CommandWear Close Protection Case Study April 2019

PROTECTIVE SECURITY CASE STUDY

Introduction

Personal Protection Specialists provide a safe and secure escort and transportation service for persons who are exposed to elevated levels of risk. Executive or Close Protection (CP) can be utilized for persons who are attending contentious annual general meetings and public events, or where security intelligence suggests there may be an elevated risk in an unstable environment. These services can be covertly (discreetly), overtly deployed.

Lions Gate Risk Management’s Protection Team works seamlessly with its Strategic Decision Support team (SDS) to collect relevant information for a risk assessment and the resulting security plan. The plan includes use of encrypted technology for tracking and communicating among the Protection Detail team and with the management team. Lions Gate also utilizes a state of the art 24/7 Crisis Response Center, managed by an accredited Canadian law enforcement agency, that manages routine and crisis calls for service.

The Challenges

Lions Gate has been contracted to provide protective services for high profile, local and international clients. The challenges in all cases is ensuring the highest levels of situational awareness are maintained among team members and management to mitigate risk and maximize protection of the client(s) and the Protection Detail team members in the field.

Although radio communications are a critical component of any deployment, they also present challenges:

• Lack of real-time personnel location tracking (“blue force tracking”), an essential requirement to effectively manage response operations in fast moving, dynamic situations;
• Not providing rich, actionable intelligence data critical to decision-making, including pictures/video or video streams;
• Often hard to hear especially when the Protective Detail is operating in loud environments (music events, protests, fans);
• Loss of communications, thus command and control, when out of coverage area; and,
• Not interoperable with public safety agencies and other security services that may need to be seamlessly integrated into a unified command structure.

The Solution

To address the challenges, CommandWear Systems Inc. was contracted to expedite implementation of its mobile situational awareness system. Within five (5) hours of receiving the order for the software, CommandWear was operational and key team member’s trained. Speed, ease of deployment and minimum support requirements were an important consideration since the focus has to be on mission objective and not on the technology supporting it.

The CommandWear system provides Lions Gate’s executive team, operations center staff and field operatives with a common operating picture. Threats, tactical plans, incidents and field personnel’s location and status are all displayed in real-time and in a clearly understood way on a map shared among the team. Should the need arise to re-position field staff or contain a threat or incident, CommandWear provides a means to do so faster, more accurately and without delays and confusion often caused by relying on just radio. Interoperability with outside agencies is possible by simply giving them a mobile app and secure login credentials (view-only permissions can be assigned if appropriate).

“In fast moving, dynamic situations, security and public safety organizations can’t afford to lose valuable time by having to call everyone up on the radio, get each responder to report their location, mark it on maps and then try to describe what location they should move to or what the scene looks like”, explains Mike Morrow, CommandWear’s CEO.

Findings

After using the CommandWear system for over four (4) months, Lions Gate highlighted these key results:

1. Improved situational awareness is achieved through tracking field assets (personnel) in real-time, secure two-way messaging, and an ability to share picture and video. Note: CommandWear offers a secure video streaming feature with its mobile and web apps; however, this feature was not enabled for Lions Gate.

2. Speed and accuracy of our response is optimized through knowing where people are, whether in their vehicle or not.

3. Personnel safety is enhanced by knowing where they are and their current status, even when radios are congested or hard to hear.
Note: CommandWear’s Responder Watch app has not yet been deployed at Lions Gate. This smartwatch option allows field personnel biometrics to be monitored and alerts to be sent to the control centre if a heart rate exceeds a ‘safe threshold range’ set for each person.

4. Reporting and debriefs using CommandWear’s Instant Replay based on a central log provides a more accurate, timely and insightful account of our operations. A very valuable capability for assisting with investigations and inquiries.

5. Situational awareness is increased when certain client activities require the team to function on foot in parks or non-built up areas (out of vehicle).

6. In the future, we see a need for blue tooth enabled forward facing cameras that allow the Command group to see what the operator is experiencing without the operator having to do anything, keeping their focus on the situation. It’s about reducing risk in a dynamic environment and keeping our people and the client safe at all times.

About Lions Gate Risk Management, Inc.

Lions Gate Risk Management Group is a leading-edge security and risk management firm that provides a comprehensive suite of superior investigation, intelligence, security and protection services.

Its industry leading risk management solutions are inspired and informed by the vision and proven experience of its leaders. The team consists of law enforcement, military, academic and security industry specialists who have the knowledge, skills and experience to provide clients with a superior level of service and expertise.

The Lions Gate team identifies, assesses and prioritizes customers’ risks to match them with tailored solutions. They ensure assets are protected and business continuity is prioritized. Subject matter experts are adept at delivering services that provide the strategic advantage necessary for confident decision making.

With its head office located in Vancouver, British Columbia and a branch office located in Calgary, Alberta, Lions Gate serves clients with local and international footprints and prides itself on commitment to integrity.