What Does It Take to Become a Bodyguard in the UK?

That is the question that people generally ask professionals. Let’s end the discussion once and for all because in this blog, we are going to discuss all the required traits and courses required to become a bodyguard or a close protection operative CPO.

Must-Have Qualities of a Bodyguard

Experience:

The job of a bodyguard requires them to protect their clients from assault or any other danger that crosses paths with them. They need to exhibit the highest level of both mental and physical fitness. That is why you don’t want to hire someone who has just entered the field with little to no experience. You will need someone with extensive experience and a high track record.

Training:

A good bodyguard goes above and beyond the minimum required training for being a bodyguard. They should have received rigorous training in all of the following:

Hand-to-hand and armed combat
Patrol of perimeters and grounds
Vehicle and pedestrian control
Escort of assets and people
Emergency response
Transporting assets and people
Coordination with law enforcement institutions
Managing situation
Customer service
Vigilance
Defensive Driving

Judgement:

Judgement skills are very important for an emergency situation. A bodyguard must possess excellent understanding and judgement skills which makes him able to take swift and correct decisions to protect his client. Excellent judgement skills also depict high intelligence and critical thinking ability in stressful situations.

Communication Skills:

There is no doubt in that you are not going to hire someone with improper communication skills to protect yourself or your loved ones. Make sure you hire someone precise and clear in not only verbal communication but also in non-verbal communication as well.

Physical and Mental Fitness:

Close protection requires agility and quick reaction as the front-line traits. This means a bodyguard needs to be more than just fit, both mentally and physically. Make sure you hire a bodyguard that fulfils all physical requirements of the job.

Situational Awareness:

A bodyguard needs to be vigilant and alert all the time. He must pay attention to every detail and not get distracted. You will feel safer when you know your bodyguard is not going to lose his focus anytime.

Integrity and Discretion:

A bodyguard knows all the secrets and has access to all the personal belongings and family members of the client. He must exhibit complete integrity and make sure he does not violate the trust that his client has put in him.

Is it Necessary to Have a Military or Police background?

It is a general thought that all bodyguards must have a military or civil law enforcement background. However, in reality, close protection operatives or bodyguards can be from any background. You can say that most of the bodyguards come from military or police backgrounds because they are efficient, highly trained and experienced.

Let’s not forget that most of the military and police personnel have worked in a hostile environment and dealt with extreme situations; that is why they are preferred over others. Although it doesn’t mean that ex-military or police personnel will surely prove to be an excellent close protection operative, and a highly trained civilian will be a bad one.

Keep in mind that in the end, it comes down to the training, ability and mental and physical fitness that will decide who is capable enough that he can be trusted with your life or the life of your loved ones.

Close Protection Courses and Licences

There are a lot of training courses available that you can choose from depending on your personal preferences, goals and budget. However, there are a few things that you should know before starting a training course.

There is a minimum age limit of 18 years, as per the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
You must choose a course which is accredited with level 3 qualification so that you can apply for the Licence after its completion.
You are not eligible to work after completion of your training course unless you acquire a licence from SIA.
Your course should improve your capabilities of:
Understanding roles and responsibilities
Driving techniques and tactics
Walking drills
Interpersonal skills
Planning
Threat assessment and management
Reconnaissance
Laws and legislations
Conflict management
Surveillance
First aid

How to Choose a Training institution?

Another important piece of advice that you need is to be very careful when choosing a training institution for your course. Do not forget that your training institution is going to define how good or lousy CPO you are going to be. Here are some tips that you can use:

We recommend conducting thorough research on multiple institutions or agencies before choosing one.
Do not jump for the cheapest services or a local service just for the sake of convenience.
Make sure you don’t join an institution which claims a 100% pass rate. They are probably not pushing students enough to be good CPOs.
Make sure your instructor is working on close protection circuit. This indicates that his knowledge is up-to-date.

How to Get a CPO Job in the UK?

The first and foremost thing that you need to know is that although your training company claims to provide work after the completion of the course, you are not going to get it because it doesn’t work like that. Among the multi-thousand CPOs working in the UK, more than 95% are self-employed. Here are some tips on how you can find employment after getting your SIA licence:

Stay connected with your friends and the CPO community; they may share a job with you.
Keep an eye on vacancies around you.
Create an impressive and mature CV for a job as close protection operative.
You must understand that you will start from an entry-level job.
Make sure you exhibit professionalism and efficiency during your job to earn the trust of your colleagues and clients.

About Us

ISEC Security Management Solutions was established to fill a gap in the market for a company that could provide a range of custom-designed, flexible and integrated security services to organisations in the United Kingdom.