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Bodyguarding – An Introduction to Close Protection Operations
Written by: Michael Evans President, CEO of USPA Nationwide Security
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2 Table of Contents Introduction to Close Protection Operations .................................................................................................................................. 3 The Close Protection Industry .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Physical Conditioning ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Education .......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Psychological Factors ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Appearance ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Common Misconceptions .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 CP Industry Terminology ................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Escort Formations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Lone Formation .............................................................................................................................................................. 22 Sweep Formation ........................................................................................................................................................... 23 Diamond Formation - No Advance................................................................................................................................. 24 Diamond Formation - With Advance ............................................................................................................................. 25 Box Formation – No Advance ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Box Formation – With Advance ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Arcs of Influence ............................................................................................................................................................. 29 Choke Points ................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Check Points ................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Box Formation Aircraft Wheels Down ........................................................................................................................... 33 Transition to Diamond Formation Aircraft Wheels Down ............................................................................................ 35 Transition to Diamond Formation Aircraft Wheels Up ................................................................................................. 36 Transition to Box Formation Aircraft Wheels Up .......................................................................................................... 37 Advance .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Duties .............................................................................................................................................................................. 39 External Considerations at the Site................................................................................................................................ 39 Internal Considerations at the Site ................................................................................................................................ 40 Radio Communication .................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Phonetic Alphabet .......................................................................................................................................................... 45 Action on Contact Drills (AOC) ....................................................................................................................................................... 46 Observe the Threat......................................................................................................................................................... 48 Cover ............................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Engage ............................................................................................................................................................................ 49 Communicate ................................................................................................................................................................. 49 Sample AOC Drill ............................................................................................................................................................ 50 Landing Close Protection Employment.......................................................................................................................................... 53 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
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Bodyguarding – An Introduction to Close Protection Operations This book is titled Bodyguarding – An Introduction to Close Protection Operations, but it could also be called a Step-by-Step Manual for New Executive Protection Agents. It has been 16 years since I was assigned to protect a person’s life for the first time in 1994. In those years I trained, worked, ate, slept and (did something else) “Bodyguarding.” It has been my passion and a truly rewarding aspect of my private security career. My name is Michael Evans. I am the current Chief Executive Officer of USPA Nationwide Security in New York (U.S.) and the President/CEO of startasecuritycompany.com. I have been actively protecting people’s lives (in addition to other aspects of security) on a full-time basis since I was 20 years old. Like many new bodyguards, I was fresh out of the police academy and constantly in the gym, working out, grappling and sharpening my skills. By the time I turned 25 years old; I had already had 20+ years of martial arts and completed 3 of the 5 police academies that I have since attended. I have attained black belts in the arts of Jujitsu and Tae Kwon Do and trained MMA since 1993 with my brother under the instruction of my father, before it became the popular sport that it is today. My close protection training has been acquired over the years from private close protection training schools to specialized dignitary protection courses offered by federal and local law enforcement agencies that © startasecuritycompany.com
