• Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscription
  • The Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Circuit Magazine

For Security & Protection Specialists

Keeping the people in your charge safe is an essential part of any security or protection-based role. Yet more often than not, it’s the people you’re protecting that are the weak link in your risk mitigation plans – so what can you do?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to hold every traveller’s hand when they’re overseas. Aside from using a people tracking solution such as Drum Cussac’s PeopleMonitor to keep a remote eye on things, it’s worth instilling some best practice behaviours in travellers before they leave.

The best practice advice below should be followed by anyone travelling abroad in order to minimise potential security risks and ensure operational continuity:

Stay on top of admin (at home and abroad)

Travellers should apply for visas well in advance and make sure they have the appropriate travel insurance before leaving. This can prevent costly delays at airports that may result in missed flights, potential re-bookings and wholesale changes to carefully planned journey itineraries. Travellers should carry documents on them at all times and maintain contact with the local Russian consulate to be aware of any sudden change in requirements.

Avoid political discussion

To mitigate the risk of being exposed to social tensions, travellers in Russia should avoid discussing the current diplomatic row as well as the in-country political situation with locals. If these topics are brought up, foreigners should avoid making controversial remarks.

Avoid culturally sensitive topics

Travellers should try to learn some basic Russian phrases in order to appear a bit more savvy. Likewise, travellers should respect local customs and be wary of what they photograph. To mitigate the risk of exposure to social tensions and potential criminality, foreigners in Russia should avoid discussing the Ukrainian and Syrian conflicts as well as non-traditional sexual relations.

Stay under the radar

Blending into their surroundings can help travellers to maintain a low profile abroad. To minimise the chances of being singled out as a potential victim, encourage travellers not to leave the plane first – even if riding in first or business class. It’s common knowledge that these ‘wealthier’ travellers have priority when leaving the plane, so don’t put yourself in that category. Likewise, don’t use express customs and passport control queues as this will also mark you out to opportunists.

Travellers should always carry a mobile phone, pre-programmed with important numbers.

Maintain a point of contact

Journeys should always be planned in advance and the itinerary agreed upon between the traveller and their point of contact back home (whether that’s in-house security, dedicated travel booker, or a travel management company). Encourage travellers to check-in with their contact in every city within 24 hours.

Research where you’re staying

Liaise with people who have travelled to the region before and listen to their recommendations. Alternatively, do some research into respectable hotels in the region travellers are heading to. Hotels should have good reviews and be thoroughly checked out before anyone checks in. It’s also worth asking the concierge for areas to avoid.

Travel in licensed vehicles

For added peace of mind, travellers should only use licensed and regulated mini-cab companies. These should be booked through the hotel desk with agreed pick-up and drop off locations and times.

Only drink in respected establishments

Travellers should only drink at respected establishments and try to avoid drinking in quiet, local bars where they are more likely to stand out. While it may prove challenging, especially during a major sporting event, we recommend that anyone travelling to Russia limits their alcohol consumption and never accepts drinks from strangers.

Be aware of your surroundings

Travellers should follow local news or authoritative social media accounts (e.g. embassies) to stay on top of potential risks in and around their location. Knowing what is going on is essential if you want to avoid confrontations and demonstrations that could turn violent. To mitigate the risk of exposure incidental violence, foreigners should maintain a safe distance from all public rallies, especially those organised by the opposition. Foreigners should refrain from taking pictures of such events.

Stay alert to threats

Due to the ongoing terrorist threat, foreigners should closely monitor Russian media and government warnings as well as their national consular services to remain aware of any threats. We recommend equipping travellers with regional risk alerts, such as Drum Cussac’s RiskMonitor service. These real-time risk alerts can keep travellers on top of developing threats and help them to stay safe.

Give yourself time before matches

When it comes to match-days in Russia, we recommend that all travellers get to matches early. This will give them time to get through the enhanced security and bag searches in place at stadiums. Travellers also need to give themselves enough time to reach venues as vehicular traffic will be restricted.

Ensuring traveller safety

By staying aware of threats, travellers and security teams can thoroughly prepare themselves for the risks they face at the 2018 Russia World Cup. Whether this means having a greater awareness and understanding of the threat landscape, or actually vetting every step of the journey, working proactively to mitigate the risks is by the far the best approach you can take.

Our free white paper provides a security analysis of the upcoming Russia World Cup and offers more in-depth advice for security professionals and travellers heading to Moscow this summer.

Drum Cussac is a global security consultancy responsible for ensuring the safety of more than 11 million people. Our intelligence and analysis services (IAS) offer 24/7 expertise via in-house professional intelligence operators and analysts, cutting edge technology and a comprehensive global network.

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Buy The Latest Issue

Sign Up For News and Updates

We respect your privacy and will not share your information with anyone.
We will only message you when we have something relevant and of value to share with you.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Latest Issue

Circuit Magazine - Issue 66 - AI Armageddon

Issue 66

Buy Now

Latest Newsletter

Newsletter Sign Up

What you don't know CAN hurt you!

SUBSCRIBE

Latest Industry News

Ugandan Minister Killed by Bodyguard in Apparent Wage Dispute

A Ugandan government minister, Charles Engola, was shot and killed by his bodyguard early Tuesday in an apparent private dispute over wages, according to the army and local media. Engola, a retired army colonel, served as the junior minister in charge of labor in President Yoweri Museveni’s government.

