Application
This unit specifies the skills and knowledge required to plan to provide close protection services for the safety and security of a principal who may be a celebrity, political figure, very important person (VIP) or other person requiring close protection services.
It includes:
clarifying the principal’s protection requirements and complying with legal rights and responsibilities, policies and procedures associated with close protection tasks
gathering, verifying and assessing protective intelligence to gain a full understanding of potential threats, vulnerabilities and risks to the principal
selecting routes and performing reconnaissance to clarify the risk environment and identify factors that might compromise safety and security
working with others to assess threats, vulnerabilities and operational risks and plan protection arrangements.
It applies to people working independently or under limited supervision as members of a security team.
This unit may form part of the licensing requirements for people engaged in security operations in those states and territories where these are regulated activities.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe what needs to be done to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Clarify roles, responsibilities and close protection requirements. | 1.1 Review work instructions, associated workplace and client’s policies and procedures to clarify principal’s close protection requirements. 1.2 Clarify roles and responsibilities, with relevant persons, of self and others in the close protection team and chain of command. 1.3 Review legal rights and responsibilities of self and others in the close protection team and apply to work instructions. |
2. Gather and assess protective intelligence. | 2.1 Source background information on principal from multiple sources, and verify accuracy and relevance to work instructions. 2.2 Source and verify information to define and clarify operational parameters including the principal’s itinerary, routes, venues and contacts. 2.3 Assess and record information in a manner that can be used to analyse potential threats, vulnerabilities and risks to principal. 2.4 Protect confidentiality and privacy of gathered information to comply with legal responsibilities. |
3. Select routes and perform reconnaissance. | 3.1 Analyse maps and other route information, and select primary and secondary routes to meet work instructions. 3.2 Perform reconnaissance of routes and venues based on work instructions and information. 3.3 Identify suitable embus and debus points, vulnerable areas and other factors that might compromise the safety and security of the principal. 3.4 Locate available safe areas that can be used in emergency situations. 3.5 Record reconnaissance findings and recommend changes to operational instructions to anticipate and avoid foreseeable risk situations. |
4. Assess threats, vulnerabilities and operational risks and plan protection arrangements. | 4.1 Evaluate factors that could influence threats, vulnerabilities and operational risks to assess and determine level and nature of potential threats, vulnerabilities and risks. 4.2 Identify resources and equipment required to protect principal from potential threats, vulnerabilities and risks. 4.3 Consult with principal and close protection team members to report potential threats, vulnerabilities and risks, to explain resource requirements, and to agree suitable protection arrangements. 4.4 Record details of planned protection arrangements using workplace documentation. |
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria:
language skills to:
use security industry approved communication terminology, codes and signals
observe and follow accepted protocols and methods for communicating with people from different social, professional and cultural contexts, such as foreign diplomats, celebrities and other very important persons (VIPs)
use positive non-verbal skills to develop rapport with others when working as part of a team
writing skills to:
use a variety of expressions and sentence structures to provide factual information and express opinions when recording information and reconnaissance findings
sequence and present cohesive text when recording details of planned protection arrangements
reading skills to interpret:
procedures and policies that clarify legal rights and responsibilities
information in different formats and contexts when gathering protection intelligence
different types of maps and information contained within navigation systems when planning routes
speaking and listening skills to use questions and active listening to clarify tasks and verify spoken information
numeracy skills to:
estimate time required to carry out operational tasks
use basic mathematical techniques to calculate resource requirements
problem solving skills to:
plan alternative routes using maps
evaluate and adjust protective arrangements to meet changing risk circumstances
source intelligence from multiple sources to ensure sufficiency, validity and relevance to meet work instructions
teamwork skills to adjust personal communication styles in response to the opinions, values and needs of others
technology skills to use a range of information technologies and devices to gather information.
Sectors
Security operations