History has taught us that certain kinds of activities can indicate terrorist plans are in the works, especially when they occur at or near high profile or sensitive sites, places where high profile individuals reside or work, or where large numbers of people gather like government buildings, military installations, bus or train stations or major public events. The ability to detect hostile or suspicious activity early in the target selection and planning phase is the primary means of defeating a terrorist or criminal attack. Thus, surveillance detection (SD) has become critical to successful intelligence collection, counterterrorism, and security operations.
Terrorist attacks follow a distinct process referred to as the Terrorist Attack Cycle. The terrorist attack cycle includes: Target selection, planning, deployment, escape and exploitation. Regardless of the type of attack, whether it be terrorist such as a bombing or kidnapping or a criminal attack such as a theft there is almost always some amount of preoperational hostile surveillance conducted. This hostile surveillance is intended to assess a potential target for value, security measures and vulnerabilities and it’s during this phase that terrorists and other attackers are vulnerable to detection.
In general, terrorists have relatively poor surveillance skills or tradecraft. It is this poor surveillance tradecraft that if recognized can provide individuals and organizations with the time needed to involve the proper authorities, avoid an immediate threat and help prevent an attack. BGICTC’s Surveillance Detection training is designed to provide the skill sets required to mitigate the risk of abduction or hostile act.
Our instructor cadre is composed of career Covert Operations personnel with decades of real-world experience. Our Subject Matter Experts have “boots-on-the-ground” operational experience in surveillance, surveillance detection, and counter-surveillance measures both domestically and in hostile environments overseas. Our instructors understand what works … and more importantly what does not.
The training program consists of both classroom training and practical exercises. Students will conduct multiple Surveillance Detection Exercises over the course of several days. These exercises take place in a downtown area with routes that enter and exit major facilities.
BGICTC utilizes role players to provide a realistic training scenario that is designed to test and enhance student’s skill sets. Key take-aways of these exercises include:
Understanding the basics of Surveillance Detection and how to implement the skill set into their daily lives.
Being able to use these skills to isolate and confirm suspected surveillance activities.
Recognizing various types of surveillance conducted by criminal elements intent on gathering information for potentially illicit purposes.
Learning how to protect themselves and make themselves less appealing targets.
By the end of the course, students will be able to carry out sophisticated surveillance detection drills to confirm, evade, deter, or gather their own intelligence on hostile surveillance teams.
Terrorist Trends
Surveillance Detection as a security strategy
Activities indicative of hostile surveillance
Terrorist planning cycle
Techniques/Ruses used by hostile surveillants
Hostile surveillants requirements
Best times in the terrorist planning cycle to identify and report surveillance
Review of a comprehensive process to protect your facility
Who should be trained in hostile surveillance?
Surveillance detection techniques
Tricks of the Trade
Vulnerabilities
Surveillance Detection Routes (SDR)
When and where Surveillance Detection should be conducted
Prerequisites:
CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT or LAW ENFORCEMENT CRIMINAL HISTORY REPORT MUST BE PRESENTED AT CLASS. If you do not have a concealed weapons permit, you may use a criminal history report from the W.S.P background check service located at http://www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history/.