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I’ve worked in over the last 15 years. By direct contract or by subcontract, I have protected hundreds of high profile clients, among others were Kid Rock, P-Diddy, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliot, Jessica Alba and various Playboy models to CEO’s, foreign dignitaries, battered wives and other clients with imminent death threats. It is my intention to familiarize new bodyguards with this field and the operations and processes by which we conduct business. This is not a substitute for training. As a matter of fact, I strongly encourage you to seek professional training before you ever take on the task of protecting someone’s life. Later in this book, I will recommend schools and training facilities for different types of close protection careers and details. I will be writing this book from the perspective of the team leader of a close protection team. You will most definitely not operate in the capacity of team leader if you are new to this field. Anyone who attempts to place you in that position, without the proper training and experience, is putting you, your client (the principal) and everyone involved in real danger. This book was written in blocks that will explain everything from what a bodyguard is to the duties of a bodyguard, formations, team positions and intelligence gathering that will prepare you to protect a person’s life. To make this book more useful to you, (if you are planning to open your own bodyguard © startasecuritycompany.com
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company) I strongly recommend my other eBooks that cover topics such as starting a security company, licensing, insurance and bonding for bodyguards to landing bodyguard contracts, bodyguard contract writing and equipment. This is not a Kevin Costner fairytale story of a middle-aged (mediocre looking) bodyguard who sweeps his beautiful superstar client off of her feet and they live happily ever after. The tactics that I will discuss are real, effective and for use by trained professionals only. Study this manual; get your training and go forth to serve…
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The Close Protection Industry Bodyguards, as most people refer to them are in essence really close protection operatives. Unlike today’s Hollywood depiction of a 7’ muscle-bound behemoth of a man, who stands in front of his client in a muscle shirt and singlehandedly dispatches a group of would-be kidnappers with his bare hands, bodyguards are highly trained team members; part of a well planned, organized protection detail. Today’s bodyguards come in all shapes and sizes. They are men and women with the skills to protect people’s single most valuable asset; their lives. For as long as humans have walked the earth, it has been a natural instinct to survive and protect our families. In essence, we are all born with the instinct to protect people. Take a ride to the local amusement park and observe moms and dads with their children. The principles they are bodyguarding are similar to this everyday task of watching, intervening, allowing, planning and at times disciplining. The difference between a parent and a professional bodyguard is that the bodyguard has the training, ability and instinct to protect a person whose life is at risk for some reason or another. This industry is not for everyone. Among the efficiencies and skills required for a successful career in this field are:
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Excellent physical conditioning. A defensive tactics instructor told me once that, “you lost your right to be out-of-shape on the day you decided to be a paid protector of someone else’s life.” Your client is relying on you to be able to physically protect his/her life or the lives of their children, etc… A balanced diet, exercise, weight training and realistic martial arts training are not optional in this field. Put down the Twinkies and make this happen now. Education. Generally, you will be protecting clients who are well traveled, educated and wealthy. Your client will expect his protector to understand or at least have some knowledge of the subject matter of his/her daily transactions. For example, if your client is a politician who is in support of abortion, and you are accompanying him/her to a rally where anti-abortion activists will be attending (or possibly attending), your client will expect you to understand his position and that a crowd of screaming people, holding signs that say, “baby killer” may be a potential for violence against the client. Know who your clients are and what they are all about. I’ll discuss how to accomplish this later in the book. Sound mind and in good spirit. Psychologically, this profession takes a lot of patience and an adaptive sense of humor. As a team leader (or lead) you will be in close proximity to your client for hours at a time. Your ability to adapt to your
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surroundings is important, while keeping your professionalism and remaining dedicated to your task at hand. Things go wrong; traffic jams happen. The last thing a client wants is a bodyguard who is a buzz-kill or a debbie-downer. The bodyguards hired by my company are all administered a psychological inventory and they undergo an annual psychological interview before I send them in the field. If you are having trouble in your private life, that problem must cease to exist when you are on the front line of defending someone’s life. I have found that 30 minutes of quiet time, meditation and relaxation before a security detail has mentally prepared and cleared my mind so that I am in focus on the task at hand. I cannot stress enough that you will lose your client when he dreads your arrival when you bring your family issues, money problems and girlfriend disagreements to his doorstep. Neat Appearance. I’m going to offend some people in this paragraph, but it’s for your own good. Neat doesn’t mean a lumberjack type shirt, tucked in to your favorite worn out jeans. It means that you adapt to your client’s needs, styles and agendas. The lumberjack comment is fresh in my head, only because I made this exact mistake only 1 week ago. This example is chalked up to, Michael Evans’ Bodyguarding Horror Story Number 1,415,090. My firm is currently protecting a high level executive with an active threat and an actual attempt on his life as © startasecuritycompany.com
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recent as two weeks ago. I have close protection teams in place 24/7 with this client, who despite his recent attack, insists on making very public appearances in night clubs, restaurants, etc… This client frequents VIP areas of exclusive nightclubs when he goes out. My mistake occurred when my night shift intelligence operative and driver called in sick at the last minute. I called in an experienced intelligence operative from another detail on his night off to cover. I told him to dress as if he were going to a night club. He showed up in a red, plaid lumberjack style shirt, dirty jeans and work boots and a belt that appeared to have been chewed up by his dog. I had no choice but to utilize this guy when he showed up. This was a total embarrassment to me, my firm and my client who was too embarrassed to show up in public with this eyesore of a team member. You get the point. At a black-tie event, your team should be in black-tie attire.
