The modern day ‘body guard’ is a highly trained individual that possesses a unique set of qualities, an individual that is highly motivated and disciplined, that has a sharp mind and a determined attitude that can work efficiently within a team and be capable of stringent planning and preparations for every eventuality that the team and client could encounter.
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The domain of the close protection team spans out into a vast area of expertise and each and everyone is as detailed and highly professional, but we shall be looking into the detailed planning and evaluation that it would possibly take to protect a client who is expected to arrive at a busy venue, obviously for this example we are going to assume this client is a high profile and has a moderate to high threat level.
The Close Protection Team
The close protection team are profiled and selected at the company level and each man or woman is categorised by there key skills and attributes that they can offer to the client and team, each and everyone has undertook a vigorous selection course and has a wealth of experience in their fields.
(SD) Security Driver; A specialist in there own right, the driver is a fully qualified member of the team, with a wealth of experience in car control and handling, an expert in manoeuvring and evasion.
(BG) Body Guard; is a highly trained and very capable individual that has extensive training in close protection, they have undertaken a vigorous and intense selection and have continued there training within the company role. They are fully trained to cope with all possible situations that could potentially arise and that can be anything from a personal attack on the client to mass crowed control, to searches and sweeps of all areas the client maybe using.
(Sp) Spotter; is another fully qualified member of the close protection team, usually undercover and placed in a forward position prior to client and team arriving, there role is to blend in and evaluate all possible threats, they act as eyes and ears for the team, signalling if needed to alert the team to go to a plan B scenario.
Image.1
See all 5 photos Image.1 Description
As shown in this image we can identify each member of the team, there positioning and there arcs of view, each man/woman is highly trained and disciplined and knows there roles perfectly.
Professional synchronicity is key and through extensive training each member has a high level of trust of each member, so they can fully concentrate on there own fields of observation which in turn makes them 100% aware of there surroundings and all possible threats are evaluated to the maximum degree.
The Spotters (Sp) are positioned within the crowd or group of paparazzi and are stealthily blended in as just a normal unsuspecting other, there job is to be in position prior to the team arriving with the client and evaluate all members in that position and surrounding area, they are the eyes and ears of the team and keep in constant low key communications with the main team of the vehicle.
If they suspect anything they can alert all members to what’s happening on the ground, of suspicions with descriptions or they can call and abort and allow the team in vehicle to strategically implement a plan B.
Image.2
Image.2 Description
After communications are complete with the spotters (Sp) and the situation is seen as safe then the vehicle is given the green light to pull up near the venue, at this moment all members are working there arcs or fields of observation and are constantly in communication with each other via there concealed radio sets.
In this image the first (BG) body guard seated in the front passenger seat is the first to dismount and take to his position, his presence makes it known to the venue security team that they are about to move into position and bring the client in.
His position and stance indicates to all the intention of the close security team, his appearance and body language sends a signal to any would be trouble maker and it is here that the body guard sets the precedence and image of the team.
Tactically his position is no accident being the first out he guards the security weak point closes to him near the edge of the crowd control barrier. If anything was to arise at this point the client is totally covered to his flanks by the other two body guards and if need be the driver can accelerate away, the member if left behind will be helped by the venue security team and extracted by a follow up team, always top priority is the client.
Image.3
Image.3 Description
As seen in the image above the next move will be for the body Guard (BG) positioned right of the client to exit the vehicle, as he dismounts he scans all areas of his seated field of view, looking up at buildings, across the street, even the ground in front of him.
He is always analysing everything he sees for any potential threat, suspicious looking people, packages, strange objects seen in windows, he is trained to observe the presence of the abnormal from the normal.
He makes his way around the rear of the vehicle scanning as he goes and moves into his main position, mirroring his colleagueto his right. Tactically he covers the next security weak point next to the crowd control barriers and implements a dualistic and symmetrical boundary of a security presence.
Image.4
Image.4 Description
The next sequence of events is for the body guard (BG) left of the client to implement his final execution and exit the vehicle and open the door for the client and prepare to move into an all round defending position around the client.
The final guard to dismount will tactically place himself when opening the door so he faces the rear of the vehicle, this means he can observe the blind side of the team as there fields of views have altered so to keep a constant 360 degree area of observation.
Once the client has moved into his centre position within his protectors the final position of the last body guard is cover his rear and completing again a 360 degree area of observation, once positioned he signals to the rest of the team to move on.
Image.5 Description
Finally the team completes a full dismount of the vehicle and has implemented a secure all round defending position around the client. They being professional and disciplined at all times and by team work have implemented a complete 360 degree area of protection for the client at all times, even when moving into position they have never allowed for any error or misjudgement In there tactical evaluation plan and perfect execution of a 100% security cordon around there client.
Lastly the driver can move to a pre-organised position near by to wait for the team and client and to be always on stand by and ready to move in, if ever the need of the team and client urgently calls for it.
Final Summery
It is credit to the highly trained professionals of the Close Protection Teams otherwise known as the Body Guards, for they have trained for every eventuality or possibility of it and have to the highest degree shown by example there determination and success of tactics, that can only be credited to the special type of character it takes to be one of them.
