IACPO Articles

JFK Assassination Papers Revealed

Dallas, Feb 25, 2008: After spending nearly two decades locked in a District Attorney's safe, papers and various items relating to the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy have been revealed for the first time.

© 2008 Kris Hollington

 

Presented by Dallas County district attorney Craig Watkins, the items include a purported transcript between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and Oswald's killer, nightclub owner Jack Ruby; a leather gun holster that held the weapon Ruby used to shoot Oswald; brass knuckles found on Ruby when he was arrested; and a movie contract signed by then- Dallas district attorney Henry Wade. Mr Watkins said he was told about the contents of the blue, two-door safe shortly after he took office in 2007. He decided that: "this information was too important to keep secret". One of the most fascinating items is the transcript of an supposed conversation between Oswald and Ruby. The transcript - already been called farfetched by some - includes talk of killing the president at the behest of the Mafia. It is widely suspected that this was part of a movie script that Wade had been working on. Despite this being the most likely explanation, as Watkins said: "it will open up the debate as to whether there was a conspiracy to assassinate the president."

 

The transcript is dated October 4, 1963, and the conversation was supposed to have taken place at the Carousel Club, a Dallas nightclub. The Dallas News has already put them online and has asked for its readers to try and spot anything of particular interest. Watch this space...

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©27-01-2009, Jerome Jacobs

 

Often the public sees the close protection officer as a protection officer of a well-known and or threatened person.

Recently we saw how the U.S. Secret Service (= USSS) removed demonstrators during a speech of President Bush. Or how the president pulled his personal close protection officer (= CPO) thru a cordon of "fighting" CPO’s during a state banquet in Chile.

But is protection the only thing what the USSS agents and or (private) CPO’s do?
Fortunately not, because in some situations the outcome would have been dramatic! CPO’s are not only trained to protect, they are also trained to offer first aid when needed! Beside it, they are also trained to secure an object like a residence, an office, etc. Self-defense, shooting and specialized driving courses are also among their intense heavy trainings.

Actually, you can state that a CPO is a all-round person, which should be home at all markets and still it is a specialist!

Not everybody can become a CPO. For even a good "ordinary" security officer is almost impossible to become a CPO. That a CPO has worked in the past as a security officer is more than an asset but is certainly not a requirement.

The CPO must reach some specific requirements. A CPO should possess 3 types of skills, which are:

1) Learnable skills,
2) Not-Learnable skills,
3) Useful skills.

 

What do these 3 types of skills actually mean?
1)"Learnable skills” are skills that in principal can be learned,
2) " Not-Learnable skills" are skills that cannot be teached, you need to possess them;

You can call them also talents.
3) "Useful skills" says it all, useful skills.

 

If someone wants to become a Close Protection Officer he or she must at least possess the Not-Learnable skills. Which are, will be discussed in the next appearing article. The Learnable skills are the second important skills to have, while it's good to possess some useful skills. All of these skills are discussed in the next article.

CPO’s on governmental level are especially recruited on these skills. On the private level it is often different, partly because some skills or selection points are difficult to check. This is because the private sector is not authorized to check these points.

As earlier mentioned the outside world, sees the CPO only as a protection officer and yet he or she is doing really much more than that. There are CPO's who are very good drivers or child protectors and there are also female CPO’s who only protect women.

Because the CPO stands very close to the VIP, it may be that you're the target of his emotions, especially if something went wrong. Sometimes you are the VIP Personal Assistant (= PA) because you have to book a restaurant or travel for him. In addition to the all-round protection officer are you really a man of everything, but to some extent. Because arranging illicit affairs, such as drugs, etc., is absolutely not an option.

What many people don’t see is that you sometimes even as a CPO you have to operate as an paramedic. In the following video (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=264_1227273278) you can see how the CPO’s react as paramedics.

