In today’s world of mp3’s, iphones, tablets and gadgets, it’s easy to be engrossed in emails, games or movies while on the train, sitting in the pub or waiting at the bus stop. Did you have a quick look around before you got your ipad out?

Being aware of your personal security doesn’t mean that you have to be in a paranoid state of mind. You risk assess things every day – is it safe to overtake this vehicle on the motorway? Can I make it on to the Tube before the door close?  Being security aware just means that you might question whether it’s a good idea to listen to your mp3 when you leave for work early on a winter’s morning.

One thing I hear is ‘I know martial arts so I can look after myself!’. It’s great that people take the time to train, but if you have to use it then something has gone wrong. Learning how to defend yourself teaches you about what to do as the last line of defence; Being aware of your personal security means that you will see the signs that will lead up to potentially dangerous situations, so that you can avoid them BEFORE they happen.

Below are a few important points you should take in to consideration when thinking about your personal security. Please feel free to copy them and send them to colleagues, add them to company newsletters and pass them on to loved ones.

There is no such thing as random crime
It may be opportunistic, but it is never random. Criminals target people because the opportunity SUITS THE CRIMINAL. This could be due to the location, time of day, physical state of the victim or many other factors, but the thing you can be sure about is that it will favour them and not you.

YOU are in charge of your own security
Know your limits, tell people where you go and who you meet. You don’t have to do this all the time, but if you are going somewhere new or meeting unfamiliar people then it’s a good idea. Even people who hire close protection officers must understand that they are still in charge of their own security. Knowing that you need extra security means that you understand there is a need, but don’t now think you can do nothing as you have hired people to do it for you as it removes an important layer of your security.  Don’t be drunk and incapable, alone and asleep on a train!

Don’t look like a victim
The way you carry yourself can say a lot about you. You have probably heard people say you should act confident, walk upright and never appear to be lost or confused which you should do, but there are ways where you can also project security. For example if a criminal sizes you up and notices a small black clip on your pocket (just a torch) that looks like it could be something to defend yourself with, he will most likely choose someone who doesn’t look like they have something to put up a fight with.  Don’t let pride or embarrassment stop you from using good security precautions.

Spot trouble before it happens
There are usually indicators that can warn you of potential trouble. There are many, but ones you have probably come across might be when a stranger tries to initiate conversation that makes you think ‘this is strange!’ or when you see someone whos movements make you think that something about them just isn’t quite right. Any physical contact by strangers should raise your awareness.

When you develop a good level of personal security awareness you will notice that you become more situationally aware and more confident.  You can apply this knowledge where ever you go in the world and pass it on to the people you care about.

Since its launch at the end of 2010, the UK Security Alliance has been going from strength-to-strength. The UK Security Alliance was created by experienced, professional close protection officers who wanted to ensure that users of professional security services had a reliable and honest resource they could use.

Stephen Hopkins, founder of the UK Security Alliance comments “It’s great to see Simon Doull putting his name behind the UK Security Alliance. Recently we had four members of the UK Security Alliance working overseas on the same task for two months. This is just one of many jobs our members have been working on recently. It’s great to see that our unique format has started to be accepted and used by clients of security services.  I look forward to introducing a new service that will hugely benefit clients and I look forward to working with Simon again soon.”

Simon Doull – television cricket commentator says “I would recommend using UK Security Alliance personnel to everyone who requires professional security services. I have been travelling to India for many years with my job in television and the need for professional security has become more and more relevant. My experience recently with the UK Security Alliance and their personnel was outstanding and it left me in no doubt that they will be my security choice from now on. I would recommend the UKSA for any commercial and personal security requirements.”

The UK Security Alliance is a not-for-profit group. Stephen Hopkins has over 11 years experience working in the professional security industry, in operational, management and consultant positions. The UK Security Alliance has a strict application process for potential members. This ensures clients of the UKSA receive the highest levels of service from proven and experienced professionals.

For more information visit the UK Security Alliance Web Site.

