Security Guarding

Travel Advice Feb 2010

2010-02-11T15:13:00.000Z

Regarding the current threat, those intent on foreign travel from the UK (executives / close protection teams / travellers et al, will need to be aware of the the following changes and information in the travel policies from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Terrorism is a worldwide threat. Terrorist groups abroad have been known to attack foreigners and places where foreign visitors may gather, such as hotels, transport systems, nightlife areas and landmarks.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office provides security advice for UK citizens who travel or live abroad.

Terrorism Abroad

You can take a number of common sense precautions to minimise the risk of being caught up in terrorism when you’re abroad:

Regularly check our travel advice for the country you are visiting
Subscribe to our email alerts
Watch and read news about the country and region register with the local British Embassy or Consulate
When you arrive be vigilant in public areas and places that attract foreigners and Westerners - embassies, Hotels, restaurants, bars and businesses look out for anything suspicious.
Report it to the local police immediately – many terrorist attacks are foiled by the vigilance of ordinary people try to avoid routines that make you an easier target
Vary the time and route of your regular journeys

Before you leave make sure you:

Check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) travel advice on their website or call 0845 850 2829
Get travel insurance and check that the cover is appropriate
Find a good guidebook and get to know your destination, including its local laws and customs ensure you have a valid passport and necessary visas
Visit your GP at least six weeks before you go to check what vaccinations you need and whether you need to take extra health precautions
Make sure your travel organiser has a policy for refunds and for bringing travellers home in the event that the company goes bankrupt (this should be backed up by an organisation offering financial protection)
If your travel involves using airlines with which you are unfamiliar, you may wish to check their safety and reliability with a reputable travel agent
Make copies of your passport, insurance policy plus 24-hour emergency number, and ticket details - leave copies with your family and friends
Take enough money for your trip and some back-up funds, eg, travellers' cheques, sterling or US dollars
Leave a copy of your itinerary and a way of contacting you, such as email, with family and friends
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website also produces specific travel advice for women, gay and lesbian travellers, young travellers, sports travellers, short-break travellers and backpackers.

Passport to do list:

Fill in details of your next of kin on the last page
Note down your passport number and date of issue and put these in a safe place, not with the passport itself
Have you another form of photo ID to take with you
Check that any children travelling on your passport will still be under 16 by the time they return (if not, they'll need their own passport - a child one if they will still be under 16 when they set off, and an adult one if they will already be 16)
You should also check when your passport is due to run out and whether it is nearly full. Some countries will not let you enter if your passport has less than six months to run. The rules vary by country. For example, South Africa will turn people away if their passport has fewer than two blank pages left.
If your passport is in its last year or is nearly full, you should check the rules of the countries you plan to visit before you book any travel. You can ask your travel agent or check with the embassy of the country concerned.
If you need to renew your passport the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) can credit your new passport with any time (up to nine months) that the old one had left to run.

UK Threat Level - Now Severe

2010-02-11T14:43:00.000Z

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has changed the UK threat level from international terrorism from SUBSTANTIAL to SEVERE. The current threat level means that the threat of a terrorist attack is considered to be highly likely.

The information leading to this decision will have come from several different sources and a measured response has been to raise the level from what it was.

David Millerband the Home Secretary said -

"The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has today raised the threat to the UK from international terrorism from SUBSTANTIAL to SEVERE. This means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but I should stress that there is no intelligence to suggest than an attack is imminent."

Anyone working in a close protection environment will be having to make sure they are planning ahead even more so now, especially if foreign travel is involved.

DSG CP Firearms training in Slovenia

2010-02-03T18:52:00.000Z

We have established a training course in Slovenia with which we can now run Close Protection courses and Fire arms training at a bespoke range in the west of the country in Narin.

Prices at the moment (net of flights - £100.00 approx from UK) are still being negotiated, but what we have at present is the following package:

£600.00 (net VAT) per person and includes:

Accommodation: 3 nights
3 excellent meals each day
Transport to and from Trieste airport arrival and departure
Transport from Narin to shooting range (4 trips)
Short weapons- pistol
500 ammo per person 9mm

Targets, glasses, ear defenders, weapon cleaning are all included in price.

If you would be interested in refreshing existing skills and having a few days relaxing in a beautiful country, then email me - jr@dsgconsultants.co.uk

DSG Close Protection Training Course March 2010

2010-02-03T18:27:00.002Z

The next DSG Close Protection training course will be held in Bristol this March 15th - 28th. For a candidate information sheet email: jr@dsgconsultants.co.uk

Cost of the course is will be £1700, this includes VAT, all training, instructors, vehicles City & Guilds registration, the online multiple choice test, practical assessment folders and certification (x3), for the full award. Candidates who successfully pass the course are also entitled to a years subscription to NASP at half price.

