Top Trends Within the Executive Protection Industry

Executive Protection, which is also known as Close Protection, is the security offered to VIPs and other important individuals. These individuals require security because of a varied number of reasons such as their profession, their past actions, their net worth as well as their affiliations and geographical location. The protective measures offered to these VIPs include bodyguards, armored vehicles, home-based security systems as well as employee background checks.

The need for Executive Protection has always been high. With the passage of time, the requirement of these highly skilled security teams has increased constantly. In 2019, new trends have been seen to accompany the ever-growing executive protection industry. This is major because of the fact that the number of companies that offer executive protection has increased. This increased number has paved the way for more competition because of which the quality of these services has increased immensely. For the survival of an executive protection providing company, competence and the need for innovation is a must.

Following are some of the most recent trends seen within the Executive Protection Industry:

1. Increased Professionalism
Professionalism within the security teams has always been a point of concern in the executive protection industry. Because high-profile clients want 24/7 protection, this means the presence of security guards even in private places and situations. This demands utmost privacy and the fact that those bodyguards act and stay like a robot. There have been a lot of instances in the past where leaked information or videos have surfaced through security personnel. This trend should be carefully followed and taught to all security personnel at the company.

2. Skill Enhancement of the Security Personnel

The increased competition in the executive protection industry demands smart and educated bodyguards. While being like a robot is important, the need for thinking and improvisation is also necessary. In critical times, the security guards should be able to make decisions for themselves. Only this way the possibility of providing elite level protection is possible.

3. Need for Innovation and Creativity

All the old security strategies, tips, and tricks have been very common. It has become very easy for criminals to plan attacks in those security circumstances. In order to tackle this, new and innovative strategies should be made. For instance, the convoy fleet carrying the important personality has a number of similar cars in order to confuse the attackers. This is a very common executive protection technique. However, because of its common nature, attackers can come prepared and still plan the attack. An alternative could be one main armored car surrounded by other armored cars and bikes. This would provide some sort of invincibility to the clients. Obviously, many other strategies can also be practiced.

4. Need for a New Operating System

In an executive protection industry, an operating system is the combination of hard skills and soft skills that combine to create a winning strategy. This winning strategy provides top-notch security to the principal prospect. An executive protection operating system is composed of different components such as an Executive Protection Manager, security agents, intelligence analysts, cyber threat analysts as well as tech support. The EP Manager is the one supervising the whole system. Pre-planning and creativity are important in providing high-level security.

5. Need for Armed and Unarmed Protection

There are a lot of places where weapons are not allowed. For personnel like the President of a State or a Crown Prince, armored security guards are essential and are allowed to go everywhere. But in the case of private personnel who are on their own such as celebrities and movie stars, many other strategies have to be planned. Therefore, it is important for the bodyguards to have technical skills as well as soft skills. A bodyguard should know how to fight even without a weapon.