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Common Misconceptions There are some misconceptions about the close protection industry that I would like to point out. I was searching the internet and I found a website that makes outrageous claims, probably to sell their training; that a new bodyguard will earn up to $2000 a day in the U.S. This is just not true. As a matter of fact, it’s a complete misrepresentation of what a bodyguard earns. The average bodyguard assigned to a full-time protective detail works 8-hour shifts. That $2000 claim would mean that the bodyguard is paid $250 per hour. Think about that in terms of a 5-man team working 24 hours. The client would be paying more than $30k per day for his security detail. That’s before the company makes a penny in profit. That would also mean that the client’s security budget would have to exceed $10 Million per year. This is just not the case. According to payscale.com, an average bodyguard is paid $49k to $79k per year. This is an accurate accounting and it is in line with what EP Agents and Close Protection Operatives earn in my firm. Click here to see updated info as the pay scales will inevitably change as time passes. Another common misconception is that a bodyguard does not require a license or insurance. In some (very few) jurisdictions, this may be true. In most
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places, a bodyguard is considered (for all purposes) a security guard. As such, the bodyguard should: Be employed by a licensed security or private investigative firm that is authorized to perform security guard functions Have in full force and effect a comprehensive general liability policy (where required) Be registered to collect sales tax (where required) Possess a current license bond (where required) Comply with all worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance regulations for their particular jurisdiction Other common misconceptions are: Bodyguards have less restriction for the use, possession and transport of firearms Bodyguards have less restriction when it comes to abiding by the guidelines for the use of force Bodyguards are bouncers wearing suits A bodyguard’s career is action packed and full of adrenaline pumping car chases and choreographed fight scenes. Much to the contrary,
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this profession is a lot of planning, waiting, traveling and training with occasional action.
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The remainder of this book will concentrate and outline actual close protection operations. In order to be as clear as possible, I will begin the operations section with terminology that will be used in the book and in your career as a professional bodyguard.
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Close Protection Industry Terminology Advance: The person who will travel the route of a principal and conduct a physical site survey for each location that the principal will visit prior to his or her arrival. The advance will identify areas requiring security upgrades Arc of Influence: The area of responsibility for a particular team member to scan for signs of danger, etc… Bomb Sweep: Search of an area by team member, preferably with a canine, prior to the arrival of the principal Counter Assault Team: Team that travels with heavy weapons in a motorcade
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Check Point: Predetermined points that represent sites that the principal has already cleared or passed through. An example of a check point may be a predetermined block, such as the corner of Madison Avenue and 59th Street, etc… Choke Point: Any location that the principal must travel through that creates a risk for his/her safe travel. An example of a choke point would be a narrow hallway or under a bridge, etc… Concealment: An object that merely takes the target out of the line of sight, but will not prevent the bullet or other projectile from reaching its target. An example would be a pillow or shrubs Contact: The alert term commonly used in close protection operations as a signal that a team member has spotted a threat within his Arc of Influence. If a team member yells, “Contact!” …its go time.
