V.I.P.A Tactical Training

This is a follow on blog post from a Youtube video I did last week and last weekends workshop on the terrorist threat to Christmas Markets in the UK. Looking at your personal security and specificall how you should be conducting the following:

* Reconnaissance
* Sitiational Awareness
* Evacuation or Dispersal

At the begining of December the UK FCO put out a terrorist alert for British people visiting Christmas Markets in Germany and Belgium due to the high threat of a terrorist attack and also at this time a illegal Iraqi islamist was arrested planning a terrorist attack at a Christmas Market in the Baviarian town of Augsburg. He had been conducting hostile recconassance of the market and talking with the Islamic State about the use of a vehicle as a weapon. He planned on driving a vehicle into the market to mow down pedestrians.

At the same time Christmas Markets in the UK have been cancelled due to the terrorist threat and armed police have been patrolling the more high profile markets. Though the government have not indicated any specific threat, so make up your own minds on that one!!

So what should you do?

Recce
​Much like the terrorist conducting hostile recce to see if the target is viable and is what we call a soft target, a target that is open to attack due to the lack of security in place. You will be conducting the same thing but only with regards to your own safety and security while visiting the market. You can do this as an in-depth activity as a security professional or as a citizen justcover as much as you can in relation to your knowledge base. 

Here are some basic tips on what you should be considering:

* Parking - Where will you park so as not to get blocked in if an attack does happen and surrounding
                  roads are cordoned off to stop vehicles leaving the area. 

* Public Transport - Buses and trains. How busy will the buses and trains be and how busy will the
                                walking routes be to the market. 

* Access & Egress - Are there dedicated entry and exit point or can you just wander into the market
                              from any point. If there are dedicated security checks then what do they consist
                              of? Has there been any online information regarding prohibited items?
 Are there any of the following at the entrances or leadup to the entrances?
Vehicle Mitiigation Bollards VMBs
Security arches, airport style explosive or metal detectors
Physical or wanding bag or body searches
Police vehicles, ambulances or paramedic vehicles



What if the market you are going to has fewer or even none of the above, what does that tell you?
And this can be a bit of a conundrum for the average citizen, which will be safer, a hard target that is maybe too difficlut to attack with lots of security in place, or a soft target with little or no security in place? So which would a terorist choose to attack and which would you choose to visit||?

Inside the Christmas Market or Fair
Some points to consider:
* Inside The Market, Are There?
  Armed police patrols
  Police sniffer dogs
  Security Patrols

* How is the market set out, does it look ad-hok as if its just been thrown up, is it circular, box 
   shaped or set out in a grid pattern?

* Where are the most popular areas, the most congested area or the busiest queues and how do         people move around these areas?

* Are there tented or hutted areas where you have to walk inside to see an event or bar or shops,
  Santas Grotto, how many exits, what is the set up inside?

​* As there will be lots of eateries and it will more than likely be cold, there will be lots of heaters with    live flames which means lots of propane tanks to provde the fuel. They can also be an onsite in 
  place means to add fuel to an attacl

Situational Awareness
Before we know what to look out for we need to have a baseline of activity. Firstly what is the demographic of people visiting the market, ages, ethnicity, gender etc. Are there more families or couples,groups of friends and how many individuals are there? What are the general activities of the visitors?

Once we know that then we can look out for those people who are not doing what everyone else is doing, or trying to blend in by pretending to do what everyone else is doing. This is how new people who come into the surveillance industry get caught out, tryng too hard to blend in, looking stiff and out of place and not relaxed. Possibly staying in one place too long, texting periodically after observing an area, the favoured method of communications. There is much much more to this.and this is a skill which needs to be learned but your gut instinct can make up for this to a small degree.
 
When we look at a even a basic number of issues as above we look at clusters. Clusters are numerous signes grouped together. One sign on its own may not mean anything, but put three, seven, ten signes together and they may point in the direction of possible bad intent. The signs we look at though all have to give off signals which connect them together.

Evacuation / Dispersal
If there is an attack then how are you going to get yourself and your family out of the immediate and then the general area?

