Integrated Risk Management Strategies:
From the Front Gate to the Hard Drivesm
Up Next: Phoenix - January 26 & 27
Personal Safety While Traveling Abroad on Business:
Part 2
By David S. Katz
Each year, several hundred thousand men and women take business trips. They travel to virtually every corner of the globe, often to places presenting real dangers to their safety. Perhaps the most disturbing fact is that the majority of such corporate travelers have never received any training in how to protect themselves. This year alone, hundreds of executives will be robbed, assaulted, kidnapped, and murdered. Most of these incidents could have been prevented by adherence to basic rules of personal safety.
Basic security principles of personal safety are easy to understand and implement and will greatly reduce the likelihood that you will become a victim. You must understand and accept the fact that all of us are potentially at risk. We live in a dangerous world. News is not merely something that happens to other people. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Once that reality sinks in, you can begin to modify your behavior in a way that will make you less vulnerable.
In the previous issue, part one of this article discussed the importance of being aware of your surroundings, avoiding routine and predictable patterns of behavior, maintaining a low-profile, airline travel safety and the need to perform appropriate pre-travel research. This segment will continue a discussion of the additional steps business travelers and others must take to reduce the likelihood that they will injured in an accident, fire or natural disaster or become the victim of a terrorist or criminal act.
Hotel Selection
The process for selecting the right hotel is somewhat more involved, but just as important. The place you stay needs to be evaluated for internal security, general location, and whether you are able to travel to your office orappointments using at least two different routes.
Stay at the better hotels belonging to a reputable chain. Major hotel chains are generally managed by Americans or Europeans and have security standards that are comparable to the security standards in the United States.
Ask the local embassy. If you are traveling overseas, the single best way to pick a place to stay is by calling the local embassy or consulate. Even if you are accustomed to staying in a particular hotel, call the embassy and ask to speak to the Regional Security Officer (RSO) or one of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agents working at the embassy. They are the security professionals responsible for protecting the embassy, the Ambassador, and the expatriate and local staff. Simply tell the agent you speak to that you would like to pick a secure place to stay with multiple routes to wherever you need to travel to on a daily basis. Ask where government personnel stay or where they would want their family members to stay.
Make sure there is a secure parking area adjacent to the hotel. It is better if the parking garage is physically on the premises and there is no need to walk back to the hotel from the garage if you happen to return late at night. The lot should be well lit, guarded, and have access limited to hotel staff and guests.
Inform the hotel not to release any information about you to anyone when you check in. That way you make it harder for someone to find your room number. Also, ask the front desk not to deliver any packages to yourroom.
Note the location of the emergency exits and all stairwells. Make sure you know which direction you must take in order to get to an exit from your room. Make it a practice to physically count the number of doors between your room and the exit. First locate the nearest emergency exit. Then locate an alternate exit. Beginning from your room, count the number of doors between your room and the nearest exit. This will allow you to find your way out even if the power is out and you areattempting to get out in darkness or heavy smoke. If you can't see, you can still feel your way down the hall and get to safety by counting the doors you pass. Do the same thing for an alternate exit point if one exists. Never use the elevator in a fire or other emergency.
Choose a safer room location. Most security experts recommend getting a room that is at least one story above ground level, but no higher than seven stories up. A room on the ground floor is too easy to break into. The seventh floor is within reach of most firefighting evacuation buckets and ladders... assuming the country you are in has a professional fire department. The better choice is to stay on the second floor and no higher than the third floor. In case of fire, you have the survivable option of jumping out the window.
Safeguard your valuables and all proprietary information. One thing that must be understood is that your room is never truly secure. Your room will be cleaned, generally on a daily basis. In many fine hotels there will also be a second visit to your room by housekeeping to turn down the bed. Therefore, every chambermaid in the hotel has a key that will open your door. Similarly, hotel managers, maintenance workers, and security officers also have keys to your room. These people not only have access to your room, they are also expected to be there for a variety of reasons. You need to keep in mind that in many countries the police and local intelligence services will have nearly unfettered access not only to your room, but to the phone system as well.
Avoid meeting anyone in your room, including business contacts. Make it a point to treat your hotel room the same way you would consider your bedroom at home. It is your living space and the place where you sleep.
Counter-Surveillance
Most terrorist operations and many ordinary criminal acts are not carried out haphazardly. Virtually all terrorist attacks are preceded by a preoperational stage where intelligence is gathered about the intended target. This article does not allow enough space to fully discuss the various manners in which surveillance is conducted and the ways to become aware that you are being watched. However, the central point that must beappreciated is that being aware of your surroundings and paying attention to the people and vehicles that you may see is the surest way to detect the presence ofsurveillance.
