Training is delivered as follows:

Knowledge and practical skills training (minimum 150 hours)

• Introduction to the roles and responsibilities of the close protection operative
• Threat and risk assessment
• Surveillance awareness
• Operational planning
• Law and legislation
• Interpersonal skills
• Close protection team work
• Reconnaissance
• Close protection foot techniques
• Route selection
• Use of close protection vehicle techniques
• Search awareness
• Incidents and dilemmas
• Venue based security
• Communication and conflict management skills

When applying for your licence you will be required to produce evidence that you have attained a recognised first aid award. You should present your valid first aid certificate to your training provider before you start your training. If you do not have a recognised first aid award you will need to get one in order to get your licence. This is in addition to the minimum 150 hours knowledge and practical skills training.

First aid awards recognised by the SIA are:

• First Aid at Work - 4 day course (HSE approved)
• First Person on Scene (FPOS) Intermediate Award - 30 hours (Edexcel / IHCD)

Other certificated first aid courses relevant to Close Protection will be approved in due course. If you already have some other form of first aid training you may wish to have it accredited as prior learning towards the FPOS qualification - please contact Edexcel/IHCD.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

If you already have some form of formal close protection training it may mean that you are exempt from all or part of the SIA approved training.

The Course Director and all Instructors are occupationally competent Close Protection Operatives who are also professionally qualified and experienced trainers

The Directing Staff

The specific mix of Directing Staff working at any one time will depend on final student numbers and the course syllabus activity. The Instructors that will deliver your course will vary and will be drawn mainly from the following personnel:

Martin Allen - Course Director

Andrew Challoner

John Thompson

Paul Hutchinson

NB Student numbers on each course can vary and therefore the number of Directing Staff in attendance is adjusted accordingly

Training Rationale

SIAlimited instructors are all qualified trainers and have the expertise to enrich your learning experience through many different methods of teacher / student facilitation. Training will include a combination of classroom theory, group work and practical exercises where Instructors will facilitate realistic ‘role-play’ scenarios. These scenarios will focus on managing the close protection risk by responding with creative and flexible solutions to problems, incidents and dilemmas as they arise.

Course Participation

It is a requirement of SIAlimited that all course students will take a full and active part in all group discussions, practical exercises, assessments, (theory & practical) and any role-play scenarios as best to their ability. Student absence from any part of the Close Protection Course will not be permissible, save in extreme circumstances or illness, without prior consent of the Course Director. Extended periods of absence have to be reported to the SIAlimited Awarding Body at Edexcel, and subject to an individual’s particular circumstances may result in a student being required to either ‘catch up’ on missed training or attend a later course.

SIA Requirements

It is an SIA requirement that the SIA Close Protection Course is delivered over a minimum of 150 guided learning hours. It is therefore extremely important that students arrive promptly each day as any absence from the course programme may result in a student being unable to complete the course.

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