• To create & maintain a sterile zone around the Principal/s
• To ensure no loss or damage occurs to Principal’s property
• To project the desired image required by the Principal/s

There are several “stereo-typical” characteristics of a bodyguard that the uneducated would expect to see as it may have been drilled into them through dramatization and Hollywood films.

Even today some people still think that all bodyguards wear suits and sunglasses 24/7 when they are working whether they are on a beach or in the Arctic Circle!  This obviously is not the case and is most certainly not practical.

There are lots of different types of bodyguard that can be employed in a multitude of different ways; some have their employment dictated to them through their physical size and appearance.

A perfect example of this would be the six foot five muscle bound or possibly a large overweight bodyguard whom has a huge presence, who stands out and is noticed by all around.  There are situations when this kind of overt presence is preferable and times when the more discreet bodyguard who can blend in is preferred.  Either way there is a place for both types of bodyguard and it is entirely dependent on whom the Principal is and the kind of image that they wish to project.  The bigger bodyguard may not be suitable looking after a Principal whom wishes to go running for an hour every morning, if this is the case with your Principal then you need to be physically fit enough to be able to do this and not someone who will start lagging behind and unable to react should something occur en-route.

A bodyguard should have good situational awareness, a sharp eye and be constantly scanning his surroundings. It is this quality that may identify and stop a would-be attacker or assassin before an assault begins.  It is far better to be pro-active than reactive.  Threat avoidance is the key and if you can “nip a problem in the bud” or spot a situation before it happens then you are doing your job correctly!

The last thing your Principal wants to see is his/her bodyguard rolling around on the floor with a “would be attacker”, this could potentially cause huge embarrassment to your Principal especially in a day an age when every one has camera phones and when there is paparazzi around every corner waiting for that “dream shot”.   This coupled with the fact that if you are rolling around on the floor you are also lowering the protection afforded to your Principal as you are otherwise engaged.  Who is looking after your principal now?

This is of course is just one scenario and you may well have a team of guys/girls so one deals with the threat whilst another team member extracts the Principal from danger but there are many times when you may be working one-to-one with a Principal so your senses need to be more finely tuned which will then help you to spot things before they happen.  This ability to think on your feet, show initiative and be able to make good decisions quickly in potentially dangerous situations is a fundamental quality of the modern bodyguard.

Self-confidence is another essential quality of a bodyguard; if you are not confident in your own ability then neither will your Principal be in your care.  The way you carry and project yourself when entering a room with your Principal should put them at ease.  A bodyguard whom looks like he is confident in his own ability is a great deterrent to any “would be attacker”, this alone may ward the attacker off enough to make them think twice and go look for an easier target.

You will find that as a bodyguard you will spend lots of time in the public eye whether that be standing alongside celebrities, high worth businessmen or be it in the political arena.  With this being the case you must be comfortable, know how to act and adapt to the many different situations that may be presented to you and how best to represent your client in a professional manner.  Good communication skills are key, as you will be expected to speak to and deal with people at all levels of the social spectrum.

A good professional attitude is a must, not everything goes your way all of the time so you need to remain flexible, people of wealth and fame have a huge entourage that surround them, many whom are there for their own interests and will see you as a threat so you need to learn to be diplomatic when the time calls for it.

There are times when you may be exposed to things which your Principal may not want to get out into the public eye, this could be an array of different things from business deals, medical problems, drinking habits, partners that their husband/wife doesn’t know about etc, etc.  You are paid to be discrete and must exercise this discretion.  If your Principal is dabbling in things that you are not happy with then walk away as there will always be another job!

There are no hard and fast rules about what the best characteristics of a bodyguard are, however these are just a few of the qualities that are usually important to most people that employ professional bodyguards – common sense, a good professional attitude, self confidence, immaculate appearance, punctuality, intelligence, communication skills, physical fitness and a strong presence.

Of course not everyone has all of these qualities as nobody is perfect but to be successful within the CP sector you should look to improve on all of the above.

Shaun West
www.shaunwest.co.uk

Some things good, some things bad (RIP Steven Enright) but I guess that’s why everyone who works within the industry does so. There are so many highs and lows and it keeps you feeling young, fit, and it gives you a constant sense of adventure.

