I was recently contacted by EP Wired to discuss executive protection in high-risk environments. EP Wired is an online magazine with a mission to bring together protectors, principals, EP program managers and future practitioners.
It was an absolute pleasure to speak with the EP Wired team and support their mission by sharing information and experiences from past EP operations. I have been very fortunate to work and learn from some incredible EP operators across a variety of high-risk and semi-permissive environments.
Enjoy, engage an EP professional to support your operations, and be safe!
We sat down with Robert Currie – owner and founder of RC Advisory Services and security consultant to many companies – to discuss high-risk environments, covert operations, armored transport, and more.
You have traveled the world, delivering services in countries known for their hostile conditions. What are the key takeaways from operations in high-risk environments that you can convey to executive protection agents reading this?
I can’t overstate that time spent in the environment before ― the recce phase ― is a critical ingredient for a successful EP operation. Of course, provided your threat assessment is in place, you can move onto other vital components. For instance, a considerable part of an EP agent’s role is to spot things that stand out.
Suppose you have never been to a particular country. How then will you ever hope to notice behaviors or situations that pose a threat without a baseline?
If at all possible, during your pre-trip preparations, finding another EP detail that has worked in that area recently is invaluable. If you have a good relationship with this other group, they can share what worked and what didn’t with you.
They may also be able to recommend local resources you can leverage to augment your EP detail. Having a local EP support person can “fast track” your learning the environment during your recce. They will likely have access to local intelligence sources and can advise on items such as:
- Local customs,
- Traffic patterns,
- Hotel recommendations, and other things.
If language is an issue, your local support person can also assist in this regard.
The entire article can be found here!