We have seen many people injured and killed due to panic in a crisis situation. My advice is do not follow the crowd. Depending on the market layout you can decide how to get out of or away from an attack in various areas. If there is only one way in and out then look for alternate routes, those used by store holders to get their kit and other utilities into the site. What might you need on your person to effect an escape from the area, would you need to cut your way out, break your way out, is there sufficent lighting to see where you are going, there is much to think about.

I covered more during the weekends workshop such as:
Spatial awareness
first aid kits
kit to carry - individual and family kit
RV points

And I didnt even scratch the surface of what we need to know or be aware of.

If you are interested to learn more then check out the dates on the course dates page to get yourself booked on a workshop.

Hope to see you there.

Oh and just for your information! last weekend on Sunday 15th December 2025 a man was taken to hospital after he was hit with a bottle containing an alkaline substance at the Winter Wonderland Fair in Hyde Park London. 

Stay Dangerous

Rock
​

See below blog posts for the violence escalation model in relation to where Unarmed Physical Attack comes into play.

This attack, like any other attack has to be dealt with in relation to the law in whichever country, county, state, that you happen to be residing or working in. Having said that it has to be dealt with effectively. Something which the current UK SIA curriculum for close protection training does not address.

Check out the course dates for up and coming Close Protection Combat Systems training days which does address this issue. Hence this blog post for IBG and 2 man teams.

Not only in the CP industry but across the security industry as a whole, the term 'Its not rocket science' is used to such an extent that I now have had to buy a white lab coat when explaining basic drills and skills because it seems it is up there with 'Rocket science'. It doesn't take the brains of an Arch Bishop to understand that the bigger the team, the easier it will be to deal with this attack, so for the IBG or 2 man team up against 1, 2 or 3 or more attackers, then you certainly have your work cut out.

This is why I am very blunt when I tell CPOs, someone (One of the team) is going to get hurt when dealing with the attacker/s.

I am not going to go into situational awareness, behavioural detection or conflict management  here as this is now after the fact and that time has has come and gone, but to give you an example of Arcs Of Observation see the diagram below.

Your response has to be effective enough to nullify the threat as quickly as possible. You have to be able to do this while walking with your Principal, from a static standing or sitting position or while em-bussing or de-bussing for example. You also have to be effective with your response to punches, kicks, grabs, pushing or rushing attacks from 1 or more attackers.

From an IBG and 2 man team point of view, any attack calls for multi- tasking skills of the highest level.

Firstly as an IBG, don't forget about your P after you have got them off the X. You are going to have to give them orders or ask them questions, where do you want them to go or what do you want them to do, did they get hit, are they injured, you need to look to see if they are in shock and can still follow your orders. Remember you may still be engaged with the attacker at this point, you may be in a crowd of people, you will be looking for more threats, you will more than likely be taking hits.

The positions and roles of the 2 man team should and must be interchangeable and will be as the P changes direction while walking around. Get used to this as an attack could come from any area where the BG suddenly find themselves as the PES dealing with the attack and the PES is now the BG getting the P off the X. Wow that's a mouthful.

One thing we are definitely not going to be doing is restraining the attacker.

Look at it this way, you are an IBG, you are restraining the attacker, who is now going to either get the P out of the danger zone to safety and remember there may be more than one attacker. Is the P going to have to defend themselves while you watch from the position of your Gucci arm lock you are so pleased with getting on the first attacker.

If as part of a 2 man team you restrain someone, you have now lost 50% of the team. You are now back to the IBG scenario, if there is more than one attacker then you are no better off.

Consider your P:
Is it a man, woman, adult, child or baby?
Are they young, old fit, infirm?
Could they run, could you carry them while you defend them?
Do they know what you would do in this situation?
Do they know what is expected of them in this situation?
Have they ever watched or witnessed violence of this kind?
If nannies, P.As, work colleagues and other hangers on be a help a hindrance?
Could the above be used to your advantage in an attack?

This is not just a set of moves to be learned, its a whole skill set and an important one.

One question I have always asked myself when looking at team members or possible team members:
Do I want this person standing next to if the shit should hit the fan?
What would be the honest answer if this question was asked of you?

