Surveillance training Courses: the background

Our unique style of surveillance saves our insurance clients huge sums by reducing or negating exaggerated or fraudulent claims while our work alongside police forces and local authorities has led to notable and high profile criminal convictions.

A key reason for our success in gaining effective footage is the training we give our staff and our careful management of their continuing professional development.

In 2007, we were awarded the right to create a Level 3 BTEC in Advanced Surveillance. As market leaders, we felt it was vital to set a nationally recognised educational standard for surveillance and offer existing and future staff an opportunity to gain a qualification in their specialist field.

In 2010 we were awarded the right to create a Level 4 Advanced Surveillance Diploma. The individual 50 hour modules within the Diploma each come with a BTEC Level 4 Award. The Diploma in general and its individual modules have been designed to allow the greatest level of flexibility for student funding. The Diploma is also intended to maximise the level of training available in our sector by allowing students to focus on specific types of surveillance. It is anticipated that such specialisation would ultimately make people more suitable for certain career opportunities than other candidates who might be applying.

The Diploma modules that students can choose from are:

• Tactical Surveillance Reconnaissance Management
• Tactical Surveillance Procedures 
• Covert Observation Points Management
• Tactical Foot and Mobile Surveillance
• Covert Camera Construction and Concealment.

As an example an individual seeking employment within our company would typically consider starting with the modules for Tactical Surveillance Procedures &  Mobile and Foot Surveillance . As people progress within our organisation they are encouraged to take other modules such as the one relating to Covert Camera Construction and Concealment or Tactical Reconnaissance, such training allows staff  to broaden their skills and enhance the employment opportunities within our organisation. As another example; an individual wishing to work for a Local Authority or Housing Association as an  Anti Social Behaviour Officer may choose to start with the Covert Camera module and then progress onto the Mobile & Foot Surveillance Module.

Because of our background from within The Armed Forces, we know that ex-military personnel can deliver the skills and attitude we want in our team members.

So we are happy to work with the Ministry of Defence resettlement services in supporting personnel leaving the forces.

Our specialist training gives ex-military personnel an opportunity to build on their existing skills and create new career opportunities in civilian life.

We are always looking for quality team members and we use our training to identify the brightest and the best students and invite them to join us.

Other companies providing various forms of surveillance training are invariably training organisations, which do not offer employment to the brightest candidates at the end of their courses, as we do. We have also found that such non-operational companies rely on the practical experience of their trainers, who tend to be drawn from one sector.

Our senior instructors not only represent a unique blend of special forces, police and commercial surveillance practice. They teach students to think outside the box and discard conventional surveillance methods.

Our training facility has a dedicated surveillance simulation centre, which teaches students to think beyond traditional methods and learn a whole new approach to surveillance. For example, students are taught how to create ghillie (camouflage) suits for standard rural surveillance, then to apply this knowledge to urban environments.

This approach is a key factor in our staff acquiring consistently excellent results. We also draw on retro-research data from our operations to enhance our training package and the continuing professional development of our staff.