To most Sri Lankans the word ‘VIP security’ is a disturbing reminder of a speeding convoy, loud sirens and the public being gestured to make way. This is far from the core concepts of close protection security. The Daily News editorial of June 2, 2023 prudently discussed the topic of excessive use of police officers assigned to VIPs and the real need for threat appropriate close protection. VIP security is not an exercise to boost anybody’s ego or perceived public image.
World history reminds us that the politically motivated murder of Julius Caesar by his trusted senator Marcus Brutus created the focus on having bodyguards. Caesar was stabbed 23 times. Even in ancient Sri Lanka our kings had guards for ‘anga araksha’ - to protect the body. Globally some VIPs are often the target of extremist organisations, militant terrorist groups, disgruntled individuals, mentally disturbed individuals, etc. These organisations are likely to be sources of security threat. Two main areas from where security threats can emanate are firearms and various forms of explosive devices including Remote Control Devices (RCD). Some VIPs are highly subjective to information attacks, where their personal, financial and other crucial information is sought after and stolen. With the rise of social media, terrorists and criminals have access to much information about potential targets – in the form of individuals and events.
Ring Rounds
Close protection duties can be subsumed under two broad principles: anti-sabotage checks and access control. Protective Security Operations are based on three fundamentals - verified intelligence, evaluation and resources. All threat related information must be filtered and analyzed.
The main challenge with VIP protection is that a VIP has public exposure, and he/she would like to keep that exposure to the fullest. For VIP protection, this is a nightmare, because Maximum Exposure is a definite contradiction to Maximum Security. The first key of VIP security is prevention. Preventive security takes planning and an alert mind, not a siren blaring circus. The common VIP security system is usually based on the idea of Protection Circles. The Head of Security uses three ‘Protection Circles’ around the VIP – Distant, Median and Close. They are also known as ‘ring rounds’. The Distant Circle is for deterring. This circle usually consists of law enforcement personnel that scan the crowd, looking for known suspects. The Median Circle’s purpose is to reject unauthorized persons. The Median Circle creates a ‘Sterile Zone’ between itself and the Close Circle. The Close Circle is the last line of defence, and it is considered a system failure if a hostile person reaches the Close Circle. This final circle consists of the most senior bodyguards.
Discreet Security
The best police security arrangements are those where there is minimum show of Police Force in uniform and yet full protection to the VIP is ensured. The event must happen smoothly and punctually and without public resentment, regarding the arrangements. The guards should be posted in such a manner that Police are not very much in the public gaze but are in a commanding position to observe everything. The layout of the place should be studied and surveyed and adequate lighting arranged (night time). A thorough anti-sabotage check should be conducted. Catering arrangements should be checked and staff deployed for these arrangements to be security vetted. In addition to uniformed Police guards, officers in plain clothes should be detailed for security duty, the number depending upon the importance of the VIP, place of event/stay and other local conditions.
During the travel by road the pilot vehicles and escort should be provided according to scale (after prior threat assessment and verified intelligence gathering days or weeks ahead). Vehicles to be used should be subjected to thorough mechanical and anti-sabotage checks. The antecedents of the drivers should be thoroughly verified. An assessment of the time to be taken during the road journey from place to place should be carefully worked out. If the convoy is to pass through areas with high-rise buildings, these buildings should be identified and police posted. We must never underestimate the threat of snipers, mounted remote controlled guns and drones. Often the VIP’s passage is held up by enthusiastic crowds wanting to offer flowers or garlands. Such contingencies should be anticipated by collection of intelligence and necessary security arrangements made without display of unnecessary uniformed policemen. When a VIP makes an unscheduled halt, then the Senior Police Officer present should make instant security arrangements. No traffic should be stopped but should be regulated unless a stoppage becomes inevitable for the security of the VIP, for a few seconds.
