Close protection officers or CPOs are officers employed to protect their client, client’s lifestyle and their property and possessions from a vast array of potential threats. This might be anything from a non-threatening but overly enthusiastic superfan coming too close to a client to something as dangerous as a terrorist attack. A CPO may be required to work on a detail alone or as part of a larger team, depending on the customer, role, operation, and budget.
Oftentimes, we will have people from law enforcement agencies or military branches who want to transition into protective work.
A CPO’s work profile may vary depending on the needs of a specific client. A CPO could be involved in a variety of tasks, for example, if a client requests a specific type of vehicle, the CPO must accommodate their wishes, chauffeuring them anywhere they need to go. If a client feels better at peace in their own home or in a property that has been rented or leased for the duration of their stay, the CPO may be required to assess the essential security measures and remain on-call for an unknown period.
We live in a world where criminals and terrorists are on the loose, so it’s no surprise that some of the world’s most powerful people go to great lengths to ensure their protection. The mitigation of security threats and their effects on the principal and their assets is known as close protection. In a complicated environment, qualified risk and threat managers (Close Protection Managers ‘CPOs’) supply the mitigation.
Each case is likely to be different because the level of close protective security is usually particularly suited to a unique customer based on their wants and worries. The CPO’s responsibility is to stand by the client and protect their safety in every situation, whether that means chauffeuring them to their destination and dispersing crowds, or maintaining security at the client’s property and doing risk assessments for every activity they participate in.
The modern close protection officer must go through extensive training to guarantee that they can recognise warning signs and keep their customers safe.
Close protection officers may be stationed at their client’s house for both lengthy and short periods of time. Some wealthy people may hire a close security business to protect their assets and keep them close at hand at all times.
When there is a specific threat, they may summon the professionals in other cases. Perhaps the individual has received a death threat or something similar, and they are paying for security to safeguard their families.
Before doing a risk assessment and devising a plan, most close protection officers will spend time investigating the issue and gathering intelligence.
Only individuals with bright brains will succeed in this segment, as there is no place for someone who cannot remain vigilant and aware 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The four most basic hard skills include:
When you’re in close protection, knowing basic driving techniques is essential. You should also have some kind of unarmed combat or martial arts training. There is no better MAs than the others; it’s all a matter of personal taste.
You should also be familiar with basic medical first aid and CPR and have a certificate to prove it. Finally, there are your shooting abilities, which are normally the most discussed and practised. Any functioning CPO, on the other hand, would tell you that shooting is their most misused talent. Because close protection work isn’t like the movies, your odds of engaging in a firefight during your career are limited to none.