In this week’s edition of our video series, “Strong, Safe & True,” we sit down with Retired Police Chief and Commander Bill Cooper to discuss domestic terrorism. In the past month, we’ve seen mass shootings in Georgia, Colorado, California, Washington D.C…..and Cooper expects the number of shootings to increase as pandemic restrictions go away.
Fewer restrictions mean more mass gatherings and that presents targets for domestic terrorists. Cooper says there are several things at play and to consider. There are more militias, and they are better organized and prone to inciting violence. In addition, the tense political situation is having an effect. Watch the video on this page for Cooper’s advice on what to look for and how to not fall victim.
Be sure to check back on our website for more blogs and videos!
Anxiety has been high sky during the Pandemic and one security expert says the healthcare system sometimes feels the brunt of it all. Anyone can imagine the stress a person feels when they have a loved one in the hospital. Now imagine being that person and not being able to say goodbye to that loved one who is dying. Rich Cinfio is a security director for a major healthcare system. He says in this past year they’ve seen an increase in assaults and the number of weapons brought into facilities. Cinfio says there is definitely a heightened level of challenging authority.
The vaccines also present a need for more security. Not only do those assets need to be protected, so do the sites where the vaccines are being administered. Cinfio says having a plan in place, specifically preparing for potential threats, is a must. Check out the video for more on this and continue to visit our website www.premierrisksolutions.com for more videos and blogs!
Time to be proactive! In our video series, “Strong, Safe & True” we sit down with Retired Police Chief Bill Cooper to talk about risk assessments. The famous adage, it’s better to be proactive than reactive rings more than true in the security world. Being proactive can save lives when you’re talking about proper planning on a safety level.
The goal of course is to ensure companies are prepared and have taken proper precautions should present. An example of that would be an active shooter scenario.
Cooper breaks down assessments for companies, to give a complete picture of what one would look like. He also addresses how to tell if you need one and once it’s over, how to follow up, so it’s actually worth your time and money. Check out the the video and be sure to come back to our website for more blogs and videos!
We are excited to bring you a new video series, falling right into our motto, “Strong, Safe & True.” We are chatting with industry experts to talk security and how it relates to your company and employees in today’s world. That includes Covid-19 related concerns, issues with safety while working from home, and new expectations in today’s climate.
Our first session features Doug Hicks, a security specialist with Premier Risk Solutions. In this video, he focuses on personal security and vigilance. Specifically, how to “turn on and tune in”. This method ensures you can recognize anything out of the ordinary and can handle a potentially threatening situation. Doug emphasizes the importance of carrying that knowledge into any environment, including the office.
Here’s why this information is helpful to any company:
If employees feel safe, they have one less worry/distraction
If employees feel valued and they’ve been given tools to be successful in any situation, it boosts confidence
If employees feel safe and valued, they are more likely to stay with the company that provided that
“…sometimes you can’t avoid the fire, but how you put it out matters.” Tilman Fertitta said this in his book, Shut Up and Listen!Executive Protection is a professional service about how you put out the fire–the customer experience. High Net Worth principals and their families expect a level of service that is accommodating, professional, and discreet.
In Executive Protection operations we will always encumber those individuals who are upset or pushy in an attempt to get their way. This can manifest itself in an operation that individual desires access to an otherwise restricted area or taking a photo of the Principal when the Principal does not wish to be photographed and a myriad of other reasons. The Executive Protection agent is the gatekeeper in such cases. The agent must discern how they will act in their engagement with the individual(s) who are causing distress to or within the operation, all the while:
Protecting the Brand Integrity of the Principal and/or their Business to go along with;
The Life Safety of the Principal and their loved ones!
Executive Protection agents must-have qualities that display and allow for:
Resiliency
Time & Priority Management
Teamwork
Futuristic Thinking
Customer Focus
Systems Judgement
Several others
To go along with these skills and qualities, the agent must have a high level of Emotional Intelligence which will aid them in tempering their response in a stressful situation to allow for the optimal outcome. Generally speaking, the agent must approach situations with empathy and understanding from the other person’s point of view as best possible.
The Executive Protection agent should spin their response to an upset or aggressive individual in as positive a manner as possible, avoiding the use of negative terminology. Doing so will elicit a response back from the volatile individual in a much more reasonable manner as it will help provide a resolution of sorts to their reach towards their ultimate desire.