I spoke to SSP A.B. Daulagala of the Special Task Force. He is a former Director Security for the STF and currently Deputy Commandant. The STF has the honour of protecting His Holiness Pope John Paul 11, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their visits to Sri Lanka. He reminisced “Prior to the visit of the Pope an advanced team came to Sri Lanka to observe our training. Our team consisted of SP Upali Sahabandhu, ASP Patrick Edema (PSO), IP Romesh Liyanage (presently SSP) and IP P. Hettiarachchi. They were satisfied and our overall security operation was directed by DIG Anton Jeyanathan. We had to find officers to match the height of the Pope. We used police dogs and electronics for the search process”.
The pioneer of close protection security in the STF is former DIG Nimal Lewke. He is one of the police officers who has done a great service to the Motherland. He was the first to be trained in Malaysia and was the bodyguard to the then IGP, decades ago. The STF received their basic VIP training from the British and later Israel. There was an incident in the 1980s when the DJVP attacked Parliament with a hand grenade, which they had smuggled inside a lunch packet. This incident created fear and the STF became the first unit to be gazzeted with the authority to search Parliament. Chief Inspector Patrick Silva and team did the first search of the Parliament. Today under incumbent Commandant DIG Waruna Jayasundara the STF protects many high profile persons and visiting foreign delegations.
Dimensions of protection
The close protection exercise begins with the 1 agent form. A VIP and one Personal Security Officer is the basic formation. This can lead to a 2 agent team. If the threat is more a 3 agent team -Triangle takes position. The 4 agent team is known as a Diamond formation, moving with the VIP. When the Prime Minister of Israel Rabin was shot and killed by a Jew the Israelis realized their need for a new system. They came up with the ‘box’ security detail, a focused 6 man team. The STF followed this course in Israel and was the first to introduce this modern close protection formation to Sri Lanka. The box formation can brilliantly alter itself to a circle or diamond pattern when so required.
There are three dark chapters in Sri Lankan history, where security was breached by the hostile assailants. The first is the May Day attack on the People’s President Ranasinghe Premadasa. The LTTE wisely planted their agent, months in advance: to acquaint the personal staff of the president. The terrorist agent operated a vegetable shop in close proximity to the president’s residence. He managed to penetrate the president’s ring round. Although being warned by his security officers the loving people’s president paid the supreme price. The second is the shooting of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Here the LTTE shrewdly infiltrated his neighbourhood in advance. On that fateful day a concealed sniper fired 6 bullets from a Norinco sniper rifle. Four bullets hit the dynamic foreign minister. The assailant later fired an RPG to confuse the security detail and escaped in a waiting three- wheeler. Lakshman Kadirgamar is probably the best foreign minister Sri Lanka had and a magnificent orator. The third case study is the election rally suicide explosion which killed Minister Gamini Dissanayake, then UNP Presidential candidate. He was a versatile task-oriented minister who transformed this nation with the Mahaweli development project.
Sri Lankan politicians and other state VIPs must learn to keep a professional and low profile security detail. In this backdrop Ranil Wickremesinghe has been a sterling Prime Minister and President, keeping a low profile security detail, especially a silent convoy that has never inconvenienced the public. This is an example to all others in authority. Sri Lankan politicians and party supporters must get rid of the habit of lighting loud firecrackers at election rallies and VIP events. This is a disturbance to their close protection teams. Further the habit of placing garlands and shawls must stop as this permits a person to come in close contact with the VIP. This kind of ostentatious nonsense is not done in the US and Europe. In future biometric authentication will see broader use in access control. Iris scanning, facial recognition and fingerprint scanning all have different price points and offer different levels of security. Convergence is the integration of IT and physical security programmes. These two security domains cannot be thought of separately. All Police Close Protection officers must cultivate discernment and patience and be groomed on emotional intelligence, periodically. Close protection is not about hovering helicopters and bullet proof cars, but a 24/7 security culture. VIP security is a mindset.
(The writer is the author of Target Secured- Police Special Task Force)
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