Close protection

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In France, private security represents 11,000 businesses, including 3,500 self-employed, 170,000 employees and a constantly growing sector with more than 5,500 job creations every year. Safety privee comes in different forms such as remote monitoring, the close protection, the private investigators, the fire safety, etc.

In this area, each country possesses different laws and regulations. An accredited company in a country is not necessarily so in the other and vice versa.

Regulations

the National Council for Private Security Activities (CNAPS) was born in order to moralize and professionalize this sector which has experienced significant growth in recent years. the CNAPS acts in order to to regulate all activities, to promote and d’to assist private security professions, but a also the power of dicedeliver, suspend, or withdraw approvals and authorizations (professional cards, authorization requestsprerequisite for training in professions in the security private, etc.).

Private security is very controlled and lcompanies are subject, in France, to a no accumulation of activities. Each domain makes the subject of an entrindependent company which does not have the right to do anything other than private security. In addition, a mission entrusted by a new client can only be accepted on condition that the confidentiality of the information given by a former client is not at risk of being raped, or when the latter’s knowledge of his or her business is not not favor the new customer.

A foreign company can work in France provided it has an exemption. Likewise, to work abroad, a French company must have an agreement with the country in question (head office on site, subcontract one to local business, etc.)

Close protection officers

Missions and activities

The close protection consists of three types of missions: one-off, short-term or long-term.

The one-off missions are often held as part of events like concerts or shows for example. These are then reinforcement missions to a team of personal bodyguard for an artist or a star. These one-off contracts are not necessarily planned in advance, which is why companies have a large repertoire agents in order to be able to recruit quickly. The remuneration of these missions is quite important given that they are frequently planned in an emergency (200 to 300 € daily).

There are missions that are spread out over time, these are the short-term assignments (a few weeks). They concern influential personalities or well-known who are in France for work, vacation, etc. He exists also embassies in Paris which are protected by French private security companiesis. These missions are paid to the height of 200 € per day approximately.

To finish the long-term missions canextended from 1 to several years. Work can be done from different ways according to customer needs. Sometimes officers work in pair in order to supplement when monitoring must be constant. The daily rate will depend on the number of hours of service and whether the agent stay with the VIP on week-end. The remuneration is around 4000 to 4500 € per month.

The Private Agent for the Protection of Persons

A close protection company should only employ agents with a Close Protection Agent professional card (APR) or of Private Agent for the Protection of Persons (A3P) recognized by the CNAPS.

In order to obtain it, there are two possibilities: to follow a training course in France, or to follow a training abroad recognized in France (very rare). In addition, many agents have it by equivalence of through their service in the army or the police. These equivalences take into account the rank, the units to which the agent has belonged, the qualifications, the number of years of service, etc.

If the future agent does not have these equivalences, he will have to follow a 250 hour training around combat techniques, legal aspects of the profession, techniques specific to the protection close, etc.

The French title of APR is not recognized abroad except for certain countries listed on the CNAPS website. It is not necessary to own a professional card in some countries it is sufficient simply to be recruited on a CV by a company that will train the agent internally.

It should not be confused private security officer (securing a site or an infrastructure) and APR or A3P (protection of a personality). L’Private Agent for the Protection of Persons has little or no break and can work for up to 12 hours at a stretch. A person is more valuable than a site, which is why the remuneration is adjusted accordingly.

In a secure country, the choice of the APR will be rather on a physique imposing which will dissuade any aggressor by his stature. In a country the crimelow bedridden, the deterrent power is important and may be sufficient. Unarmed defense is necessary if carrying weapons is not permitted.

In addition, in a country at risk (at war or with high armed crime), we free ourselves from the imposing physique to turn to versatile operators. A military or police experience is favorable in order to be comfortable with a firearm. There are typical tactics for close protection in a hostile environment with evacuation in vehicles, use of shields, etc. You also need to be seasoned in tactical combat.

Armament in Close Protection

In France, a bodyguard can only be armed in extremely rare circumstances. There is no status of armed bodyguard, only exemptions from the Prefecture issued on a case-by-case basis. In the event of a derogation, the agent will then have a weapon in his workplace that he will be authorized to carry and use (category B weapon, 9mm pistol type). If the agent is a sports shooter, the exemption may provide for the uselization of his personal weapon. Do not confuse carrying a weapon (having it on your belt) and carrying a weapon (stored in a safe, without ammunition engaged, all in a bag).

French agents may be required to intercome to a country at risk. In this case, they can be armed depending on the country’s regulations.

Agents holding a card allowing the exercise of an armed activity are subject to regular annual training (2 7 hour sessions for category D weapons and 4 one hour sessions for category B weapons). This training will allow the renewal of the caprofessional rte. Initial training will be carried out by organizations approved by the CNAPS.