How to Become a Qualified Personal Protection Officer?

by Executive Protection Institute EPI was founded in 1978

While being a Personal Protection Officer (PPO) may seem like a glamorous occupation, it is a profession that is hard to get into. Plus, all successful applicants must be qualified before they even get to protect their very first clients.

But what kind of training is needed to be successful in this mysterious industry?

Personal protection services cater to a wide range of clients — mostly world leaders, royalty, high net worth families, executives, celebrities, and politicians — who are looking for the highest levels of security to help them go about their daily lives.

Although the positions of a personal protection officer are usually reserved for ex-Army officers or those who already have a strong background in security, more and more people are finding that this somewhat risky path may just be the career for them.

How to Qualify?

The first step to becoming a front-line member of staff like a personal protection officer is enrolling in a series of personal protection training courses. These courses can teach you how to be proactive, and prevent and handle accidents, medical emergencies, and deliberate attacks.

To pass the training course, however, you must complete a series of physically demanding training as well as undertake a written examination to test your cognitive skills. Personal protection training involves several specialist modules, including risk assessment, surveillance awareness, security, law, teamwork, briefing, incident management, and route selection. The modules also delve deeper into the role and responsibilities you will undertake as a close protection operative.

Conclusion

A career in close protection services is not for everyone. That being said, with the right bodyguard training program, drive, and enthusiasm, you can ensure that your passion for becoming a personal protection officer starts off on the right foot with the recognized qualifications you need to get ahead.