The three-times rule. If you see the same person or vehicle three times, separated by time and distance, assume you are being followed. There are such things as coincidences in life. However, for purposes of personal security, you should never chalk anything up to coincidence.
Pay attention. Look at faces. Keep an eye in your rear view mirror. If you see the same car behind you for any length of time, especially if they are taking the same turns as you, you need to become suspicious. Similarly, a car that keeps reappearing behind you at regular intervals should also arouse suspicion.
What should you do if you become aware that you are being followed? The general rule is to avoid making it obvious to those watching you that you are aware of their presence. Appearing to be an alert and cautious person to anyone trying to follow you may mark you as a difficult target and you may be passed over for an easier subject. However, if you do detect surveillance do not change your routine. Continue about your business and stay in well-lighted and populated areas only. Do not stare at the persons following you nor should you attempt evasion unless you reasonably believe an attack on you is imminent. The State Department recommends that you contact the embassy or consulate immediately if you suspect that you are being followed. There is really no other option under these circumstances. The RSO will provide you with the appropriate guidance.
Vehicle Safety Measures
The first step to take is to make sure that whatever car you drive is reliable. Your vehicle must run well and reliably. If you are renting a car, select one with low mileage and from a reputable company. Rent a make and model common to the country. Avoid choosing a vehicle that would clearly mark you as being affluent or a tourist. Do select one with the best crash rating available. Make sure it is equipped with seat belts and air bags as well.
Remove rental identification. If you are renting a vehicle, check whether there is anything about the car that will identify it as such to an interested observer. In the U.S. it was common, though less so today, to issue rental cars license plates that were clearly identifiable. If there are markings of that sort on the vehicle you are renting, ask that they be removed if possible.
Request power locks and windows. From a security standpoint, it is a good idea to have power locks and windows. Power locks give you greater control over access to your car. Drive with the doors locked and with the windows closed.
Make sure the climate control systems work. If you are in a country in Southeast Asia with no air conditioning, you will be miserable. You will also be placed at greater risk if you need to drive with your windows down because the air conditioning doesn't work or is nonexistent.
Remove valuables from view. It is always sound advice to secure your valuables and not leave anything worth stealing in plain view, even when you are in the car and driving. Many people have enough sense not to leave their wallet, camera, or other items that will attract the attention of a would-be thief once they park their car.
You should get in the habit of doing this even when you are driving. Many criminals will post themselves at a heavily trafficked intersection and observe the interior compartments of vehicles as they pass. Once they see an item of interest, it is a simple matter to smash the window, grab the object, and disappear into the crowd before you even have time to react. Your brand new digital camera on the front seat may be equal to several months' wages. Don't tempt locals with unnecessary displays of affluence.
Recognize a setup. In case this isn't already obvious, do not pick up hitchhikers or stop for any reason in an area that is not populated and well policed. Frequently, a female hitchhiker will induce a car to stop. The hitchhiker's companions, who are hidden nearby, then victimize the driver. Do not offer to give anyone that you do not know well a ride home. There are unlimited numbers of ways to deceive a motorist to stop and thereby provide the criminals a time to strike.
Speak to the RSO about local crimes involving vehicles. A particular country may have recently experienced a rash of carjacking that follows a particular pattern activity. Learn the method of operation of the crime and you can protect yourself through vigilance and proper avoidance measures.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For those wishing to have a more concise document containing some of the important points covered in this article, the author has posted a security checklist on the Internet. Go to www.globalsecuritygroup.com and click on Travel Safety Checklist. You can download it in PDF format.
David S. Katz is a former senior special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration and an expert in conducting complex international criminal investigations, high-risk arrests, undercover operations, physical and technical surveillance, and intelligence analysis. A recognized authority in the field of law enforcement arrest and defensive tactics, Katz spent four years as an instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and has provided instruction to law enforcement officers around the world. He is currently the president and chief executive officer of Global Security Group, Inc., a company specializing in security consulting, crisis and risk management, specialized training, protective services, investigations, and counter-terrorism. He is the co-author of "Executive's Guide to Personal Security" (Wiley & Sons, Inc. June/2003).
Katz will be the speaker at the Executive Travel Safety & Personal Security Seminar on February 10, 2004 in New York City. Visit www.globalsecuritygroup.com for more information. He may be contacted at david.katz@globalsecuritygroup.com.
This article previously appeared in the September/October issue of Loss Prevention Magazine.
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