Event

News - Circuit Magazine

Zelenskiy Denies Ukraine’s Involvement in Alleged Kremlin Drone Attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has refuted Russia’s claims that Ukraine was involved in a drone attack on the Kremlin, which was allegedly aimed at killing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine fights and defends its territory, not attacking Putin or Moscow. The Kremlin reported that two drones were used in the attack but were disabled by Russian defenses.

News taken from Issue 65 of the Circuit Magazine

Bodyguard Saves Japanese PM from Pipe Bomb Attack

A bodyguard has been hailed as a hero for his quick-thinking actions during a suspected pipe-bomb attack on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Video footage captured the bodyguard kicking away a metal object as it landed near Kishida
before positioning himself between the Prime Minister and the device, shielding him with a collapsible, handheld ballistics shield.

News from Issue 65 of the Circuit Magazine

AlertEnterprise Reveals First-Ever Guardian AI Chatbot Powered by OpenAI ChatGPT

AlertEnterprise has unveiled its first-ever Guardian AI Chatbot powered by OpenAI ChatGPT. The chatbot will make its global debut at the ASIS Europe and ISC West trade events. Built on OpenAI’s GPT-3 platform, the Guardian AI Chatbot aims to provide security operators with instant access to critical physical access and security insights through quick questions and prompts.

Executive Protection/Secured Transportation Profession

COVID-19 and the Executive Protection

As practitioners, our responsibilities are many: protection of the client from physical harm, protection of the client from self-embarrassment, etc. Now, that the restrictions in the post COVID-19 era are starting to be lifted in some areas, Clients, and other high-net-worth individuals will be more aware of the area in which they are located, lodging, and traveling to.

James Bore's Cyber Security

Ways to See the Threat Before it Happens

Threat modelling is widely in use, whether knowingly or not, across every walk of life – and has been used since time immemorial to prioritise security defences. The only difference between the well-known risk assessments carried out by everyone and threat modelling in cyber security is the attempt to document and systemise it. I am hoping that this idea of formal threat modelling will be a useful tool for you to use in your future arsenal of available resources as a CP operator.

Close Protection advice

Keeping Your Edge: Building a Solid Foundation

Longevity, consistency and remaining relevant are some primary goals of all protectors. These factors are important when establishing a new contract and providing services for a new client. But what is equally important is the mindset that goes into those first days and weeks on the assignment. As such, I wanted to get the personal perspective of Vantrell Wilson, a close protection agent who I have trained with and worked alongside of for years now.

Global Risk Updates

Global Situation Report - November 2021

Global Situation Report – November 2021

Each issue our global geopolitical partner, Stratfor, provides an in-depth 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.

Popular Tags

armed attack Bodyguard business Celebrity client clients Close Protection Communication cp Crime Elijah Shaw EP Executive Executive Protection firearm firearms government gun Intelligence Law Enforcement Media Medical military News online police Prevention professional protect protection Risk Safety Security SIA Social Media Surveillance Technology terror Terrorism terrorist Threat Training VIP weapon

On The Frontline

Church Security the New Frontier Part 2

More now than ever, church security is an issue that must be addressed in our modern society.  Most recently in Nashville, Tennessee, seven people were shot, including one killed by a person who simply walked in the church, down the center isle, shooting. 

Tiger kidnapping Could you be targeted?

Tiger Kidnapping

Over the years there have been many articles in Circuit Magazine about the kidnapping threat, and rightly so.

As we know, the danger of kidnapping is always a concern amongst high-level executives, especially when operating and traveling to some regions where kidnapping occurrences are more common. In this article, however, the topic is focused on one particular method of kidnapping, and that is what’s known as tiger kidnapping.

Non-verbal communication

Behaviors & Anomalies

In the previous article (Baselines of Behavior, Issue 53), we spoke about the four major behaviors: dominant, submissive, comfortable, and uncomfortable. These are the most prevalent and easiest to categorize and I gave you the means to identify each one. However, identifying the behaviors is not our main goal. Creating a baseline of the behaviors and then looking for clusters of anomalies is the goal. These anomalies highlight changes within the individual’s emotional state around a specific topic and can be crucial for us, as security professionals, to identify a threat early enough to counter it.

Follow us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

From The Archives

K9 in Private Protective Services

As an owner of a working dog, people often ask me, “Do you ever use Maximus on protection details?” …

Continue Reading about K9 in Private Protective Services

The Conscientious Bodyguard

Personality: An internal disposition that guides a specific pattern of behaviour. Over many …

Continue Reading about The Conscientious Bodyguard

Industry News November 2019

NYPD cop who ‘provided security’ for El Chapo’s wife busted for dealing cocaine 18th September …

Continue Reading about Industry News November 2019

safety at work

Safety at Work and Its Meaning to Employees

It’s impossible to ever completely eliminate the presence of workplace accidents, but in areas and …

Continue Reading about Safety at Work and Its Meaning to Employees

Promoted Event

International Security Expo

Latest Podcast Episode

Latest Issue

Circuit Magazine - Issue 66 - AI Armageddon

Issue 66

As AI armageddon comes closer, the global challenge is discerning the line between innovation and oversight, particularly concerning decision-making biases and security implications.

Buy Now

Follow us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Subscription
  • The Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

© 2023 Circuit Magazine · Rainmaker Platform

This website or its third-party tools use cookies which are necessary to its functioning and required to improve your experience. By clicking the consent button, you agree to allow the site to use, collect and/or store cookies.
I accept