Close protection group in formation. : specijalne-jedinice.com

According to the Regulation on the Determination of Security Protection Tasks for VIPs and Buildings ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 72 of October 8, 2010, 64 of July 24, 2013), security protection tasks in the country and abroad are entrusted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security and Information Agency (BIA), the Military Security Agency (VBA), as well as the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) and military police units. It is important to emphasize that close protection of VIPs is one of the measures of physical protection, which further represents a set of jobs, tasks and activities undertaken to protect the life and physical integrity of a VIP (a person for whom security protection tasks are enlisted in the aforementioned regulation, such as the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, directors of security services of the Republic of Serbia, chief of the General Staff of the SAF, etc.). Interpretations according to which close protection includes the protection of certain buildings/infrastructure, important checkpoints on travel routs, or, for example, escorts, are not correct, being easily concluded from the regulation`s content, which clearly lists a total of four types of physical protection measures (Article 10), which are, indeed, often being combined in practice. In accordance with the above, specialists in close protection (CP) should generally be understood as specially trained, professional members of the security-intelligence system of the Republic of Serbia, engaged in the bodies listed in the regulation, who have successfully completed professional training in the field of CP of VIPs. By reviewing the bodies of the security system entrusted with this type of jobs, tasks and activities, and their positions in the security system of the Republic of Serbia, it can be concluded that units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (e.g. the Unit for the Protection of Important Persons and Infrastructure), as well as the Military Police (e.g. the Special Operations Military Police Detachment "Cobras") and the Serbian Armed Forces are usually entrusted with these activities at the lowest, tactical level, with the cooperation with higher-level (operational and strategic) bodies, being an imperative in practice.

The primary part of the service duties of close protection specialists refers to, therefore, the protection of the life and physical integrity of a person being protected — the objective component — but it is also important to note the subjective component, which involves a creation of an impression, feeling of security for an individual, namely the absence of fear and the conviction that their life and physical integrity are protected to the optimal degree.

In order to comprehensively and optimally carry out the CP, the synergistic action of multiple factors is necessary. Above all, it is crucial that these tasks and activities are carried out by properly trained and experienced operators, all of whom are adequately geared up for the job. The training of a specific individual in crisis management is also of great importance, along with communication with other operators, which must be continuous and based on mutual trust and respect of professional standards set by the operators on the one hand, and the needs and preferences of a VIP, on the other hand. In practice, compromises are often made regarding this, especially if a VIP is a political decision-maker, so sometimes, certain professional standards in conducting these activities are to be lowered, for the sake of political career, or the rating of a person being protected. The success of protection on the tactical level also depends, as mentioned, on support from higher levels, primarily in the form of continuous and on-time delivery of accurate information, based on which a close protection group, a counter-assault team (CAT), and other support elements plan, or adjust protection plans on the tactical level.

The CAT operators can wear civilian clothing as well, depending on the effect they want to achieve. : specijalne-jedinice.com

Intelligence and security, as well as counter-intelligence activities, can also be carried out by operators at the tactical level, with a myriad of specificities, especially when it comes to the intelligence activities. The need for this actions is a consequence of the fact that individuals who, in accordance with the ongoing regulations, are subjected to protection measures, are potential targets of kidnappers, attackers (individuals, organized criminal groups, etc.), who are motivated by various reasons (e.g. disagreement with the implemented policies), but also of foreign intelligence services (e.g. due to access to confidential information, or other resources). Strictly speaking, intelligence content generally refers to activities that are carried out abroad, which should be hold true, if this is viewed in the context of intelligence services and their professional members. When it comes to close protection specialists, their "intelligence" content is considerably less extensive, less systematic, and less intense, and is primarily related to the movement, residence, daily contacts, and communications of a VIP, both domestically and abroad. The largest number of such collected data and processed information is precisely used at the tactical level, rather than at some of the higher levels. When it comes to the application of security and counter-intelligence actions, close protection specialists are, generally, more independent, simply because they are the first, due to the very nature of their work, to face attempts of various types of attacks, from those that endanger the life of a VIP, to those aimed at intelligence penetration, e.g. into the protected communication of a VIP.

