For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf,
and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack
Rudyard Kipling
Professional training for the professionals
Okapi Train is a professional specialist training provider that helps organisations improve their structures in order to optimise operational efficiency. At Okapi Train we know that an organisation with a well-functioning and efficient structure will be successful, regardless of its size. Our teams of specialists are equipped to help your organisations achieve this.
Okapi Train unlocks the process from access to a wide range of stakeholders connected to the security sector ranging from political, professional, business, police, military and intelligence leaders to develop the strategy that will deliver the change and efficiencies you require. The process is consultative, transparent, and in strictest confidence.
Okapi Train understands that security is the bedrock of a well-functioning civil society. Security underpins the foundations of a prosperous society and enables governance structures to prosper. Problems or weaknesses in the security structures can result in dissatisfaction, fear, and instability in the population. With strong security structures, a safe and stable environment is created as the basis for normal life to exist and prosper.
Okapi Train works with trusted local partners to ensure the needs of the Government are delivered efficiently, that the training is designed well, and that the vital long-term relationship is built on solid foundations
Mat Whatley. Managing Director, Okapi Train.
Stability through professionalism, reliability and strength
Security structures are generally conservative in nature, a factor which helps ensure stability and retention of institutional memory. Any changes to approach, therefore, must be carefully considered. With solid leadership and a clear plan, improvements can be supported and achieved.
Our work begins with a series of initial assessments and discussions where we help develop a training strategy tailored to your needs. Clients are involved at all stages of the process so that, together, we create the plan that will achieve your objectives.
Technology can contribute to achieving capability improvements with proven systems that deliver any large-scale requirements, an element that can be discussed and explored as part of the process.
A key plank for achieving improvement is the standardisation of skills and methodologies. Professionals, at all levels, appreciate effective standardised training that enhances skills and knowledge and maximises efficiency. Manuals and training materials are proven to be excellent, helping to deliver resilient and sustained improvements.
The Directors of Okapi Train have a wealth of experience in internal security and training and a reputation for delivering solutions. We want to share that with you. Together we can tailor your needs with our knowledge, skills and experience to achieve your aims within a wide range of services.
| Integrated support through the chain of command | Thematic specialisms |
| Strategic support to key decision makers | Critical infrastructure |
| Tactical support to mid management | Military forces |
| Operational support to people on the ground | Police forces and security services |
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world
Nelson Mandela
Strategic approach
Senior experts with worldwide experience can help develop strategic capabilities for military and police. Practitioners, combining modern approaches, contemporary experience, and years of professional delivery, enable our trainers, advisers and associates to work with clients to deliver courses aimed at the most senior of Officers.
- Doctrine development
- Strategic planning
- Decision making in times of crisis
- Defence diplomacy
- Political interaction
- Working with media
- Command and strategic leadership
- Mentoring and train-the-trainers
Critical National Infrastructure – protection
Pipelines, dams, data centres, maritime ports and airports, railway and container terminals, power stations, and other critical national infrastructure (CNI) can become targets. The protection and defence of CNI is a vital task for which well-trained personnel are needed.
Okapi Train can conduct a comprehensive survey of the assets and facilities as the first stage. The expected outcomes of such an approach would be:
- Threat and risk management
- Identify critical vulnerabilities
- Propose force levels
- Tactics
- Team motivation and discipline
- Individual and team training
- Technological options
- Security management structure
- Communications
- Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs)
- Rules of engagement
- Response
Strategic Infrastructure protection and defence is an important role for whichever Ministry has responsibility. Okapi Train can deliver the basic and advanced courses to the selected personnel. The leaders and managers may require separate training. Training for Strategic Infrastructure Protection
- Doctrine and methodology for CNI protection
- Threat assessments
- Planning
- Team weapon skills
- Communications
- Tactics
- Response methodologies
CNI Protection – Leaders’ training
- Strategy
- Techniques
- Leadership
- Command responsibility
- Tactics and response
- Communications
Police and Security Services
Modern policing is highly specialised and professional. The demands on police forces are many, and require a wide array of skills and expertise, as well as new and modern technical solutions. Skills must be maintained. The maintenance of skills and knowledge requires ongoing training throughout the police career, for all ranks.
