In our previous article what is a close protection officer, we addressed exactly what a close protection officer is. Here we will help you better understand how a close protection task in the UK works.
What is it a close protection service?
Close protection is a team service comprising a number of key roles which include but are not limited to:
· Team Leader (TL) - in overall control of the task
· Personal protection officer (PPO) - responsible for care of the principal or client usually close to them
· Close protection officer (CPO) – provides additional protection when in a vehicle, static or on foot
· Security advance party (SAP) – individual or team responsible for checks of venues prior to arrival and greeting and leading the team in to the venue
· Drivers - ideally security chauffeur or bodyguard drivers with advanced driving skills
· Medic – Dedicated medical professional may or may not be CP trained depending on the team size.
How large is a close protection team?
The size of a team will depend on a number of key factors:
· Your personal risks and threats including your profile
· Your requirements, itinerary and movements
· Budget
Threat and risks
As a general rule, the greater the level of risk and threat you face, the larger the team you will require. There may be exceptions to this and teams may be scaled down through the use of unconventional protection techniques or through client and provider risk appetite being greater.
Larger team sizes ensure fewer security compromises have to be made and that there will be a strong predictable response to an incident.
For low risk, security aware/proactive services it is not uncommon for a single close protection officer of bodyguard to be employed.
Your requirements, itinerary and movements
If you have complex and demanding schedules with many venues to visit or large numbers of people to be protected then again the team size is likely to be increased.
There may be a number of SAP individuals or teams checking venues, multiple vehicles and drivers for key persons and multiple protection officers for foot escorts.
Budget
Your budget will ultimately determine either what service level you receive or who can deliver your service within your budget.
Care should be taken with using tight budgets as this can result in varying levels of service provider, service quality and protection officer ability.
You may ultimately pay for a service you don’t receive.
5 key considerations in choosing a close protection or bodyguard service
1. Plan your service in good time
Where possible, plan or book your service in good time. Failure to do this can often result in compromises and the introduction of risks. The foundation of an effective service is planning and preparation and this is often lost on a short-notice protection task.
Many close protection officers or bodyguards are self-employed, the good ones are busy. Creating teams or appointing individuals at short notice is challenging and does not guarantee you receive the team or individuals you deserve.
2. Choose a reputable company
You don’t want to risk having unlicensed, untrained individuals representing you and exposing your information to these individuals.
There are many highly reputable UK close protection providers. They will have accreditations such as ISO9001, be SIA approved contractors or subscribe to other quality, service and management accreditations. Check these out and check the business, how long has it been trading, is it solvent.
3. Obtain protection officer or team credentials, meet the TL or team
You should know who will be delivering your service and ideally have met them or spoken to them remotely before you meet them.
By obtaining profiles, you can check that the team members are the calibre you are paying for and get to know more about them before you meet them.
4. Get a brief of the plan
Time allowing, you should understand what the overarching plan is and how your service will be delivered, this may be done by the provider or the TL directly.
This plan will likely change through unforeseen complexity and circumstance but it helps to understand how you service works and ensures you clarify that your team has put a plan in place for your safety.
5. Service Agreement
An extension of above, you should be provide with a service agreement. This will ensure you know exactly what you are going to receive and how much it is going to cost you. Pay attention to additional costs and time overrun fees.
To find more about how close protection works or to make an enquiry get in touch with one of our experts today.
