Discreet Surveillance

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Here at Spytrainers, we talk about discreet surveillance a lot. It is the foundation of all our training. However, discreet surveillance may be a new term for some of you. If you watch movies and television, you will have never seen it. If you were trained in surveillance by a private investigator or a local police force, you will not have learned this art. It is not something that can be done easily or without extensive training and repeated practice.

 

Discreet surveillance is the art of following a target with such skill that neither the target nor anyone watching will be able to discern that a surveillance is taking place.

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Discreet physical surveillance has been around for the millennia, practiced by spies the world over, including the Japanese Ninja who’s exploits have glorified the art of invisibility and clandestine information gathering. The form we teach was perfected during the Cold War in the effort to track Soviet KGB and GRS agents. These agents had a high degree of training in the art of counter surveillance and used cleaning runs to detect and lose surveillance.

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Used as a Following Technique

Consequently, the surveillance units of western governments had to become very highly skilled as well. The result is the art of discreet foot surveillance and vehicle surveillance that are taught on this web site. By training ordinary looking men and women of all ages, the agencies created teams of operatives who blended seamlessly into their surroundings. These people dress plainly, have “normal” hair styles and color and look like anybody and everybody else in the crowd, regardless of the location. From downtown business to night clubs, they are the ultimate chameleons. They are the kind of people that do not stick out, are not remembered or noticed. Individuality or “making a statement” are not welcome in these units. Dedication, self confidence, extreme patience and acting ability are the required traits.

 

Moving in teams, including both drivers and “foot people”, these highly trained physical surveillance operatives can provide almost invisible coverage of a target in any environment. From busy subway stations to back country roads, they constantly train to fit in, to never be caught talking on their radios and to take surreptitious video and photographs. They are almost impossible to detect, which is why the Soviets had to use cleaning runs. If they are watching you, you will never see them. The training e-books we offer can teach you to do discreet physical surveillance.

 

Used as a Protection Detail

Another important function these operatives perform is Discreet Protection. Using the same skills, these operatives can provide a specialized form of protection for individuals. Sometimes a person may not want obvious protection, such as bodyguards moving with them, surrounding them. More often, these teams are called upon when protection is needed for an individual but that person isn’t to be made aware that they are being protected. This is often the case with people who are important to an agency, such as a informant or double agent (someone who is has infiltrated an enemy organization) or a witness or even a person with very specialized knowledge.

 

Using the same skills, these elite surveillance operatives conduct a combined surveillance/counter surveillance protection operation. They still must do discreet surveillance on the “client” or Principal to keep track of him. However, they also form a perimeter around the moving or stationary principal, watching in towards him. While this form of protection does not form a physical barrier around the principal, it is highly effective in other ways. The training e-books we offer can teach you about discreet protection.

 

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