So are you capable, fit for purpose or are you still deluding yourself and putting at risk, the life of someone you are supposed to be protecting?

The truth only hurts emotionally, but in this job, this shit could get you killed.

Stay Dangerous

​Rock


​

Hi and Welcome to Rock's Blog

The blog has been going since 2013 and I have recently deleted a number of past blog posts as they can all be seen in the two books I have published, you can see the books in the shop.

Some of the old posts will be updated and republished here in future blogs so stay tuned as the next blog post will be out soon.

Stay Dangerous

​Rock

So Are you obsessed? I hope so because I am. I have a calling. Actually I am in luck as I have two. The first is self protection which I have been involved in since 1978 and the second is close protection which I have been involved in since 1992. Although I am writing this as it relates to close protection, the concepts hold true for other aspects of your life be they the form of employment you have chosen, or your hobbies and past-times.

Pick your most boring subject, something that you are not interested in, engineering, gardening, painting for example, whatever it is you just do not like and I can guarantee one thing. If it is someones passion, their calling, and they are talking about it you will listen, why? Because they make it interesting, they love everything about their subject, let me reiterate IT IS THEIR CALLING! Look at these people. watch them on TV or YouTube and tell me they do not make what they are talking about interesting. Alan Titchmarsh (Gardener), Mark Williams (Actor) talking about engineering, Kevin McCloud (Designer) on Grand Designs or Jamie Oliver (Chef).

Could you do the same, could you talk to a bunch of people about close protection and enthral everyone?

So where does all of this fit in with the title? OK let me ask you this, as soon as your shift or rotation is finished do you just switch off as soon as you walk out of the door until you start work again? If you do then you are not following your calling. Fot the average person, that is exactly what happens. "Hey 5pm, let's go to the pub". Think about the top fashion designers as they leave the office. Building shapes, colours, tree shapes, distorted reflections, anything can inspire creativity when you are working but more importantly when you are not working.

I watched "Olympus Has Fallen". Gerard Butler in the kitchen with his wife who was trying to have a conversation with him. He on the other hand is watching the news about the North and South Korean military developments. Nothing to do with him, he is not even on the Presidential Detail meeting the South Korean delegation but he is still part of the Secret Service. He is taking more interest in the news because of who he is and what he does. Even though it gets him in the shit with his wife he is still working while not at work doing the job he longs to get back into, sound familiar?

Let me ask you this very important question? If you are not working when you are off the clock, how do you run your personal security procedures? They don't exactly run by themselves you know.

PERSEC, OPSEC, INFOSEC are becoming punchlines all too often on social media groups and forums.

Do you have an ideas book? I do, I keep it in my day-sack. Sitting on the train or an idea will come to me or I will see something that pertains to SP or CP and write it down before I forget it. Remenber, working while not working. What do you do, sit there and enjoy the ride? Multi-tasking is something we all need to be able to do.

There is an article on Fred Leland's Law Enforcement and Security Consulting website entitled - "The 10% Of Mind-Set". It relates to the 10% of law enforcement professionals who constantly strive to develop themselves and their professionalism both physically and mentally. It also talks about those who are "Retired On Duty", ​both we can relate to in our professions, which one are you?

If you are looking to come into the CP industry; the ceiling (Some) CPOs work at is far higher than you think, both mentally and physically. I am not degrading your current employment whatever that may be, just realise that one thing that you will not be told on your CP course is that:

IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE PEOPLE OR YOU MAY DIE, ON OR OFF THE JOB!

For those already working in the industry and also for those looking to come into the industry here is a little reminder.

The business we are in; protecting lives is a serious business and not one to be taken lightly, so for those that are still confused let me try and make it a little simpler for you:

If you are doing this to impress your mates or girls down the pub - Find another job.
If you look at this profession as just another job - Find another job.
If you want to mingle with the stars & be photographed with the stars - Find another job.
If you cannot attain the ceiling required for our profession (And its not the SIA Ceiling) - Find another job.
If this is not your calling - find another job.
If you are not of the 10% mindset - Find another job.
If you are not at work and still not working - Then seriously find another job

Final reminder - We are working in a confrontational or possibly confrontational employment arena where on the job and off the job, this shit can get you killed.