For example, if an Executive Protection agent is assigned to the CEO (Principal) of a high-profile high-tech company while they are speaking at an event and they encounter an attendee of the event who desires to get close to the Principal to take a selfie with them, and the agent is well aware that the Principal has a strong desire not to partake in such activities this particular day then the agent should respond with something along the lines of “Mr/Mrs (insert CEO name) has a very tight schedule today and is here simply for the presentation only. There are times when he/she does take time for selfies and hopefully you will have another opportunity at future events.” This vernacular should disarm most individuals in such circumstances while presenting hope in the future for the individual’s aspirations (assuming there’s some level of truth to the statement made by the agent). The agent gets their immediate cooperation and compliance with what the operation requires but leaves the individual with positive interaction and recall of that experience.
At PRS, we utilize DISC assessments of our agents to conduct a gap analysis against our customized job benchmark for each and every role (service) we provide. Essentially, we have data sets about each agent that allow us to present the best talent match with a personalized culture fit for our company and our client’s for a specific role, in this case, Executive Protection Specialist.
We are able to provide additional team insights for larger-scale Executive Protection assignments to show each team member’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing the management team to select appropriate personnel who complement each other in a teaming environment.
Ultimately, our clients receive highly reliable services with individuals who are accountable, can anticipate the client’s needs, and adapt to unique environments they may find themselves operating within. The client has less turnover within the operation and a high level of comfort with their personal safety needs being met and brand integrity intact.
In this week’s session of our video series, “Strong, Safe & True,” we are talking about private investigations. These types of investigations can be the key when dealing with a threat. Premier Risk Solutions has partnered with Private Investigator, C.W. Sellers on investigations that lead to peace of mind for executives and their families. However, to have a successful outcome requires the right team. Private Investigator, C.W. Sellers says there are several things that go into assembling the perfect crew for a job. That includes skillsets, experience, expertise, and a person’s ability to be a team player.
Then comes collaboration. When doing an investigation, it takes a lot of time and prep work. It could mean hours of surveillance, counter-surveillance, and compiling information. The right hand has to be in constant communication with the left hand. There are key things that have to be taken into consideration, like the environment of the investigation, the client’s needs, equipment needs, and personal needs. Sellers talks about this in detail as well as the preparation and execution of the job in the video link. Come back to Premier Risk Solutions for future blogs and videos!
It’s no secret that high-profile individuals attract highly skilled enemies. Traditional executive protection — black-suited bodyguards, conspicuous and observable — is no longer enough to protect against the more sophisticated plots targeting high-net-worth individuals and organizations. You’ll need layers of different kinds of security.
Protection for the CEO of a Silicon Valley tech company won’t be identical to that of celebrities or their children. The security detail for each will depend on several factors, such as threat level and situation. But one thing these plans might have in common is covert surveillance, also known as protective surveillance.
What is covert surveillance?
Covert surveillance consists of identifying potential threats to the client(s). This is done covertly, meaning that outside observers should not be able to tell that there is even an operation taking place. Covert agents are trained to blend into their environments, whether it’s a cafe, the streets, the workplace, or public event. (“Covert” is not to be confused with low-profile operations, which also feature plain-clothed agents but don’t disguise their presence as security.)
Covert executive protection teams monitor any and all potentially hostile elements in the principal’s surroundings. Advantages lay in not being noticed. For example, if covert protection officers are assigned to secure a big tech conference, these officers will circulate in and around the venue looking for potential threats, such as rogue drone operators. If the hostile actor doesn’t realize they’re being watched, they will take less care in covering their tracks, making it easier for covert agents to track and report these individuals to the proper authorities as well as curating proper risk mitigation strategies for the principal.
What is surveillance detection?
Surveillance detection is a component of covert surveillance. If you believe you might be the subject of hostile surveillance and/or a future attack, a surveillance detection team will first observe to confirm the hostile watchers and then gather basic information about them (location, appearance, actions, time, etc.).
This intelligence is passed on to a counter-surveillance team, which will essentially surveil the hostile surveillance. By following the hostile planners for longer periods of time, the counter-surveillance team can find out who they work for and collect evidence that could lead to arrest.
Despite its secretive nature, covert surveillance is not always superior to other forms of executive protection, such as overt or low-profile protection. At least, not in all situations.
For example, overt protection (the obvious presence of security) might be preferable as a visual deterrent when the principal is making a public appearance. The mere presence of protection often makes others think twice about attacking.
Covert operations, on the other hand, provide no such protection through appearance. Instead, it’s reactive — dependent on actions already taken by a hostile actor. However, there are clear advantages to covert security. If hostile individuals cannot observe your security measures, they cannot plan for them. Thus, the element of secrecy allows you to maintain a tactical advantage.
Some environments, like many Silicon Valley headquarters, require protection but don’t want it to be felt or noticed. This is another situation where covert surveillance comes in handy — it relaxes the atmosphere without relaxing security.
Different situations call for different kinds of protection — or even some combination of covert and overt surveillance. Indeed, overt and covert surveillance often work hand in hand to provide the most thorough coverage.