Many thought they had lost that sense of adventure and camaraderie when they left the forces and decided to join the Close Protection industry to try and get it back.  Some have found it, but on the flip side there are those that have left well paid civilian jobs in the hope of making it within the industry and have found themselves fighting and scratching around to make a living.

Before entering the Close Protection industry you should look at it as anyone should look at any business opportunity or career path by carrying out some market research. You can make a fantastic living whilst working within the industry but it is like “buying a house” –  there are times when it is good to buy and times when it is better to wait it out.

Many businesses are struggling in the current economic climate, and unemployment is at an all time high – this is extremely well documented and it is no different in the protection industry.

To combat this we find ourselves having to become more competitive in order to stay ahead of the game.  Your career as a close protection operator needs to be treated as a business in its own right, not just as a regular job, because 90 percent of the time the work you will be carrying out is on a self employed basis, unless you are lucky enough to find yourself in meaningful employment within the role.

You have to have the ability to go out and be able to make things happen as work seldom comes to you in this game, unless you are extremely well established and have a large network of contacts, which is only built up through actually serving time within the industry and will not happen overnight.

Whilst being self employed and new to the industry, unless you are extremely lucky, the work that comes to you will be slow and infrequent so you also need to have a back up plan and something else to keep bringing in the pennies whilst you are waiting for your profile as an operator to become more established.

In the end I firmly believe that if you want something bad enough you will succeed, unless you are completely unsuited to the industry. In this case, the training provider with whom you carried out your training should have given some advice or told you from their experience, that maybe it wasn’t the industry for you.  This is not being a cop out, it is just good honest advice and will save some people from wasting more hard earned money when they could be investing it in themselves or their families in other areas – just think if you were told two years ago it may have saved lots of heartache for both the individual concerned and their family, as these days jobs are extremely hard to come by.

Determination is the name of the game, to keep going when the knock backs come. Everybody has knock backs at some point in their lives whether that is in work or be it in your personal lives. Life has a habit of throwing a curveball at you when it is least expected, it’s how you deal with it that matters. By becoming depressed with constant knock backs and burying your head in the sand will get you nowhere, dust yourself off and make a new plan of action and refocus the energy and keenness that you had previously, and if that means moving forward in a different unexpected direction, then that might be the right move for you.

Success in the industry can be judged in a number of ways and each person’s yardstick for success will be different on whether they judge their career to be a success or not.  I have done some fantastic jobs earning fantastic money, I have travelled the world and seen some fantastic places, but I have also paid a lot by following the work and pursuing my career. You get to see less and less of your friends and family as you are constantly, constantly, at the beck and call of others and you have to follow wherever the work may take you.

Do I consider myself successful? Yes I am very contented at how my career has turned out thus far and that I continue to get decent roles, but at the same time I have friends/colleagues who do asset protection or other jobs for that matter, who may earn less money and may seem less glamorous roles but they have the benefit of being home on an evening with their family and seem happy in their work, so to me they are also a success. I think as long as you are working and are generally happy in your role, and you have enough money coming in to support yourself and your family, then you have to consider that successful – the grass is always greener when you look at the other side and the jobs that other people are doing, but one thing that you have to remember is that there is no such thing as the perfect job!

So my advice for newcomers into the industry is to work hard, keep learning, remain humble and focused, show respect to those around you and you will eventually be noticed and start making your way within the industry – of course there is also an element of luck needed, but by sticking to these principles is a very good start, and as I’ve found you can make your own luck in this life by putting yourself out there…… you have to be in it to win it!

Shaun West
www.shaunwest.co.uk

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Interested in the world of bodyguards and private investigators? Want to keep abreast of all the latest developments in the security industry? The Circuit magazine is packed with inspiring articles written by industry insiders who share their experiences of working ‘the circuit.’

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Agent Name: Shaun West

Home city: Newcastle, UK

Area of Specialty: Close Protection

Website:     www.shaunwest.co.uk

How did you get into the close protection industry?

