Speaker Notes Advance Team in a Protective Services Detail

Speaker Notes: Advance Team in a Protective Services Detail

Slide2

Advance team comprises of a group of individuals who precede the principal and are responsible for coordinating all necessary arrangements before the arrival of the principal at each location that is visited. In a protective service detail, advance team is important for ensuring that he security measures are in place. Essentially, it is essential for any successful PSD and provides important overlap security services when the principal is visiting two locations. Advance team is also important because it provides alternative routes and surveys them to ensure that they can be effectively used in the event of an emergency.

Slide 3

Basically, advance teams coordinate as well as execute onsite security surveys. In addition, they survey primary and alternative routes and put in place necessary security arrangements. Further, they meet the principal when s/he arrives and provide the PSO with vital information regarding the security arrangements that have been put in place. Usually, this information includes floor plans, maps, sketches, POCs, the names of individuals that are involved, telephone numbers, the available emergency evacuation routes, safe rooms and important hold rooms. Further, the advance team maintains daily contacts with the MSAC. In this regard, they provide the latter with updates regarding the status of the mission or threat situations. They are also responsible for obtaining a recent and detailed copy of local threat information and local itinerary.

In addition to this, they collect any other information that is essential for arranging and ensuring utmost security.

Slide 4

With regard to the structure of the advance teams, the composition of each depends on the complexity of the mission. However, each should have two agents on the minimum. These include the protection security officer or PSO and the driver of the principal. More complex missions might require the protection services team that comprises of individuals such as the tail man, advance man, point man, left flank and right flank in addition to the PSO and driver.

Slide 5

Their responsibilities are wide and varied and include the following:

They establish viable work relations with the respective host agency, security personnel at the lodging of the principal and with the management of the respective lodging. They also liaise with the civil police, Member of Parliament and other agencies that are concerned with intelligence gathering. They also conduct a reconnaissance of all available local travel routes in a bid to establish necessary security as well as traffic control posts. Also, they establish the speed, composition and general order of the motorcades to ensure that all these are in good working conditions and there is a secure and adequate parking space. Together with the SCR team, advance team implements a residence watch. This is responsible for examining the principal’s lodging, arranging for security coverage and establishing a system for movement control around the lodging.

Slide 6

Advance team also establishes the reliability of the individuals responsible for preparing food to be consumed by the principal. This goes a long way in ensuring the security of his health. Also, they facilitate the transportation of the personal effects of the principal. They also conducts the security of all forms of transportation to be used by the principal including briefing drives as well as crew members accordingly. Further, they check the arrival and departure times and undertake an examination of all transport systems to be used by the principal. At important military reservations as well as facilities, the team liaises with the commanding officer, PAO or PM and other local intelligence units