The speaker looks drunk and speaks at a certain moment with a double tongue. But if you look closely, especially to the symptoms, you see that there is really something else is going on!
Even if you did not recognize symptoms, you might have noticed it by the reaction of the public that something was wrong.

It concerns a older person, who was probably still working hard for his age with the result that he collapsed. He felt on to the pulpit, actually he was lucky because otherwise the person had fallen hard on the ground. The CPO’s react very quickly, catching the person and put him on his back discreetly on the ground outside the view of the cameras. They provide first aid and then you can hear commands in the background. Then there is a slight panic among the public and that is alsogood to hear.

In the meanwhile the CPO’s are busy check the collapsed person. To eliminate the panic, probably the team leader says to the public that CPO’s are having everything under control. In my opinion it was very professional how they reacted to everything. Thus the CPO does more than just protecting, also providing first aid.

I see you all looking surprised and hear you saying it does belong to the responsibilities of a CPO?

Of course you are right if you say that, but I found it interesting just to prove to you that the CPO does not only protects the VIP by putting his body between threat and the VIP.

First aid is a form of protection, but more from the inside (read internally), if you have such persons in your team, then you really have to care less!

"Stay Safe!"



©27-01-2009, Jerome Jacobs

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By Henrik Bramsborg

 

 

Stalking as a term is a very young one. Actually less than 30 years. But as decease it is probably several hundred years old. Scripts from sixteenth century China tell a story about a female stalking an emperor statesman.

 

Today stalking has become a common problem in certain cultures. The attention to the decease is primarily drawn by the press, focusing on celebrity stalkers and the effect it may have on the celebrity. This is however not the only reason why it has become an everyday occurrence. Within the terminology of stalking lies acts as diverse as intelligence collection, sending love letters, surveillance, sending gifts i.e. jewelry, harassment and violence.

 

There are, in my opinion, only a few tools suitable to fight such a horrible decease. Since the individual carrying the decease, seldom perceive him/herself as sick, the society must assist. This is best done by law. Whether committing the stalkers to psychiatric treatment or simply placing the stalkers in jail, it is the society in which the stalkers commit their crime that has to take responsibility.

 

As a security professional I have studied and been involved in stalking cases on several occasions. A few universal rules apply to most stalking cases when we try to help the victims of stalking:

 

If you find yourself being stalked, regardless of country:

 

Say NO once. Tell the stalker once and for all, that you want nothing to do with him/her. After that, avoid ALL communication. This is important when you go to trial later on.

 

Collect evidence. It includes, but is not limited to; photographs, letters, notes, e-mails, voice mail, items sent as threat’s or gifts, witness statements and cell phone sms notes. Collect as much as possible. Do NOT destroy or alter evidence – it can backfire when prosecuting the stalker.

 

Get legal aide. Even if there are no stalking statutes available in the particular country you reside in, legal aide is the key to your salvation. A (good) lawyer can tell you what is needed to get the perpetrator convicted. In my country, Denmark, we do not have a stalking law. We simply use a variety of different laws and statutes to keep the stalkers at bay (primarily harassment, threatening and trespassing offenses). A good lawyer will also help convince a reluctant police officer that the incidents you report are a serious problem.

 

Report to the police. Even if the twelve daily calls on your phone and the two letters your receive daily doesn’t bother you, you should report it, via a lawyer. Chances are that the stalker will continue, and probably at a higher level. If the stalking turns grim, with violence involved, the police need to know the history in order to act correct. It will also help you, should you choose to move to another country, to have a copy of a restraining order, a report or a written receipt of you reporting a crime in case the stalker continuous in you new resident country.

 

Get security/safety and stay safe.If possible, get a personal protection specialist or another security specialist to protect you, at least during and right after the trial. Harden yourself by changing habits, car, style of clothes and social circles. Get self-defense training, get a dog, create a “safe room” in your residency and make sure that your neighbors know that you have a stalker following you.

 

Get in touch with a network of stalking victims. There are several on the Internet. It will help you keep your sanity and you will learn that your case is far from unique.

