The late Twentieth century saw an upturn in the amount of bodyguards, or close protection personnel, that were looking after influential, political or wealthy clients. They consisted mainly of current or former policemen or military personnel. Nowadays, we have these in addition to specialist agencies that train people to carry out close protection services of all kinds.

The position of the bodyguard has been much glamourised through film and television but it is not a position to be taken up lightly. Those that live in the public eye are often subject to, at one end of the scale, stalkers and assassination attempts to the other end of the scale where theft of possessions or personal information as well as harassment from photographers can be detrimental to the persons everyday being. Close protection personnel are there to minimise the risks as much as possible and at times, the tasks involved can be mundane – yet never trivial.

Government officials, royalty, celebrities and high profile public figures are the most frequent users of close protection services in varying degrees dependent on their risk level. Sometimes a bodyguard will double up as a driver, though for maximum security another guard is preferable to prevent ever having to leave the vehicle unattended and open to the plantation of explosives or electronic surveillance devices.

Close protection personnel are responsible for planning the security for their clients day to day activities whether that be official or personal business. They will need to check cars to be used for explosives or listening devices, they will need to plan and physically test out the intended route between destinations to ensure there are no obvious hold-ups such as road works that would leave the client vulnerable. They will check out the venues the client is to visit, check the backgrounds of the staff they will come into contact with and check rooms for safety eg. listening devices.

If a bodyguard is on a protection mission where the client is in danger of assassination attempts, the risk level is greatly increased and close attention is paid to checking for bombs and snipers. In these incidents, the protection services will often carry firearms for the protection of their client. In a less risky environment, weapons will consist of pepper spray or Tasers, otherwise the bodyguard may be unarmed.

All the staff that are working for the protection of a client will be in liaison at all times to ensure their clients day runs as smoothly and safely as possible. Morning meetings are held with action plans set for the day’s activities and all members play an important role. Minor celebrities will usually only have one bodyguard and this is often sufficient – as much as a deterrent as anything else.

Close protection services are responsible for checking the clients residence, vehicles and places that they will visit as well as people they come into contact with for anything that could pose a threat to the client. It is vital that they remain alert at all times, flanking the client whilst they are not in the protective surroundings of a secure building or vehicle.

Training will often consist of specific military bodyguard training such as the SAS, but can also come in the form of specialist training through an agency. They will be proficient in unarmed combat, firearm tactics, tactical driving and first aid and they need to be physically fit with excellent sight and hearing.

Covert surveillance is the observation of a person, place or object without alerting the target or any third party to the fact. The aim of which is to provide the Client with quick and accurate information with total discretion, in any environment, in all weathers, day and night. It is used to obtain information for the purposes of resolving civil issues such as: establishing the truth in cases of suspected infidelity, the tracing of missing assets, the investigation of theft, personal injury fraud investigations, commercial fraud, and, the tracing of missing persons. Covert surveillance may be conducted by foot, vehicle or airborne resources and can aided by GPS tracking – of vehicles, persons or assets – and/or listening or video capture devices that are remotely controlled and monitored.

Covert surveillance may also be aided by the use of undercover surveillance resources.  For instance, surveillance operatives may be able to infiltrate a commercial organization or social grouping for the purposes of obtaining information. Similarly, an existing employee or group member may be vulnerable to approach and used as a source of information.

Before mounting any commercial information gathering task it is essential that in-depth background research be carried out into all available sources as well as a thorough reconnaissance of all the target areas. This will facilitate a comprehensive task analysis in order to produce the best and most cost-effective method of achieving the aim.

The operation would then be conducted in accordance with recognised professional precepts. The team would communicate by covert personal radios concealed within the operators’ clothing complete with hidden microphones and wireless earpieces. The use covert cameras – both in vehicles and when on foot – with high resolution pinhole cameras custom built into objects appropriate to the operational area: shopping bags, ties, mobile phones, briefcases, or almost anything that will facilitate the acquisition of the all-important video evidence is a must.

At the end of each day’s surveillance a comprehensive debrief would normally be carried out and a situation report sent to the Client by phone, E-mail or fax informing them of the day’s events. At the end of an operation a full report package would be compiled and this would normally consist: a comprehensive but concise report, surveillance log of events, witness statements, copies of edited and unedited video footage on DVDs, along with relevant photos, material evidence and annotated maps of target area.

Due Dilligence

Robin Hood Solutions provide procurement of data and intelligence on a covert investigatory process to ascertain the client specific data covering:

• Company Due Dilligence
• Personal Vetting
• Employee Vetting
• Pre -Emptive Relationship Vetting

Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that sometimes people go missing. In some cases, it would seem they have acted out of character and disappeared without obviously being prepared. Other times, it may be due to a breakdown in communication that contact has been lost with a friend or family member. Maybe it is a business colleague that has disappeared under unusual circumstances or in a planned manner or a debtor.

Whatever the reason, there will no doubt be someone who wants to contact them but an easily traceable path is soon lost. A specialist agency that is experienced at finding missing persons will know the right authorities to contact, will know the right questions to ask and the right protocol to follow if and when a person is found.

Providing the missing person agency with as many details as possible is vital for a speedy trace. Full names, dates of birth, last known whereabouts, any employment details or family details – all will give the investigators a starting point. Sometimes it is possible to trace a person through Government agencies although no details will be disclosed to either party without permission.

Minimal tracing can be done through electoral registers available on the internet but it is important to know that these are rarely complete records. Parts of records are purchased by different companies and made available but you also need a starting point, such as an address or area before you can begin searching. With the right information, this may lead you to a last known address but efforts can be frustrated when you come up against a block. A specialist agency will often be able to overcome these blocks and will be able to dedicate a more appropriate amount of time to finding your missing person.

The idea that your spouse may be cheating on you is an emotional minefield but sometimes the not knowing for sure can be absolute torture. This is when people turn to infidelity investigators to prove once and for all if an affair is taking place or not. Direct confrontation with a spouse can cause further problems and leave you either totally unprepared for the answer or in a position where the relationship breaks down because of the accusation. If you suspect your spouse of engaging in extra marital activities and you wish to either save your relationship by bringing it into the open or to make future plans of your own – the only place to start is by knowing if it is happening for sure.

Some private investigators specialise in researching extra-marital affairs and this takes a great deal of sensitivity. They will understand the emotional implications involved and behave in a discreet and thoughtful manner.

Infidelity investigators will research your partners activities by monitoring emails, internet activities and instant messaging services. Their vehicle can be tracked and their assets checked so if they are not where they claim to be or unaccounted for money is disappearing you will be tipped off. Electronic eavesdropping and computer forensics are ideal ways of being able to discreetly monitor your spouses communications and despite them hiding their mobile phone records, you agent can also gain access to these.

Spousal surveillance will be used and a report can be issued as to their whereabouts, their contacts and their activities. Conversations can be recorded and film and photographs used to provide you with proof. These can be used to prove to a court your partners infidelity if you wish to proceed with a divorce.

It is important for an infidelity investigator to be adept at covert surveillance and the gathering of information. They also need to be well versed in family law to advise you on exactly what can be used and what can’t, what details can legally be used and which ones can’t.

Spousal infidelity is a difficult thing to face but sometimes it is harder to stay in the dark with just your imagination to work on. Proving one way or another can put your mind at rest or arm you with the information you will need to build a strong case in court and thus secure your financial future as far as is possible.