349-9117 W: www.pantherprotectionservices.com Rouven Rohler - Security Consultant / HSE liaison Romania I am a very fit and mentally robust Security Specialist with quality experience gained in the security (Military, Maritime and Commercial Operational Security (Oil& Gas). I have improved the effectiveness of protection teams and significantly enhanced clients’ awareness. My career commenced in the Australian Army, which included hostile environment deployments to Iraq and the Solomon Islands and I have since been operating on various contracts throughout Afghanistan and Iraq.

E: rouven@y7mail.com T: +40 (0)746 642 739 SILVER STAR PROTECTION Executive protection, site and event security with global experience. Serving southern Minnesota with integrity and professionalism. Former USSS, ICON Alumni. available for domestic and international travel. Robert E. Jones Manager/ CEO W: www.silver-star-protection.com E: rejones@silver-star-protection.com TSICS (T6) Miami, Florida, USA TSICS (T6) provides the following services in Central America: Executive Protection, Individual Bodyguard, Close Protection Training, Corporate Invest.

W: www.security-professionals.org/members/saldrix E: tsics.t6@gmail.com T: +502 6645 6822 Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute 1162 St. Georges Ave, Suite 277 , Avenel, NJ 07001, USA

The first name in advanced driver training, offering our highly acclaimed Protective/Evasive Driving Programs.

Designed specifically for today’s executive chauffeurs, executive protection professionals and others who are responsible for providing safe and secure transportation services. BBA Member.

T: + 1 732 738 5221 W: www.vehicledynamics.net Vindex Personal Protection & Investigation Inc. 497 Hooksett Rd #365 Manchester NH 03104 603.289.3161 / Full service Private Investigations & Executive Protection.

10 years combined Law Enforcement, Private security, close protection work, & security contracting. NY Mayors, U.S. President’s, NFL owners, and VIP’s are some of the protection work I’ve gained experience with. ICON alumni, NABA member.

T: + 1 732 738 5221 E: vindexinc@aol.com W: www.vindexinc.com Asia Pacific Asia Protective Group Ltd Asia Protective Group (APG) is a Hong Kong based risk management company, specializing in executive protection, overseas travel security and security consultancy services.

APG has an extensive network of security specialists operating throughout the Asia Pacific region.

W: www.asia-pg.com E: jim@asia-pg.com E: yvonne@asia-pg.com New Zealand Security Investigations & Risk Solutions LTD We are dedicated to providing professional and effective security solutions for your personal or business security requirements. S.I.R.S is one of the only security companies in New Zealand with ISO 9001 and ISO 18788 Running the most advanced security management system TrackForce to help S.I.R.S security operations with real-time reporting and lone worker technology. With a combination of Military and Security industry experienced staff. We offer high-quality security services and industry recognised training programs with international qualifications in Close Protection, Bodyguards, Maritime Security, Hostile Environment, Firearms Training, Door Supervision, Private Investigations, Surveillance, CCTV Operations, Event Security, Mobile Patrols and Static Guards. S.I.R.S has the expertise and flexibility to meet a wide variety of client needs.

E: lee@sirs.org.nz T: 02040787549 W: www.sirs.org.nz

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Life can be testing, no matter what you fight.

- Keep Fighting.

FOP is for you, whether you wear uniform, a suit, or gym kit.

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issue 57

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CONTRIBUTORS:

Orlando Wilson Mark Roche Mark “Six” James Devon Taitt James Bore Tracy Webster Shaun Gowland Ahmed Ateek Ben Gunn George Sardelis Jose Casillas Elijah Shaw Sam Lichtenstein

Our Sincere Thanks to all those that continue to contribute their wisdom and experience for the enjoyment of others The Circuit is compiled, edited and published in the UK and US bi-monthly.

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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 anyway whatsoever without permission from the publisher AND the author / contributor.

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