CP/EP certifications?

[Hawk]

I was little curious about the US certifications for executive protection training and or what we say close protection?
Is this possible to obtain for foreign agencys or only domestic?
Anyone with intel on this subject please feel free to contact me..

Hawk

[Local Talent]

Every state regulates private security services in its own way. There is no national certification for private security that I know of. Since this forum is based in California and this is what I know, I'll use our state as an example.

The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), a division of the CA Department of Consumers Affairs is the government agency that oversees us (guards, bodyguards, PIs, locksmiths, repo men, etc.). And as far as the BSIS is concerned, a bodyguard is a security officer so there is no EP-specific permit. The minimum legal is therefore a guard card in CA.
To get one, you have to have the legal right to work in the US, and if you need a gun permit, the BSIS will further require you to be a legal resident or citizen.
So... a foreigner wanting to work in CA needs to immigrate here and jump through all our local hoops before becoming employable or being able to start a business.

When we expound on the importance of training on this forum we're referring either to skills acquired in military/LE service or to private instruction paid for by our employers or ourselves. Training is what makes you more marketable and competent, but the state doesn't get involved (except for certification of some schools, but that's another story), it only checks your background before issuing a minimal permit.

NOW... if your goal is simply to travel in the US with a swedish client of yours, for example, you can do that without getting vetted/stamped by every local jurisdiction you're going to pass through! But you'll do so as a tourist, so hiring a local agent or team to tag along is what I would advise: they know their local laws, can carry weapons (in some cases), and can liaise with local LE if needed.

And if you're talking about actually setting up shop in the US (landing contracts with US firms or individuals), I would again advise you to let a US company fulfill all the licensing, insurance, and payroll requirements for you in the state you target. Even out-of-state security companies wanting to do business in CA either have to open a branch here or have a local company with a PPO sub for them.
It really depends on the size, amount, and duration of the contract(s), before one can make an intelligent decision on which route to go.

I don't know what you specifically have in mind, but if I was a foreign national intent on running an EP company in the US, I would seek counsel from an attorney who specializes in international business law, then contact a US company and let them handle my contracts.
And please bear in mind that I'm just an EP guy who doesn't even like to travel! :D Others here are much better qualified to answer those questions and I hope they can expand on or clarify what I wrote here.

[Hawk]

Hi, no I will explain
I have no wish to work in USA or find employment there.
In Sweden the security industry is of course licensed but its much diffrent to many countries.
Here no individuals can be licensed only companies and we call it authorised or authorisation and I try to explain my thoughts here.

In Sweden if you wish to work with close protection
you must be 23 years of age have worked as security guard (authorised in a authorised security company for minimum of 2 years) this security guard training is 2 weeks long.
Then if you have the above you must have a 40 hour long tactical pistol course and then a close protection course on top of that for minimum of 92 or 95 hours (dont remember) when you have all this its only 8-9 companies aloud to work with close protection since its mainly for the Police force.
Of these 8-9 companies only 4-5 are aloud to work armed with Glock 9mm pistols.

Since there are only about 40-50 close protection officers working in these security companies and the companies themself have the right to train their own staff there are no point for me to apply for certification to train authorised close protection officers here.
And the costs are pretty huge instructors must be trained by police and be authorised to train in selfdefence , pistol and law etc..
And still since there are so few that actually work there are no interest for such training.

Now in 2006 we all saw that England got their security industry authorised for the first time and there they actually certify the individual which means a private person with SIA license can work with cp, and in Sweden only companies with the right trained staff.
SIA only regulates UK and Wales and the British companies working outside of UK start to have this as requirement since its the only standard they no.
The Swedish Authorisation dont work outside Sweden, nor do the English SIA so the best way for us that works in Europe / Middle east is to have a license / authorisation that actually is working outside our own countries.
I know this is not going to happend since then we need to be trained in all countries /laws/languages etc/
However I was thinking if there was other licenses or certifications that could interest such a training.
If youre honest your Country USA, dont even have the same training, requirements in the diffrent states so what good does that to the industry.
If you had the same regulations and standard and license you could operate all over USA.
Thats what Im after since we all here are aloud to work all over EU
But EU dont have this working yet I would be interested to certify my company training program so its working in more countries then 1
Thats why I asked if there was either EU/Nato/something else?

Hope I didnt make to many spellings error sorry incase I did
Cheers
Hawk

[Local Talent]

Thanks for the summary on Europe, Hawk - that was very interesting to me.

You know, I'm not sure that the work situation between Europe and the US is so different. European countries tends to be less privatized, which means not as business-friendly and more controled by their governments, that's for sure. But otherwise, the US is a federation of states like Europe.
That swedish situation you described sucks!

Of course we have the right to move freely about the US, but have to obtain local licensing to set up shop or seek employment in a particular state.
They only recently allowed local off-duty and retired police officers to carry firearms throughout the country (LEOSA of '04, following 9/11), but it used to be that they even weren't allowed to cross state borders packing (unlike what you see in movies & TV).

One of our members wanted to discuss international certification pour EP (or CP as they say in Europe) here, BTW: http://www.socalbodyguards.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369. As you see, I'm personally not so sure that centralization is the way to go.

But I don't want our non-US friends to think that this is the Wild West here, with untrained yahoos calling themselves bodyguards (although there is some of that :eek:). California now requires 40 hours of initial training and 8-hour yearly refresher courses for security guards, for example. Lots of states have similar requirements. The thing is, government-mandated training is a joke (personal opinion) and just a feel-good measure to feed bureaucrats. Every LEO I know who has to pay for a gun or baton permit, on top of his guard card, feels that way.
But we believe in individual freedom and drive, and anybody (with a clean background and a couple of bucks) can (and lots do) get the very best tactical and personal protection training.

NOW... the above may be of interest to other members outside the US. But from your last post, I think I now understand what you're looking for.
Unless working for The Man, the (real, not state-required) training we get is from private sources - schools. For some (especially the tactical stuff), you probably need to be a citizen so that they can do a background check on you. But others are more open and you have to contact them on an individual basis to know if they'd take you. Bear in mind that you won't be able to bring firearms here, and they won't loan them to you if you're not legally allowed to possess them, of course.

If you're in the market for US-style instruction that would be recognizable by your overseas clients, you should probably get in touch with the biggest names (ESI, Oatman, etc.) and see if they take foreign students. You would also certainly get some pointers from our very own "usabodyguard", who runs BTI (site sponsor).
Here you can get classes in every aspect of training useful for EP, often given by current or former federal or local police, or military.

Let me know if this answer is more on point.

[Hawk]

Thanks..
I know several US companies do take on foreigners on their courses but Im not interested myself to train but if it was possible for my company to obtain specific certifications. However when I worked in Iraq/Afghanistan my Swedish security clearance was (OK) with US military on the bases even though the requirements was US secret or nato clearance but mine was fully acceptable

But I will have a look atleast for us in Europe where everyone can work in any EU country it should be a EU certification thats what I am hoping for..
There is no need to apply for a Swedish since there are no interest or need for it.

Cheers
Hawk

[Local Talent]

I see (kinda). Part of the problem is semantic, and part is what every country does. Training/certification can either mean recognized, government-issued credentials, or privately acquired professional instruction, which can be more or less "recognized".