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For most executive protection agents in the private or corporate side of the industry you won’t normally see or use a diamond formation or multi car element to move the protectee. Resources like that would be an extravagance most of the accountants would question and try to cut from the budget. And if your threat assessment is current and the intelligence its based on accurate, you will find that type of protective profile is unnecessary.
Are their exceptions? of course, protectees that are recognizable in public, controversial, and like to make an big appearance may need a higher level of security. But those are the exceptions. So how do we in the training industry adapt to this reality when it is “always excepted” you teach the diamond and other heavy methods. Well for us here at the ISA training division we focus on the threat assessment as the central pillar of our training foundation.
Low threat, one agent, higher threat more agents etc. And while we address the operational planning challenges and procedures to secure, move and escort your protectee when working alone, we also cover the diamond when your part of a team. We want an student to see both methods, to see and understand the complexity and planning that goes into mitigating the threats you identify in your assessments. What does a multi car element look like, how does it work, and if you’re at a event with multiple VIPs and different threat levels, how do you operate within a large scale security presence when your alone.
This ‘big picture” philosophy means we can’t focus solely on the single agent detail, but our friends at the Vehicle Dynamics Institute can, and they call it Solo Practitioner. Now we at ISA are going to do something unheard of, we going to share a link to VDI and their training program. http://vehicledynamics.com/solo-practitioner-strategies-tactics/
In this corporate world of back stabbing, “I’m better than you”, “we are the best” etc etc, we at ISA are pleased to recommend VDI and their program for single agents. Yes we cover similar material, but VDI directs its focus on the solo agent and devotes all its time to that single purpose. So if your business model, corporate organization, or security profile is centered on the solo agent consider VDIs solo practitioner program.
Then if you attend, let us know your thoughts on their program, we will pass it on.
The author: Matthew Parker, CEO ISA and Director of the Training Division
Disclosure: Mr. Parker is a graduate of the VDI instructor, security drivers and surveillance detection courses. He has been seen on a VDI track a time or two as an instructor, assistant instructor and has assisted with the surveillance detection course.