Eyes Everywhere: How the Public Enhances Executive Protection and Security

Recently, I was leading a detail with one of my “regulars,” a prominent public figure. At the time, my principal was engaging with audience members before the event began. As I scanned the crowd, I noticed an individual approach one of the detail team members who was stationed on the outside of our inner security ring. From the person’s body language, I could immediately tell something was wrong. The agent quickly came over to inform me that we had a potential issue. I signaled the rest of the team, and we swiftly secured the principal away from the threat while our agents engaged with law enforcement officers on the scene to investigate further.

Here’s what the informant shared with the agent: As he was exiting his car in the parking lot, he noticed a middle-aged white male leaving a vehicle and holstering a handgun under his shirt, concealed. The individual—our person of interest (POI)—then composed himself and walked across the parking lot into the building where the event was being held. The informant provided a detailed description of the individual and guided one of our agents to the vehicle he believed belonged to the POI. From there, we were able to obtain the license plate number and identify the vehicle owner, presumably the POI, which gave us valuable investigative intelligence.

Simultaneously, team members began working with the event security team to review surveillance footage. Using the cameras, we were able to track the POI’s movements from area to area, eventually pinpointing his real-time location. At this point, the event had already begun. Our POI was seated among a crowd of nearly 2,000 people in a dark, arena-style venue, illuminated only by the stage and production lighting, and filled with the overwhelming noise of the band, singers, and audience. The POI had taken an elevated position at the top of the stadium-style seating and was visibly fidgeting with something hidden under his sweatshirt on his right-side hip.

By now, an undercover team member had positioned himself within three seats of the POI, able to observe and react to any potential threat. Once we had all cameras focused on the POI, team members in place, and law enforcement on alert, I signaled for the undercover agent to move in and engage with the individual. Our POI immediately disclosed that he was carrying a concealed firearm and presented identification—along with a law enforcement badge. To our relief, he was a sworn off-duty officer simply attending the event.

The “all clear” came through our earpieces, and the event continued without further issue.

This situation ended well. Clearly, it could have taken a much different turn if the individual hadn’t been a sworn law enforcement officer. However, our team was positioned and ready to address any critical incident and react immediately to any threat—all thanks to the vigilance and situational awareness of a random bystander. Had this been a person with malicious intent and we hadn’t had the watchful eyes of a member of the public, we could have been caught off guard, and the outcome could have been catastrophic.

Relying on Your Audience and the Public to Be Your Eyes and Ears in Executive Protection Security

In the world of executive protection, security for public figures is a complex and dynamic field that requires personal protection professionals to navigate a multitude of challenges. These clients often face unique threats due to their visibility, influence, and the high-profile nature of their daily lives. Securing these individuals while respecting their need to engage with the public can be an intricate balance.

While intelligence, planning, and physical security measures are critical, one often overlooked asset in ensuring safety is the public itself. The very people who surround a protected individual on a daily basis—whether it be in airports, hotels, or public events—can become invaluable sources of information. In fact, the public, combined with the observation skills of your audience, can serve as extra "eyes and ears," offering real-time intelligence and helping to mitigate potential threats before they escalate.

The Role of the Public in Executive Protection

The concept of relying on the public in executive protection may seem unconventional, but it is grounded in the idea of situational awareness. Whether it's a bystander noticing suspicious behavior, or an event attendee reporting something out of the ordinary, these individuals can provide important insights that may otherwise go unnoticed by security personnel. In many cases, security teams cannot be everywhere at once, and the presence of many people in a given environment can be a key advantage.

Often at a crowded event or public appearance, security teams are primarily focused on maintaining a protective perimeter or managing the logistics of the venue. Meanwhile, the public’s ability to detect unusual activity or sense potential threats can give the protection team valuable time to respond, as was the case in our situation. Security personnel can benefit from these observations, integrating information from the public into their own assessment of the situation.

How to Leverage the Public’s Observational Power

1. Encouraging Public Awareness

One way to harness the power of the public is through awareness campaigns that inform attendees, bystanders, or local communities of how they can assist in protecting the VIP, as well as the crowd. For example, campaigns that encourage people to report suspicious behavior or anything out of the ordinary can build a network of “informants” who act as an additional line of defense. These campaigns can be strategic and woven into regular training, or they can be as simple as signage around a venue or on a screen in some form of media.