I am a former member of the Parachute Regiment, I loved my time in the forces and met some really great people and had some great life experiences but it came to the point where I had to make the choice if I wanted to stay in the Forces and commit to the full term or to move into another direction.  The Close Protection industry was just starting to pickup and I saw the opportunity for another exciting and rewarding career.

While we have an international readership, I know a great number are from the United States.  What do you feel are the differences in working protection in the US versus the UK?

The principles of providing protection remain the same no matter where you are in the world but the way in which the service is delivered has to be different when working across different environments due to the level of threat faced.

One obvious difference in how our roles are carried out between the UK and US is the ability to carry firearms within the US where it is not possible in the UK.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is pretty polarizing to UK Operators.  Do you have an opinion on the organization?

I think regulating the UK Security Industry was a fantastic idea by the government but I think the initial implementation was pretty poor.  The teething problems that come with the launching of an organization such as the Security Industry Authority was inevitable but I certainly think that over time things have certainly improved but we now have the uncertainty of what is going to happen with the SIA after recent government announcements reference change.

Hopefully there are only positive days ahead for the UK Security Industry.

I know you have spent a lot of time working in Underdeveloped countries.  Assuming the risks are higher there, what do you attribute to your success as an Operator?

I feel privileged to have gained experience in many different countries from working in underdeveloped and higher risk regions to some of the most fantastic sort after locations in the world.  My success as an operator has been achieved by not being afraid of hard work and continually striving to better myself at all times.  Personal development is also very important and something you must continue to pursue if you are looking for a long-term and successful career within the security industry.

What do you think is one of the biggest misconceptions of the industry?

Looking from a UK perspective there is definitely a misconception about the amount of work that is available out there and I think at the ground level a lot of guys/girls are mis-sold when trying to break into the CP sector.  The UK is currently saturated with operators and the pool of guys/girls on the ground is only getting bigger which means the opportunity’s are less.  Many find it disappointing when they complete their course and can’t find employment, this is extremely disheartening for the new guys entering the industry.  However in today’s world opportunities will always arise within the industry you just have to be bold enough to go and grab them when they arise.

To those coming up after you in the industry, what advice would you give?

Remain humble, work hard, learn from every task you carry out by analyzing how you could do better next time and finally Network, Network, Network!

Source – http://bodyguardblog.com

This application has been created by the British Bodyguard Association to assist those wishing to work within the Security Industry prior to taking the industry related tests required prior to licensing and for those wishing to brush up their security knowledge.

Security Q&A is there so you can practice and prepare for these tests wherever you are.

The user interface is simple and intuitive and keeps track of your progress.

Link for the app –

Hi Guys

For your info The BBA, have now booked a stand at the Counter  Terror  Expo 2011.

It is a fantastic event which thousands of people visited last year, it is a great place to network as there is huge percentage of the UK Security Industry in attendance so its  well worth the effort of turning up.

The BBA is looking to have a completely new website and message board by then with some other interesting updates to be announced in the near future so the event will be a great place for them to showcase their products and the services that they offer.

The event is free to attend but the conferences do cost money, however the BBA have managed to secure a 20% discount to all BBA members off the full conference price so this will allow anyone wishing to visit any of the conferences will be able to do so at and excellent price.

Just click this link to take a look at the Counter Terror Expo 2011 and feel free to tip up to our stand to say hello……..mines tea, milk, no sugar ; )

Upon leaving the airport and arriving into the city you seem to get the impression that the driver does not know where he is going, he looks to you for support, you don’t know either as you thought the driver “just would have known”. You start to get a sinking feeling, do you keep on driving in the general direction or do you pull over and ask for directions?

It should be neither of the above if you had carried out an advance prior to the tasking! Remember first impressions count and if your principals first impression of you is “being a rabbit caught in the headlights” then your chances of follow on work and any recommendations are not good.

The Advance is one of the most important roles to be carried out within a Close Protection Team, although all to often it will be overlooked due to the extra costs that can be incurred. Carrying out an advance prior to any tasking starting ensures you know where you are going, what you are doing and ensures that you are as prepped as you can be for your Principal’s arrival.

