Ross Meurant: Trump's Security Service Failed

Former President Donald Trump’s narrow escape from a bullet between the eyes, resonates.  How much closer can one be to death’s door, than have a rifle bullet slice your right ear?

In my assessment, the US Secret Service, failed Mr Trump.

“Close Protection” i.e. close-by Security Agents, tasked with being within a radius of 5 meters – front, rear, left side, right side, is elementary protection-cover for, “risk” persons.

American Presidents, are all, “high risk” targets.  “High Risk” should have two circles of security: 5 meters and an inner, 1 meter second circle.

Close Protection personnel, are (supposed) to put their lives before the life of the politician whom they serve.  That is, take a knife thrust or revolver shot or acid, intended for their charge, from a would-be assassin who has managed to manoeuvre through outer security and be within touching distance of their target.

These precautions are the standards I recommended as V.I.P. Security Planning which was my part of my role as, Criminal Intelligence Inspector O/C Auckland – late 1980s.  

Two examples:  1986

• 22 February – 2 March: Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
• Prince Edward

Queen Elizabeth visit was, “high risk”.   

Later that year, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, were, “risk”

New Zealand Prime Ministers, depending on the time and circumstances, are, “risk”, and at times, “high-risk”.

In my assessment, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was a, “high-risk” level and although she’s been out of office for over 2 years, she is still a, “risk”.

US Security Agents running beside vehicles carrying Presidents, is another application of Close Protection, but this parody, did not stop President J.F. Kennedy being shot dead, as he waved to crowds from his open roofed limo, in Dallas, 1963.

Which brings me to the first point of failure (in my assessment), by the US Secret Service.

Lee Harvey Oswald shot President JFK from several levels up a high rise building along the concourse followed by Kennedy.  If the US Secret Service did learn from that tragedy, then what the hell goes on in de-briefings and the “mess” room (in house bar) after such happenings?

Every V.I.P. visit I was involved with as a planning officer, calculated the route to be taken by the V.I.P. and in so doing, considered which points along the route, provided a, “firing position”, for an assassination attempt with a rile (in my day usually 308 scope sight – maybe silencer but probably not because that device weakens the velocity of bullet travel).

This was (and I presume still is), standard practice for all “risk” V.I.P.s in New Zealand.

From what one reads about where Mr Trump’s assassin managed to crawl i.e. a roof top with clear vision of where Mr Trump was to address the crowd, carrying a rifle and also visible to on-lookers?

Where were the roof top Security Service marksmen?

Knowing (as they did) where and when Mr Trump was going to address the crowd, surely some well-paid “expert” in security, had assigned marksmen to strategic locations which ensured that any person appearing (as did this assassin) on a roof top or high-rise window frame, could be: (a) identified and (b) taken out?

Alas.  This seems not to have been the level of security offered, the former President of America.

The second point of failure I address, is the apparent absence of security drones?

Drones are today’s weapon of defence – and attack.

Not only should the Security Service have deployed, “defence drones”, to identify potential dangers, in my view, every risk as high as is the President of USA, should also have anti drone defence system, in place.

That is, a ground located device/weapon, to shoot down or disable any hostile drone which appears, in the zone where the “high risk” person may be.

In my assessment, the days of assassination by rile, are done and dusted.  Only fools – like the dead assassin who tried but failed to kill Mr Trump, resort to rifles.

Getting to and from a “kill point”, is these days, too problematic.  CCTV alone, can and will back track any culprit – even to the point where he/she may have stolen a vehicle 3 months earlier, as part of the plan. 

Drones are different.

Anyone can buy a drone.   Anyone can learn to fly one.  And one does not have to use GPS to fly a drone to a visible target. 

That means, no trace.

A bad day at the de-briefing office or “mess”, now looms for the Security Service, so lauded as they have been for their gallant but too late, bodies covering an already wounded President.

Ross Meurant BAs MPP. Former Police Inspector O/C Criminal Intelligence & V.I.P. Security. Former Member of Parliament. Former Diplomatic Representative. Current partner.