 

Several countries have laws against stalking these include USA, England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, Germany, The Nederland and Japan (to name a few). But a lot of countries have not yet discovered the “trend” among these socially inept criminals, and the consequence is that stalking in these countries is allowed to continue.

 

Should you need further information about stalking I suggest that you buy the two books: Surviving a stalker, by Linden Gross and How to stop a stalker, by Mike Proctor. There are several other fine books on the subject but these two combined, cover most issues.

 

Have you ever been stalked and wish to contribute to the “fight against stalking” please go to: www.stalkinsurvey.com and fill out the form. It is made by Leicester University and the results will benefit us all.

 

 

Henrik Bramsborg is the co-owner of Exclusive Security ApS, a security company out of Denmark. He is a stalking- and surveillance detection specialist and the author of several Danish books on security. Henrik is also an experienced instructor in personal protection, having trained NATO S-FOR forces, police officers, correctional facility officers and private bodyguards. He is currently the Danish country director for IACPO.

Henrik can be reached through e-mail at www.exclusivesecurity.dk.

 

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Training and assessment issues

By Henrik Bramsborg

 

 

The “hard” skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS) and/or personal protection specialist (PPS) are often perceived as being that of a policeman or (elite) soldier. Though there can be certain similarities i.e. the use of handguns, hand-to-hand combat and the ability to control a vehicle, most people having worked both in executive protection and either of the latter careers, will deny that the skills are parallel. They may look alike but the methodology of each skill differs from segment to segment.

 

However, the psychological skills needed are almost identical. Knowing basic psychological skills is essential in this line of business, as it is in law enforcement and military combat. Any person taking responsibility for another person’s life will have to consider the adaptability of his/her psychological capabilities in a variety of situations. These will include but are not limited to; adaptability in awkward situations (state of mind going from humble to authoritative or vice versa), adaptability in different work atmospheres (Keeping body and mind relaxed when waiting for a client and suddenly change to a high stress level) and the ever so popular question of considering life-or-death situations (can I kill or will I freeze?).

 

Knowing, and openly accepting, ones physical and psychological limits are a lifesaver. Not only will it save ones own life, but it could very well save the lives of teammates and clients.

 

Since training in this area is almost non-existing in the private sector, allow me to suggest a few easy-to-conduct training scenarios for the security manager/team leader:

 

1. Take a student or new EPS/PPS to a party and assign him to a “VIP”. It can be your own private party and the “VIP” can be whomever you choose, but be sure to let the “VIP” know that the EPS/PPS are there to look out for them. Depending on your assessment of the EPS the assignment can be a very attractive woman (possible problem: jealousy or multiple worshippers) or a man with a tendency towards drinking (possible problem: inappropriate and/or reckless behavior). Now observe the EPS/PPS throughout the night. If you deem it necessary, have someone help you creating a scene, so as to provoke the right behavior from your “VIP” and hopefully your EPS/PPS.
   
   The direct goal of this scenario will be to find signs of insecurity and/or confusion in the moment where the EPS/PPS has to decide whether or not to intervene. The secondary goal could be to have the EPS/PPS make a written report, right after the debriefing, describing any flaws in his own emotional pattern. Thereby assessing his understanding of self-esteem and related cognitive abilities.
   
   
2. Working environment. Take a student or new EPS/PPS on a job with a low-level director/manager. Preferably on a 3-5 day assignment. Let him be a part of the entire planning and let him be part of the personal escort section (introduce him to the director/manager as a disciple if necessary). Now, at any and all meetings, this particular student should be put on post in front of doors, in hallways, offices etc. Let him experience the joys of waiting. Be sure that he gets all information last. Also make him change pace whenever possible. Soon after, observe how the “Relax-hurry” syndrome kicks in. Depending on the students ability to elevate and descend stress hormones he will feel tired after a while, almost leaning towards a depressive state of mind. If he has a low stress border, the before mentioned state of mind will be obvious. If not, it is barely visible. It would be beneficial to weigh the student before you start and right after you stop. People with poor stress control tend to loose more weight, even in a short period of time, than those with a better stress condition. Again let the student make a written report, right after the debriefing, of his physical and emotional wellbeing.
   