A good advance will make the job of the incoming team a lot easier and will most certainly gain you and/or the team extra brownie points with the Principal. If a good advance has been carried out everything “should” run smoothly and as painlessly as possible with the Principal feeling safe and comfortable at all times in your care. The smoother the tasking goes the more the chances are you will be used for follow on work.

Not all Close Protection assignments have a budget to enable you to carry out an advance but wherever possible you should endeavor to carry one out even if it is off your own back and done the day or night before the arrival. It is a mark of professionalism that you go out of your way to make things run smoothly for your Principal; time spent carrying out an advance is seldom wasted.

No matter what the time and how tired you are and how little sleep you will get before being back on task, i am a firm believer in getting out there and running the route, checking lay-up points, confirming ways in/out…..whatever it may be so that the job runs as smoothly as possible!

Turning up and trying to run the job off the cuff is not the mark of a professional and tasks should never be run in this manner. The Principal is paying good money for a professional service and in return he or she should receive the very best and then some. Looking at it from another angle, imagine that your child goes to a private school; you would expect the teacher to prep their lessons and the correct syllabus to be taught. It is no different to our role as a CPO we should always be correctly prepared for our tasks and strive to deliver the best service possible.

Areas to consider prior to and during the advance whether it is for the incoming team or just for your own knowledge and peace of mind before the tasking are -

• How many principals will there be?
• How many big is the team?
• What transportation is required?
• Has a driver been provided? Will he be a CPO or a professional driver? Does he have local knowledge?
• Is any extra accommodation needed?
• Points of contact – residence, drivers, hotel, security etc
• Principal’s itinerary (Dissect and check for any possible conflicts of timings)
• Reconfirm all relevant bookings and reservations
• Local hospitals to venues and accommodation to be used during the stay. where are they?
• Where is the closest place for car valet and servicing?
• Any special requests or requirements of the principal? (Could include anything from medical needs to favorite foods)
• Who do you know in the area? (Who speaks the language?)
• Research as to whether there are any potential problems expected at the time of the visit (Planned demonstrations etc)
• What has the weather been like and what is it expected to be like during the visit?
• Are there any specific entry Visa’s or vaccinations required?
• If carrying weapons are there any permits required and who can grant them?
• Contact numbers for the principals countries embassy
• Are there any local taboos for the place you are visiting which the principal needs to be aware of?
• Are there any previous advance files or reports available from previous visits? If so, how old are they and who did them? Could you get in touch with them?
• Emergency bio on the principal with emergency doctors number
• Route surveys to be carried out, endeavor to carry them out at the same time that you expect to travel with your Principal listing roads to be traveled, their types and condition, traffic flow expected, any potential choke points, approximate travel times from one location to the next.

By carrying out a good advance and passing on the data that you have collected to the other members of the team they will immediately feel reassured that the task in hand will be as smooth as it can be. It will be a relief to have someone already on the ground to receive you at the other end. Alternatively if you are the only guy on the task, the info you have just gained should provide you with added peace of mind and confidence whilst working on this particular tasking.

There are many tools we can use these days to help us when operating as a CPO and one of my favorites is the smart phone, devices such as Apples iPhone are wonderful devices! As an example of the uses of such a device, you can place pin drops on all of the locations you are expected to visit, you can send them to other members of your team and even view where the other team members are if using a service such as Google latitude, this can only aide command and control.

Smart phones are also helpful to gain other information while on task. Information that your principal may ask for but that you do not know – no-one can know everything! Phone numbers or directions to particular restaurants, hotels, places of interest or any other locations that the Principal may wish to visit. As useful as these smart phones are, heavy usage whilst on task will significantly drain the battery life so always remember to carry with you a car charger, spare battery and always a back up phone!

If time and budget allows it may be beneficial to visit some particular sites more than once as you may notice something that you missed on the first visit. Regardless of your skill set, fitness levels, intelligence, good people skills are a must and you will find if the people that you meet are spoken to in the correct manner they will have no problem with any future visits you may require. It may also be worth thinking about where the location is and to whether there will be any benefit to be gained by mentioning your Principals name? This is totally client dependent and a judgment would haven to be called on the day as to whether by mentioning the name it is going to raise the threat or is there more to be gained from mentioning the name, if the benefits outweigh the negatives then why not?