So are you following your calling?

Stay Dangerous

Rock

I put a post up on LinkedIn regarding 3rd party protection training in relation to the Sir David Amess Murder and MPs probably getting SIA qualified security personnel to protect them.

The post looked at combat training for the security industry in relation to the three different levels of licence.
Security Guard (SC) No combat training on the course and no physical intervention.
Door Staff (DS) No combat training on the course but Physical Intervention is covered.
Close Protection (CP) No combat training on the course - Physical Intervention being brought in.

My question to everyone who is employed to protect the lives of people under possible threat of attack is this:
If you've never trained in any form of combat (Call it whatever you want) system and don't regularly train in a system, how do you think you are going to stop an attack on your Principal without any discernible skill set in this field? 

And please no bullshit type answers such as,  "We are trained to never get into this situation in the first place" "Nothing's happened yet so why do I have to train?" "If you have to use your weapon or combat skills then you have failed". 
If that's your thinking then you are lying not only to yourself but also to your Principal as 100% security is what we aim for but is impossible to achieve.

I see this mindset a lot within the general population, wait until you have been attacked before you decide to start training in protecting yourself! Door - Horse - Bolted springs to mind.

The point of this blog post is two fold:
Firstly to point out the points above.
And secondly to answer a related question I hear a lot from British bodyguards regarding our American counterparts close protection training videos and marketing material.
The question - "Why do U.S CP training courses always revolve around the use of firearms"

Firstly what the answer isn't - Firearms don't sell courses better, firearms don't make the job look sexier, firearms are the only tool in the box.

The answer is so simple as to be easily missed - Combat, as one of your close protection skill sets is the least used. I have only used what I know on two occasions in the last twenty nine years. 

The reason you don't need to practice the rest of your skill sets is that you are using them every day, walking formations, embus & debus drills, driving drills, advance duties, venue and location recce, route planning, ops room management, vehicle management etc. This is the reason why these skills stay sharp.

Combat skills are degradable and this is the reason why they should be trained on the most, because they are going to be used the least. Don't kid yourself, you are not going to miraculously turn on skills and follow procedures which you have never trained in.
 
Look at the Threat Level:
Nuisance person - Conflict Management
Verbal Assault - Conflict Management
Missile Thrown
Hostile / Friendly Crowd
Unarmed Physical Attack
Armed Physical Attack - Edged & Blunt Trauma Weapons
Close Range Gun attack  0-5ft
Medium Range Gun Attack 5-15ft
Long Range Gun Attack 15ft - Sniper
Bomb or Grenade Attack
Vehicle Ambush
Are you prepared?

Let me ask you one last question. Another skill set that is going to be used the least but is massively trained on to a very good standard by all CPOs is first aid. But when did you last treat a major bleed on the job, when did you last treat a knife wound, gun shot or blast injury on the job, when did you last get your injured Principal out of a vehicle after an RTA, when did you last give your Principal oxygen or put in a cannula on the job???

My guess is you haven't unless you are working in a hostile environment, or like me with my combat skills, once or twice at the very most but you still train on it.

I run VIPA Close Protection Combat Systems Courses every month. The next one is January 22nd 2022, why not come along and either start to train in a new skill set or test what you already know. Go to the course dates page to book your place. Maximum of 20 people per course.

I look forward to your comments here and other social media sites.

Stay Dangerous

​Rock

In relation to the above blog post I thought it would be a good Idea to revisit this older post regarding protecting your Principal during the Pre - In - Post attack phases.

​Here is a short Breakdown of the Gigi Hadid Attack.

In September of 2016 during the Milan fashion week; we saw an attack on the supermodel Gigi Hadid as she left a fashion show by the stage door. The attack, which thankfully turned out to be prank by Vitalii Sediuk saw the model having to resort to defending herself. After being picked up off the ground from behind the model deliverers an elbow to the head of her attacker which forces him to release her and run from the scene.

