Surveillance Operator Course introduction: (6 days) The "Art of War" by Sun Tzu, Section 13, The Use of Spies... "what enables the wise and sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is Foreknowledge." Surveillance has been used as a vigorous tool for centuries and even to this day forms an integral aspect of the security and intelligence market. The principles and new types of surveillance have progressed over the years with technology breakthroughs, requiring real world professional training. We review the lessons learned from surveillance incidents such as "Bader Meinhoff," "Kidnapping of General James Dozier," "1986 Berlin Discotheque," "1996 Khobar Towers," 1998 Nairobi" and the Israeli Mercaz Harah Massacre incident.

This course is based on years of training and real world operations, as well as overseas and domestic high risk surveillance operations. The course covers Surveillance, Technical Surveillance, Surveillance Detection and Counter-Surveillance.  We also conduct a practicum in Technical Surveillance Counter Measures.

Surveillance has become a fast emergent part of the Private Security Industry and we provide the skill sets to recognize and identify surveillance operations and personnel. This course covers the basic to advanced protocols necessary for gathering evidence and intelligence by covert means. We provide realistic scenario training where students works as part of a team in a high pressure practical surveillance environment where split second decisions regularly need to be made. OODA Loop, Observe, Orientate, Decide and Action. These principles are tested daily as the scenarios force you into constant decision making mode. 

Each day, we start out in the classroom with presentations and hands on equipment practicum's, then move onto daily scenarios which place exercises in a realistic environment where students are required to clearly understand the objectives, manage the appropriate equipment, manage team members, formulate plans, conduct briefings, and then put those plans into action, then debrief the missions. Instructors teach how to carry out surveillance while on foot, in a vehicle and also from a static point. We bring out the best in each team member and improve their skills, not only in gathering information and intelligence by covert means but their ability to work as a close knit team in sometimes stressful conditions. 

Students will use and become familiar with various eavesdropping devices, various digital cameras, various digitals camcorders, long range cameras, uploading to laptops, building and maintaining surveillance equipment and carry kits, setting up your surveillance vehicles, vehicle GPS devices, covert vehicle GPS tracking devices, covert button cameras, and basic computer forensic tricks.

This course was also designed to cater to the rigorous demands for Hostile environments by training in acting and disguises, weapons fundamentals and principles (covert carry), snap shooting & scenarios (Airsoft), and urban Close Quarters Battle.

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Surveillance:

• OODA Loop.

• Observe, Orientate, Decide & Act.

• OODA Loop & Leadership responsibilities.

• Team leadership & Delegation.

• Assertion skills & Time Management.

• Managing Conflict & Group Dynamics.

• Surveillance case studies & profiles.

• Surveillance as corporate leverage.

• Target selection & identification.

• Phases of criminal & terrorist surveillance.

• Pretext & undercover operations.

• Cover & disguises.

• Static surveillance.

• Foot surveillance techniques.

• Mobile surveillance techniques.

• Vehicle surveillance techniques.

• Stake out, pick up and follow.

• Trash pulls, reconstruction & story boarding.

• Penetration testing as part of the planning cycle.

Technical Surveillance:

• Electronic surveillance device history.

• Various ways to "Bug" a room.

• How devices are operated and their limitations. 

• Corporate competitive intelligence.

• Signal attenuation & limitations.

• Improvised bugging methods.

• Methods of audio and telephone monitoring.

• Cell phones as monitoring devices.

• Cell phone cameras, videos, and recording.

• Covert methods of computer monitoring.

• Wireless networks and vulnerabilities.

• Digital voice recorders as monitoring devices.

• Satellite vehicle tracking equipment and systems.

• Tagging vehicles with GPS and monitoring them.

• Practicum reviewing dozens of devices for familiarization.

• Legal issues related to electronic surveillance.

Surveillance Detection:

• Surveillance as the visible hand of the opponent.

• Detection as the early warning event.

• Skills used to detect and confirm surveillance.

• Your physical security as the weak link.