Being a professional security officer is like being a boy scout; prepared for anything. While I think it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with firearms, I don’t think most people really need to know how to tactically clear a house, after all, it’s our job to get the principal as far away from the threat as possible.

Forewarned is Forearmed

Working at a professional level isn’t just about the physical skills you have. I have acquired an extensive book collection over the years that details various different things bad guys might do. If you think like they do, you’ll know what to look for.

The nature of close protection means we spend a lot of time in airports, hotels and facilities, on the street and travelling. It’s worth arming yourself with the knowledge of what type of incidents happen in these types of places and the general response procedures. Learn and understand how these different places manage their security. You can find out a lot about hotel security if you look for it.

The internet can be a great asset and you can pretty much find eBooks on any subject. There are many free resources available online, for example Identifying Undercover Activity and Agents . While some of these resources may seem old, they can sometimes offer you one or two nuggets of information that you will carry with you forever.

Remember, it might be worth more knowing how someone can defeat the swipe card system in a hotel, rather than knowing how to do a high speed J-turn.

The UKSA blog has information about what they are doing as well as testimonials from clients the UKSA members have worked with.

Visit UK Security Alliance Blog here.

“I would highly recommend using members of the UK Security Alliance for all your professional security requirements” – Jerry Springer

London, England, 17^th Jan 2011 – The UK Security Alliance is a unique group that has been created by working professional close protection officers looking to raise the standards of the close protection industry. This once self-regulating industry is now awash with badly trained, inexperienced people since government licensing was introduced in 2006. The UK Security Alliance has been created to distinguish between professional career security officers and the people who just fancied trying something different or exciting. This is achieved by our unique membership system.

Stephen Hopkins, founder of the UK Security Alliance comments “People who use professional security services don’t realise that holding an SIA (Security Industry Authority) close protection licence only means a person has passed a 14 day course, has a clean criminal history and has paid £245 to the Government to be allowed to work in the security industry. The shocking reality is that you could be entrusting your safety to someone who has never worked in the security industry before. The UK Security Alliance offers free professional advice to potential purchasers of professional security services, and if someone would like us to put a potential task to our members, we are happy to do so free of charge after we have carried out all necessary due diligence.”

Jerry Springer – media personality, user of professional security services and current user of UK Security Alliance members says “It’s very important to know that the person in charge of your safety knows what they are doing. I feel safe and secure knowing I am in the experienced hands of members from the UK Security Alliance. I would highly recommend using the members of the UK Security Alliance for all your professional security requirements.”

The UK Security Alliance is a not-for-profit group. Stephen Hopkins has worked in the security industry for over 11 years, managing corporate and entertainment close protection tasks. The UK Security Alliance aims to raise the standards of the close protection industry, and connect close protection security service buyers with professional security companies and individuals.

For further information please visit UK Security Alliance Web Site or contact:
UK Security Alliance
contact [@] uksecurityalliance.co.uk
Follow UK Security Alliance on Twitter @theUKSA

The UK Security Alliance (UKSA) has been created by working professional close protection officers looking to raise the standards of the close protection industry. The once self-regulating industry is now awash with badly trained, inexperienced people since government licensing was introduced in 2006.

The UK Security Alliance is a networking tool for professional close protection officers and a resource for purchasers of close protection service. Membership to the UK Security Alliance is by invitation only from current members, with professional close protection officers staking their reputations on the people they invite to join. This ensures that only the best qualified and experience CPO’s become members.

The UK Security Alliance is not associated with any Government organisation or with any other security ‘association’. Created by close protection officers, for close protection officers, the aim of UKSA is to ensure purchasers of close protection services have the correct information and advice they need to make an informed decision about the security officers and companies they use. This is a free service.

The UK Security Alliance are happy to forward details of close protection jobs to their members, only after necessary due diligents has been completed. This is a free service to purchasers of close protection services.

More information on the UK Security Alliance is available on the UK Security Alliance web site.

Contact with the UK Security Alliance is initially always through the UK Security Alliance Contacts page of the web site.

