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Executive Protection Training: Day Five: Daily Operations
Tying it all together
A Look Back
On day one we among other things discussed training and physical fitness for the agent, and we stressed how the training and experience requirements to serve on a detail may change based on the threat assessment an agent will be expected to mitigate. A new agent we pointed out with little experience may not be prepared for a high-threat detail where the threat may be well-organized, well-trained, well-armed, and financed.
On day two we covered the threat assessment process, physical and personal security audits, and threat mitigation planning. We revisited the training and physical fitness of the agent and covered mitigation methods, procedures, intelligence requirements, and how each affects the threat factors.
We have stressed the critical importance of the threat assessment process and how it affects all the other considerations of providing executive protection. Everything from team selection, equipment needs, transportation methods, security audits, etc, everything is based on the threat.
For homework, students have used the physical security survey checklist and the threat assessment to prepare a physical security audit and recommend procedures or methods to “harden” the residence or office of the protectee.
On days three and four we discussed using the threat assessment, advance procedures, and how site surveys are used to put together the mission plan. We took the students out into the field for a series of physical security audits, site surveys and a “Red Cell” exercise as part of the advance process, and using the data from our advance we completed a mission plan and briefed the teams.
Executive Protection Training Today: Daily Operations , executive protection training
Every morning of the ISA executive protection training course we use the first hour to review homework assignments and key points of the previous day’s training. Considering the sheer volume of material we cover questions and reviews are extremely helpful to the students. For day five students will spend most of their time outdoors on the training mats, and working in and around vehicles. That’s not to say they won’t be in the classroom at all, but most class time will take part in various exercises. @executiveprotectiontraining, #executiveprotectiontraining
We will use the threat assessment process, our advance work and tie everything together with a series of concurrent classes including:
EPO 301: Hostile Surveillance & Counter-Measures (Part 2); EPO 401: Conflict Resolution, EPO 402 Operational Challenges for the Protective Agent; EPO 403: Travel & Emergency Medical & Hard Site Planning (Part 2); MGT 204: Off-site and Off-the-Record Operations (Part 2).
These classes will introduce the student to the threat of hostile surveillance, proper methods, and procedures used to move and deliver your client/protectee to a location, including vehicle movement planning and procedures, rotary and fixed-wing considerations, arrival and departure procedures, on-site foot movement, and escort procedures (interior and exterior), and emergency procedures.
Executive Protection Training; Why these specific topics and classes?
Now as always, these classes are intended to cover the mandated training of the US federal law enforcement training centers’ protective service operations training program as well as the Virginia Dept. of Criminal Justice 32E personal protection specialist, and the North Carolina 14B NCAC 16 .1502 training requirements for close personal protection license.
Primary Class: MGT 306: Daily Operations, Secure Transportation & Movement Operations
Within a typical mission day, we may travel with the protectee to several locations for different reasons. A meeting, lunch, personal time, etc. But a common thread to each is planning travel, conducting arrivals and departures, moving on foot, and keeping the “bubble of protection” around the protectee. So today our focus will be on the skills and procedures needed to mitigate threats on the road.
Today’s Learning Outcomes: Students will reverse engineer the threat and identify and/or discuss the proper security procedures based on the threat for transporting the client by vehicle or aircraft, and demonstrate the correct methods to detect hostile surveillance, conduct arrivals & departures, proper foot/interior movement techniques, react to threats, and de-escalation techniques.
** Training will focus on both formally planned and advanced events as well as off-the-record and impromptu or spur-of-the-moment events.
** Bring comfortable clothing or gym clothes because students will be on the mats learning formations, reaction drills to different threats, de-escalation techniques, how to embus and debus vehicles, and properly move in the selected formations both in, and outdoors.
A Look at Training
Drones for EP work
Drones are useful for site surveys, physical security audits, the detection of hostile surveillance, monitoring roadways and the embus and debus area.
Drones have some regulatory limitations but working with local partners and the FAA these can be overcome.
A drone can search and monitor areas with a direct line of sight to the motorcade and the arrival and departure point for the protectee. When manpower or local resources are limited a drone can assist with observing blind spots, rooftops and treelines. Drones are smaller today and flight time has improved with new battery systems and the ability to tether a drone to a power source.
Protectees may travel in sedans, vans, small and full size SUVs. Arrival and debus procedures are similar for each vehicle type.
Note * The number of agents and the formations are based on the threat assessment and available manpower and resources.
Whether traveling as part of a motorcade or with a single vehicle, with a full team or one agent 360 security is maintained.
Note * And remember the protectee may be accompanied by a aide or spouse who may exit out the drivers or weak side.
