By Doc Rogers
You’ve got your first bodyguard assignment, congratulations. Now its time to use calm judgment and plan out the assignment with a focused mind so you can prepare properly. The more you plan ahead, the better possibility for success. The overall objective of executive protection (EP) in the real world is to create a secure environment conducive to the business activities being carried out by the client within a particular area.
Main Objectives
Your main objectives should include: preventing and addressing security threats that affect the client’s well-being, prioritizing core EP needs, identifying, assessing and controlling risks. This is accomplished by categorizing threats for risk management planning and execution of the EP operations. If threat groups are operating in the area:
• Identify your enemy.
• Their method of operation – likely techniques and tactics that may be used.
• Their overall professionalism – are they sophisticated or armature’s.
• Their recent Attacks – and possible pre-incident indicators.
• Minimize these threats by advance work to develop a plan to avoid them.
• Employ basic EP measures to deter and mitigate the threats.
• Establish the appropriate EP plan, security controls and need to know procedures.
Challenges and Approaches
Randomly changing routes and times may be difficult. However, remain as unpredictable as possible to confuse potential hostel surveillance attempts, keeping the client from becoming what is commonly known as a “soft target”. Keeping alert for suspicious activity, anything abnormal, or out of place and being extra wary. Don’t become complacent.
Managing EP Expenditures
During your advance work document potential risks and forward it to the corporate budgeting personnel for the assignment to justify any increased EP or security requirements or anticipated additional costs for increase client protection. It is your job to adequately protect the client regardless of corporate budget restraints.
Achieving Mission Assurance
EP team members should dress and behave in a manner consistent with local customs within the area of operation. Remaining calm at all times, maintain a temper of iron on assignment. Working under a cloak of anonymity and invisibility – there is safety in not drawing attention to the client. Your EP team should preserve its anonymity, camouflaging the nature of the job and blending in with the clients surrounding environment. The security of the client is badly damaged when the presence of the EP team is obvious and noticeable to the public.
Establish points of contact and maintain liaison with local law enforcement and conduct regular liaison visits with the director of security at the client hotel. Keep your television tuned to CNN and the local news channel, as local information is of critical importance on EP assignments, providing early warning on potential threats.
When on advance work at the client hotel, note all escape routes. Know the locations of fire escapes, and emergency exits that may be utilized in an emergency for successful client evacuation. Always err on the side of caution. Your main goal is to be prepared so nothing goes wrong.
Key Lessons
If any setbacks or mistakes occur on your first assignment, be ruthless on yourself to not repeat the same mistakes; however don’t waste time thinking about it or dwelling upon it, just keep moving ahead. Keep safe and God speed.
Doc Rogers is the author of Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards and president and CEO of International Corporate Executive Protection Ltd. Doc has earned a Ph.D. in Security Administration from Southwest University and he is SE Asia’s leading expert on executive protection and corporate security. To learn how to make a full time living as a corporate bodyguard visit the websites below for more information.
http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=182707
http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Executive-Protection-Inspiring-Bodyguards/dp/1425135927
http://international-corporate-executive-protection.com/order.asp
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