While we are protecting, there are Private Investigators who are investigating. You can get new information at any hour or minute. It can be updated information on the players in the trafficking organization, new vehicle descriptions and license plates to look out for, cell phone pings (if being tracked, and our suspects were being) and a host of other intel.

Changing Tides Evolution of Gulf of Aden piracy, a personal insight:   About three and a half years ago, I decided that while I was fit enough, young enough and still daft enough, I was going to buck the pension trap and have a career change.   I …

I knew two of the course attendees quite well, even though we hadn’t met in person until that point. The Weinert Brothers—Dennis and Patrick Weinert—are German independent filmmakers, photographers, and authors based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Doing my research months in advance of the course, I’d perused their work, watched their films and documentaries, and read their books and articles. As they would discover, research and planning would be something the brothers would be introduced to quite quickly. It was, in essence, the missing link that neither one of them had spotted but was the very thing they were searching for without really knowing it.

The Age of the Super Crises ~ a nuclear threat   North Korea’s recent nuclear tests should not be underestimated. 2013 could well be the most pivotal year for strategic military weapon controls (i.e., concerns around armed nukes) since the closing of …

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A look at Hostile Environment Surveillance Operations     As a result of the privatization of Iraq in 2003 and the dramatic growth of private security operations in politically unstable and hostile environments, close protection professionals are finding themselves working in increasingly diverse environments that require highly specialized skills and training. One of those specializations […]

It is a very natural phenomenon to go abroad making the same assumptions about how people act, and things work that you would find in your domestic environment. But these assumptions can get both you and your client into trouble. Each part of the world presents its own unique set of challenges, and a protector who travels internationally will do well to always keep this fact in the forefront of their mind.

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When the victim is from a wealthy family, they are often targeted because of the financial potential they offer. When the victim thinks the guy or girl they met in their social movements is a chance meeting, many times it’s not. Whether online, school, club or at the coffee shop, often they were already picked out. They are picked simply because of their families status. Meaning not only do they get the victim, but they get the opportunity to extort money from the family.

The attack cycle is evolving, and as protectors, we must evolve too. The “Iron Box” is outdated, and we need advanced surveillance and countersurveillance strategies to stay ahead. Learn how to identify and exploit surveillance vulnerabilities to protect your high-profile clients effectively. Get Issue 68 and equip yourself with the latest knowledge to anticipate and counter sophisticated threats and elevate your protection game!

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Somalia, a lawless country located on the east coast of Africa, should be no stranger to anyone in the security industry. The hub of maritime piracy, an area that that has been at civil war for over thirty years and a country that many …

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Sex Trafficking is the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

In the past, I viewed Executive Protection (EP) as persons who provided corporate level protection. This was the guy who only walked with the CEO, politician, or other important corporate executives and dignitaries. With my limited understanding, I didn’t think of those who drive these same individuals as being considered Executive Protection agents as well. As an EP specialist, I now understand and have experienced some of the vast role’s EP work will encompass.

How to become more employable by specialising in pre hospital care   Many close protection operators (CPO’s) are now identifying the value of becoming specialised in other aspects that surround the role. One of these specialist areas is Pre Hospital Care …

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has refuted Russia’s claims that Ukraine was involved in a drone attack on the Kremlin, which was allegedly aimed at killing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine fights and defends its territory, not attacking Putin or Moscow. The Kremlin reported that two drones were used in the attack but were disabled by Russian defenses.

Consider this, when broken down to its most basic components, the vast majority of traditional self-defence courses only teach defensive responses to an attack once it has begun. I am of the opinion that’s not only a bit late, it’s also certainly not enough …

Each issue our global geopolitical partner, Stratfor, provides an in-depth analysis of global incidents via in-house experts, cutting edge technology and through a comprehensive globally sourced network. Here is your summary from the last 30 days.

If you work in an environment where people are likely to get physically injured, then it stands to reason you would want people available with the skills to help. Most workplaces are comfortable with the notion of a first aider. They understand their purpose …

Although prevention is the primary goal, there are times where proactive, effective physical intervention may be required. This is not to be confused with arrest and control techniques used in other related security fields. Those techniques have merit, but the goal of this article is to highlight combat principles agents can apply when cover and evacuation is not an option, and the threat is imminent.

