Professional terminology
Protection work uses different vocabulary depending on the country, the language and the type of client. This page clarifies what each term means and which one applies precisely to the course delivered in Costa Rica in January 2027.
Close Protection is the broad professional category: the set of functions carried out to protect a person's safety during movement and activities.
It is an industry term, not the name of a single qualification. Each country regulates differently who may perform these functions and under which licence or authorisation.
CPO is industry terminology for the professional performing close protection duties. It is widely used in English-speaking markets and international job postings.
CPO describes a professional role, not a specific certification of this edition. The Costa Rica 2027 programme does not issue a certification named CPO.
Executive Protection is market terminology, commonly used when the principal is an executive, a public figure or a corporate profile.
It describes the client and service context rather than a different training syllabus in itself.
PSD, Personal Security Detail, refers to the work of the protection team assigned to a principal, with defined roles, procedures and coordination.
PSD is the exact name of the programme in the Costa Rica 2027 edition: five integrated training days, with a Carbine Skills Alignment block on Day 1.
Costa Rica 2027 delivers one integrated Personal Security Detail (PSD) training programme over five days. The Carbine Skills Alignment block is integrated into Day 1 and does not constitute a second course. Participants who successfully complete the programme receive the ESA PSD Certification.
Close Protection, CPO and Executive Protection appear on this site as industry context, so professionals from different markets can identify the programme. They are not equivalent to each other and do not imply additional certifications.
Attendance does not guarantee certification, and no course certification replaces the professional licence or authorisation required in a given jurisdiction.
