Applying Memory Skills In Protective Work
Memory is a skill that is vital to the protection industry. However, knowing this and being able to apply it are two very different things. Here's how for the EP worker looking to expand their memory abilities.
The first thing I recommend is to start simple. Read about the memory and how it works in the brain. This is an essential part of applying memory skills. A simple overview would include:
Memories work via storage systems in the brain. When we form new memories, we automatically encode them in different places. The memory begins with this encoding process. Any sensory process, such as sight, sound, smell, etc, can bring this about. The memories then go into storage in working, short-term, or long-term memories. Working memory is the shortest span of memory storage, lasting only for a few seconds. Short-term memory lasts slightly longer, and long-term memory lasts the longest period. Memories are also divided into episodic and semantic memories within the long-term memory area. Episodic memories come from personal experiences and have stories attached to them. These memories will be things like if you remember falling off your bike as a kid or similar things with “episodes” of information attached. Semantic memory is more about facts and data that don’t necessarily relate to you personally but have made it into your long-term memory.
From this point, it is a game of retrieving said memories. Retrieval is where people tend to run into problems or might run into the effect of “it’s on the tip of my tongue.” Retrieval, however, is one of the most critical parts when using memory skills in EP work because if you are consciously encoding and storing, that’s great, but if you can’t retrieve that information, then it is still of little use in the field. So memory techniques, such as linking systems or method of loci, are ways to improve all aspects of memory storage and retrieval. You are taking that automatic memory encoding process and making it conscious using these techniques. When we make memory encoding conscious, we can choose how and where we want to store pieces of information; plus, you are automatically making the memory stronger because you are conscious of the storage of said memory, making retrieval much easier!
So, how do you make memory storage conscious? That part is simple. You just say, "I’m going to store this memory so I can retrieve it.” The hard part is knowing how to store it. This is where the memory systems come into play. Memory systems have the potential to be quite complicated, so I recommend starting small. I started by building simple systems such as a one-digit number system and a one-room memory palace. However, you also don’t have to create all these systems alone. One-digit number systems already exist online that you can use, and for using a journey or method of loci system, start with the room you are in currently. Pick some places around the room to use as memory pegs to store information; then you’re all set. Pick a piece of information you want to remember, look at your memory peg of choice, and relate the information somehow to your memory peg.
I’ll provide an easy example to get you started. Say you want to remember that a regularly spotted suspicious subject who appears every time you’re working on a detail for a specific client is someone you want to remember. We will also pretend you know the subject’s name for this scenario. Take their name and make some simple association to a made-up story with it, an object, a place, or something that makes sense. Then, you’re going to look at your memory peg and relate that to the peg. So, let’s say the subject’s name is John Smith, and your memory peg is a doorframe to keep it simple. I might store that as imagining the subject’s face, standing at a blacksmith table from medieval times or something, and instead of a nametag, he just has “John” written in a neon marker on his forehead. I would imagine him blocking my path in the doorway and even potentially telling him to go away. Still, he shakes his head and refuses as he continues to make whatever you want to imagine him making on the table. I used “blacksmith” because of the “smith,” and I just created the nametag scenario to make it stand out. Use as many senses as possible in this scenario because the more involved it is, the easier you will remember. Now, you’ll remember the information you want whenever you walk through that doorway.
I know this may seem silly and unnecessary, but once you get the hang of this and have spaces in your head to store information and consciously encode said information on the spot, it will work wonders in the field! You don’t have to stop with simple information like a face and a name; you can expand on your mental story and attach additional information.
An Example Of Chunking for Threat Recognition
While scanning a crowd, the agent doesn’t try to memorize every detail about every person—that would be overwhelming and inefficient. Instead, they use chunking to recognize patterns of behavior that signal potential threats:
- Individuals moving against the flow of foot traffic (could be surveilling the client).
- Clusters of three or more people, lingering in key locations (potential coordination).
- A person with hands hidden inside a jacket, adjusting an object repeatedly (possible concealed weapon).
By chunking these elements into pre-learned threat patterns, the agent rapidly filters out normal behavior and focuses on anomalies that matter.
With a bit of practice in developing these skills, the processes can also expand to memory without using a system. Eventually, you will pick up on more and be able to recall more because you are used to using those mental muscles. This can have huge impacts on field agents, counter-surveillance, and those involved with the technology side of things. Generally, training the memory is also training the ability to be aware of what is around you on a more conscious level. Using these techniques can lead to recalling more details and even noticing things you probably would’ve never noticed before.