• Surveillance detection techniques.

• Seeing, observing and comparing.

• Target identification & description.

• Identification sequences - characteristics.

• Common methods for detecting surveillance.

• Foot passive and active methods.

• Vehicle passive and active methods.

• High risk escape methodologies.

• Morphic resonance and fields.

Counter Surveillance:

• Counter surveillance - The threat of surveillance.

• CS as the actions taken once surveillance has been detected.

• Intelligence gathering and research.

• Use of comparative surveillance logs.

• Operation planning (briefing , debriefing).

• What your enemy is looking for.

• Early warning - K.O.C.O.A.

• What to look for when conducting surveillance.

• Active and passive measures for C.S.

• False starts, eye contact, sweep car, etc.

• Surveillance detection routes.

Hostile Surveillance & Urban Close Quarters Battle 

• Urban Close Quarter Battle.

• High stress Active Shooter scenarios.

• Acting and body language.

• Concealed weapons deployment.

• Understanding the levels & use of force.

• Field expedient body armor, cover & concealment.

• Everyday carry tools.

• Pick ups, marking & improvised weapons

• Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements.

• Distractions & early warning devices.

• Basic handgun procedures.

• Sight alignment & sight picture.

• Shooting while kneeling, falling back & prone.

• 21' rule force on force engagement.

• Simulative, instinctive and reactive shooting. 

Technical Surveillance Counter Measures:

• TSCM Counter measures & bugging equipment.

• Cost of illegal eavesdropping.

• Physical examination analysis.

• Radio frequency analysis.

• Various deployment kits.

• OSCOR, CPM-700 and ORION overview.

• Frequency detectors, field detectors & scanners.

• Camera hunters, spyfinders & ICOM receivers.

• Wireless mics, cassette & digital recorders and cell phones.

• Improvised bugging devices & baby monitors.

• High tech listening devices. 110v powered, phone line powered & battery powered.

• Cell phones, laptops, key loggers, and computer monitoring.

  Hotel Accommodations:  Accommodations are not included in the tuition price, but plenty of inexpensive hotels are listed on our PDF Location Map. Our Studio and Offices are in the Greater Las Vegas Downtown area, and if you stay in the downtown area at any of the Hotels numbered 1 - 12, (Location Map), we will provide transportation and pick you up. We will NOT provide transportation if you stay at any other hotels due to traffic and time restrictions. 

  Lunch:  Will be provided and is included in the tuition price, as well as snacks and hydration.

  Recommended Gear:  Notebook, pen and pencil, sunscreen, hydration system, shooting glasses, ear protection, appropriate clothing for seasonal inclement weather (hot, cold, rain or snow), hat, hiking or tactical boots, pants with cargo pockets, shooting gloves, tinted glasses, multi tool, range bag, and thumb drive for class photos.

  Bug Out Bag / Go Bag:  Survival Students are required to bring their bags / kits for the course. As part of the course, our Instructors will individually go through each one with the student.  A recommended list will be provided prior to the class, with the goal to make each one optimal for the user and their individual needs.

  Background Check: ALL STUDENTS will need to provide some proof of a clean criminal record with NO felony convictions.  Examples would be a "State issued Criminal Records check."  Go to your local police department where you reside or last resided in the United States, request that the police conduct a criminal records search and provide you with a document reflecting that there is no history of a criminal record. Other examples would be a state issued C.C.W. card, weapon registration card, or DD-214.

  Weapons & Ammo:  (Shooting courses only) We do have a limited number of weapons, (i.e. Glock 17, AR-15 & AK-47) available to be reserved on a first come, first register basis, to prospective students. Students must provide 200 rounds of 9mm, 200 rounds of 223 and 60 rounds of 7.62.  This can also be purchased from us at our cost, or shipped to us prior.

  Curriculum:  Our curriculum is extensive and we persevere to complete all of our goals and objectives, but we also reserve the right to not complete them due to circumstances out of our control.

  Registration Form:  Download registration form here.