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Cover: Anything which is capable of preventing a bullet or other projectile from reaching its target. An example would be an engine block or sandbag Escort Team Members: The part of the close protection team that creates one of many types of escort formations. Team members are known as Bodyguards, EP Agents, Close Protection Operatives and a bunch of other names E.T.A: Estimated Time of Arrival E.T.D: Estimated Time of Departure Follow Car: The vehicle immediately behind the principal’s vehicle (Limo) containing additional team members
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Formation: The physical deployment of team members in a predetermined, yet evolving pattern that is designed to protect the principal. Examples of different formations are Diamond Formation, Box Formation, etc… Intel Operative: The team member, sometimes a driver, which shadows the team. The Intel member communicates relevant information of importance to the team. The Intel member also secures the limo, conducts counter-surveillance and liaisons with law enforcement during operations. He is the point of contact for outside agencies and other close protection teams operating within your area of responsibility Hard Location: Predetermined location to be utilized in emergency situations to secure the principal. This location provides security until the principal can be moved Lead: The team member responsible for the personal security of the principal. The lead, also known as Team Leader or Primary is the member positioned closest to the
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principal. The Lead is in charge of the Escort Team and calls the movements of the team. Lead Vehicle: The vehicle that is immediately in front of the limo Limo: The vehicle that the principal rides in; this vehicle is referred to as the Limo, whether or not the vehicle is an actual limo. The term standardizes and simplifies the location of the principal in a motorcade for ease of communication Pilot Car: When used, the pilot car is usually a marked police vehicle that leads the motorcade containing a police officer for the purpose of communication with the motorcade and liaison with the law enforcement agency or agencies if involved in the protective detail Principal: The person being protected
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O.T.R.: Off The Record- Refers to moves by the principal not previously noted in the itinerary Rope Line: A barrier that separates the general public from the principal but allows them to greet or observe his/her appearance Route: A designated path selected for travel from one location to another for the principal Secure Area: A location that has been cleared of unauthorized persons and packages, swept for explosives and secured continuously by the posting of security personnel prior to its use Team Leader (Lead): The team member responsible for the personal security of the principal
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Wheels Down: Indicates that an aircraft carrying the principal has landed Wheels Up: Indicates that the aircraft carrying the principal has taken off
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Escort Formations Team members assigned to escort the principal will move in escort patterns. These patterns vary in name and deployment; however they serve to provide maximum body cover for the principal. In other words, the placement of team members is such that in the event of a contact, the principal has cover by means of a team member (bodyguard). The following are some of the more common escort formations utilized in the industry. They are the formations that my firm uses most often in our protective details.
Note: The arrows in the diagrams depict the direction of movement of the team. The arcs of influence are not represented by the direction of the team members as these are merely drawings to show placement of the team members. The arcs of influence will be detailed in the formation summary below the diagrams. The Intel Operative is shown in the illustrations to demonstrate that the position exists on the team. His positioning is irrelevant in the diagrams.
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Lone Formation Definitely my least favorite formation is the Lone Formation. In this over-utilized and under-protected formation, the Lead is the only bodyguard to escort the principal. This formation is the least effective and should only be used in very low risk situations. The bodyguard’s Arc of Influence is 360°, rendering it nearly impossible to effectively see threats in his blind areas. The bodyguard is positioned about 2 paces offset (right or left) and behind the principal. The lone bodyguard formation should never be used in high threat situations. Hollywood would disagree, and depict Kevin Costner as the lone bodyguard protecting a high threat target principal.
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Sweep Formation In this formation the principal is escorted by a two-man team. The lead is positioned in front of the principal, approximately 2 paces in front of and 2 paces left or right, depending on the lead’s strong side and outside factors such as geography. In the event of a contact, the lead would perform an action on contact drill, removing the principal from the threat and Bodyguard #2 would engage the threat. Bodyguard #2 has an arc of influence encompassing 360° and the lead is focused on the principal. This too is utilized in low risk operations only.
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Diamond Formation with No Advance A more secure formation, the diamond formation without an advance is commonly used to secure medium to high risk principals. In this formation, the lead is positioned in front of the principal at 2 paces left or right and 2 paces in front. The lead has no arc of influence as his primary duty is the protection of the principal, and directing the movement of the team. If there is a threat (not a contact) the lead may call out a command to close up the formation, thus providing the principal with greater body cover from the threat.
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Diamond Formation With Advance This formation is identical to the regular diamond formation during the escort phase. The difference is that the team is working with the previously gathered intelligence and planning of the advance who has previously scouted and secured (or ordered the static protection) of a now secured area. The advance serves to minimize off the record movements. © startasecuritycompany.com
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Box Formation with No Advance The box formation without advance is also a common medium to high risk formation. Arguably weaker than the diamond formation because of its lack of body cover for the principal in the rear position, this formation can easily become a diamond formation as the principal moves from the limo to more open spaces. Many team leaders will call this formation as the principal exits the limo for its excellent cover while the principal is seated in the limo. The lead may then call a
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diamond formation and the team will assume their predetermined position and assume their new arcs of influence.
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Box Formation With Advance Similar to the traditional box formation; the difference is that the team is working with the previously gathered intelligence and planning of the advance who has previously scouted and secured (or ordered the static protection) of a now secured area. The advance serves to minimize off the record movements.
