By Doc Rogers
The objective of this article is to provide you with a thorough understanding of observation skills necessary to protect your clients from assassination, armed assault, and kidnapping, or… stubbing a toe. The rule in all bodyguard observations is to provide 360 degrees of protection at all times. You must do everything first class, never complacent or lax; keep focused, attacks or accidents can happen in a matter of seconds. As a bodyguard you must be actively aware of everything that is going on around you and your client.
Remain Alert:
Remain alert to counter and reduce threats by individuals, groups, global terrorists and other adversaries to your client and at events; being consciously attuned to any specific threats in the area.
Minimize Danger:
Deploy both visually overt countermeasures to deter would-be threats to your client as well as covert methods in detecting and preventing specific threats towards your client. Sustaining a secure physical environment for your client is your number one job.
360-Degree Observation:
The bodyguard relies on his or her ability to locate potential threats to the client. The bodyguard must provide 360-degree protection because threats can occur at any position around the client, this means checking behind you as well. The bodyguard should look for anything out of place, telltale signs of potential threats. Good observational skills and attention to looking at things in detail are essential requirements for the bodyguard’s job, as the purpose of 360-degree observation is to locate threats to your client.
When providing protection for a client:
1. Make a swift 360-degree check of the area looking for any signs of potential threat activity. This 360-degree systematic sweep ensures total coverage while looking for any activity that may represent a threat.
2. Following the swift 360-degree check ensuring no imminent threats are present, the bodyguard can now conduct a more detail search of the area.
3. Although your client is more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than get shot by a sniper, security checks of potential sniper sites should be discreetly conducted – looking for open windows.
4. After the bodyguard has conducted a 360-degree sweep of the area, he or she will begin viewing the area closest to the client (close observation) as it could pose the most immediate threat. Then the bodyguard’s field of observation goes farther out (moderate distance) and then until the entire area has been observed (far distance) for potential threats.
5. This cycle using 360-degree area sweeps close, moderate and far observations and overlapping each previous sweep should continue until the client leaves the area. This allows the bodyguard to become accustomed to the area and makes it easier to locate any threats.
6. Keep in mind when doing the 360-degree area sweeps that distance equals time. The further away you can begin to detect and deter a threat against the client the better.
Scan the areas that your client enters for potential risks as a matter of habit, keep your protective observational skills demanding and uncompromising, leave nothing to chance. Always be contributing to a safe environment for your client, mindful of avoiding any potential risks along the way.
We, as bodyguards are paid for being on edge, uncomfortable and in control. If there are no credible or specifics threats, keep your guard up, maintaining suspicious alertness. Look at the environment from a purely bodyguard view. Maintain total conviction on the job and you will go far in this business. Keep safe, be prepared 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
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