An official press release from the UK Security Alliance is expected soon.

The shocking reality is that the person you could be entrusting yours and possibly your families safety to, may never have worked in security before.  Yes, they may have a close protection licence issued by the SIA (Security Industry Authority), but all this really means is that they have completed and passed a 150 hour course, have been vetted by means of a CRB check (Criminal Records Bureau), and have paid £245 to the government to be allowed to work legally in the UK security industry.

Many security companies advertise that all their security officers are SIA licenced – Well they should be anyway as it’s the law, BUT, just being in possession of an SIA Licence DOES NOT guarantee that you will get the experienced and knowledgeable security officer you think you are getting.

Licensing the close protection industry meant that the once self-regulating CP industry was now open to all. There are now over 6,500 licenced close protection people.

I have personally seen people who are willing to work for minimum wage to get their foot in the door and get some working experience in close protection. I would never even consider putting someone with no CP experience on a task, but other companies do, and they do it because there is profit in doing so.

YOU are solely in charge of your security. This means you decide if you need close protection services, but it doesn’t stop there. It’s still up to you to make sure you have security officers that have the knowledge and experience to carry out the task. If you or your representative purchase close protection services based on price alone, then you are cutting corners on something you could end up regretting.

Anyone can put up a web site, borrow text from other sites and make it seem like they are experts in the security industry. Some security companies throw the huge security net out there, hoping that if they offer every security related service, that they might get a bite. We write this blog so that it gives you an insight into how we think, and we have considerable experience in the security services we offer.

If you need close protection services and think you’ve negotiated a great deal for £10 per hour, after the company has taken their part, the person on the ground might be lucky to get £8 per hour. Be aware that this is the type of cost that you won’t find experienced CPO’s willing to work for, but the people who have no experience will. You have just taken a huge gamble on your security.

We have quoted for jobs that we didn’t initially get, only to be called half way through to come and take over because the people they had chosen for the task turned up late every day, were scruffy, didn’t have any people skills, didn’t understand the job requirements or were completely the wrong type of people for the environment … but they were initially chosen because they were cheaper!

If your security is important to you and you require experienced, professional close protection security officers, then please contact us.

With so many security companies to choose from, how do you select a goood one? Or more importantly, the right one for your security task?

I can’t tell you how you do that, but I can tell you about Capitol Risk and how we do things.

At Capitol Risk, we still have old school values when it comes to the security officers we use, no matter what the task is.

We don’t believe that just because a security officer is ex-special forces or police, makes them the right choice to be placed on your security detail. We don’t try and force that point on potential clients either. If the security task requires someone to stand in the same place for 5 hours, you still need the right person for that task.

People who are unfamiliar with the UK security industry may think that just because a security officer holds a valid Close Protection licence, they are qualified and experienced enough to give you the level of protection you require. On paper, these security officers are qualified, but the unfortunate reality is that many people who hold SIA Close Protection Licences have never worked in the security industry, and many CP licence holders who do work in the security industry may never have worked as part of a real close protection detail.

This is where our experience in the security industry and our values really come in to play. We only use professional career security officers who we have personally worked with, or who have come through our network of professional security officers. Professionals will never risk tarnishing their reputations by recommending someone who might be below standard, so to us it makes perfect sense to hire using this format.

There are many factors that go into team selection, but when you use Capitol Risk, you can rest assured that we will have found the best people to suit your security requirements. We have never placed someone on a security team just because they have the right SIA licence.

Capitol Risk are very well connected in London and work with the best supplementary services in the West End. We have access to a  fleet of brand new, very high spec Mercedes, at your disposal, with a brand new Bentley for that special occasion, and other vehicles available on special request. We have access to a Box at the o2 Arena and can usually arrange tickets for booked out shows and restaurants in the West End. Offering more than just personal security services, we can assign a personal assistant to the team who will manage your complete visit.

