| Countersurveillance is one tool in a kit of | | | | thereby confusing and intentionally misleading |
| protective intelligence tools used by well educated | | | | would-be assailants. Some strategies that can be |
| and trained protection professionals. The key to | | | | employed by countersurveillance teams include |
| successful prevention, disruption, and mitigation of | | | | making appropriate use of safe houses and |
| a potential threat against a client is the | | | | alternative residences for clients as well as using |
| employment of effective surveillance and | | | | an irregular schedule. |
| countersurveillance. | | | | Confounding adversarial surveillance teams through |
| - Countersurveillance is a proactive strategy that | | | | deceptive countersurveillance techniques, |
| seeks to prevent and disrupt the surveillance | | | | however, is only one component of a |
| activities of criminals, terrorists, and those that | | | | comprehensive countersurveillance strategy. |
| have the potential to harm a client or their assets. | | | | Ultimately, successful countersurveillance teams |
| Providing effective protection to clients depends | | | | don't wait for something to go wrong before |
| on carrying out advanced surveillance and | | | | taking action; they, instead, adopt a modus |
| countersurveillance operations in such a way that | | | | operandi of perpetual preparedness by remaining |
| it forestalls and prevents attempts by hostile | | | | vigilant and thinking proactively. |
| parties to gather and act upon information about | | | | One way that countersurveillance teams can |
| a client's activities or interests in such a way that | | | | anticipate different types of threats is to engage |
| it could cause harm (like kidnapping, robbery, | | | | in "red teaming" exercises where mock |
| extortion, and even death). | | | | perpetrators conduct surveillance operations and |
| Surveillance The fact is that sophisticated criminals | | | | help spot potential vulnerabilities. When problems |
| and terrorist groups conduct surveillance on their | | | | or soft spots in the countersurveillance are |
| targets before perpetrating a crime or launching | | | | identified, solutions could entail introducing more |
| an attack. During their surveillance, for example, | | | | variety in a client's schedule to make their daily |
| nefarious individuals look for patterns in the daily | | | | 'routine' more unpredictable. |
| activities of their victims - they might study how | | | | Conclusion |
| a protective security detail of an important client, | | | | A concluding - but by no means final - note about |
| for example, is organized, how they operate, and | | | | countersurveillance is the commensurate need for |
| then devise plans to exploit perceived | | | | developed protective skills that are typically gained |
| vulnerabilities. | | | | through years of residency experience, limited, |
| Types of Surveillance Surveillance, the process by | | | | 'spot' training through various certification |
| which intelligence information is acquired in the | | | | programs or through advanced education and |
| field, requires careful technique and dedicated | | | | degree-granting programs that specialize in |
| patience to gather good information. Surveillance | | | | protective security and intelligence. |
| teams, to be effectual, must be aware of any | | | | Regardless of where or how one acquires the |
| countersurveillance tactics that might be used by | | | | necessary protection skills, knowledge, experience, |
| those protecting their purported targets. | | | | and education, a countersurveillance professional |
| Surveillance can range from simple observation in | | | | should possess a deep understanding of how |
| person for a few moments to clandestine and | | | | surveillance works, how to collect intelligence, how |
| highly technical operations involving multiple | | | | to analyze and identify possible threats based on |
| persons or teams and expensive equipment for | | | | that intelligence, how to develop and implement |
| eavesdropping and so forth. | | | | procedures to protect a client facing threats, and |
| Effective Countersurveillance Countersurveillance | | | | how to detect, mitigate, and where possible |
| involves altering travel routes and routines, | | | | prevent emerging threats to a client. |