There are various names such as Close Protection, Bodyguard, Minder and Executive Protection Operators. No matter what the name, the following explains some basic principles for a Company or High Net Worth Individuals to follow when assessing their requirements for protection

Why have it

Executive protection is justified by a Risk Assessment on the company’s management or client’s routine and travel plans etc. Its used as a necessity to maintain the client’s ability to operate, even an attack of no serious injury can bring negative attention on to the organisation and raise questions about competence and preparedness.

What should an executive protection policy achieve

An executive protection policy will be successful by achieving the following principles

a. Prevent and avoid danger:

The protection officer must always be pre-planning and thinking hard about staying mentally one step ahead of trouble.

b. Understand anyone can protect anyone:

Executive protection is about using the Brain Game and physical acumen, for example, Observation: Situational Awareness; Driving: Planning; Communication Skills; all used to avoid and anticipate what’s ahead. All these skills require training and experience and anybody can become a protection officer.

c. No need to stop & think as all actions-on are pre-planned:

When an incident happens there’s no time to think, pre-planned actions-on should kick in, and the What If question is always running through the mind as situations change and levels of awareness assist in reaction.

d. Keep clients out of trouble:

Protection officers are not there to grapple, knock down, or deal with problems. The primary aim is to avoid dangerous persons and conditions, use their brains to remove the client and themselves from a situation that could cause harm or embarrassment.

e. Maintain the security Vs convenience continuum:

The more security around the client, the more inconvenience will happen, the less security the client demands, the more freedom of activity they will have. Neither extreme is practical, a fine balance needs to be developed and trade-offs made by the executive protection policy and the levels of threat at various times.

f. The Brain Game takes precedent over technology:

There are plenty of tools available to assist in protecting clients, however, historically when an incident flares up before your eyes – the protection officer needs to use their Brains to remove the client. Not always the case – but that’s the aim.

Contact Mildot for advice or assistance with on-going or developing an executive protection policy and selection of operators

See below Risk Advisories to assist business