When visiting a site more than once you should try and visit it at different times but always ensure that you visit at a similar time to what you would be expecting your principal to arrive so you get a feel for the atmospherics of the place but that is why you advance a site more than once.

If you are working as the advance party as part of a team you should have the authority to prevent the Principal’s arrival via a phone call to the Team Leader or PPO if you deem the site unsafe.

Of course you may not get the chance to carry out a full and thorough advance of all locations, as there will always be the inevitable fastball moves, which are a “given” in our line of work.

When fastballs happen and you are part of a team try and get one of your guys down there to give you a heads up on traffic, crowds, queuing, the mood of the place, weather conditions and to make sure the site particularly the drop of point and route to the venue is safe and secure for the principals arrival. If you are alone on the tasking working one on one with a principal when a fastball comes up take a look in your map book or at your smart phone to gain as much info on the area as possible, look up your route and alternate routes should there be any traffic build up. Any data gained is better than none at all!

This article was written by Shaun West from the British Bodyguard Association.
To find out more about Shaun visit his personal website www.shaunwest.co.uk or that of The BBA www.the-bba.org.uk

My former unit is off to Afghanistan again this week i would like to wish them all a safe trip!

Best of luck boys!

Once upon a time the rich and famous were the only people seen to have bodyguards. For people whom spend their life in the public eye, the need to hire a Security Professional has never been more prevalent. Modern times are seeing more and more people becoming security aware and statistics show that people now tend to feel a little more vulnerable.

The Close Protection industry in recent years has seen a complete transformation since legislation, which has been brought in by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in the UK. The government formed the organisation and gave them the responsibility to regulate the private Security Industry.

Regulation brings with it lots of benefits, people whom now serve within the security industry are subject to vigorous vetting and are trained to a much higher standard than they once were. This has helped improve the image of the industry from where it was 10-15 years ago into the respected and professional industry it now is.

Recent times have seen a significant growth within the industry as more and more people are continuing to take greater steps to protect themselves, their image and their property. In many cases this has been a result of the numerous well-profiled reports of burglaries carried out at the homes of celebrities and sporting superstars.

The spate of burglaries at the homes of numerous high profile football stars whilst they are away on duty with their club or country has repeatedly hit the headlines and has certainly highlighted the growing need for at the very least a discrete security presence.

Footballers have been seen as easy targets for the determined and professional thief who has access to all clubs fixtures, as they are easily obtainable within the public domain. This is an open invitation inviting those of dubious character to come and take a look to see what can be had.

A professional thief will spend weeks, sometimes months watching these properties. They will use this time to establish if there is an actual security presence or not and if there are any patterns set by the security or the homeowners. If no security presence is found the thief will consider this home an easy target and will then make plans to enter the property.

It is regularly reported in the national newspapers the salaries earned by footballers and the rich and famous alike, to some this is just too much temptation, especially in the current climate where unemployment is high and the future uncertain. Another way in which criminals may target the rich and famous is by watching something as simple as MTV’s Cribs! You get taken around the house [so you know the layout], you also get to see the contents of many of the rooms and what sort of vehicles are available at the residence.

Ask yourself the following question; “Do you really need to show off your home on TV for millions to see?”

Remember it is not just your property that is in danger by allowing easy access to these individuals; you are also placing your family at risk. One high profile footballer had his family held at knifepoint while his home was fleeced of goods including a BMW car and high net worth jewellery.

It is not only individual’s security that should be looked at but also the clubs and sporting bodies should take responsibility for the safety and security of their athletes. The recent terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March this year showed numerous security lapses in spectacular fashion.

Seven athletes were injured in this event as well as six police officers and two by standers killed, this should have opened the eyes of many to the heightened security threats faced by sporting superstars when traveling around the world.

Chris Broad a British umpire complained that promises for heightened protection were not honored.

“We were promised that we would get presidential-style security,” he explained after returning to Britain. “In that hour of need,” he said, “our security vanished.”

