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This information will offer you with all the resources you need to be able to generate your own educated mind on the following aspects.
* What exactly close protection is, and what kind of professional you need to be;
* Typically two principal climates of operation;
* Precisely what education and licences you will need to work.
What is ‘Close Protection’? and Do you shape up?
To start with, close protection is not just what you are directed to assume from watching films like James Bond or The Bodyguard. Neither is it for instance a real life ‘Vinnie Jones’ type movie character, shown as ‘tough, hard and handy with his hands’. After all, do you appreciate what being ‘hard’ really is? It is not just about ‘knocking people out’, and If this is the form of work you’re in the market for, then close protection is almost certainly not for you. If you are, however, more concerned with providing high levels of customer focus and like prevention rather than cure, then you stand an enhanced chance of fitting in and doing well. Those who may be highly aggressive and find it nearly impossible to control their tempers and aggressiveness may find it difficult to fit into close protection as this is far from the individual type demanded. You may well be needed to get physical, but you will be held accountable for your decisions and actions and you will be expected to act within the law at all times.
If you wish to achieve success in the world of close protection, you need to be dedicated to supporting other people (your principle and your associates), ready to put your clients, ie the principle, before yourself, and when essential, to place oneself in peril in order to deflect the danger from the principle and to do so as low-key as possible. You need to be an effective communicator and have high amounts of tolerance and perseverance. Other individuality traits desired are practical and strategic thinking as you will be expected to be able to identify a threat, dynamically risk assess that risk, and then choose the most appropriate level of control to mitigate that particular risk.
Close Protection is around allowing the principle to live a normal life. You are therefor a reason, and in some cases, from the perspective of the principle, you are an encroachment and a reminder of the dangers (sincere or not) within their lives. Your work will be thankless. Your task is to restrict conflict and to stay covert (where required), permitting the principle to carry on their life as close to normal as possible. You will possibly not pick up the hyped-up levels of pay you might possibly read about (or hope you will get), most notably when you begin. Your initial undertaking will possibly not be in direct contact with a principle either, rather more of a baby-sitting undertaking protecting an apartment or an area, watching people enjoying themselves (if anyone else is around), expected to remain alert and well prepared to act after 12hrs on task. For this, you should expect to be compensated in the range of 100 to 200 per day.
Everyone will be required to have a suitable level of physical fitness, to be courteous and robust, to be an excellent communicator, and very reliable and dependable with a high level of integrity. But not only are these important for your actual job so to speak, but also in obtaining work. Be aware, a lot of your future work will not be seen on job boards like Monster etc, but will be gained from networking. You can therefore make the connection between the communication skills I earlier mentioned and your integrity as a powerful link to winning work. Numerous deployments that you gain selection for as you start out may only be ‘day work’ or if you’re fortunate, a few days of work.
Still reading? Good. Let’s keep working.
Environments of Close Protection:
First and foremost, let’s identify the two main different facets of Close Protection – that of VIP and Executive Protection, commonly jointly known as Executive Protection, and Hostile Environment Protection.
Executive Protection. This, in comparison with Hostile Environment Protection, is a low risk area of work. It commonly comprises of protecting high level business people and celebs whilst at work and on travel. Your task is to mix. You will be required to offer security covertly and, for those individuals working in the UK, you will not be armed.
It should go without saying that good etiquette are a must. You will invariably come into contact with your principle’s peers and will therefore represent them when interacting. You will be expected to allow and facilitate the principle to carry on as normal and go unseen.
Hostile Environment Protection. This, in contrast, is considered as extreme risk. This is where you operate in a hostile environment. Right now, this would include, but not be limited to, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. A large number of Close Protection Officers (or Operatives) have Military backgrounds with a minimum of 5 to 10 years service. This particular is founded on the ability to operate firearms and conduct and respond under Quick Reaction Drills without the need of the need for extensive training. This is not something that a short course can give you – many military personnel have been thoroughly trained and have operated in these settings before.
The significant difference is weapons. It should therefore be noted that you may be able to operate as a ‘non military’ operative in the United States Of America. You might find, however, that those picking staff within UK based firms are most probably to be ex-military themselves and will commonly find themselves deciding on other ex-military individuals out of confidence and understanding of skill sets and abilities.
Training and Licences needed:
The activities of providing Close Protection is governed. You will need, in addition to any professional instructions, to hold a Close Protection SIA (Security Industry Authority) permit for any work within the UK or for a UK operating company. The cost of the licence registration as of 2012 is around 250 and is valid for three years. You should take note that this fee is for the application and is not refundable.
You should be able to claim a tax refund on part of the fee (around 44). More information can be commonly found on the HMRC website here.
“A Close Protection licence is required when guarding one or more individuals against assault or against injuries that might be suffered in consequence of the unlawful conduct of others. This applies if your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer.” SIA Website
The permit has a range of requirements;
*You are 18 year of age or older;
*Pass an Identity Check;
*Pass a Criminal Record Check (CRB);
*Attended an approved Close Protection Training Course and achieved an approved Qualification;
*The Qualification needed is a Level 3 in Close Protection. The guided hours of training are 146hrs (138hrs in Close Protection and 8hrs in Conflict Management), and
*You should also hold a valid First Aid certificate (First Aid at work).
Generally there are many UK based establishments selling this training for individuals. You are warned to look into the organisation itself and those who run it. The training is only as good as the coaches, and some are better than others, but that is a whole other article on its own. Expect to pay about 1700 plus travel, and expect about 4 to 6 weeks of course depending on the content.
A number of individuals seeking to work in close protection may also hold an exemption from the training course (basically as you have done a similar course already). Some of these are ‘SAS’ Body Guard Course, ‘RMP’ C.P course, Met or Special Branch Royal or Close Protection Course or Police National Close Protection Course. You will be required to undergo an assessment of skills and must have passed your previous employment course inside the last three years.
For more information go to close protection training hq and read the rest of the informative guides. You may republish this with a live credit link.
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