Contact Capitol Risk to find out how we can help you with your next security task.

contact @ capitol risk. co.uk

I have spoken to some huge guys who said they were close protection officers, and they told me that if something happened they would easily be able to stop it! The one thing that both clients and people new to the industry forget is that close protection is about spotting potential problems before they happen and getting the principal away from the threat. The “I can stop trouble when it happens” train of thought most likely comes from working on the doors for years, where that’s exactly what you have to do.

I have seen people who use close protection services surround themselves with the biggest guys they can find, but big doesn’t necessarily equal safe. If you choose to have this style of security, be aware that wherever you go, everyone will know where you are and how many security officers you have.

Regardless of what guys you have in your security team, just make sure they are suitable for the position. A good test is to ask prospective security officers what their definition of close protection is. If they answer “to stop trouble” or “to keep the principal safe” then there’s a chance they don’t really understand what close protection is really about.

I have worked with many close protection officers who have been ex-military, and they have been some of the top guys I have worked with, but if you do require close protection, do you really require ex-military personnel?

If we are talking about security details in hostile environments, then 99% of the time you have to come from an ex-military background to get these positions. But for the sake of this article, we are talking about working in a London security team.

Just because someone has been in the army, it doesn’t automatically qualify them to work in the close protection field and it certainly doesn’t make them security experts. Ex-military personnel do have skills that security officers form a “civvy” background might not, but do you really need those skills for your London secuirity?

Some ex-military personnel are lucky enough to have completed extensive courses on close protection whist serving, but most haven’t. People leave the armed forces every day, complete the same SIA close protection courses that everyone else does, and that’s it.

Personally, when I’m putting a CP team together, I don’t over look anyone who has the relative experience for the job in hand. It doesn’t matter that some close protection officers might be ex-military and some might not. What matters is that the close protection officers know how to do their job so that their principal can go about their business in a safe environment to the perceived level of threat.

The subject of internet security is often overlooked. It’s true everyone knows that you need to protect your computer from viruses, but what about the threat of employees stealing your data, or your children talking to people via the many different instant messenger programmes or social networks?

Being content thinking that you know your employees wouldn’t steal your data or spend all day on the internet does nothing to protect you if that does happen. It’s the same just trusting your children to not talk to strangers online or visit adult related sites. The chances are they could be doing ot now!

I recently attended a seminar where I got chatting to a very nice lady about the internet. On finding out that I worked in personal security, she told me that a family member had recently bought a laptop computer for her son who is 12. She went on to tell me that she had spoken to him regarding internet protocol for children and ensured that he only surfed the net when there was an adult present … then one night she found him chatting to people in secret on MSM and she had no idea who they were! This worried her and now she was asking me what she could do to change this.

Fortunately this is an area I have covered before with clients, so I recommended that she looked at a product called Net Nanny, Security Software.

Net Nanny from Content Watch is simple to use, fully customizable software that you can install on any PC or Mac. You can use the simple set-up assistant to help you determine what online activities (Web sites, chat, gaming and social networks) are appropriate based on your family member’s age. What is also quite amazing is that the Net Nanny software also monitors IM (Internet Messenger) and can alert you via email if it deems something to be inappropriate.

There are many other features to this software so it’s definitely worth checking out. The company that produces this software has also moved with the times and have now released a version for mobile phones. You now never have to wonder about who your children are talking to again.

So that’s home covered. But what about protecting your business interests? Well you can also use similar software produced by Content Watch, the same company that makes Net Nanny.  As with the home version, the software sits quietly in the background filtering content and increasing productivity while reducing liability.

The internet has changed our lives forever. It has become such a part of our lives that it is the first place people turn to when they need something. But what people often forget is that the internet is a semi-policed other world. You can find anything and everything there. You can be anyone you want to be there and more worrying, people can be any age they want to be. It brings people together from every corner of the world and because we use the internet every day, we sometimes forget that bad things happen online as well.

If you’re a parent, taking a small step like installing a $40 piece of software can dramatically reduce the risk of your child doing things online that they shouldn’t be.