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Arcs of Influence The diagram above illustrates where the arcs of influence are for the team members of a diamond formation. Take note that the lines of sight should always intersect, allowing 360° coverage at all times. The lead, when working with a team, does not have any other area of responsibility outside of his primary objective of protecting the principal and directing the team (thus no arc). © startasecuritycompany.com
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Choke Point In terms of close protection operations, a choke point is an area in the principal’s planned route that will pose a possible danger during the principal’s movement through that particular point. In the illustration above, the choke point is an alley behind an exit route leading to the limo. The advance has identified this as the safest route, while noting the choke point for the team to knowingly enter and © startasecuritycompany.com
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adjust their formation as directed by the lead.
According to a Wikipedia
definition, a choke point is a geographical feature on land such as a valley, defile or a bridge, or at sea such as a strait which an armed force is forced to pass, sometimes on a substantially narrower front, and therefore greatly decreasing its combat power, in order to reach its objective. A choke point would allow a numerically inferior defending force to successfully prevent a larger opponent because the attacker would not be able to bring his superior numbers to bear. …to that I would add that the choke point is the place in escort movements where the lead generally calls to close the formation because the threat of attack by a professional assassin will most likely take place there.
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Check Point In the above illustration, the advance has selected a predetermined intersection as a check point. For example, when the limo is moving from an airport to a hotel in the city, the advance will identify check points which let the team know that they have cleared the potential threats and choke points for that particular area. In the illustration above, the limo has cleared a narrow bridge and reached an intersection selected as a check point to establish that the threat(s) associated with the previous choke points are no longer at hand. © startasecuritycompany.com
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Wheels Down Box Formation with Transition to Diamond Formation -1 When the principal is utilizing air travel, it is my recommendation and my firm’s policy to advance in a box formation while the principal is deplaning and to transition from the box formation to the diamond formation as the principal moves away from the aircraft. In the box formation, the team members’ arcs of influences are facing outward in their respective directions. The lead is focused on the principal. The Intel Operative is standing outside of the limo and the driver is
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in the driver’s seat with the limo running and facing in the direction of the predetermined route.
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Transition from Box Formation to Diamond Formation Wheels Down -2 As the principal moves away from the aircraft, the lead will call a command to close the formation and transition to a diamond formation. The formation will remain closed as the principal approaches the limo. The team will transition back to box formation as the principal enters the limo. There are a few reasons for these transitions. Beside the extra body cover afforded the principal in the diamond formation, the transition back to box formation allows for a smooth
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transition to motorcade operations with no bodyguard in front of or behind the limo. This clears the path for the driver to make sudden maneuvers as necessary.
Transition from Diamond Formation to Box Formation Wheels Up -1 This illustration shows the opposite transition from the scenarios listed previously. This time, the team approaches the aircraft with the principal in the diamond then transitions to the box formation as the principal enters the aircraft. See next diagram.
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Transition from Diamond Formation to Box Formation Wheels Up -2 The illustration above depicts a completed transition from diamond formation to box formation as the principal enters the aircraft. Again, like the scenario when the principal enters the limo, the pilot does not have bodyguards in front of or behind the aircraft and can depart when he is ready.
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Advance Duties and Responsibilities The advance is the team member who will travel the route of a principal and conduct a physical site survey for each location that the principal will visit prior to his or her arrival. The advance will generally travel the route 24 hours prior to the arrival of the principal.
The advance will identify areas requiring security
upgrades and liaison with the Security Advance Party or SAP team. The SAP is utilized in medium to high risk operations, if utilized at all. My firm generally has an advance perform a site survey from which he makes the determination of whether a SAP team is needed for that particular operation. The mission of the advance position is to ensure that the principal can visit the site and conduct his or her business without incident. The person assigned to conduct the advance is responsible for planning security arrangements for: The principal’s residence Restaurants Government buildings Events Airports Any other location a principal may visit.
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Advance Duties Ascertain if previous surveys have been conducted and review those plans Arrange meetings with counterparts, host committees, staff and building personnel to conduct a walk-through Conduct a check for demonstrations Ascertain itinerary for the principal. External Considerations at the Site Primary and secondary route of access and egress Location of motorcade arrival and departure area Motorcade staging area Barricade requirements Restrictions of public access to location Outside posts Identify demonstration areas Identify press location.
