Nick Italiano in Survival

Covert Physical Surveillance

OPTEMPO Training Group Hones Bay Area Law Enforcement Skills and You Can Learn from Them Too

In This Article

Surveillance 101
Filling in the Training Gaps
Key Lessons
Counter-Surveillance: How to Stay One Step Ahead
Keeping Law Enforcement and Civilians Safe
Vigilance in a World of Surveillance
Read More From Issue 66

Covert Physical Surveillance (CPS) is a powerful tool, often employed by law enforcement to gather intelligence, monitor suspects, and pursue criminals undetected. But these techniques aren’t exclusive to the good guys. Increasingly, CPS is leveraged by criminals to stalk, intimidate, and even victimize unsuspecting targets. Understanding how CPS operates — and more critically, how to counter it — is vital not only for those in law enforcement but for civilians, too.

The threat isn’t just hypothetical. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Stalking Victimization Report (2019), about 1.3 percent of individuals aged 16 or older — equating to 3.4 million people — were victims of stalking that year. While this figure represents a slight drop from previous years, the danger remains very real. Disturbingly, only 29 percent of stalking victims reported the crime, with women affected at twice the rate of men. Among those impacted, 67 percent feared serious physical harm or even death at the hands of their stalker.
Recent incidents in California illustrate just how CPS techniques are applied in real-world criminal scenarios. A rising trend of “follow home robberies” has left police and communities on high alert. At least 17 gangs in Los Angeles have been employing CPS methods to tail unsuspecting victims as they leave high-end stores or restaurants. These criminals wait for their targets to be isolated, such as when entering their homes, before launching brazen attacks to steal high-value items like jewelry and watches.

In one incident, a woman leaving a jewelry store was tailed, confronted, and eventually forced to hand over her valuables. This type of attack, fueled by calculated surveillance, is becoming disturbingly common as robbers learn to exploit CPS strategies once reserved for law enforcement. These examples underscore a need for greater awareness and understanding of surveillance techniques. Whether law enforcement uses CPS for legitimate purposes or criminals adopt similar tactics to prey on civilians, knowing how to recognize — and counter — surveillance is an increasingly essential skill.

Law enforcement watches for signs of erratic driving in the traffic ahead.

Surveillance 101

At its core, CPS is the practice of discreetly observing a subject without their knowledge. It’s a staple of law enforcement operations, used in everything from narcotics investigations to fugitive tracking and SWAT intelligence gathering. While technological tools like drones or satellite imagery may seem to dominate modern-day surveillance, there’s no replacement for boots-on-the-ground, real-time observation.

Surveillance allows law enforcement to track a suspect’s movements, gather intel on their associates, and even identify patterns of behavior that might signal when and where a crime will occur. But CPS also serves a dual purpose. The same skills used by law enforcement to protect communities can be flipped on their head and used by criminals for nefarious purposes. Knowing how CPS works — and being able to spot when someone is using it on you — is critical in today’s world.

Is the same vehicle following you wherever you go? It may be someone with bad intentions.

Filling in the Training Gaps

Training lies at the heart of a successful surveillance operation. Many law enforcement officers, despite working in environments where CPS could be vital, receive little formal training in this area. This was one of the key reasons behind the creation of a four-day course recently offered by OPTEMPO Training Group in the Bay Area.

Instructors Matt and Chris shared their combined expertise, teaching participants how to effectively observe a target without being noticed. Many participants admitted that their surveillance experience had previously been “on the job,” with little to no formal instruction. This course allowed them to fill in those gaps, gain new skills, and refine their existing techniques. In law enforcement, CPS is used to track suspects in real-time, ensuring that officers can intervene at critical moments without alerting the target. But CPS also has broader applications — particularly in the realm of self-defense and personal protection.

One of the course’s standout lessons was the reminder that CPS tactics aren’t limited to law enforcement. Criminals often use these same techniques to stalk and target vulnerable people. In an era where 67 percent of stalking victims fear being killed or physically harmed, it’s clear that understanding how CPS works can provide a civilian with the awareness they need to stay safe.

A person’s attire can be a sign that they are up to no good.

Key Lessons

The four-day CPS training course provided by OPTEMPO Training Group in San Ramon, California, emphasized several key principles for anyone involved in surveillance or concerned about being watched. Here are some of the most important lessons:
Communication is the key to success: The foundation of any surveillance operation is communication. For law enforcement, this means radio communication must be clear, concise, and discreet. Participants in the course learned that miscommunication — or even using a radio improperly, such as holding it too close to the mouth — can compromise an entire surveillance operation.

For civilians, communication means alerting someone when you suspect you’re being followed. Whether it’s through an emergency app, a phone call to a trusted friend, or alerting security in public spaces, quick and effective communication is crucial to evading potential threats.

Vehicle choice and setup: Surveillance often takes place in vehicles, so blending into traffic is essential. Instructors taught participants to avoid using easily identifiable cars, such as unmarked police vehicles or vehicles with modifications that draw attention. Instead, vehicles that don’t draw attention work best. Participants practiced subtle methods to stay unnoticed, like managing visibility and using simple props.
Civilians can apply this knowledge by being mindful of cars that seem out of place or are behaving unusually, such as repeatedly pulling up behind them or stopping for extended periods without reason. Similarly, it’s worth remembering that appearances alone don’t always reveal someone’s true intentions.