   
3. Dealing with life-or-death situations can be hard to do under training conditions in the private sector. The mentioned approach may or may not be applicable to your country or culture, but will fit into most cultures in the western world. If your staff already has experienced the mentioned situations, this approach is unnecessary and can trigger grim flashbacks. But it is still a realistic way of dealing with the students or new EPS/PPS who never have been in active combat or equally dangerous situations.
   I suggest that you try to deal with this in five tempi:

a)Take any and all of your staff to an undertaker’s office and let the undertaker explain their point of view. They normally have a rather pragmatic view on the corps as a holster in which we just reside until we pass away.

b)Thereafter you go to a hospital and visit the emergency room. Some hospitals have guided tours others do not. But the blood-n-guts approach is essential for anyone who later on will be responsible for saving another mans life.

c)If possible, visit a forensic examiner during working hours (some work 8/12-hour shift and can have a rather “cold” approach to things).

d)Take them hunting for deer or similar creatures and let them assist when you skin the prey.

e)Last; let people reflect a few days on what they have seen, before they write a report on their own view on life-or-death situations. They should now be motivated enough to fight back with all that they got, if attacked!

Always remember to let your students train under as realistic conditions as possible. If possible try to use fear induction in the training.

 

These descriptions may seem harsh and cold. And I admit that a certain percentage of the students/staff will quit when exposed to this kind of training. But I would not have personnel protect me, no matter how physically fit, if they never had been tested emotionally. Nor should you or your client!

 

Besides from the explained skills, any EPS/PPS should also develop good character judgment, direct/indirect attack recognition skills, be able to recognize manipulation and have an overall assertive approach to people. Not all can have a degree in psychology, but anyone working in the field of executive protection should have some sort of psychological training. This kind of training is part of a normal police academy education as well as part of the average army combat training and should, in my personal point of view, be compulsory in executive protection training.

 

Henrik Bramsborg is the co-owner of Exclusive Security ApS, a security company out of Denmark. Henrik is a stalking- and surveillance detection specialist and the author of several Danish books on security. He is also an experienced instructor in personal protection, having trained NATO S-FOR forces, police officers, correctional facility officers and private bodyguards. He is currently the Danish country director for IACPO.

Henrik can be reached through e-mail at www.exclusivesecurity.dk.

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By Henrik Bramsborg

 

Celebrity stalking has become the way for the socially inept to; A. “normality” or B. stardom. They may have no friends, they may never have had a date or spouse, but when stalking someone perceived as significant to the public, the stalkers feel in control and may feel that they have a “normal” relationship.

 

No two cases are alike. Some will stalk from the shadows, never bothering their victim and subsequently they are seldom discovered. Others will write a dozen letters a day and mail gifts or other items to their victim, thereby inducing fear in the victim and the victim’s surroundings. Celebrity stalking differs from other categories of stalking (i.e. former spouse stalking) because the perpetrator, conscious or subconscious, is seeking to elevate not only his self-esteem but also his social status by the victims fame.

 

No matter the type of stalker, it is a crime in most countries to follow and harass people and therefore the law will be called upon. As a personal protection specialist there are a few things to consider before contacting law enforcement officers.

 

1. Is your client interested in reporting the stalker to the police?
   You may think that it is a natural thing to do but your client may have a different view. It could be that the stalker was once employed by your client and/or emotional issues precede the juridical ones. It may be that your client is afraid of worse persecution if the stalker walks free. Or as it so often happens; the company that your client are contractually engaged with, has their own agenda and will not risk bad publicity (At least not until they can use it in their promotional efforts). The palette of colorful excuses is too big for a single article, but hopefully you get the picture by now.
   