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Internal Considerations at the Site Ascertain location of event or residence Ascertain scenario for the event Ascertain all exits and entrances to event location Determine entrance and route for principal Determine emergency evacuation route Location of elevators and stairways Survey the event room for: Windows, Seating location, Location for protective detail 8. Ascertain a Hard Location also know as a Safe Room, which should have the following: cover from gunfire or other projectile(s) cell phone reception reinforced locks first aid kit and water batteries access to weapons limited access
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a planned escape route. 9. Arrange time for bomb sweep 10. Determine number of SAP team or static security posts 11. Ascertain location of fire control panel 12. Determine if crowd is supportive or opposed to principal 13. Discuss plans for medical emergency, fire or attack The advance will be the team member responsible for conducting the security survey and mapping a route, or what my firm refers to as a route plan or itinerary. The route plan is a predetermined route based upon the result of the intelligence gathering efforts of the advance, placement and utilization of the SAP team and analysis of potential choke points, among other factors.
The Advance also
conducts a threat assessment beginning with a comprehensive profile of the principal, his or her family, political views and affiliations. Included in this profile of the principal should be his or her blood type, any medical conditions, religious denomination and possible places of worship if any. These facts (relating to religion) are more important in protecting Muslim principals, who may ask you to pull the motorcade over on the side of the road if it is time to pray. Knowledge of your principal’s religion is an important factor in your survey and your threat assessment. I can remember a Muslim principal who pulled out a rug, took his © startasecuritycompany.com
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shoes off and began to pray in a manner that was (at the time) out of the ordinary for me. I had no idea what this guy was doing. Thankfully, I had a more experienced driver with me who (later) told me what was happening. Don’t let this happen to you. If you are traveling with your principal, be prepared when he asks for a clean place to pray and a rug. Having a few small (clean) rugs in your trunk may be a good idea if you intend on protecting Muslim clientele. Other considerations in conducting a security survey are to know your principal’s: Prejudices (race, sex, etc…) Left/Right wing extremist Business relationships Pending or past criminal cases Pending or past civil litigation Judgments or bankruptcies Drug/Alcohol use and abuse (if known) Other relevant information I suggest that you formulate a standardized form to conduct these security surveys with precision. Although the security survey or threat assessment are not the Hollywood, action packed, dream assignment that you had hoped for, it is
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among the most important tasks and a key to your team’s success in protecting a person’s life. Do not take these assessments lightly. Share the assessment with your entire team, keep them updated as things progress.
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Radio Communication When assigned to work as part of a close protection team, you will usually be equipped with a two-way radio and a tactical, low profile ear piece. The placement of your portable radio should be opposite of your gun side. Never place your radio next to your weapon or in close proximity to your magazine holders. In a contact situation, you do not want to make the mistake of pulling your radio out in lieu of a glock. My personal preference is to route my ear piece under my dress shirt, and on top of my undershirt. The wire can be routed from your radio, around to your back, and finally over the top of your ear and into the ear canal.
Keep the radio and wire as low profile as possible. When
communicating with your team members, keep the chat to a minimum. Keep the airwaves open for emergency radio traffic and listen for commands from your team leader. Utilize predetermined codes in your radio communications. I would usually supply a list of ten-codes, however most close protection teams have their own established codes. So learn the codes that your team uses. Most teams will use the standard phonetic alphabet; see the chart below:
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Phonetic Alphabet A
Alpha
O
Ocean
B
Bravo
P
Papa
C
Charlie
Q
Quebec
D
Delta
R
Romeo
E
Echo
S
Sierra
F
Fox-trot
T
Tango
G
Golf
U
Uniform
H
Hotel
V
Victor
I
India
W
Whiskey
J
Juliet
X
X-ray
K
Kilo
Y
Yankee
L
Lima
Z
Zulu
M
Mike
N
November
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Action on Contact Drills Trying to explain in a book how to physically defend yourself is not an easy thing to do. As a matter of fact, as I have stated in the beginning of this book, I recommend that you only use this book to gain a basic understanding of this field. Actual hands-on training is not an option if you’re going to protect someone’s life for a living; it’s a must. I have trained and I continue to train with professionals anytime I get the opportunity. I suggest that you make training an integral part of your life for as long as you plan on staying in this field. I have employed thousands of security professionals over the years and I have had the pleasure of working with graduates of many of the world’s top close protection training facilities, both in a government setting and private practice. I have made a brief list of schools that I recommend based upon my own experience with them or from trusted colleagues that I work with whose skills were acquired from these schools; skills that speak volumes for the training that they’ve received: Max Security Solutions, Ltd.