“OUR SECURITY VANISHED”

This spectacularly highlights the need for professionally trained Close Protection Operatives to travel with sporting stars. I am in no way stating that if professional CP Operators were traveling with the team that this incident would not have happened, however by having trained close protection specialists traveling and by having a threat assessment carried out by professionals it would have significantly reduced the threat of attack as protective security measures would have been put in place.

This event should have a significant impact on future sporting events; as the implications are huge. There are many large events such as the World Cup and Olympic games just around the corner. These events would act as the perfect vehicle for terrorists to attract the media attention they so crave. Terrorists are well known for seeking out the “spectacular” as has been proven throughout history, so we should not kid ourselves that this will not happen again.

In life you generally get what you pay for so when considering what security measures to employ, always use a reputable company or individual. By having a discrete security presence you can make all the difference and make the thieves look elsewhere for an easy target. Imagine the embarrassment and damage caused to your career and reputation should any of those home movies get out?

Remember, “Prevention is always better than the cure!”

This article was written by Shaun West from the British Bodyguard Association.
To find out more about Shaun visit his personal website www.shaunwest.co.uk or that of The BBA www.the-bba.org.uk

I have always played with created my own websites myself but never seemed to get it quite right so thought its about time to take the plunge and get a professional to do it for me so I contacted Keith Devon (www.keithdevon.com).

I’m really pleased with the result and could not recommend him highly enough please feel free to drop me a line for a recommendation of him or alternatively visit his website, you won’t be disappointed!

• what you are specialising in?
• do you have a budget?
• have you had any personal recommendations?
• what are you trying to achieve by joining an Association?

For those interested in the Private Investigations side of life we wholeheartedly endorse the Association of British Investigators. This Association is approaching its centenary which says a lot about any organisation. The ABI is not a free to join Association but it is one that is full of professional people who strive to represent the Association to the best of their ability. The ABI has the ‘one list’ where members can correspond with each other, asking questions, debating topics and asking for help with various jobs. Job postings go up ion a daily basis and are spread across the various roles of the Private Investigator. To join the ABI you have to undergo an interview and sit an entrance exam but do not be put off by this if you are new to the game, speak with them and they will advise you accordingly.

Ideally try to spread yourself locally, nationally and internationally when selecting your Associations. So, an example of local could be your local Chambers of Commerce, Nationally could be something like the ABI and internationally an organisation such as ASIS could be the way to go. ASIS has over 37 000 members and their website is well worth taking a look at. ASIS is another paid for membership but having a subscription does have certain benefits over the free ‘forums’ that seem to have proliferated over the last few years, the main one being professionalism. When you pay for something you are generally representing yourself or a company and have your reputation to uphold, as a free member under a ’screen name’ you can say what you want and have no fear of any loss of face/reputation at all. There is nothing professional about this at all and it will do you no good so steer away!

One area that is free that has some very high level discussions going on is LinkedIn and this is well worth checking out as it can be a great way to connect with those in your sector or those in sectors in which you have an interest in pursuing new contacts. LinkedIn has some seriously high level discussions going on so make sure that you represent yourself to the very best of your ability or you could end up looking really bad in front of those that you are trying to impress the most.

Argus Europe is a corporate member of The British Bodyguard Association , an Association that Nick McCarthy, one of our instructors and operators, is heavily involved with. The BBA is a not for profit organisation that has various membership scales starting at £40 for individual members, that works out at around 77p per week. For this you get 1 years membership, a membership pack including a members lapel pin, certificate of membership, the latest issue of The Circuit Magazine along with some promotional material from various sponsors. You also get a yearly subscription to the magazine which is published quarterly. The BBA has a members only online area where the etiquette is excellent. There is also a employment section to which members can subscribe and receive e-mail alerts when a new position is posted. We believe that this excellent value and something that is aiming to improve professionalism within the industry across the board.

So then, above are some places to take a look at as you begin your search for the Association of your choice. If you have a budget then stick to it and if you cab get recommendations from others then make use of them but be aware that just because Association ‘a’ was not recommended by one person it does not mean that it will not work for you! What do you want out of it? Work, networking or information gathering? Make sure that you know before you take the plunge but take the plunge you must.

Good luck!