Many people seem to have a confusion about what a CPO is. Because is one of the professions that doesn’t have specific standards to follow, unfortunately there many non professionals who are giving the bad image in our industry.

A Close Protection Operative is:

– The person who is in charge to protect his/her client’s life and interest.

– Have gone through specific Close Protection Training, so be aware of ex-law enforcement personnel, ex-military, ex-federal agents, and generally any ex- in something professionals who want to play in security industry field UNLESS they have specific Close Protection Training as well. Everyone has a specific training experience and field of knowledge, if you have a heart condition you will seek help from a Cardiologists, you won’t go to see an Orthopedic although they are both doctors, you need the one with a specific specialization, so why not doing the same when it comes to your safety?

– As the person in charged for his/her clients safety his suggestions over the security issues and plans must be respected and followed from the client, his family and his colleagues. Don’t make harder the work of someone who is there to protect you.

-Being a CPO mean you will be with your client and in present in many important personal or professional decisions or incidents will may follow. So your duty as well is to be discreet and silent about what you see and hear. There are enough many cases already of ex bodyguards who found the author in them and started putting in a book their ex clients ‘’spicy personal details’’. Professional and acceptable? I don’t think so.

A Close Protection Operative is Not:-A martial arts pro or black belt holder necessarily. In order to work as a CPO you must be in a position to know basic fighting techniques in order to protect yourself and your client. Be able to react in any possible attacks during your duty. But that doesn’t mean that you must have a black belt in any kind of martial arts or have practicing for years. Yes some Close Protection Operatives has gone through many years of training in martial arts practice and may have gain black belts but that is a result of their life and works prior their occupation with security industry, or as a personal choice. Have in mind when you start working as a CPO you won’t have that much time to attend any full time martial arts classes. So you need to learn something that will require less time but also be as much effective it can for you to use in real life and situations.

So a CPO is not a killing machine with a license to kill or beat anyone up.

-A CPO is not a Federal Agent or Law Enforcement personnel, they don’t have any access to any ‘’governmental sources or databases’’ or even ‘’call the brigade’’ options (unless some of them have the right persons in the right positions to gain any information out of the record), in some countries they have no rights more on duty than a simple citizen in his daily life. So don’t try to play the authority when you are not the authority. You must do your best to do your job and keep your client alive with what you have while not falling on a citizen’s rights. By that said you cannot do any body research or arrest anyone! Last incident in Greece, one of the CPOs of a Parliament Party Leader, threaten his clients supporters that those who will come closer to him at 1 meter will be arrested! And that while his client had a public speech.

Don’t think just because you are working in security industry that Law Enforcement personnel are your colleagues and should deal you like one. If they want to help your while you are working that’s more than fine but you can’t require or demand it. You need to follow their directions and orders when you are not in your client’s territory.

-A CPO is not a gang member, a doorman or a wrestler. Yes there are some cases when people who belong to ‘’night activities’’ have been hired to protect clients but that’s up the clients choice and belief that they can protect them better and know how to deal in hard situations. False and wrong idea… yes.

-A CPO is not responsible to carry his/her client’s shopping bags, laundries etc. Not only because has not been hired for that job, but doing any other activity or carrying anything will make his/her reactions slower if any attack occurs. Many clients require it, so refuse it by being polite and explaining the reasons.