THE ROLE OF CLOSE PROTECTION SPECIALIST IN INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES

Timely data collection, its accurate conversion into information, along with timely and accurate transmission of those information in practice, significantly beefs up the level of close protection measures, so, the popular saying among experienced retainers — timely reporting is half the work — does not come as a surprise. The close protection measures are planned according to several factors, among which the most significant are the routine of official activities of a VIP, and the related movement, as well as the assessment of security risks to the VIP. Planning of these measures is understandably very complex, because, among other things, the aforementioned criteria are very dynamic and require frequent adjustments.

The so-called close protection reconnaissance, i.e. a group of specialists who arrive at a planned location before a VIP, should, among other things, conduct a series of intelligence activities, using different methods. Data can be collected using technical means, such as remotely piloted drones with various opto-electronic devices, sensitive microphones, etc., or by reconnaissance and observation. The CP reconnaissance forces collect all data that are relevant to assessing the specific situation, that is, the activity that is forthcoming, and convey information based on which an assessment of the threat to the VIP at the specific location is made, especially, possible directions of attack, available escape routes, etc. Just as covert work is important for the bad guys, being also proportional to an attack success rate, it is also important for the specialists of the so-called reconnaissance forces, to be as covert as possible in these activities, with an inconspicuous appearance, behavior and communication. The implementation of these actions is, simultaneously, more significant and complicated when a VIP is on the move, or stays abroad, so it is very important to collaborate with domestic intelligence service (or services), which is active in a certain form on the territory of the state or locality where an activity of a VIP is planned.

Regarding the activities abroad, another specificity is to be underlined, and that is the fact that close protection specialists, especially personal retainers of VIPs, are at the very center of events, and can directly collect data, through various methods (depending on their training and equipment). A personal retainer often has a better overview of the situation and its development, can perceive something that has not attracted the attention of a VIP, set up a sound or video recording device, etc. The role of a personal retainer, or a close protection group is, interestingly, important in so-called summit diplomacy, i.e., "diplomacy at the top", when, if agreed protocol allows it, they can directly observe a person with whom a VIP has a summit meeting, the room in which the meeting is taking place, other present individuals and their behavior, and the like. In relation to the previous, it is appropriate to mention the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations from 1961, which relate to the functions of a diplomatic mission. Namely, according to the convention, informing by all permitted means in the host state is allowed, which, of course, is not the case with intelligence work. In practice, the line between the permitted fouled informing is often thin and frequently being crossed.

THE ROLE OF CLOSE PROTECTION SPECIALISTS IN SECURITY ACTIVITIES

As argued, the close protection specialists will often directly tackle various forms of security threats to a VIP. Similarly to intelligence content, counter-intelligence activities can be carried out in cooperation with a domestic security service (or services), which is certainly a preferable option, but also independently, when necessary. A VIP`s security protection must be systematic, constantly updated according to threat assessments, combining protection of their life and their physical integrity, protection of communication, means of transportation, residence or temporary residence, shortly, their everyday life. In addition to intelligence, the close protection reconnaissance forces also carry out security tasks and activities, such as counter-diversion inspections of the immediate environment, where a VIP`s arrival is expected. These actions are carried out by counter-diversion specialists, K9 handlers and tracker K9s.

The EOD specialist with the tracker K9. : specijalne-jedinice.com

The protection of communication is especially important, bearing in mind the flow of classified information, making the cooperation between the specialists and domestic security service an imperative, because the service, amongst other things, achieves the protection with a special hardware and software. At the tactical level, the communication is being protected by using code names, passwords or phrases with special meaning.

As conducting intelligence activities abroad is hardened, so is the case with the security ones, because VIPs are more exposed to attacks when abroad (with their movement and communication being particularly vulnerable), especially those attacks, orchestrated by foreign secret services.

Overall, it can be concluded that the role of the close protection specialists in conducting intelligence and security actions is significant, that they can be carried out in cooperation with other specialized bodies of a security system, but also independently, with a series of specificities. The circumstance that makes the specialists a valuable resource at the tactical level, is that by combining intelligence and security actions in tasks, assignments, and activities they conduct, the specialists are able to better perceive these activities, beef up their offensive and defensive methods, increasing, therefore, the close protection of the VIP.

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