Executive Assistant Brief: Understanding the Advance Process in Executive Protection
An advance is a time sensitive critical component of the Executive Protection (EP) process, involving a thorough evaluation of all locations, routes, and logistics prior to the principal’s arrival. An advance ensures the principal’s safety, comfort, and efficiency by proactively identifying and mitigating potential risks or delays.
Why Collaboration Matters
Streamlined Itineraries
Accurate Information: Sharing up-to-date itineraries ensures that the EP team is aware of any changes in schedule or locations in real-time.
Proactive Planning: Collaborating on scheduling helps EP coordinate logistics (e.g., transportation, venue access, and security requirements) well in advance.
Unified Communications
Single Source of Truth: As the executive assistant, you maintain the master calendar, travel details and quite frequently the immediate requests of the principal well in advance of the executive protection detail. Providing this information to EP clarifies exactly who, when, where, why, and how the principal will be traveling or attending events.
Reduced Risk: Timely updates prevent misinformation or last-minute surprises that could pose security risks.
What an Advance Entails
Within this field, traditionally an "advance" plays a crucial role in mitigating potential threats and ensuring smooth operations during high-profile events or movements of the protected individual. Establishing safe passage is at the heart of an advance.
An advance in executive protection involves meticulous planning and reconnaissance. This phase is where security professionals conduct thorough assessments of venues, travel routes, and any locations the protected individual intends to visit. This reconnaissance is essential for identifying potential risks such as security vulnerabilities, crowd control challenges, or areas where the individual might be exposed to danger.
The advance team coordinates closely with local law enforcement, venue security, and other relevant stakeholders when required, while observing confidentiality concerns. Effective communication and collaboration are key to ensuring that all parties involved are aware of security protocols and emergency procedures. This coordination helps in establishing secure perimeters, managing crowd dynamics, and implementing evacuation plans. The goal is to create layers of security that deter potential threats and provide early detection capabilities in case of any security breaches.
Advance teams play a proactive role in managing the logistics of the protected individual's movements. Attention to detail is critical, as even minor oversights can compromise the safety of the protected individual.
Executive protection advances represent a comprehensive strategy aimed at preemptively addressing security risks and ensuring the safety of protected individuals. Through meticulous planning, coordination with stakeholders, deployment of security measures, and proactive logistics management, the advance team minimizes potential threats and enhances the overall security posture. Ultimately, the effectiveness of an advance lies in its ability to anticipate and mitigate risks, allowing the protected individual to conduct their activities with confidence and peace of mind.
The most common types of advances are strategic advances and last-minute advances, each designed to ensure a principal’s safety and the successful execution of an event or trip. Strategic advances generally involve weeks—or even months—of meticulous planning, gathering information about venues, routes, and potential threats to assemble a thorough security plan. The more time allotted for a comprehensive advance, the better the protection specialist can prepare and coordinate with local authorities, perform site surveys, and establish contingency plans. Nevertheless, last-minute advances are also a routine part of executive protection assignments, requiring flexibility and rapid responses to evolving circumstances. Even in such tight timeframes, it is still highly recommended to have a designated advance protection specialist present, to make real-time decisions and manage unforeseen risks effectively.
What do we do during an advance, or strive to do when time permits
Site Assessment
Venue Layout: Identifying entrances, exits, emergency routes, and restricted areas.
Local Environment: Evaluating surrounding neighborhoods, parking availability, and potential threats, hospitals, safe havens, etc.
Contact & Coordination
Point of Contact (POC): The EP team requires at least the name and phone number of a reliable contact at the venue or meeting location (e.g., an event organizer or security manager).
Why It Matters: Facilitates quick resolution of issues like entry access, parking permits, or last-minute changes.
Vendor Liaison: Coordination with any relevant staff (hotels, restaurants, airports, FBOs, etc.) to confirm arrangements.
Route Planning
Transportation & Timing: Identifying primary and alternate routes and estimating travel times to avoid delays.
Local Conditions: Monitoring traffic patterns, construction zones, or weather constraints that could affect safety or timing.
Security Assessment
Threat Analysis: Checking for known security threats in the area of the assignment.
Emergency Preparedness: Planning for medical emergencies, evacuations, or critical incidents.
Key Takeaways
The “5 Ws & H” (Who, When, Where, Why, How): Providing these details allows the EP team to optimize the principal’s travel and safety.
POC Information is Critical: Having immediate access to a local contact ensures swift support if unforeseen issues arise.
Early & Ongoing Communication: Regular check-ins between the Executive Assistant and EP team allow for real-time adjustments and up-to-the-minute protection strategies.
By closely collaborating with the Executive Protection team and understanding the advance process, we collectively ensure the principal’s security and success during every trip and engagement.