Good training is a team effort, where staff feel supported by their managers. Okapi Train takes pride and care in making individual performance assessments, as required by you, our client.
As always in the security sector, standardising and maintaining weapon skills improves safety, confidence, and teamwork. High-quality weapon training also allows assessments of individuals to optimise career paths and ensure the best match of people to roles within the structure.
Courses, both long and short, fall into a structure which is intended to support career development as well the impact on police capability.
Tactical and individual skills training includes:
- Ethics that support sound decision-making under pressure
- Weapon skills (basic and advanced)
- Marksmanship
- Intelligence (basic principles)
- Arrest and restraint techniques
- Vehicle and driving skills
- First aid
- Casualty evacuation
Team and advanced skills training:
- Intelligence (advanced systems) and intelligence lead policing
- Community orientated
- Operational planning
- Operational communications
- Command and control
- Riot control
- Surveillance (human, electronic, technical)
- Technical equipment; use and deployment
Special training:
- Combined and joint operations
- Kidnap negotiation
- Hostage rescue
- Special operations
- Forced entry
Military forces
Successful military operations have always required a combination of good leadership, training, planning, equipment, communications, command and control, logistics, and intelligence. In the modern era, political leaders are demanding more from their military forces to counter both insurgencies and foreign interference on home soil. Enemies are forever modifying their tactics, and we must respond accordingly. The demands on the modern military require highly trained professional and well led arms and services able to deliver force and effect in accordance with the policies of Government.
Okapi Train brings an extraordinary range of skills and experiences, focused to help ensure that military and police forces are best prepared for operations. Our senior managers have advised Governments and International Organisations in many countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Haiti, Iraq, Libya, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda as well as in Europe and the Americas.
Our training teams work hand-in-glove with the existing military and security structures. With modern technological advances it may be necessary to consider some improvements to the formations involved with counterinsurgency and more traditional forms of operations. Okapi Train will assist with any restructuring and retraining, so that integration is seamless and new doctrine and equipment are best employed to support operations.
It is normal for the senior commanders to request an in-depth assessment of the capabilities of parts of their structures. Such an assessment would normally take around 90 days and will produce a report with recommendations. Throughout, there will be total discretion. The findings may indicate that the military would benefit from a combination of courses, delivered over an extended period. Military courses, much like those delivered to police other security structures, are better if they are progressive and have ongoing assessment of both students and instructors.
Training can be seen as an ongoing and integral part of military life, which for officers begins at the academy. Okapi Train will supply expertise and trainers to contribute where required. Working within existing training structures or as stand-alone training courses, Okapi Train can contribute substantially to the force generation and improvement requirements.
Knowledge and good training raise the confidence of fighting forces. Internal security and counter-insurgency operations place extra demands on military forces. Okapi Train staff have operated in such environments in many countries, over many years. The need is for well trained, highly motivated, well led service personnel who understand their roles, and who understand the operational plans, and the strategy.
Your input and oversight are vital. National and institutional cultures are unique. The training strategy is adapted to your circumstances. By understanding and appreciating the context in which you operate we can be sure that improvements will be embraced.
Okapi Train specialises in encouraging leadership, team building, and command capability. This may apply equally to junior soldiers as it does to junior and senior officers. Similarly, our teams combine the technical aspects of modern counterinsurgency and warfare, with the utility of equipment, and intelligence led operations. Recent technological advances present advantages and extraordinary capabilities to our forces, but also pose a powerful threat when employed in the hands of our enemies.
Okapi Train trains soldiers and officers at all levels of the structures. Individual and small team skills include:
- basic personal weapon skills
- team weapons
- first aid
- casualty evacuation
- marksmanship
- patrolling
- ambush
- anti-ambush
- vehicle skills
- incident reporting
- planning skills
Senior, management and strategic training courses:
- Command and strategic leadership
- Counter-Insurgency warfare (COIN Ops)
- Operational planning
- Combined operations
- Inter-agency planning and operations
- Intelligence cycle
- Intelligence led planning
- Operational security
- Cordon and search
- Force protection
- Mines
- UAV warfare
- Countering UAVs
- Imagery
- Psychological operations