www.max-security.com
Crisis Response International
www.critraining.com
Executive Security International
www.esi-lifeforce.com
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Ctr. for Advanced Security Studies
www.bodyguardschool.com
Bodyguard Training International
www.usabodyguards.com
Counter Threat Group
www.counterthreatgroup.com
Control Risks Training Services
www.controlrisks-training.com
Quintessentially Secure
www.quintessentiallysecure.com
Argus Europe Limited
www.arguseurope.co.uk
ISA Group
www.securityacademy.com
US Training Center
www.ustraining.com
Asymmetric (ASIC)
www.asymmetricsecurityconsulting.com
Getting back to Action on Contact Drills… An Action on Contact Drill (AOC) can be defined as your team’s response in a contact situation. Your team’s planning, route management, advance duties and intelligence gathering all serve to minimize the possibility of a contact situation. When and if the time arises that you are in a contact situation, your primary responsibilities are: 1. To keep your principal safe 2. To keep yourself and your team safe
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Some (law enforcement) people would argue this point with me. We’ve all heard the term, “I’d rather be judged by 12, than carried by 6.” In most situations, I would tend to agree with that statement. However, things change when you take on the responsibility of protecting someone else’s life in exchange for money. Your principal comes first, period. In many law enforcement settings, you are trained to protect yourself first; however for the most part, you will be taught (in the schools that I’ve listed above) how to provide your principal with maximum cover by utilizing objects such as engine blocks, telephone poles and even your own body. If you’re not ready to put your principal first, then I suggest that you rethink your decision to enter this field. AOC Drills vary by instructor, jurisdiction and of course by situation. In most cases, you will be taught to: 1. Observe the threat. In scanning your Arcs of Influence, you must continuously be on the lookout for possible threats. You analyze (in split seconds) if a threat is at hand and if you are going to react. 2. Cover. Move the principal to cover. If cover is not available, then concealment should be utilized as a last resort.
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3. Engage. While the Lead moves the principal away from the threat, the two closest team members to the threat should position themselves in a way to cut the angle from the threat to the principal, while affording the principal with maximum body cover and engage the threat. See diagram below: 4. Communicate. The team member who spots the threat in his Arc should call, “Contact!” It is my preference that the team member call, “Contact Left” or right, etc… A good way to keep things simple is to consider the direction of movement of the team as whichever way you are advancing at that time. In other words, if you are moving in a diamond formation and a team member calls, “Contact Left”, then everyone on the team will know which way to move. If he yelled “Contact North”, then you may have trouble figuring out which direction you are heading, etc… AOC Drills are among the most important skills that you will learn in a close protection training school. Get the training that you need from one of the schools that I’ve listed.
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Action on Contact Drill Sample
AOC Drill (Figure 1) In the above illustration, the team is advancing in the direction of the arrow. Team Member #2 spots a threat in his arc and calls, “contact right!” The team will: 1. Immediately move to close the formation
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2. Team Members #1 and #2 move to provide body cover for the principal and engage the contact threat. (See Figure #2) 3. Team Members #3 and #4 close their formation positions, cutting the angle between the threat and the principal, providing the principal additional body cover. (See Figure #2)
4. The Team Leader moves the principal away from the threat toward the limo. Team Members #3 and #4 return to their positions in a closed formation. Team Members #1 and #2, after having eliminated the
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threat, advance in a closed formation toward the Limo, keeping the formation very tight to provide as much cover for the principal. (See Figure #3)
These illustrations are for demonstration purposes only. There are many variations of AOC Drills and I strongly insist that you learn from a qualified team of instructors and practice the AOC Drills until they are second nature.