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Are you prepared to answer that call?   Very early in our training and careers, we are taught that in the Executive Protection field we must subscribe to a different way of life. The understanding of this life is vital to our personal …

A bodyguard has been hailed as a hero for his quick-thinking actions during a suspected pipe-bomb attack on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Video footage captured the bodyguard kicking away a metal object as it landed near Kishida before positioning himself between the Prime Minister and the device, shielding him with a collapsible, handheld ballistics shield.

Donald Sadler is a licensed executive protection specialist with over 30 years of professional driving experience. His knowledge base includes training in pre-advance route planning, personal protection, and trauma care. Donald is also a member of The International Security Drivers Association.

If you’re one of the many that have a chance to work around me operationally over the years you know one thing, I can be pretty intense and leave very little margin for error and excuses when it’s, “GO Time.” Yet as a counterpoint to that, I think those same …

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Through this experience, I have grown and learned so much, not merely about Executive Protection, but about myself too. It doesn’t matter what the brief is if we accept the assignment, we must always be trained, ready, and professional in executing those services.

Here’s a great take away, very successful persons in this field must have excellent adjustment ability. No matter what the assignment, if they call on us and we accept the work, then we must be ready to adapt so, we can successfully accomplish a task that we may have never have been trained for. We must always prepare to be our best so we can do our best, regardless. We’ll make mistakes, but there’s no excuse for not being knowledgable, and mentally and physically prepared for the task.

Training Provides Realistic Instruction On How to React In Active Shooting Incidents In an international age where no organization is free from the threat of an active shooter, it is not nearly enough to have a response plan. “Everybody has a plan …

The New Virtual Battlefield? Our reliance on Information & Communications Technology (ICT) is stemmed deep in our everyday lives in the modern world and the Maritime and Offshore Oil & Gas industries are no different at all. Whether it’s the internet …

To start with, let’s kill a central myth right off the bat. And that myth is that jobs for commercially employed snipers are widely available and accessible. That is not true. You will not do a sniper course and then be hired as a sniper in a war zone. You will not find any companies that are advertising such jobs. If they are, then I’d be dubious.

Here are two definitions of sex trafficking. The first was my only understanding of the subject before the assignment. The second is what I actually learned from being part of the assignment. Read them both and see whether you get a clearer and/or different picture from your current understanding.

A Ugandan government minister, Charles Engola, was shot and killed by his bodyguard early Tuesday in an apparent private dispute over wages, according to the army and local media. Engola, a retired army colonel, served as the junior minister in charge of labor in President Yoweri Museveni’s government.

AlertEnterprise has unveiled its first-ever Guardian AI Chatbot powered by OpenAI ChatGPT. The chatbot will make its global debut at the ASIS Europe and ISC West trade events. Built on OpenAI’s GPT-3 platform, the Guardian AI Chatbot aims to provide security operators with instant access to critical physical access and security insights through quick questions and prompts.

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I was not personally involved with the rescue of this victim but served as the lead driver for the victim and family once they recovered her. Along with a shadow driver and 24-hour surveillance vehicles at whatever property we stayed. This was a very fluid operation, meaning the hotels and locations can change at any minute. It could include using resources in several states, including private investigators, law enforcement on many levels, counselors, doctors, and medical health facilities.

When a victim from an impoverished background gets taken, and the family doesn’t have the means to look for her they have to depend on charitable organizations and overwhelmed police forces; often their only hope may be an escape. And sometimes, they may give up the fight altogether and except their desperate new life. The captors often won’t go looking for these girls if they escape but can be very violent if they do find them.

Having dug around in the last year to see what’s going on with security training courses at home and overseas, it would appear that there is a gap between what’s acceptable, to what’s a complete rip off, and that gap is as wide as the Grand Canyon.

As a new EPS, I continue to study and learn to be the best I can in the field. Before researching, I had no idea that there is so much to learn about the business. With that in mind, I looked again at my thoughts and opinions on the true definition of Executive Protection. Furthermore, on a recent assignment, I was caught a bit off guard after a briefing the day before the task begun. This briefing disclosed a client being protected from sex traffickers, the involvement of a cult, and 24-hour surveillance for the victim and family. Of course, I thought this was surely a case for the FBI. During the briefing, I realized it wasn’t that simple. With any assignment, it is crucial to understand all details and facts before making assumptions. Victims don’t all start out in the same manner. Some situations start with persons voluntarily engaged with others and end up trapped. The key is for all EP personnel to be fully briefed, trained, and ready to adjust to any situation.