The operations phase in the second week will take place in Bristol / Cardiff and London with live principles, realistic operational threats and attacks on the final exercise.

The last course in November 2009 achieved to centres highest ever result from the online close protection test.

Accomodation - whilst not included in the price can be sourced locally free of charge if needed.

SIA CP Network meeting London March 2010

2010-02-03T18:14:00.001Z

The second Close Protection network meeting will be held on Monday 22 March at a central London location.
This event is an opportunity for those working in the sector to engage with the SIA and others in their industry. Delegates will be able to discuss and address relevant issues affecting close protection operatives.

Last years's event was quite useful with some interesting characters turning up off the circuit...

The SIA are trying really hard to engage with a the wider security audiance and whilst these meetings will achieve nothing in the way of formal change, they are a good networking tool and an interface with the industry stakeholders who can be bothered to turn up.

Boris Buddle (NASP) and I attended and found it both informative and interesting and to be honest we would both go a long way for a good brew and a few free biscuits.

New Close Protection Training course

2009-11-27T16:47:00.000Z

Another visit to City & Guild in London yesterday to sign of the question bank the Close Protection training consultants have been working on over the Fall. The SIA apparently want the new courses, which include Close Protection, Door Supervision, CCTV and Security Guarding, to go live with the new format of two units from the 31st January 2010.

I am not sure the Security Industry training bodies across the sectors will be ready for a January start for the new courses, and certainly some of the awarding bodies are looking for an extension to fulfill their obligation to the SIA mandate.

Some of the new Close Protection questions were tested on our most recent Close Protection course and most came out as favourable questions, challenging the candidates knowledge with positive results.

Slovenia Close Protection Training via DSG

2009-11-25T14:51:00.000Z

I am off to Slovenia next week to discuss the potential for a satellite DSG Close Protection training centre out in the Balkans. The course will then include a 3 day firearms training package mainly for shorts (hand guns) like 9mm CZ, Glock etc. The new courses will start from next year when the first UK based DSG course starts, the firearms will be an add on for those wishing to take it.

Final Close Protection Training Course Before Criteria Change

2009-09-17T16:45:00.002+01:00

The last close protection course to be run by DSG Consultants in 2009, will run over 16 days from: 9th - 24th November 2009.

The course will be run in Bristol from our superb military facilities in the affluent Bristol suburb of Clifton.

All main instructors; Julian Roe and Boris Buddle will be training on the close protection course.

SIA License Changes

2009-09-17T16:35:00.000+01:00

In 2010, the SIA will be changing the structure of the all SIA licensing courses. Myself and Goose have been working with City & Guilds throughout 2009 putting together the new Close Protection course that all close protection training organisations will have to teach. The finished article has been put out to the other awarding bodies for scrutiny and now having passed that, is with the SIA for approval.

It has been excellent working with Goose and City & Guilds and being at the forefront of Close Protection licensing in the UK. Many people have always felt the course was based on more military and individual thinking. What we have done is hopefully standardise the course according to the brief the SIA gave us, so all have equal access and a chance to benefit from a more generic course structure, based not only on our own experiences, but those from other CP bodies like NASP (National Association of Security Professionals), who have provided invaluable support over this exercise.”

Delta Awarded BA Director's Commendation

2009-09-17T16:30:00.000+01:00

I recently was invited to meet with General Manager Kieran Graham of the British Airways Maintenance unit at Cardiff Airport, for a very worthy Director’s Commendation presentation to the Delta Team.
Our security team worked round the clock in February when the severe weather and snow closed many UK airports, leaving Cardiff as one of the few left open, almost trebling the normal workload of the team and the Delta Manager on site Bob Hayman.

The client Kieran Graham said of the Delta team, “It’s not only that day that we need to thank the security team for, but every single day; they do a superb job of securing the site and looking after us day in, day out. They really are the best security team I have ever worked with.”

Delta Awarded SIA ACS In CCTV

2009-09-17T16:24:00.000+01:00

Recent SIA ACS Audit gives Delta Security another industry first… the only company in the UK on the ACS list to have the four accredited sectors: Security / Door Supervision / CCTV / Close Protection.

We are over the moon with this accolade, and it keeps the opposition guessing. In these times of uncertainty you have to be the best you can possibly be, or you simply won’t survive!