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Landing Employment as a Close Protection Operative Day in and day out I receive resumes from all over the world. A large percentage of resumes received (via fax, which is dead wrong) are inexperienced security guards looking to become a bodyguard. While I applaud their efforts in getting hired, they are wasting everyone’s time when the resume consists of basic security guard training or basic police academy with no specialty school and a caveat statement that they are 6’5” and 250lbs. Here are some pointers from a CEO that oversees the recruiting, hiring, training and deployments of close protection operatives on a daily basis: 1. A professional resume. Do not look on-line and start the copy and paste routine. A good background investigator can spot a purloined resume from a mile away. Stay away from these wordy (and quite boring) objectives that businessmen use to sound like they are smart. A well stated objective can and should be a short sentence, such as: Objective: To secure an Escort Team Position with a reputable security firm. Unfortunately, I receive resumes that sound more like this: to utilize my skills in a fashion consistent with protocol by means of applying
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my superior skill set in accordance with the abilities acquired in my long career as a…. blah blah blah…. You get the point. Keep it real. Nobody is impressed with run-on sentences and big words; at least not in this field. Keep your resume short and sweet. I prefer a one page resume; two pages maximum. You should bullet-point your real qualifications and accomplishments. We’ve all read resumes where a candidate is trying to “candy coat” his qualifications by stating that he was a police officer and protected dignitaries as part of his duties. When in fact, he drove the lead car in a motorcade a few times, and then went back on patrol. 2. Never fax an unsolicited resume. These go straight into the shredder. If you would like for your resume to be kept on file (like most employers say and there’s usually no truth behind that statement), then send a hard copy with a (typed) cover letter. These tend to get looked at or at least make it to the boss’ desk. 3. Show up to your interview in business attire. Business attire means that you wear a suit, or at the very least, a shirt and tie. For women, a business suit is appropriate. A golf-type polo shirt is not considered business attire.
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Great Close Protection Companies to Work For USPA Nationwide Security 21 West 2nd Street Suite 20 Riverhead, NY 11901 USA MLM Protection 9 Maskit St. P.O.B 12590 Herzelia Pituach 46733 Israel Athena GS3 Security Implementations Ltd. 5 Hatzoref St. Holon 58856 Israel Control Risks Cottons Centre Cottons Lane London SE1 2QG United Kingdom Control Risks 550 S. Hope Street Suite 2330 Los Angeles, CA 90071 USA
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International Protective Service P.O. Box 27527 Albuquerque, NM 87125 USA Security USA, Inc. 336 West 37th Street New York, NY 10018 USA The World Protection Group 311 N. Robertson Blvd., Suite 776 Beverly Hills, CA 90211 USA AS Solution Marielundvej 46 E, st. tv. DK-2730 Herlev Danmark
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Conclusion As you progress in your close protection career, you may find that the marketplace is chock full of ex-military personnel returning from the Middle East with military grade skills. If you are one of them, or a newcomer in this industry, you are more likely to land a rewarding and sustainable career when you have completed an actual close protection operative training course. Browse the websites of the schools that I’ve listed or go beyond those if you wish. I’m sure that there are plenty of reputable schools out there. Try to remember that if a training course “deal” seems like it’s too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true. Get references from recent graduates of the proposed school and ask questions before you spend your money on a course. CD-ROM and interactive courses, books and such are great for laying the groundwork and teaching principles of close protection operations, but actual classroom, field and simulated training is a must. Remember that a person’s life is in your hands; the quality of your training and the maintenance of your skills can mean the difference between life and death for a future principal or even yourself. The enemies of your principal become your enemies; they are training as we speak to wreak havoc and they are relentless in their attack, like a pack of wolves. As an
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Old Russian proverb explains, “If you live among wolves, you must howl like a wolf.” Contact the Author: Michael Evans startasecuritycompany.com, Inc. 21 West 2nd Street Suite 20 Riverhead, NY 11901 Disclaimer / Legal Notice
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Resources _____________________________________________________________ For nearly 20 years the Mechanic Group has specialized in providing insurance programs to the private security, investigation and electronic security industries. Today we proudly support: *Security Officer *Electronic Security - Alarm *Investigations *Background Screening *Security Products Manufacturers & Distributor
Go to www.mechanicgroup.com for more information Mechanic Group One Blue Hill Plaza Pearl River, NY 10965 (800) 214-0207
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