What it's like protecting the mega-rich from harm
Behind every presidential visit, diplomatic summit, and rich man's holiday jaunt is a team of security personnel
Wherever your favorite pop star or plutocrat goes, it's a safe bet to assume that a coterie of bodyguards and protection officers follow. Silent and often disguised, the world of the Close Protection Operative (CPO) is hidden from the media spotlight that the client (called a "principal") often comes under.
The Kernel spoke to Rick Mounfield, operations director of security company Blackstone Consultancy, to find out what life is like for the men and women behind the dark sunglasses.
We asked Rick what goes through the head of protection operatives while they're at work.
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Security guards almost always plan ahead, vetting travel locations before arrival. According to Rick, it's not obvious that a security operative is even there to begin with.
Interested in his claim that security operatives covertly check locations before visiting with their principal, we asked Rick how a CPO goes about staying innocuous.
The danger zone
For an operative working to protect someone else, what's the most dangerous situation they can be in? A riot? A war zone? Rick says that it's something quite different.
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Tiers of security
There isn't one type of bodyguard or CPO. There are plenty of different groups and specialties, so we asked Rick to detail the common types for us.
Tier 1
- Ex-Royal Military Police Close Protection Unit. Completed a 13-week course and deployed in support of British ambassadors and generals worldwide.
- Ex-SO1 Met Police Diplomatic Protection Group. Protected prime minister and cabinet worldwide, right down to visiting foreign dignitaries in the U.K.
- Ex-Royalty Protection Group. Protected the Queen through to Princess Alexandra, and anyone with public duties in between.
- Ex-Special Forces. Completed a protective security course much like the RMP one. They only get deployed on short-term missions, or when there is a high threat of assassination.
Tier 2
Ex-military/police from other backgrounds, but tactically aware and have adapted to the soft skills of diplomacy and etiquette.
Tier 3
Door supervisors who have completed the SIA course to advance from being a bouncer.
According to Mounfield, "there's no typical CPO", although the majority are indeed ex-military or -police.
There are alternative methods of protection available for when a client doesn't want an obvious bodyguard. For example, a specialist type of operative exists to provide surveillance.
Safety at home
As well as protecting people in the street, security can also be arranged for inside the home.
And for when you feel like venturing out of the house, a driver can keep you secure there, too.
When things go wrong
So what happens when things go wrong? We asked Rick to detail the kind of response CPOs take to a dangerous situation.
One of the worst situations for a CPO to deal with is a kidnapping; we asked Rick what procedures are in place to deal with a missing principal.
If this all sounds like something you need, you can contact Blackstone Consultancy through their website.
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