Every time a close protection security client is killed, attacked or embarrassed the problems can usually be traced back to the close protection security threat assessment. Drill down even further and the faults generally lie in the bodyguard close protection threat assessment research.
This article will focus on old school threat assessment research skills which still prove to be an effective back up to modern Internet research.
The basics of any close protection service operation whether it is low, medium, high or extremely high risk are built on a platform of bodyguard close protection threat assessment research. Every close protection contract should begin with bodyguard close protection threat assessment research, even a low budget close protection contract. In order to compile a close protection threat assessment you have to be taught the fundamentals of research. Don’t switch off because it’s no where near as daunting as you may think, in fact it can be a very rewarding pastime.
bodyguard close protection threat assessment research can be fun, it can be easy and most of all it can be informative. There are many forms of research, at this stage of play I am not going to send you off to an intelligence or security research laboratory for bodyguards; I am just going to give you the basic bodyguard close protection threat assessment research methods that can be undertaken with ease. As soon as realistically possible I want you to go down to your local office stationary supplier and purchase the following, 2 large lever arch type files minimum of 50 mm thick, 4 cheap A- 4 size writing pads with the pre punched holes, 1 x highlighter marker pen and 1 box of 100 plastic clear multi punched A- 4 pockets, total cost approx. £ 10.
I want you to start from this moment forward compiling your own bodyguard close protection threat assessment research journal. It goes something like this, every time you read a newspaper or magazine and you come across anything that is remotely related to the bodyguard, security or close protection industry cut it out carefully, try and keep the title of the newspaper and the date of publication and the name of the journalist, if that’s not possible just write it on yourself. Allocate a number of different plastic pockets for different topics; put your bodyguard, security or close protection press cuttings in the designated file pocket.
i.e. An article relating to a famous singers problems with Press reporters would go in your plastic pocket marked Celebrities close protection. The cutting of a member of the Royal family who has been harassed by photographers would go in your Royalty close protection file. A press release of a senior judge who had been exposed for diving off a rent boys bedroom wardrobe in his Batman suit would go in your Judiciary close protection file. A Mafia leader and his Bodyguards who had been executed in Moscow would go in your Mafia close protection file. The list is endless make your own decision on what your files will be and how many you will need.
Dr. Mark D. Yates The British American Security Expert TIP: Keep a spare security file listed under miscellaneous security, anything that you feel may be useful in the future, but are uncertain which category it should go in, can be filed in this one.
At this stage you only need to put them in your designated file nothing else. Once a month try and allocate a few hours of your down time, (if you are anything like me that’s usually between the hours of 3 am and 5 am) start formatting your security, bodyguard and close protection cuttings into some form of close protection system. I am not going to tell you how to do it because my close protection security system although it works for me, may not work for you. Find your own system because ultimately that is the security system that will work for you. Liken it to keeping a diary.
In relation to bodyguard close protection threat assessment research, even though you may already be a highly skilled bodyguard or close protection officer I am going to stick with basics at this stage my reasons for this are twofold.
1. Because I have met very few bodyguards or close protection officers who know how to research properly. (With the exception of former intelligence agency staff.) This is not meant to sound derogatory, it is just a fact. Two of the main reasons for this, are they don’t know how to conduct close protection research, and they are too busy earning a living, working for a close protection company where somebody else conducts the bodyguard close protection threat assessment research for them.
2. Basics are our foundations. Every thing else in the close protection security industry is just a branch out from these foundations.
Next step is to take a trip to your local library to speak to the supervising librarian and ask about what books or other information they have on your designated subjects.
Dr. Mark D. Yates The British American Security Expert TIP: Take notes and take some loose change. Find out which section of the library the particular books are in, and start reading through them. When you identify key points of interest then jot the page numbers down in your writing pad, photo copy the pages when you have finished, hence the requirement for the loose change. Once you have identified specific key times and dates ask the librarian to show you how to access the newspaper archive files, they are usually on microfilm or on a computer. Once again take notes of times, dates, who, where, when, how, why, what was the outcome and who wrote the article.
Next step: let me give you an example, which I would like you to try because it’s a good way of dipping your toe in the water. To find out how easy this subject is, go back to the librarian and ask for someone to show you, how to access the computer research archives. Most main libraries have a computer section and most computer software companies have a wide variety of archive footage. Take the subject of famous Assassinations, choose 5 of the most famous assassinations you can think of, and start researching. If it’s a small rural library ask the librarian if the computer is hooked up to Internet, if is you will be amazed at the research information you will access. Larger libraries all have modern internet access.
Next step; once you have gathered all your information you then have to decide which of it is point relevant to your assignment. Take it all home and start compiling your jigsaw. Professional close protection officers understand that your bodyguard close protection threat assessment research enables you to complete your close protection Jigsaw.
Dr. Mark D. Yates The British American Security Expert TIP: Do not throw anything away no matter how irrelevant it may seem, as it may come in useful for future security close protection operations. Once you really get into this subject you will understand that frequently as you are researching one security or close protection subject you come across information pertinent to another file. Write up all your relevant security case notes and if you can’t type or type like a hippopotamus take them to a typist to type out for you, ask for it to be typed double spaced. Most typists charge approx. £ 1.50 per page for this service.
Dr. Mark D. Yates The British American Security Expert TIP: It is worth identifying a security cleared typist who is willing to type your future close protection work. It is worth noting that most of the close protection specialists I have worked with arounfd the globe can’t type to save their lives. Although this is changing due to new and advance technology like speech recognition typing etc.
You now have the basics of bodyguard close protection threat assessment research, hopefully you will try the experiment that I described above, if you do, very soon you will be in possession of your first very own bodyguard close protection threat assessment research document. I can visualise you, document finished, suitably stamped with a red Confidential mark all over it, drinking your coffee feeling quite proud of your achievement, and rightly so and then all of a sudden the penny drops and you think, “what was the point of the exercise.” The answer is simple, the point of the exercise is to learn how to earn a living from one of the most secretive, untapped and lucrative areas of the executive VIP close protection industry, namely compiling bodyguard close protection threat assessment research for fee paying clients.
If you have none confidential security, bodyguard or close protection operation case file studies and would like them featured or if you are an aspiring bodyguard or close protection writer who would like to see their articles featured on this professional close protection web site then contact us for more information.