Circuit Magazine

For Security & Protection Specialists

Fit for Purpose – Mindset, Ideas, and Planning Adventure series P1

With the majority of people now living and working in built up, artificial environments, it is now even more prevalent to proactively seek out opportunities to maximise time in natural surroundings and include adventurous activity frequently. As security professionals we can be away for long periods and do less than favourable hours; having an outlet that allows us to disconnect and recharge our batteries is absolutely essential. Analyse your own unique situation, look to log a typical week and note down the hours you are inside at work and separately in your own time, log the time you spend exercising (at whatever intensity, a walk to the shops is included) and finally the time spent doing adventurous activities outside of a gym environment. The results will highlight where you can make positive changes or confirm a good indoor/outdoor balance.

Head on a Swivel

From the time we are indoctrinated into this Industry, we hear the phrase “Head on a Swivel”!  This ancillary movement of moving one’s head 180 degrees side to side is taught to familiarize the specialist with scanning areas or crowds for suspicious activity or persons. At first, it’s over exaggerated, you appear to be nervous, very bobble head like, anxious, your adrenalin surges through your veins, but WHAT DO YOU SEE? If you see something, WHAT IS IT? Do you UNDERSTAND what it is you’re seeing? If so, now can you now PROJECT? And if so, can you now RESPOND? Oh, and can you do it in mili-seconds? For many, the answer is NO and for the many that can’t in truth say yes, I offer this article.    

WHY AMERICA MUST BAN ASSAULT RIFLES

I was a seventeen-year old military recruit when I was issued my first rifle. That marked the beginning of what would amount to nearly forty years of carrying firearms professionally. Twenty-three of those were in the military, including nearly twenty years with the SAS, followed by almost seventeen years of commercial security work.

Gap Training – What Most Practitioners Overlook

Many industry practitioners understand and embrace that continuing education is a necessity in a highly competitive, rapidly evolving industry such as protective services. Yet, there is a commonly overlooked issue which leaves gaps for most. When selecting training, do you find trendy topics, or do you train to fill your gaps?

Yet, there is a commonly overlooked issue which leaves gaps for most. When selecting training, do you find trendy topics, or do you train to fill your gaps?

Should protection officers be trained in unarmed combat?

Protection officers worldwide who have extensive unarmed combat training will unreservedly answer this question with; “Of course!! How can a protection officer not have any self-defense or unarmed combat training! How can a protection officer not know how to physically protect?”

Fit for Purpose, But where to start?

Developing a morning practice is crucial for starting your day with a good intention and some semblance of control in an ever-demanding world; but what should it consist of and how do you implement it?

The Silent Sniper, PTSD & The Battlefield

You might be forgiven for thinking that a life on the frontline is exciting, even glamorous. And on occasion, it is. But for the most part, my job is nothing of the sort. It’s dangerous, it’s far from well paid, and it’s stressful. And I mean, stressful.  Nothing focuses the mind more than the sight and sound of a guerrilla army and its arsenal of fully-automatic weapons. And nothing destroys the mind more than the sight of women, children and innocent civilians lying dead or dying at one’s feet.

Keeping Your Edge – I Finished Training, Now What?

It’s the final wrap up of the last day of your Close Protection training course.  It’s been a long, and at times grueling, process but ultimately rewarding on multiple levels. 

Along the way you’ve met some people you have really gelled with (and a couple that you have no plans on staying in contact with once class ends.)  Overall, you enjoyed the experience, feel like you have gotten your moneys worth, and can say that you have some new, “tools for the toolbox.”

The Conscientious Bodyguard

Given the nature of close protection and the conditions under which operators are expected to perform, it is imperative for those providing protective services to be highly developed, multi-disciplined individuals. However, beyond the obvious technical skills reqauired to execute well-drilled procedures, modern operators are expected to display more nuanced skills such as emotional intelligence, candour, judgement and resourcefulness to list but a few. So, how can understanding our personality type help us become better in our roles as close protection operatives? To answer this, we need to have a basic understanding of the factors influencing the various personality traits.