The message can include simple instructions like:

1. "If you see something unusual, say something."

2. "Report any suspicious individuals or behavior immediately to security."

3. "Be mindful of any packages or items left unattended."

In certain cases, awareness campaigns can be enhanced by offering incentives such as rewards for tips that prevent a security breach or solve a potential threat. By empowering the public with this responsibility, you enhance the overall security of the environment.

2. Crowd Control and Crowd Intelligence

The public is also a valuable resource when it comes to crowd control. Crowds can either be a source of safety, due to the anonymity they offer, or a danger if chaos ensues. In larger crowds, it’s often difficult for security teams to spot the "bad actors" within the mix. However, everyday attendees can alert security to suspicious individuals, helping identify threats that may be hiding in plain sight.

By giving attendees the ability to communicate with security via apps or designated contact points, security can receive timely alerts on issues ranging from simple disturbances to the presence of potential threats. This networked form of crowd intelligence can help to quickly identify and de-escalate risky situations.

3. Engagement with the Audience

Especially during events like public speeches or meet-and-greets, engagement between the VIP and their audience can enhance security. A brief interaction with an attentive audience can offer more than just goodwill—it can be an opportunity to gauge the mood of the crowd and spot potential issues. A sudden shift in the crowd’s behavior, like a tense or nervous atmosphere, can be a telltale sign of a potential security risk. Trained security personnel can observe this behavior as part of their threat assessment strategy, but audience members themselves can play a role by reporting unusual behavior or alerting nearby security officers.

Social media also plays an increasingly important role in real-time intelligence. Attendees may post images or videos of the event, and while this could potentially compromise security by revealing details of the venue, it can also reveal hidden threats. Public social media platforms may serve as a tool for real-time monitoring, as threats can often be detected through posts or comments made by people on the ground.

4. Community Partnerships for Public Safety

In some instances, security teams rely on local businesses, law enforcement, and community groups to act as additional eyes and ears. Local businesses, for example, are often familiar with the area and can notice when something seems amiss. Hotel staff, transportation workers, or restaurant servers can alert security to anything that might indicate danger or suggest an escalating risk. Such partnerships create an extended network of vigilance, further fortifying the protective measures around the executive. Most of the time, these local individuals are more than willing to assist, and helping them understand the important role that they can play is vital to obtaining their “buy in” and loyalty to assist.

Similarly, local law enforcement agencies often share intelligence with private security firms to ensure that both public and private resources are coordinated effectively. By building these partnerships, the reach of executive protection can extend well beyond the immediate perimeter of the individual being protected.

The Psychological Aspect: Trusting the Public

One of the challenges in relying on the public as part of your executive protection strategy is overcoming the inherent mistrust that security professionals may feel towards crowds and bystanders. Security personnel are often trained to consider the public as a potential source of danger rather than an asset. However, this mindset is shifting in the modern security landscape, where the inclusion of the public in the security process can lead to faster, more efficient responses.

This shift requires a change in approach. Rather than seeing the public as a threat, security teams need to engage with and empower them. Fostering a sense of shared responsibility for safety can encourage the public to act in ways that are supportive of the overall security plan, including reporting concerns or suspicious activity. Building trust with the public can lead to better cooperation and, ultimately, better protection.

Conclusion

The public and the audience surrounding an executive, though seemingly passive bystanders, can become active participants in ensuring security. By leveraging the collective observational skills of crowds and everyday citizens, executive protection professionals can enhance situational awareness and stay one step ahead of potential threats. Through awareness campaigns, crowd intelligence, and partnerships with local businesses and law enforcement, the eyes and ears of the public can be integrated into a comprehensive security strategy.

In the end, executive protection is not just about what security professionals can see—it’s about making the most of all available resources, including the valuable insights that come from those who are simply present. By encouraging public vigilance and building trust with the community, security teams can create a more robust and responsive safety net, ensuring that every potential threat is identified and neutralized before it can do harm.