Dr. Chris Shaffer

Global Security Specialist

Executive and Dignitary Protection Specialist

MGY.SGT, Retired (USMC, MARSOC)

Certified Homeland Security Level III

Valmont Industries, Inc. Birmingham, AL

Managing Your Personal Security

Objectives

• Travel Pre-Plans

• Employee Responsibilities

• Situational Awareness

• Criminal Threats

Travel Pre-Plans

• Completed Valmont Travel Registry Form

• Current passport

• Current Visa if needed

• Received pre-plan packet

Travel Pre-Plans Travel Registry Form

OVERSEAS TRAVEL REGISTRY  TO BE COMPLETED BY TRAVELER MAKE SURE TO ADD ANY DEPENDENTS TRAVELING WITH YOU

Employee Name: Home Site Location: Employee DOB:

Employee Passport or Passport Card #: (please

specify which)

Country Being Visited: Site Address: Visited Site Contact &

Number

             

Employee Cell Phone#:

Employee Email Address:

Scheduled Date Left: Scheduled Date Return:

Emergency Family Contact

Name:Emergency Family Contact #: Division Safety/Security

Contact Info:

          

 

Purpose of Visit Type of Visit

Scheduled Date to Arrive at Destination

Scheduled Date to Leave Destination

Supervisor Name

Supervisor Contact email and phone#

business one-time        

Passport Date of Issue Passport Expiration   

Please Return this form along with a scanned copy of your passport to security professional.TO BE COMPLETED BY CORPORATE SECURITY PERSONNELOVERSEAS PRE-PLAN CHECKLIST   YES / NO N/A Date CompletedHas employee completed Overseas Registry form?        

Employee registered through Travel.State.Gov?        

Has employee provided a copy of passport with company form?    

   

HAS EMPLOYEE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE FOLLOWING?    

Recent travel warnings and alerts provided to employee?      

Most recent crime reports?        

Updated  road & traffic Hazards?      

Updated  Epidemic updates?      

Travel Pre-Plans Passport

• Is your passport up to date & current?• Is your emergency contact information correct?• Do you have a copy of your Passport with you?• Did you leave a copy of your Passport with family?• Did you leave a copy of Passport with your

company?

Travel Pre-Plans Visited Country Visa

• Is a separate visited country Visa needed?• Is your Visa current & valid?• Are there specific inoculations required?

Employee Responsibilities

• Know the current crime trends.

• Be aware of the potential for terrorist

acts.

• Be aware of natural disasters.

• Be aware of epidemics at that location

Travel Pre-Plans Pre-Plan Package

HAVE YOU RECEIVED?• Overseas security awareness training?• Wardens Travel Warnings & Alerts?• Location crime reports?• Epidemic & road safety updates?• Local Embassy or Consulate contact numbers?

Employee Responsibilities

MESSENGERS of INTUITION

“You must NEVER ignore your intuition and the tiny flickers of doubt”

It can be the BEST protection we have against violence or worse to ourselves”

TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCTS!

Situational AwarenessIs She Situationally Safe?

Situational AwarenessAnticipate What May Happen Next

• Profile the scene & the person.

• Do not resist violent economic crime, however if it is a violent crime make every effort to resist and escape.

• Assume criminals are armed.

• Ensure that public transportation is legit.

• Pay attention to surroundings and not cell phones or texting.

• Tear gas or pepper spray is not recommended. Personal air horn has much greater effect.

Situational AwarenessEnhancing Personal Security

• Have the proper information/advice.• Focus on your situational awareness.

- Be aware of your surroundings and those around you.

• Lower your profile

- Do not dress American

- Do not advertise wealth or tourism• Know the threat.

Situational AwarenessEnhancing Personal Security

• Loners get victimized.

- When possible travel in trusted groups.• Stay in know & well lit areas.• Be predictably unpredictable.

- Change your travel routes and times.• CHOOSE WISELY

Criminal ThreatsCrime Trends

• ATM abduction• Kidnapping for ransom• IPod theft• Portable GPS devices• Identity theft• Strong arm robbery

Criminal ThreatsCarjacking

• Foreigners targeted

- Do not blare music

- Do not advertise as a tourist

• Vehicle selection

- Flashy “look at me vehicles” draw more attention.

- Always lock you vehicle both when your in it & out of it.

- Do not leave valuables in plain view inside vehicle.

Criminal ThreatsAviation Threats

• Move through airport screening as fast as possible.

• Other than passports keep low profile as an American.

• Make every attempt to use accredited airlines.

• Do not put Company name or your name outside of luggage.

- Put cell number on luggage tags & place your private information inside luggage.

There is still substantial risk of crimes being committed inside of airports as well!

Criminal ThreatsHotel Security

• Keep low profile when checking in

- Do not announce out loud to co-workers or others your room #.• Floor Selection

- Make every attempt not to stay on first floor.

- Try to obtain a room between 2nd & 8th floors.

- Count how many room doors there are between yours and the nearest emergency exits.

Criminal ThreatsHotel Security

• Hotel Crime

- Never open your door to unknown persons.

- Use “peep hole” in door when possible to identify persons.

- If you order room service request to see identification prior to opening door or request that food be left outside the door.