Positioning and staying hidden: A significant part of CPS involves using the environment to your advantage. Surveillance officers are trained to use reflective surfaces, parked cars, alleyways, and other features to keep an eye on their target without being seen. The aim is to keep a safe distance while still observing carefully.
Civilians should take note of how they can use public spaces to protect themselves. For instance, heading to a crowded shopping mall or public building can make it harder for someone following you to stay hidden. Being aware of your environment is key to avoiding unwanted attention.

Avoiding telltale signs: In any surveillance operation, drawing attention to yourself is the last thing you want to do. Matt and Chris repeatedly emphasized that small mistakes — such as holding a radio too obviously or wearing tactical or law enforcement-style clothing — can give a surveillance team away. Participants were guided to avoid noticeable actions that could attract unwanted attention while observing.

The same principles apply to civilians. For example, if you repeatedly notice someone following around wearing something out of place — like a hoodie on a hot day, or something not often seen in the area — then perhaps they’re inadvertently giving themselves away as up to no good. Blending in with the crowd can be a safety measure as well. Wearing low-profile clothing and avoiding flashy or distinctive accessories can help you blend in, since criminals often target people wearing expensive jewelry or other accessories. For instance, rookie 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall was the target of an armed robbery in broad daylight over his wristwatch. He survived being shot in the chest, but countless others aren’t as fortunate.

Rehearsals are conducted in the classroom before practicing the skills on the streets.

Counter-Surveillance: How to Stay One Step Ahead

While law enforcement uses CPS to catch criminals, it’s crucial for civilians to understand how to spot when someone is watching them. Knowing basic counter-surveillance techniques can help you avoid becoming a victim of stalking or other crimes.

Recognizing Surveillance Indicators

The first step in protecting yourself from surveillance is knowing what to look for. If someone is following you, they might exhibit several telltale signs:

Multiple turns in the same direction: If after making frequent or unnecessary turns, you notice the same vehicle improbably following each of those, it could be someone trying to follow you.
Lingering vehicles or pedestrians: A car that pulls up behind you multiple times or someone who seems to be watching but avoids eye contact could be signs that you’re under surveillance.
Erratic driving or behavior: Abrupt lane changes, stops, or U-turns can be indicators of someone attempting to keep up with you.

Change Your Routine

One of the simplest ways to avoid being targeted is to be unpredictable. Criminals rely on patterns of behavior to plan their actions. Whether it’s driving a different route to work, parking in a different place, or changing your schedule, small adjustments to your daily routine can throw off someone who’s trying to gather information on you.

Go Public

If you suspect someone is following you, head for a well-lit, crowded area. Whether it’s a shopping center, a grocery store, or a police station, being in a public space makes it much harder for someone to maintain covert surveillance without being noticed. It’s important to keep moving until you’re sure you’ve reached a safe destination, since it’s easy for a tailing criminal to jump out and carjack their victims. Sticking to the right side of the road and avoiding getting stuck at a left-hand turn will minimize the chances of having to stop before reaching safety.

Trust Your Instincts

Matt emphasized throughout the course that trusting your gut is essential. If something doesn’t feel right — whether it’s a person who seems out of place or a car that’s been tailing you — it’s better to act on that instinct than to ignore it. Calling a friend, heading to a public place, or even alerting authorities can prevent a dangerous situation from escalating.

Several layers of communication provide much needed redundancy. Many hours are spent simply watching for signs of criminal intent, which is a true test of stamina.

Keeping Law Enforcement and Civilians Safe

Law enforcement’s ability to conduct CPS is a critical component of modern policing, but it’s not a skill that can be mastered overnight. Many officers receive only minimal training in CPS, learning much of what they know through the potentially dangerous method of trial and error. This is where dedicated surveillance courses like those offered by OPTEMPO Training Group become invaluable.

The recent Bay Area CPS course provided participants with a hands-on opportunity to practice surveillance in real-world environments, refining their skills and preparing them for the challenges of tracking suspects in the field. As law enforcement faces increasingly complex threats, having officers trained in the nuances of surveillance ensures that they can protect their communities more effectively.

And while CPS training is primarily for law enforcement, civilians and businesses can benefit from understanding these tactics as well. Criminals use many of the same techniques to gather information on their victims, whether for stalking, robbery, or other illegal activities. By learning how to spot surveillance and adopting counter-surveillance strategies, civilians can protect themselves from being targeted.

Using mirrors to observe is a less obvious method than staring directly out of a window. A bad actor may do this to avoid suspicion.

Vigilance in a World of Surveillance

In a world where everything from phones to traffic lights seem to be keeping an eye on things, it can be easy to become complacent or tune out surveillance as background noise. However, surveillance is a tool used by people with bad intentions just as much as it is by those who protect us. Understanding the techniques of covert physical surveillance and applying counter-surveillance strategies can mean the difference between becoming a victim or staying one step ahead.

Law enforcement officers rely on CPS to track criminals and keep communities safe, but as we’ve seen from crime statistics, criminals are also using these tactics to stalk and prey on vulnerable individuals and other targets. By recognizing the signs of surveillance, staying unpredictable, and trusting your instincts, civilians can take proactive steps to protect themselves. The training provided by organizations like OPTEMPO Training Group ensures that law enforcement remains vigilant, skilled, and prepared to handle the evolving threats they face in the field.

In the end, the most important takeaway is that surveillance — whether by law enforcement or criminals — is happening all around us. If you feel that you, your home, your business, or someone you love is being watched, contact your local law enforcement before it’s too late. Staying informed, aware, and prepared allows us to navigate this reality with confidence, ensuring our safety and the safety of those around us.