Executive Protection Training; Terminal Learning Objectives
| 1. Discuss the pre-mission planning steps, focus on transportation, communications, coordination of emergency services, mission planning, and the use of intelligence in mission planning; | 7. Terminal Learning Objective – Demonstrate a knowledge of, and discuss the ethical and moral considerations and decisions that may have an effect on current operations: | 13. Terminal Learning Objective – Understand how hostile surveillance is used in the “cycle of attack” process; indicators and importance of knowing the client or detail is being targeted, and how that hostile surveillance determines target selection: |
| 2. Terminal Learning Objective – Discuss key locations and sites that should be plotted, advanced, and considered in the movement plan; what are hard sites; | 8. Terminal Learning Objective- Understand the common scenarios or situations an agent may face that are considered an “elevated threat,” and have a history of leading to, or have been part of, incidents and attacks on a client: | 14. Terminal Learning Objective – Identify and understand the types and methods of hostile surveillance operations used or conducted against protective service details or protected persons and anti- and counter-surveillance techniques: |
| 3. Terminal Learning Objective – Identify the principles, techniques, and standards of arrival and departure procedures, and why each is important: | 9. Terminal Learning Objective- Understand the criteria behind the decision to evacuate the client/protectee and the proper methods and procedures to bypass or otherwise avoid conflict: | 15. Terminal Learning Objective – Identify and understand the principles and techniques of hostile surveillance detection, counter-surveillance used or conducted by protective service details, and why each one is crucial to the success of the detail’s objective: |
| 4. Terminal Learning Objective – Identify the principles, techniques, and standards for dismounted movement formations and techniques, based on the threat: | 10. Terminal Learning Objective – Identify the principles, techniques, and standards of attack on principal drills and cover or evacuation decision-making: | 16. Terminal Learning Objective – Understand the reasons for, and methods of predictability avoidance used or conducted by protective service details: |
| 5. Terminal Learning Objective – Discuss the unique challenges to keeping the client secure and not becoming complacent during off-the-record and typical daily or weekly activities | 11. Terminal Learning Objective- Discuss the principles and techniques of conflict resolution and de-escalation, identify appropriate means of conflict resolution, mediation, negotiation, and basic diplomacy for a given situation: | 17. Terminal Learning Objective – Demonstrate how to correctly prepare a detection and counter hostile surveillance plan incorporating the “red cell” planning process: |
| 6. Terminal Learning Objective – Discuss the ever-emerging threat of social media to the safety and security of the client and the detail; understand the OPSEC issues associated with “off the record” operations and social media: | 12. Terminal Learning Objective – Understand and define key terms associated with hostile surveillance and discuss the purpose of surveillance and anti- or counter-surveillance: |
Executive Protection Training; Concurrent Class Outlines
EPO 301: Hostile Surveillance & Counter-Measures
Description: Students will be introduced to the methods and techniques of human intelligence and surveillance, the devices and methods of technical surveillance, including the use of drones, electronic listening, and video devices, and how surveillance is carried out via the Internet. Agents will also discuss the major legal issues involved in technical surveillance and the current policy issues related to this subject.
Learning Outcome: Students will utilize critical thinking and analytical skills to understand the threat hostile surveillance plays in the overall safety and security of the client/protectee, as well as the critical importance of surveillance detection and mitigation measures.
EPO 401: Conflict Resolution;
Description: This class prepares the agent to respond to various challenges and emergency situations by introducing the students to the methods and techniques of conflict resolution, de-escalation, emergency evacuation, and reaction to a physical threat.
Learning Outcomes: Students will utilize critical thinking and analytical skills to identify and/or discuss and demonstrate the proper procedures for conflict resolution, de-escalating or responding to a physical threat, and conducting an evacuation of the client/protectee.
EPO 402 Operational Challenges for the Protective Agent;
Description: This class discusses how an agent can contend with the uncomfortable position of dealing with the general public, domestic or “relationship” and privacy issues, keeping your focus during the various typical occasional, daily, or weekly situations or events and dealing with the “spur of the moment” or off the record events.
Learning Outcome: Students will identify/discuss some of the most common scenarios and situations an agent may experience on a single agent or team/full detail.
EPO 403: Travel & Emergency Medical & Hard Site Planning;
Description: This class discusses how an agent during the advance process plans the safe transportation and movement of the protectee using the threat assessment. The students will discuss considerations for route selection, vehicle selection, motorcade design, driver selection, and emergency procedures.
Learning Outcome: Students will prepare the travel plan for a given mission and brief the proper transportation and movement methods and procedures, route selection, vehicle selection, motorcade design, driver selection, and emergency procedures mitigating the threats identified in the assessment process.
MGT 204: Off-site and Off-the-Record Operations.
Description: This class introduces the students to the operational planning necessary for a principal to conduct business or attend an event at a location not previously known or cleared and for those visits or events considered “off-the-record” or “spur of the moment.” Students will discuss the types of advance work and site surveys, logistics, and security measures required for these types of missions.
These types of operations, because of the dangers associated with the speed of social media, traveling and movement, the client’s time in and around vehicles, and the possibility of the client’s location being compromised, are considered the most dangerous.
Learning outcome: At the end of this class a student will understand the critical need for basic information or intelligence, updated threat assessments, and hasty advance and site survey operations, as well as the logistical and security challenges of OTR client movement and operations planning. A student will understand the threat of social media to security operations and how to prepare an operational plan for an off-the-record event.