- Never leave personal information or valuables in the open, use safe if room is equipped with one, use hotel safe at desk or carry all with you.

Criminal ThreatsHotel Security

• Hotel Crime

- Never open your door to unknown persons.

- Use “peep hole” in door when possible to identify persons.

- If you order room service request to see identification prior to opening door or request that food be left outside the door.

- Never leave personal information or valuables in the open, use safe if room is equipped with one, use hotel safe at desk or carry all with you.

Surveillance Detection

Diplomatic Security

Overseas Training

Surveillance DetectionObjective

• Provide you with an awareness of the most common types of surveillance & the proactive measures you can take to help form becoming a target.

Surveillance DetectionPurpose of Surveillance

• Intelligence Services – Information

• Criminal – Physical / Financial

• Terrorist – Political / Fear

Surveillance DetectionMethods

• Stationary / Fixed – Person, vehicle

• Mobile – Drive by, walk by, follow

• Normally it is a combination of both.

Surveillance DetectionThe Attack Cycle

Normally abductors, terrorist, cartels, etc will:

• Develop a list of potential targets

• Surveillance / information gathering

• Target selection

• Attack planning – surveillance continues, possible dry runs and rehearsals

• Deployment and attack – target identification

• Escape and evasion

Surveillance DetectionTarget Selection

• Terrorist seek to create fear, demoralize

their victims, and gain support for their

cause through successful attacks.

• Terrorist will normally seek the highest

profile soft target available to maximize

the odds of a successful attack.

Surveillance DetectionHard Target vs. Soft Target

What defines the difference to a terrorist:• Use of security systems, policies & procedures• Predictability of target – How routine is the targets path of

travel?• Awareness of target – Are they high observant? Are they

aware of their surroundings?• Mental preparation – Is target prepared to react to an attack?

Surveillance DetectionChoke Points

• Many attacks occur while victims are in transit

• Choke Points – Areas you must pass through near residence and work

• Ideal Attack Sites:

a. Place where victim can be controlled with avenues of escape

b. A location that is well suited for surveillance, and ability

to blend into the environment.

Surveillance DetectionChoke Points

• Many attacks occur while victims are in transit

• Choke Points – Areas you must pass through near residence and work

• Ideal Attack Sites:

- Place where victim can be controlled with avenues of escape

- A location that is well suited for surveillance, and ability

to blend into the environment.

Surveillance DetectionExamine you Personal Choke Points

• May be “self made” if time and place is predictable – DON’T establish routine patterns

• Identify choke points – VARY travel times

• ADD stops or errands to increase unpredictability

• Explore variable work schedule

Surveillance DetectionTechniques

• Be Alert – Study detail, especially at choke points

• Know what is normal / not normal

• Be able to provide useful information to your local Regional Security Officer at you Embassy or to local law enforcement (if local LE is to be trusted) – use descriptive terms for vehicle and people.

Surveillance DetectionDescriptors - People

• Gender

• Race

• Height – 2 inch increments

• Age – 5 year increments

• Weight – 10 pound increments

• Hair color/style, clothing, jewelry

• Distinguishing features

• Compare person to a popular person such as actor.

Surveillance DetectionDescriptors - Vehicles

• Color

• Body style and size – compact / full size / van

• Number of doors

• Make, model, year

• License number and origin

• How many occupants

• Peculiarities – damage / decals / bumper stickers , custom features

Surveillance DetectionBehavioral Cues

• Target Fixation – Persons who pay undue attention to you, photographing or appear to be taking notes of your actions. This includes time checking.

Surveillance DetectionPersons or Vehicles

• Persons / vehicles with no purpose

for being there

• Broken down vehicles / taxis /

vendors / service personnel

• Illegally parked vehicles or facing

wrong way on one-way streets

Surveillance DetectionCorrelations

• Repeated sightings – same person or vehicle at different locations

• Rule of Three- If it is the third time you see same person or vehicle, report it immediately, better to be mistaken than taken.

• Report anything suspicious – it may correlate with something reported by another person.

Surveillance DetectionIf You Suspect Surveillance

• Conceal you suspicions – do not confront

• Discreetly observe the person or vehicle to obtain a description

• Try to confirm surveillance

a. Make casual eye contact – reaction?

b. Change your speed /direction (safely) – walking or driving.

Contact Embassy or Local Law Enforcement !!

Surveillance DetectionAvoid Being a Target

• Maintain a low profile

• Vary your times and routes when possible

• Be aware and alert – especially in choke points

• Allow yourself room to maneuver

• Be prepared to react – have a plan

• Learn escape routes and locations of safe havens.

Surveillance DetectionAttack Recognition Signs

• Focus on the choke points• Target identification – strong interest in you• Strange / unusual behavior• Something / someone slowing or stopping you, blocking vehicle• Individuals approaching you rapidly• Transition to weapons

Surveillance DetectionResponse to an Attack

• If you spot or think you spot a potential attack ahead – do not go there!• Disrupt attack – Change route, scream out loud, pull alarm.• Create space between you and threat• Move quickly• Break traffic laws – only if necessary for life safety• Get off the X – go to a safe haven or populated area• Contact your Embassy or local Law Enforcement• MOVE YOUR FEET, DOING SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING!