Protective surveillance is becoming an ever more popular method of protection preferred by prominent business people, families and visiting dignitaries. It’s a less obtrusive form of close protection, amalgamated with surveillance to provide a discreet personal protection service. Please watch the video below or read on to learn more about protective surveillance.
Our guest writer this month is a retired British Soldier with over 25 years experience in communications, protection and surveillance. He explains more about protective surveillance below.
There are certain situations where protective surveillance might be beneficial in order to discreetly protect yourself or your client. Protective surveillance is ideal for anyone who might need covert close protection, there are a few advantages that can be gained through this surveillance technique.
Maintain Daily Routines
One of the drawbacks of hiring a close protection team is the fact that some clients feel as though their daily activities are hindered. It is important to have the team near in case their help is needed, but clients wonder where the line of obtrusive protection lies.
Protective surveillance allows the team to research the potential threat so that they can provide protection, without too much impact on your daily schedule. So, you can continue with your regular daily tasks, without worrying about the close proximity of your team.
This technique allows your protection team to gain on-going intelligence so that they can assess the risk at any moment. This intelligence can be gathered through electronic and physical research, and it allows the team to gather applicable information in order to put together an effective protection plan.
One of the benefits of this surveillance plan is that the team strives to maintain a semblance of normality in your life. The team works hard to observe the situation and control risk from a distance, to avoid tipping off a potentially dangerous person.
Anyone might find benefit from protective surveillance depending on their situation. These services are especially suited for people who have a high net worth, who have a high profile in the media, or for someone who is being stalked.
Another reason that this surveillance might be used is if you need to be sure that you are not being followed. With physical surveillance, your protective team will watch your movements from a distance, in order to determine if anyone is following you. Once those individuals have been identified, it becomes much easier to “watch the watchers.”
Usually, protective surveillance is offered as part of a larger close protection plan, although there are certain situations where protective surveillance might be sufficient as a stand-alone service.
In our modern world, it is becoming easier to use digital techniques in order to gather information over the phone or through other listening devices. There are tools that can be used through cell phones, home phones, radios, televisions, or other devices in a home or office.
Many people find that information gathering in this manner is much more effective than physical surveillance, because details can be gathered from a distance and throughout the day.
Westminster Security provide protective surveillance services in London, throughout the UK, Europe and Worldwide.