PMCI September 2015 | Page 6

pmcimagazine.com A lot of people get drawn into thinking the higher the course level, the better it is. This is very wrong, it’s us the provider who chooses the level of our course, you could have a two providers offering a level 4 course, one delivering very out of date practises, or the other like us, who are still operational offering the most current of tactics. I would always suggest contacting the provider and ask them questions. The other trap used is the offer of employment to everyone who completes their course, total rubbish, and only used to get people through the door. PMCI: So Ben, before we wrap this up, is there anything else you want to tell us? CROPS: I think I’ve said what I needed to, so here’s a student testimony from our last course, I think it’s important for your readers to hear about us from their angle. 6 TESTIMONY: I arrived at the CROPS urban surveillance course with a 30 year background of law enforcement and mostly in a surveillance role, I thought that I had a good knowledge of covert techniques and the gathering of evidence. What I had not appreciated was the different applications of this within a commercial environment. The CROPS Urban Surveillance Course fully addressed this, and helped me understand the reasons behind the different methodology used. The course was well structured with a good split of classroom and exercises to practice and refine new skills, the course culminating in a ‘live time’ exercise which required the application of all the skills and techniques taught through the week. Make no mistake, there is a certain degree of pressure but this in itself leads to a more realistic training environment. The instructors all had personal experience of working within the commercial sector and their invaluable knowledge, coupled with honest and sometimes critical feedback helped me to pass my Level 4 Award, opening up new employment opportunities. PMCI: If after reading this feature, you would like to know more, or just have a chat with the CROPS team, or Ben himself, please see the details below. Qualification gained: Level 4 Award in Covert Urban Surveillance Operations Provider: CROPS Website: www.crops.uk.com Email: [email protected] Duration: 7 days Cost: £1854.00 pmcimagazine.com