As Executive Protection professionals we are constantly caught between a rock and a hard place. We do our best to provide our clients with the best possible protection while dealing with resistance and objections from the boardroom, PAs or the client themselves. Now if there was an international guideline for a travel risk management standard that addressed everything from hotels to air travel and ground transportation, it would require compliance from organizations and simplify our task significantly. The good news is, there now is and it is planned for launch in the summer of 2021.
Human Intelligence Could You Be The Next Target?
When you step into a new role where you have routine access to classified information, have access to large amounts of cash or other assets/valuables, or deal with sensitive business information, you may become the target of human intelligence or HUMINT. In light of this, this article covers the different aspects of the threat of human intelligence to keep in mind from the point of view of a corporate setting or government contract.
Know Your Value – How much are you really worth?
Clients may not always enjoy paying for services rendered, but they appreciate knowing they are getting good value for the money they spend on personal protection. When you stick to your guns and know your value you send a message to your client that your services are worth every penny of what you are charging.
In the Midst of Chaos
By now many of you have seen the photos and videos of the protestors turned rioters storming the US Capitol on the day of the Congressional Certification.
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.
Online Health Check for Protectors
As security professionals you may be an attack vector to your client if you do not maintain basic online security controls. At the very least you should be in a position to provide basic advice to your clients in order to help them stay secure.
Communication Planning – Hardware & Technology
It is inevitable if you work within the security sector that at some point, you will have has a radio thrust in your direction for you to use as your primary form of communication.
Yet many of you will not have received any significant training on it, yet this one tool that may just save your life.
In this article, we’re covering some of the things you might have missed.
The Key Elements of Counter Surveillance
Counter Surveillance is defined as the actions that a person (or team) carries out, in order to detect that a person (Principal) is under surveillance and to identify the composition and makeup of a hostile surveillance team.
In this article, Pete Jenkins talks through the key principles of a counter-surveillance operation.
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. Including, attack in Afghanistan, Boko Haram Leader dead, severed heads in Mexico and Kevin Durant’s Bodyguard charged.
TSCM in the Workplace – How to Provide an Accurate Quote For Services
Planning and considerations to take into account when putting together a quote for providing TSCM services. The ability to accurately quote for a TSCM inspection has many permutations, and each TSCM provider has its own formula for quoting. This article looks at the main criteria you need to take into consideration.
Other Side of The Desk
The nuances of each detail vary, and the protection packages are tailored to fit them. For instance, each and every day, educational institutions are presented with their own unique set of security challenges.
Unfortunately, the US, as well as other countries, has experienced too many tragic incidents on school campuses. While these incidents are usually carried out against individuals without personal protection, what happens when there is a Protective Detail in the area? If we looked at the differences between school security personnel (also known as “resource officers”) and executive protection, would there be a clear distinction from the perspective of teachers and faculty of the educational institutions? How is close protection viewed when it comes to halls of education? How does the staff feel about an armed EP professional on the school ground or even in class?
Foot Steps Episode 5: Sam Alicea
What were some takeaways you obtained from your past line of work? And how have they helped you in the private sector realm?
When I look at the totality of what we do in this industry there are quite a few takeaways. From having dealt with the irate couples during a domestic dispute to negotiating a business deal the importance of not only verbal judo but communicative and interpersonal skills tops the list, followed by the skills I learned from collecting evidence at a crime scene where attention to detail was key.
Ammunition – Does it Matter?
In the context of close protection work, the use of firearms is often an all or nothing proposition. In most cases, you are either armed, or you’re not! There is a whole host of things that play into that, be it where you are, your level of certification, or the demands the client puts on you. All of that aside, I wanted to take some time and dig into the finer things, often overlooked when we talk about “strapping up.” Ammunition!
Nonverbal Communication
There’s something to be said about the art of reading people, especially in the protection industry. The ability to pick up on nonverbal communication is an area where most, if not all, protection practitioners are skilled.
Leading for the Future – Excellence through Inspiration
Value-driven leadership doesn’t mean you tolerate underperformance, it just means excellence can be achieved with balance and inspiration and doesn’t require intimidation to garner results. As a leader, unless you have clarity in vision, you can never inspire others to follow. People don’t mind being led, as long as they know you understand where you are going.
Anything that Can Happen Will Happen… Even the Inconceivable
It seemed the whole city had turned out to catch a glimpse of Mr. Nixon. The plan was to drive to the ramp of Air Force One, put the president into the car and drive from the airport to the city. The motorcade was all aligned according to standard protocol; police lead motorcycles and escort, a lead car with police and the advance agent, the new presidential limousine, Secret Service follow-up with agents and a doctor; White House staff in appropriate cars, the traveling press, a tail car and tail police car. Everything was in preplanned order, What could go wrong?
Protecting Private Families – A Unique Dynamic
What happens when there is more than one primary client? What happens when the “primary” becomes two, three, four, or more? What happens when your client instructs you that their two-year-old, is the primary “client” on a particular day or outing?
Cyber Security and Humans
Over 2020 cyber security and technology have only soared in terms of profile and importance, with talk about threats to remote working from technology, difficulties, and some dramatic outages. Logistics, enabled largely by technology, have been essential to keep things moving and give people support and normality.
Foot Steps Episode 1 – Kevin Ghee
My transition was a tricky one. Coming from a field where we are trained to address crime once it happens, mentally it leaves you in response mode. EP is very proactive, as such, we must anticipate what could happen and work to mitigate that. Also, as an Law Enforcement Officer, you have control over almost every situation that you’re in. The law gives you that authority and that luxury. In Executive Protection, not so much. So there’s another shift in mindset that one must have. As an EP professional you don’t have the same authority that LEO’s have, so you can’t bark out commands, stop traffic, block public access, etc., as such, the transition was tricky. The best way I can describe it is, not difficult but also, not “easy,” so to speak.
Industry News December 2020
We cast our eye over the main stories impacting the security industry. Here’s what’s appeared on the radar since the last issue.