   
2. Do you have enough evidence?
   Your client may be well known to the public. But is he/she famous or infamous? Either way you need strong solid evidence. This includes pictures or surveillance film taken when the stalker is trespassing, Witness reports and the witnesses willing to testify, letters and E-mails, voicemail etc. As much info gathered as possible. If your client is infamous, known to provoke people, the evidence should be so much stronger and a change of lifestyle may be needed in order to convince the public/a judge, that your client did not instigate the stalking.
   
   
3. How will you handle the press?
   When a report is made by the police, the jackals of the press will do whatever they can to uncover the story in its full length. Some will, if the story is too thin (read: boring for their target group!), create an “angle”. This can be a fictitious relationship between the stalker and victim or whatever. As long as the story sells. To avoid this you need to carefully consider what to tell the press. Do so BEFORE reporting to the police. Remember: telling too much will give the stalker what he wants, namely some degree of fame. Telling too little will most definitely animate the press to speculate and the tabloids to create stories. Both situations can become a nuisance and in worst case, hazardous. Normal procedure is that a press officer from the clients company or a production company makes a press release and handles the press. Hopefully that person will work in liaison with the client, security (you) and the legal department, before publicizing the release.
   
   
4. Do you have adequate security back-up?
   Once the show is on, the police have been called upon, the press release publicized and the client advised to avoid any and all communication with the stalker, the pressure begins. Paparazzi, copy-cat stalkers, show hosts making jokes, people walking up to your client to show support or the opposite and security companies trying to sell their products are all a part of the game. It may only last a couple of weeks, but the workload rises significantly and you will need some sort of backup. A worn-out personal protection specialist is of use to no one. Hire someone experienced. It is worth the extra money and will make you sleep better at night, knowing that your “temp” is a seasoned pro, with no interest in glamour, bribe money and media coverage. Temporary use of a residential security team, if such a team does not already exist, should be considered as copy-cat stalkers could be tempted to trespass so that they can get arrested, with media coverage to follow.

 

Besides from all of the above mentioned, the general rules of stalking countermeasures apply, and you should as a minimum instruct your client to:

 

·Say no once and then avoid all communication with the stalker, unless a life or death situation occurs

·Vary routes and routines

·Do not discuss the matter in public, unless it serves a clear/legal purpose i.e. letting neighbors know, so that they can report suspicious actions to the police

·Seek refuge in police stations or places with armed security guards and video surveillance if followed by the stalker without a personal protection agent being present

·Confronted by the stalker; always run if possible and only fight in self defense if absolutely necessary

 

Though there is a lack of books on celebrity stalking, the Personal protection specialist should consider buying literature on the subject of stalking in general, not only to himself, but also to the client being stalked, as most victims will benefit greatly from reading about the illness it is. I suggest the following books: The gift of fear, by Gavin De Becker, The psychology of stalking, edited by J. Reid Meloy, How to stop a stalker, by Mike Proctor and Surviving a stalker, by Linden Gross. All four are great informational sources on stalking.

 

Celebrity stalking is actually quite rare. It is the media focusing on the few existing cases, which makes it “common” and makes the lives of the stalkers as well as the victims miserable. When dealing with stalking cases, even though it sometimes can be difficult to foster sympathy towards them, try to remember that the perpetrators are mentally ill. I don’t mean to imply, that it should cloud your judgment, when protecting your client. When a criminal gets in your way, you deal with it! – But use reason before power.

 

Henrik Bramsborg is the co-owner of Exclusive Security ApS, a security company out of Denmark. Henrik is a stalking- and surveillance detection specialist and the author of several Danish books on security. He is also an experienced instructor in personal protection, having trained NATO S-FOR forces, police officers, correctional facility officers and private bodyguards. He is currently the Danish country director for IACPO.

Henrik can be reached through e-mail at www.exclusivesecurity.dk.