When there is a heightened risk of criminal activity or other threats, close protection security can offer a higher level of safety to a VIP and their loved ones. But what is close protection security, and how can it benefit you?
Close protection security refers to specialised security officers, or bodyguards, who are trained to keep people safe from any and all threats, including physical attacks, criminal activity and unwanted attention. In any situation that may be deemed unsafe, close protection security officers will keep you and the people you care about safe, whether that be through unarmed combat, physical restraint or verbal negotiation.
Close protection and close protection security is often utilised by people in the public eye. These can include celebrities, politicians, royalty, business executives and other high-profile individuals. While it is often the case that close protection security will be used by prominent figures, it is not just them who can benefit; anyone willing to pay for personal protection can hire a bodyguard.
What can close protection security protect you from?
Nobody is safe from criminal activity, but high-profile individuals are often at a higher risk of danger and will therefore need closer protection in their day-to-day lives.
Professionally trained close protection security officers can keep you and your loved ones safe from a number of threats to your safety and privacy, including:
- Terrorism
- Organised Crime
- Stalkers
- Invasions of privacy
- Crowds and/or overly enthusiastic fans
- Political Rivals
Key skills of a close protection security officer
Bodyguard services in the UK require their officers to have a number of qualifications, including an SIA License and a minimum Level 3 vocational Security Qualification, and must also have passed a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
These qualifications ensure that bodyguards for hire in the UK possess all the requirements needed to keep their clients safe. Bodyguards often have a background in law enforcement or the military. Due to the nature of gun laws in the UK, most bodyguards aren’t permitted to carry firearms, but are fully-trained in unarmed combat and physical restraint so they can keep the client safe whatever the threat.
All Time Security is one of the top bodyguard companies in the UK, and as such our close protection security officers are fully-trained and are equipped with a number of vital skills that help keep a VIP safe. These include basic ‘hard’ skills such as driving, training in unarmed combat and first aid skills.
Close protection security officers also possess key ‘soft’ skills that can make all the difference on the job. These range from strong communication skills, discretion, creative thinking, resourcefulness and poise. As every job is different, close protection security officers often possess a range of abilities to complement the basic skills. These can include trauma management, linguistic skills or chauffeuring.
What do close protection security officers do?
First and foremost, the most important role of a close protection security officer is to keep their clients safe from harm, allowing them to go about their day-to-day lives without having to fear for their safety. Keeping the client safe involves strategic planning to identify any potential threats to the client and prevent them from occurring and reacting immediately in the event of an incident taking place.
Whether it’s an overly enthusiastic fan or a terrorist threat, keeping the client fully safe is a highly complex role, so when hiring a bodyguard in the UK it helps to have a full understanding of the variety of tasks associated with keeping a client safe.
When hiring from a bodyguard company in the UK, this is what you can expect:
- Deterring physical attackers
- Strategic Planning
- Security in the event of an attack
The goal for any close protection security officer is to ideally prevent any potential incidents from occurring, rather than having to react when one such incident occurs. Therefore, considerable amounts of a bodyguard’s time are spent planning tasks well in advance. While prevention of an incident is always preferable, it is not always possible to prevent something from happening and therefore bodyguards must always be ready to react to any potential dangers to their client.
Whether it’s a single bodyguard or a security team, when you hire a bodyguard in the UK, you’ll be getting highly trained professionals who can carry out a number of tasks to keep you safe. These additional tasks include project management, tactical driving and conflict management.
Most clients hiring bodyguards in the UK are looking to go about their business inconspicuously and are looking for a service that values discreteness. Therefore, bodyguards that are calm and unassuming are often preferred to those with a more intimidating disposition.
Benefits of close protection security
Hiring a close protection security service will bring you and your loved ones peace of mind, whether you’re attending a special event or simply going about your day-to-day lives. Close protection security provides a range of benefits, including:
- A substantially reduced chance of attacks and injuries
- Keeping your valuables safe
- A rapid reaction to any incidents that may occur
- Strategic planning to pre-emptively combat any threats
- The dispersing of potentially threatening crowds
- Being able to roam freely in public
- Expert help at any risk level
How our close protection security works with All Time Security
Looking for bodyguards for hire in the UK? All Time Security offers you everything you need when it comes to close protection security officers. When you first get in touch with us, we will carry out a risk and threat assessment to ensure that all your needs are fully met. Whether you want close protection security for a specific event or just for day-to-day routines, our close protection services will be adjusted for your specific needs.
Whether it’s a single security officer, a full security team or a team of residential security officers, our close protection security officers will keep you safe wherever you are and can provide a hidden safety procedure in the event of an incident occurring. To find out more about how we can keep you and your loved ones safe, get in touch with us today.