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By Doc Rogers

EP Assessment in Asian Countries

Many Western companies and affluent individuals are venturing out to Asia in search of new business opportunities. As professional bodyguards traveling with clients going to Asia, we may be required to obtain the services of indigenous EP and security personnel. This could include additional bodyguards, hall and wall staff and /or security drivers.  It should be the responsibility of the advance team to setup interviews to ensure that the indigenous personnel are physically capable of performing their essential duties and speak good English. Below is an assortment of capabilities and what to expect from the general EP and security population within the countries listed.

CHINA – EP agents in Beijing and Shanghai employ professional tactics; they are usually very well trained, organized and disciplined.  Although EP is not armed, their equipment is in immaculate condition. As a whole EP personnel in Beijing and Shanghai are not susceptible to bribery and have high morale. The predominant language spoken by EP personnel is basically Mandarin in the north and Cantonese in the south, however only 50 percent of the personnel on local EP teams speak English.

INDIA – Generally EP agents in India employ tactics that are marginally effective, there are a few that handle themselves with professionalism and effectiveness but as a whole EP standards are often lower than internationally acceptable. As a rule the EP personnel are not armed and the equipment they do utilize suffers from being worn. EP tactics are centered on being high-profile and teams do not try to blend into the local populace. Personnel are not susceptible to bribery and have high morale. The predominant language spoken by EP personnel is Hindi and English and most personnel have good English capabilities in India.

INDONESIA – EP in Jakarta is made up of trained and equipped personnel; however capabilities still lag behind advance world levels. There is normally a lack of integrated SOPs and this impedes operational control and coordination on assignments. Frequently EP agents do not work together, in concert, as a team. Emphasis is placed on counter-offensive methods with unsound contingency planning. Some personnel are susceptible to bribery, but as a whole have high morale. Only work with trusted vetted EP and security driver contractors in Indonesia. The predominant language spoken by EP personnel is Bahasa Indonesian and English and most EP personnel have good English capabilities in Jakarta.

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By Doc Rogers

“Why didn’t they tell me that at the BG academy?” This is what many bodyguards say when on their first BG assignment. At the academy you learn the basics of advance work, protective formations, and motorcade procedures and firearms skills. A lot of emphasis is placed on the physical skills of the BG job. After graduating from the academy you are thrown to the wolves to find a BG job or land your first assignment. You normally don’t receive any guidance on how to survive in the industry and are forced to figure it out through a long trial and error period.  Here is some insight on the way things work.

Finding Work

Whether you are a bodyguard or a janitor looking for work conforms to a fairly well defined pattern. Janitors conduct reconnaissance on places and people where his services would be required (office buildings, businesses and corporations).  Bodyguards need to look for potential individuals and corporations who use bodyguard services of a fairly regular basis or that have an in-house executive protection unit (EPU). When applying for BG jobs don’t be too keen to show off your BG knowledge, this comes across as cocky and irritating. This is not how you want to be viewed. Play it cool, keep very professional, keep focused and ask questions. Pay very close attention to the answers, this is important information for rookie bodyguards.

On-the-Job

Okay, you have been hired by an EPU or assigned to a BG team that guarantees fairly consistent work worldwide. Here’s where you get down to business, you’ve got work to do and a lot to learn. Sure you are technically proficient and a competent professional, but now you have to learn how to do the job the team’s way and know how to play for the team.  The plan of attack is simple:

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By Doc Rogers

At some point in your executive protection career, you will need to navigate the minefields of the profession. This may come in the form of being given an assignment that looks as if it was setup to make you fail. In the EP business failure is not an option and can ruin a career and place clients at extreme risks.

But nevertheless, being setup to fail is a common occurrence. Why it happens is anyone’s guess; could be a strategic planning error, someone on the client’s team goofed-up on the scheduling or budget for the EP project. Now the EP assignment is given to you and you are responsible for making it happen without complications or delay. Never let an obstacle placed in your path rob you of EP success, this is when you develop character.

1.    First thing to do is make someone with influence on client’s team aware of the glaring problem within the schedule, timing or budget, etc. Don’t expect any assistance from this individual but make sure that you point out the problem and let him know you are working on it.

2.    Next, map out a plan of action on how to overcome the predicament. This should be accomplished with the assistance of the other players on your EP team. Explain the situation in black and white and don’t place blame on anyone for the particular problem.

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