CP Operational Security?

[hippy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samson just because someone has a sia licence does not mean he has been fully vetted, is security officers who have moved to the UK from other countries, its almost impossible to fully vet these people, and ways of getting around proper vetting unfotuanltey.

Indeed... In fact I, when hiring use an adage to try and explain to people why the sia licence is only one of the requirements...

I have a driving licence, but am I suitable for employement as a taxi driver?

No, I'm not! I don't have the local knowledge!

[yoda]

Hi Rich H,

Best of luck with the book and let us know when it published, lookk forward to it.

All the best.

[Steve Collins]

Rich,

Good post and extremely relevant. i think the whole question of OPSEC on this forum came to a head in a post titled 'Questions from a Newbie' on the Police Armed Response forum. I felt it right to point out that questions such as " Information on Royalty Protection, Size of teams, what weapons do they use and are their vehicles bomb proof" are too near the mark to be discussed on an open forum, and yes, I do believe they are detrimental to the safety and security of the operators out there, that information should be restricted. I now live in the US and did a short stint on the Air Marshal training programme ways back, whilst in the recruiting stage many members on different forums were discussing the training and tactics with guys actually going through the programme, it was a massive breach of OPSEC and I know for a fact that those sites were monitored by certain agencies and very likely by terrorist organisations.

Now here's the rub, who, some may say is Steve Collins to talk about OPSEC when he wrote two books about SO19? A very valid argument, however, the books I wrote were about operations that had been carried out from my perspective. I was careful from the outset not to give away SOP's team numbers or anything that was not in the public domain, the last thing I wanted to do was jeopodize the safety of the guys still out there doing the job. My manuscripts were read not only by SO19 senior officers and team leaders but by the Met Solicitors, at their urging I happily removed two items of equipment that they felt was sensitive. After that I had to hire a libel lawyer to make sure that I had not slandered or libeled anybody in the book and that there were no cases pending or on appeal at court, from the perspective of Contempt of Court. The last thing I had to bear in mind was not putting in any information that could be used to open an old case, imagine how I would have felt if a terrorist we put away was freed because of something I'd said in a main stream publication. Finally there was the good old Official Secrets Act, something that I'm sure most of us have signed once or twice in our lives.

So to answer your question, yes, things can be said in a book that can be of use to terrorist organisations, just look at the Anarchists Cookbook any crank can read it and make a home-made explosive device.

I'm by no means an expert but If I can give you any help or advice PM me, you may already have an agent or publisher if so I'm preaching to the converted but it sounds as if you are writing a training manual type book? If so, who is your target audience, who is your market and what are your unique selling points(i.e. what set your book apart from anything else on the market?)

Just my ten penneth worth!
Stay Safe all,
Regards,
Steve

[Rich H]

Steve,

Thanks for your enlightenment! I am too very much aware of the libel side of things as I will be mentioning the sia just a little. I will also be submitting to the MOD but don't envisage too many problems. I am aware of past and present CP ops in both military and police units and the effect of a book such as the one I am writing, hence the topic of discussion. Everybody's views are valid to me as everyone has their own opinion which I take seriously on such a matter. That said, no doubt after publication some frowns and gasps will still be made but we need to remain realistic. The whole book is a realistic approach to providing CP in a commercial environment. How to operate effectively on an international basis, how to provide the level of security required in line with the Boss' wishes without effecting the risk to threat ratio. It will also explain 'Reaction to Attack' drills that have to date not been covered in any related book. But, I stress, this is all written from MY perspective and thoughts on SOP's and tactical doctrine and in no way necessarily illustrates what may or may not occur as the basis of SOP’s or Tactical Doctrine as adopted by the Military, Police or Government Close Protection/ Surveillance units either in the UK or world-wide.

Thank you to all for your kind thoughts on this provoking subject.

Rich H

[Steve Collins]

Rich,

I apologise, I got the wrong end of the stick and thought you were writing a tactical manual, obviously that's not the case. You've obviously given this a lot of thought and good luck to you, from the personal perspective I personally see no problems.

Be Safe.
Regards,
Steve

[a51541476]

All: (Third attempt at posting - sorry if previous versions also appear!)

