Hostile Environment Close Protection Operator (HECPO) Course

Special Projects Group HECPO Courses are a very intensive five days in duration (this can be extended for private courses), instructing on key subject matter such as the Tactical Use of Firearms, Security Escort Teams, Route Security, Residential Security Teams (RST), Counter-Attack Teams (CAT), and Security Advance Parties (SAP). Courses are instructed by proven HECPO Operators / Instructors, with years of actual operational experience in various threat-level environments including Iraq, Afghanistan, SE Asia, and hail from Elite UK Military and Private Military Company (PMC) backgrounds. SPG also run a HECPO Team Leader (HECPO-TL) Course for those Operators looking to transition to a Team Leader role.

The HECPO Course is aimed at operators within Military Units, Law Enforcement Agencies, Private Security Company (PSC), and Private Military Company (PMC) Sectors who will be providing advanced Close Protection Services to personnel in austere or high-threat environments. HECPO candidates can expect long hours, no-nonsense instruction, and must be prepared to fully demonstrate their ability to gel as part of a team environment.

HECPO Course candidates must be (a) able to demonstrate that they have attended and successfully completed a recognised Close Protection Course under the Security Industry Authority (SIA) for UK candidates, (b) an equivalent Awarding Body for students from outside of the United Kingdom, or (c) if former Military, then they must be able to demonstrate that they have provided either Protective Security Detail (PSD) Services within a military unit or team environment, or are former Special Forces Operators who have conducted similar operational duties. 

Subjects covered within our HECPO Course include, but are not limited to the following:

• HECPO Team Escort Drills
• Secondary Weapon Systems
• Primary Weapon Systems
• Residential Security [High-Threat Environments]
• Site Security Surveys
• Threat & Risk Assessments
• Route Selection & Planning
• Security Escort Team (SET)
• Counter-Attack Team [CAT]
• Security Advance Party [SAP] Team
• Venue Security Team [VST]
• IED Awareness
• Surviving an Ambush
• Surveillance, Anti-Surveillance & Counter- Surveillance
• HECPO Communications
• Advanced Search & Restraint Training
• Managing the Protective Effort
• Operational Planning & Management

Successful candidates will receive the Special Projects Group Hostile Environment Close Protection Operator (HECPO) Course Certificate of Completion. 

At this time, Special Projects Group is only providing private courses for companies, organisations, Military Units and Law Enforcement Agencies. To make an enquiry, please email us at [email protected] outlining who you are (company/organisation/other), your requirement, and contact details. Please note that we do not share this information (under Date Protection Act / GDPR) with any third-party sources, unless required under UK Law to do so.