This attack happened in the presence of her security (more of that coming up), which has highlighted a number of failures which continue to blight the close protection industry and security industry in general
Over the last few years there has been a call for 'Raising Standards' within the close protection industry and this latest attack shows us why you, cannot work above the level  which you are either trained for, currently work at and in some cases are not mentally, intellectually or physically capable of undertaking.

So lets take a look at the attack and look at the glaring mistakes that could have led to possible harm; if the attack was of a more serious nature.

Gigi Leaves the stage door entrance/exit with her sister and 1 x security who is leading from the front as they head for their vehicle.
MISTAKE #1 An IBG (Individual Bodyguard) in these situations does not lead from the front, he is the bodyguard, at least one member of the door staff team should have been leading the way.

A member of the door staff team stands by the stage doorway and does not follow.
MISTAKE #2 Nobody is covering the rear, so Gigi and her sister are exposed and open to attack from this area.

As they leave the entranceway and walk a couple of steps they actually walk past the attacker.
MISTAKE #3 Observation! I would like to think a location like this would have some sort of CCTV and at the least a small operations room with someone watching the monitors. If so, the guy doing this was not monitoring the street prior to the model leaving a secure area.
Intelligence and Communication! The attacker is a well known celebrity prankster, any security worth their salt should do at least a little intelligence gathering prior to the venue going live to possibly highlight these situations.  If the ops room had seen the attacker, he could have been moved away or questioned by any LE on site and at the very least the model could have left by a different entrance, if one was available. Communication between the security on the ground and the ops room or other personnel was none existent.
The door staff at the doorway entrance should also have been watching the party leave and should have noticed the attacker move in behind the them.
Normal and Abnormal! We look for the absence of the normal and the presence of the abnormal. Everyone around Gigi was either taking photographs of her or selfies with her (NORMAL), the attacker, wearing a hat, dark glasses and unshaven (Disguise) and standing still doing absolutely nothing (ABNORMAL) should have been spotted and if not recognised, then at least he would have been brought to the bodyguards attention.
How are your Behavioural Detection skills?

As the party continue walking; the Bodyguard moves behind Gigi and her sister with the attacker directly behind them, he has still not been noticed! At this stage you can hear the guy in the black shirt ask "Where is the car?" At which point the vehicle sounds its horn as its trying to get through the crowd of fans. 
MISTAKE #4 Distraction! No vehicle is called forward as the model prepares to leave a secure area. The area was crowded with fans and as the vehicle sounds its horn; the bodyguard leaves the side of Gigi and her sister to help it through the cluster of fans.

                                  Bodyguard and vehicle are out of this shot and to the right.

                 Photos thanks to the video from StormShadowCrew see the video link below.

The attack happens, as above.
MISTAKE #5 While the bodyguard is helping with the vehicle he is too far away from Gigi and he reacts very slowly as you can see in the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjsPmjqmcvs He only gets to Gigi as she starts to give chase to her attacker. I say reacts here because he is not responding, a response is a cognitive action, this was an "OH SHIT" no thought REACTION!
Maybe we should also add in there a bit about fitness!

Gigi and her sister get into the vehicle, at this stage the doors are still unlocked and there is no security on her door. The guy in the black shirt gets into the vehicle on the opposite side near to the fans.
MISTAKE #6 Once Gigi is in the car; the bodyguard moves away, at this point the doors are not locked and are insecure. The bodyguard takes a position by the passenger front seat and does not take any notice of the open rear passenger door where fans are keeping it open and are still taking photographs. the door is closed (not by the bodyguard) and then the bodyguard gets into his own seat. The car still does not move for a number of seconds, if the doors lock on driving off then it is still insecure, unless the bodyguard manually locks them, which here I don't think he would.

As we know, em-bus and de-bus procedures at the pick-up and drop-off points are part of our vulnerable point study and are places where attacks are likely to happen. Here we see in about ten paces from leaving the building to getting into a vehicle how not to protect your Principal.

A pretty shoddy affair all round and if this is a teams best practice it is possibly a life endangering one too. 

Stay Dangerous

Rock