1. This Forum has only low level commercial grade IT security. The same would be true for any “secure” portion of it set up for sia badge holders. This Forum could be hacked, resulting in the breach of sensitive information. Hackers are no longer just spotty-faced teenagers. There are professional criminals out there with good hacking capabilities. They could make use of any sensitive information found on the Forum, or pass it on to other interested bad guys.

2. For OPSEC purposes, I suggest that the following should not be posted on the Forum:

a. PERSEC – identities/names, addresses, locations or contact information for current/former Principals/clients, Forum members, CP operatives, members of military/police/intelligence/security services, relatives/family members of same, etc;

b. Capabilities – details of TTPs/SOPs, weapons, or special kit used by military/police/private-sector CP teams, unless this information is already in the public domain (e.g. released under Freedom of Information laws, published by news media or on the Internet, already published in CP/Executive Protection books, taught in publicly accessible commercial CP courses, or otherwise already made Open Source);

c. Operations – details of former, current or future/planned ops, except for historical ops already in the public domain or that are so old that disclosure would not harm anyone (e.g. US Secret Service at the time of the JFK assassination, French Security Services protection of deGaulle during the OAS era, etc.);

d. Security Measures – specific details of actual security measures used by or to protect current/former Principals/employers, or of sensitive facilities (e.g. critical infrastructure, military bases, etc.); and

e. Client Confidentiality or Privacy – any other information subject to a legal/ethical duty of confidentiality owed to a current or former client/employer, as well as any information classified by government.

3. For a good idea of topics that should be subject to OPSEC restrictions, go to the DA Notice website: http://www.dnotice.org.uk/standing_da_notices.htm Although UK government oriented, the topics listed can be adapted easily to be relevant to CP operations. For UK citizens seeking to publish, steering clear of anything subject to one of the five Standing DA Notices should help avoid publication problems with HMG.

4. Excluding the above sensitive topics, there is ample room for healthy discussion of CP matters on this Forum and for Rich's book.

Rich: This has been an excellent discussion topic! This is not a black and white issue (except for the topics I have suggested above, plus others that I likely missed). Common sense, good judgement and proper respect for the confidentiality/privacy of current and former clients/employers are needed.

Good luck with the book! Let the Forum members know when it comes out. I would like to buy a copy.

Regards,

Dave

[nozzer]

OPSEC, PERSEC, TTPs, SOPs, OPINT....S**t my heads go to FE.

I personally wouldnt worry to much about the worlds elite terrorists coming to CPW to plan there next events. Youtube would be a better option.

Tactics change or should change and adapt due to 100,s of factors. What one person is taught or picks up over time is totally different to anothers. We all have different perspectives on tactics whether they be right or wrong.

With regards to discussing tactics, what really is there that can discussed that isnt known already. It goes without saying that personal security shouldnt be discussed on here or any other website, just as current contracts you may be on. Thats common sense however (common sense, another way of saying "Tactics")

As for discussing things such as drills of whatever nature, these have been in the public domain for eons longer than CPW. Our upperhand comes by way of adapting the said drills to suit a situation/job etc etc. Our other upperhand would be training training training and hoping on the day we are slightly better and slightly quicker on foot than the others with less training. However just as we adapt or should do, so do the others EFP,s in Iraq for example came because of armoured vehicles.

The same can be said for surveillance, the IRA for example were already doing this for eons longer than any of us. So again i doubt they can gain much in the way of knowledge from CPW, any kit we use in the "commercial" world can be bought from most towns or the internet. Id hazzard a guess the baddies have access to better kit than most of us.

Its us who should be going to there websites for knowledge.

As i have said barring personal security (and current jobs/contracts fall under this catagory) there isnt much that could not be discussed on here.

Now ive given myself a headache being sensible, im off to find a thread i can wind someone up on.

[a51541476]

Nozzer:

I agree with your comments. There is lots of information on CP that is public domain and has been so for a long time. There shouldn't be any problem discussing such Open Source information on this Forum.

We do need to take care to safeguard information that is not Open Source and not suitable for public release, by keeping it off the Forum.

Regards,

Dave