ALL-IN SECURITY Courses

All-In Security Courses

Close Protection Course Information

Close Protection is known to almost all of us as "Bodyguarding" – a service provided to the rich, famous and politically exposed in public life. As celebrity has become an ever more poisoned chalice, and politics has continued to raise hackles and passions the world over, the role of a bodyguard has become ever more defined and ever more important. There was a time when a bodyguard's sole duty was to prevent an angry rival or member of the public from physically attacking their charge in order to seriously harm them. With the advent of the cult of celebrity this has changed to the extent where often the biggest threat to a famous person is a supposed fan. Obsessed with the celebrity, and convinced that they are soulmates, the fan can go to some pretty desperate lengths to get noticed.

Where in the past, a bodyguard was required simply to step in front of their charge to protect them from a potential violent attack, the ever more sophisticated ways in which man will do harm unto another man mean that now, a bodyguard's role has grown and evolved. Rather than face down a risk, the bodyguard is now required to calculate and assess a risk and then figure out how to avoid it. If a bodyguard does their job really well, their charge will move from A to B without anybody being any the wiser. Though this does not make for half as romantic a picture – fewer people would have gone to the cinema to see Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in "The Close Protector, particularly if he had spent the film consulting Polaroids of car parks – a celebrity or politician will be vastly more thankful if their bodyguard can prevent them from being jostled and yelled at.

To take account of the vastly more complicated role of the Close Protector, the SIA's training course for candidates takes 150 hours – five times longer than the duration of training for a Door Supervisor. The reason for this is that there is so much more to learn, and a much greater imperative to ensure that it is given time to sink in and fully assessed.

There are fifteen modules involved in Close Protection training, and they are as follows:

BTEC Level 3 Award in Close Protection

This qualification consists of three units;

- Working in the Private Security Industry - Working as a Close Protection Operative - Conflict Management for the Private Security Industry

 Working as a Close Protection Operative – this module in itself contains a lot of differing information. You could be protecting a footballer, a singer, a politician or a prominent businessperson. These variables in themselves have a lot to do with the risks you will have to account for.

Threat and Risk Assessment – A bodyguard would be largely superfluous if the person they are protecting could stay still at all times. When moving from one place to another there are countless potential risks, and the Close Protector must be ready for each of them.

Surveillance Awareness – You may only have moments in which to make your move. Identifying when the time is right and the coast is clear are vital.

Operational Planning – One benefit to guarding a prominent personality is that their days are usually scheduled in advance. This enables you to plan with military precision how they can get to each appointment with minimum risk and hassle.

Law and Legislation – Being aware of the law and how it governs what you can and cannot do is important, as is an awareness of what other people can do to get your charge's attention.

Interpersonal Skills – Often being brusque with a pestering fan or heckler can aggravate things, so it's worth learning how to defuse situations sensibly.

Close Protection Teamwork – The job of protecting an individual becomes vastly more practical when two or more CP work together.

Reconnaissance – knowing the alternative routes available between A and B can be helpful if a scrum of paparazzi turns up on C

Close Protection Foot Techniques – walking any distance from place to place with a protectee in tow is ill-advised, but if you must, you should know the tricks of the trade.

Route Selection – picking an alternative, possibly circuitous route might just keep your charge away from those prying eyes.

Close Protection Vehicle Techniques – how to get them into the car, out of the car, and how to drive past crowds without putting your celeb at risk

Search Procedures – cameras are small these days, so you can hide one just about anywhere. This makes your job harder.

Incidents and Dilemmas – in a nutshell, crisis management.

Venue-Based Security – seeing to it that no-one can hide themselves somewhere and spring a nasty surprise on your charge, or hide anything else that could make the evening tricky.

Communication and Conflict Management Skills – largely self-explanatory. Basically, see to it that only the right people get to talk to your celebrity.