The Secret Service advocates for the security model of the three rings of protection, designed to keep any high-profile individual safe from a wide range of potential risks and threats.
What are the 3 Rings of Protection?
Executive protection typically involves a combination of physical security, threat assessment, and logistical planning to ensure the safety of executives, high-profile individuals, or public figures. WPG establishes layers or rings of protection to mitigate potential risks. We layer rings of protection to ensure the other protects our client if one ring fails.
Outer Ring
The first ring of protection, the outer ring, is the most critical ring of protection, essentially an access control. This might include key card access or biometric data access points at secure office buildings. The outer ring might be more involved in events, including security agents making people go through magnetometers. The outer ring does the screening to ensure that no one can bring any threatening items, such as weapons. This is similar to the security found at an airport, with metal detectors and body scanners looking for knives, explosives, or other illicit materials. A wall on an estate can be an outer ring of protection with CCTV and sensors to alert the security of any horrible intruder.
Middle Ring
The Middle Ring of Protection can also be found at sports events or high-profile locations like the White House. The middle ring is within the event space or building and usually includes protection agents operating and roving on the ground. Sometimes, the agents wear plain clothes and carry out counter-surveillance. They may have radio contact connecting them to the command center and can communicate with other agents throughout the premises. The protection agents gauge the crowd’s pulse, looking out for anyone suspicious or who does not fit in. These potential threats can then be monitored or taken aside to ensure they are not a threat.
Inner Ring
Then, there is the inner ring of protection. This consists of the close protection officers by the client’s side. The close protection stays around the client, but another component of the inner ring of protection is within the building itself—things like security systems and safe rooms where the client can go if an alarm is raised. If a threat gets past the outer ring of protection, the middle and inner rings exist to ensure they do not go unnoticed for long and cannot get close to the individual or individuals being protected. If the bag guy infiltrates the first two protection rings, the close protection unit has an evacuation plan. “Cover and Evacuate” to a safe area or designated safe room.
WPG has a Fourth Ring of Protection
While most executive protection and security companies will only have the above three protection rings, WPG has a fourth ring: Executive Protection in the Sky. Drone security is the most modern and effective security tool of the 21st century.
Over the years, drones have been developed with incredible capabilities for enhanced security measures. Sophisticated drones have 45 minutes of flight time thermal imaging cameras that can rotate 360 degrees and zoom in, 360-degree obstacle avoidance. This allows them to pick up on activity happening on the ground in incredible detail, and they can take photos and stream live video footage to protection agents in the control room. The drones WPG uses have speaker systems to warn and talk to a bad guy, as well as strobe lights and flashing lights. The drone can be sent immediately to where a security alert has been set off, and speaker systems can be utilized to deter criminals and tell them to leave the property immediately.
WPG Offers 4 Layers of Executive Protection
With four protection rings, WPG clients are kept safer and more secure. Security in the sky ensures no gaps in security, and threats can be identified quickly and dealt with effectively. By providing live footage, protection agents can pick up on subtle things like body language or facial expressions or even see if someone is holding something like a protest sign and whether a disturbance is about to occur. Clients are safer, and events can run smoothly with risks neutralized. While it is always essential to have agents on the ground, it is just as important to have security in the sky to see what agents cannot.
A modern, sophisticated protection company should recognize that the four rings of protection take security to the next level. This applies to all security situations, such as private residences, office buildings, and small—and large-scale events. Protection agents on the ground will carry out essential security measures for the outer, middle, and inner rings of protection, but now drones can fly above and provide the fourth ring, which is equally important.
