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Close Protection Officers (CPOs) provide the highest level of protection for their client and are involved in the safeguarding of individuals, their families and assets. They have a duty to keep that person comfortable and safe in carrying out their own role and responsibilities sometimes in a very volatile environment.
The BSIA Close Protection Section is becoming increasingly important and contributes to the UK economy in two ways. Firstly through the increasing demand for highly trained personnel to protect people and valuable assets and secondly it exerts a valuable indirect influence by establishing the UK as a place where the protection of high profile individuals can be confidently assured.
Thanks to the various specialist skills that are required of CPOs, clients using close protection companies can rest assured that they are in safe hands. Every CPO has to be able to think fast and react quickly on their feet and must have the ability to cope under pressure in a manner that does not bring him or herself and their client into disrepute or harm. Furthermore, the CPO will develop a detailed understanding of their client’s security needs, the potential risks that face them as well as understanding the prevalence and nature of often widely diverse threats in different parts of the world.
Further benefits for clients of close protection companies can be found in the many additional skills that a CPO possesses. A CPO may well be able to drive to an advanced level; should be competent in first aid and life support systems; proficient in conflict management and unarmed combat; and should have the basics in anti-and counter-surveillance techniques to counteract any breaches of security. A desirable, but not a compulsory, requirement for a CPO is firearms training, which provides clients in a high risk or conflict zone with extra protection. Even if the CPO is not able to carry weapons due to the local laws, having the ability to establish whether the local protection team can protect them and their client in a time of need is paramount. Clients overseas will benefit from CPOs’ language skills. Even having just a basic understanding of the local dialect can sometimes make the difference between defusing an innocent situation or it escalating out of control.
All BSIA Close Protection Section members are required to meet the ISO9001:2008 standard. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) also introduced licensing for close protection, which provides a basic level of training and requires a Criminal Records Bureau check. As well as the identity and criminality checks, officers must undertake 150 hours of knowledge and practical skills training, leading to a Level 3 qualification in close protection and a recognised first aid certificate.
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