executive Protection – Threat Assessment
The first step in devising an anti-kidnap system is making a realistic baseline assessment of threats and vulnerabilities before conducting business missions abroad. Executive safety is avoiding as many dangers as possible. Knowing what the dangers are gives you a much greater chance of keeping secure. An essential part of executive travel is obtaining accurate threat information on the particular country and city you will be traveling to. Do not rush into an international business assignment without first doing your homework. You have to know the threats. Taking a proactive approach to your safety will eliminate or greatly reduce the kidnap threat. First, learn about the country you will be visiting such as the local laws, religious traditions, customs, business practices and standards of behavior. Next, engage resources of your embassy to provide specific reports on safe places and areas to avoid within your destination country.
Then executives should obtain professional threat assessments prior to departure and read them as other people read novels. Every piece of up-to-date information you can gather about potential threats within your destination country should be assembled and studied to assist in your threat assessment efforts.
Conducting a threat assessment on the Internet would be a wise investment of your time. Scan the world news section or conduct a Google search of the destination country. Use key search words such as “criminal threats,” “terrorist threats,” “dissident threats” and “organized protest threats.” Follow closely any news stories about criminal groups along routes to and from the airport, carjackings, route security risks or protest groups involved in organized violence such as bombings, sabotage, property destruction or anti-Western sentiments. Download maps showing which roads carry the highest risk of kidnappings or other in-country threats. Search for vulnerability mapping of areas prone to crime and terrorism.
Study details made available concerning terrorist groups within the country. Learn the group’s size, intentions, willingness to kill, willingness to give up life, weapons and methods such as bombings, suicide operations and kidnappings.
Analyze the political corruption within your destination country, especially the corruption levels of the military and law enforcement, individuals susceptible to bribery and reports of military or law enforcement not rendering professional duties and justice. This threat assessment process shows what you can do to prevent incidents before they occur by looking at the history of incidents within your destination country. Also, you should ask your associate company, host representative or a well-informed contact to e-mail you current in-country criminal and terrorist threats and vulnerabilities for “research purposes.” This will optimize your local threat assessment. Historically, the earlier the threat assessment process is brought into the overseas business mission, the greater the chances become for kidnap prevention and safety. Keep safety as a foremost consideration. Keep safe on your international business trips and God speed.
Doc Rogers is the author of the new book entitled: Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards. Step-by-step instructions on providing corporate executive protection for those new to the industry as well as veterans. Doc is the Director of Dipolmatic Protection (DDP) for International Corporate Executive Protection. He is a Certified Protection Specialist and has a Ph.D in Security Administration. Prior to his appointment as DDP for International Corporate Executive Protection he was a former veteran police officer. Doc is widely regarded as the leading authority on Executive Protection In Southeast Asia and India. Order online at: http://books.trafford.com/07-1402
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