In the parents’ frustration, they’ll use threats of taking money away, and abandonment if the child doesn’t comply. That’s when many times the child may think, “what’s the difference with being with you or them!” When you have counselors suggesting mental institutions and halfway houses, over going home, no cellphone or social media use until they show signs of stability and maturity, there is going to be a battle to keep the young adult stable enough, long enough to clear their head. And after all of this, there are no guarantees that the person won’t flee or go missing again.

Wealthy victims are sometimes picked not just for the sex trade, but also because they have the possible link to the family finances. So in these cases, the bad guys want the victim as a means to fund their projects. The poor girls are usually just a sex object, but the wealthy child can be the means of financing the operation. These groups aren’t just the Russian and Turkish mobs we see in the movies. Some operate as religious organizations, local street gangs and other groups of deceit and persuasion. They prey on the unhappy, rebellious, adventurous, or dissatisfied child, or they may just kidnap their victims. Let me be clear, it’s definitely not always done by force and many times it only takes some clever coercion; coercion that’ll have the victim making the decision on their own to want to be a part of this lifestyle. And maybe they truly do, but then the question becomes, why. Why do most join street gangs? Because in many cases, the gang will be the family that the child feels their biological family isn’t being.

In today’s lifestyle and business dynamics, solving emotion-related problems is equally crucial in both personal and professional settings. In a professional context, we deal with complex problems and must work as a team to provide the most efficient solutions for our principals or clients.

This was a physically, and emotionally draining assignment. A different story to tell, and one which unexpectedly became a part of my own story over the time I spent with them. A week quickly turned into a month, and every day brought surprises and uncertainty. I just wanted to share a bit of my experience as I go through my thoughts lying awake when I should be resting. After spending a week with this 21-year-old victim I must admit, it started to feel a little personal and at times I’ve wished I had the resources and ability to hunt down people like this and do a Liam Neeson, from Taken, on them. Okay, movie fantasy over; the point is, it’s hard not to feel the hurt too. It hurts enough so that your natural instinct is to wish you could respond in a manner that won’t allow there to be another victim. To see so much torment, in the family and with the victim is saddening and hurtful. It’s hard being asked questions you can’t answer, which should only be answered by professional counselors. You try to avoid getting too close and personal, as with all assignments, and mainly it was a case of observing, reporting, and being prepared to move or protect at a moment’s notice. Although this assignment had many similarities to most other EP assignments, there was added stress because of the subject matter and possible targeting of not just one person, but potentially a whole group.

Let me share two of the best lessons for anyone in this business. One is to realize that learning never stops. It doesn’t matter if you are new or have worked in the industry for many years, the moment you think you know it all is the moment the light in your career will start to go dim. Number two is always keep trusted, seasoned, and proven professionals as mentors and advisors. This is not to say you won’t have your own way of doing things, every business has its own flavor. Some can guide you as you get started or if you hit a bump in the road. One thing that has helped as I grow my business is to be able to receive advice as well as crucial critique. I believe it is out of genuine concern for my growth and future and never an act of malice or contempt. When I earnestly assess a situation, adjustments can be made which works best for my business and family.

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“Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They look for people who may be susceptible due to factors such as psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability. The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.”

These criminal groups have been known to check into hotels, hospitals and anywhere they think the victim may be publicly housed, even if it’s just to make eye contact with the victim and convince them of the still-present threat. And not always the danger to them, but perhaps to a family member. They’ll have the victim feeling their family isn’t safe if they don’t rejoin the cult of sex traffickers. Many times, the victim wants to go back because the parents can be a contributing reason in an already strained family situation. There could be mental health issues, drug addiction, plain old rebellion and other factors that can go wrong amid the aftercare.

Executive Protection is more than an individual who drives a car or walks alongside a corporate executive. It is a training, a discipline, and a mindset, which one must adopt to become proficient, skilled, and an expert as others are depending upon all of these abilities.

However, this lesson sticks out because I still think about it and even use it to this day. My dad told me that every person on this planet has an ‘Unfair Advantage.’ Something God-given that a person does exceptionally well or better than anyone else. He told me that some people could naturally run fast or dunk a basketball without even really trying. Some can figure out complex equations in their heads like Einstein or even maintain a full head of hair well into their old age. Whatever gift you possessed that you did better than anyone else was your unfair advantage.

Homeland Security understands that both sexes disappear into the darkness of this trade, and many never to be seen again. What I can tell you for sure is if a family has the resources and desires their child to be found and removed, then they will use those means to do whatever they can to get their child back, and that includes using guys and gals like us at some point.