The close protection Agent and their lifes  

Most VIPs and special executives in different fields of work look for close protection officers/ agents for their protection needs. Many government officials, high ranking officers of big companies and even small businessmen seek the help of close protection officials to make sure their lives are secure.

Threat can come from anywhere and at anytime. It is not easy to predict what and when one will lose ones life for/to. Important people have a fear of threat to their lives always. They also have to move around a lot and meet with all and sundry where ever they go. It is not easy to be on the hit list of anyone, who could do anything to harm one’s life.  

To be a close protection officer (bodyguard) is not easy at all. It takes a lot of grit and determination to take over guarding the life of someone else. One cannot be a close protection officer till one has been through close protection training and gets a close protection license. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has set the international standards required for close protection.

To protect the life of an important person one should be prepared to face any adversary and should be able to predict situations at times too. With changing times, there are many different ways in which the life of a special person can be hampered or taken. Being his bodyguard, one has to be able to protect him come what may. It is not an easy task and sometimes instincts help one to make good decisions in difficult situations.

A close protection officer is not necessarily one who is seen in a black suit with dark glasses hovering around an important executive. Most executive protection agents are dressed in plain clothes and can protect the person from a fair distance too. There is a lot that one has to do to be secretive and careful in this field. These officers have to be able to offer protection in unarmed and armed hostile environments. 

There are many schools that specialize in bodyguard training.  Close protection schools are located in many parts of the world and give specialized training in the field. At a close protection school one goes through stringent training methods to become an extremely efficient bodyguard. Once one completes ones training at one of these close protection schools, one is assured of a job, because close protection officers are high in demand the world over.

At a close protection school one will not only find retired armed service personnel or police personnel, but even civilians who are interested in the field. The close protection courses offered by different close protection schools vary in terms of duration as well as proficiency in the field. A prospective trainee must go through the numerous close protection courses offered by different institutions so that one gets to do the course one wants to.

Some of the important courses that a close protection officer should do are the Basic Protection training, Advanced executive training, Executive protection driving, Executive protection first aid, Hand to hand combat and arsenal, surveillance detection and static object protection.  Most close protection schools offer courses in these fields. Every school offers more courses than this on different aspects.  The use of different fire arms too form a part of the courses.

Apart from the regular courses that are offered in these schools there are many close protection seminars held within the school premises as well as in different locations. For a close protection agent learning never ends. There are so many new potential threat scenarios that one should be prepared for. These are topics of discussion in most high level close protection seminars. Close protection seminars are addressed by professionals in the industry and are attended by faculty from close protection schools as well as private close protection agents. 

In some organisations seniors are given close protection by juniors from the same organisation. Institutions like the armed forces of the country or the various paramilitary forces fall into this bracket. To make the agents here more aware of civilian threats and more global requirements, close protection seminars are held at regular frequencies.  These seminars are addressed by professionals in the industry who share their ideas with these agents.

To help improve the standards and knowledge of professionals in close protection some institutions offer refresher courses too which are held for small durations and are attended only to widen ones perspective of issues and ways to react to new threats. Most close protection schools offer these refresher courses to people who want to widen their scope in the industry. It is important for a close protection agent to keep in touch with the times and to change his mind set with the way the world is moving.

There are many agencies and consultants that offer employment for close protection agents. Once an agent has gone through close protection training and is a license holder, one only has to register with one of these agencies and will be assured of a job, with not only secrecy to the hilt but also challenges to go with it.