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Saturday, May 18, 2013 | 6:38 p.m.

Updated: 9:33 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 | Posted: 6:46 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, 2010

Behind The Scenes In Dignitary Security

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EL PASO, Texas —

Dignitaries and VIPs pass through the Borderland on a regular basis, and for the last week, local law enforcement has been training to keep those high-profile people secure.

On the final day of training, the Tactical Firearms Training Team invited KFOX weekend anchor Daniel Novick to not only cover Friday's training, but also to be the VIP they were protecting.

Novick was given a fake name, Kirk Heinrick, a fake history, being a billionaire from Germany, and a fake wife, our media partner, Univision's reporter Christina Zapata.

The two spent the day visiting El Paso with the absolute highest level of security.

From the moment they pretend landed at the El Paso International Airport a four person, tight perimeter of protection followed their every move.

"It's challenging, a lot of work, a lot of late nights, but it's been absolutely worth it," said Matthew Kennedy with the El Paso Police Department.

Kennedy and the 20 other law enforcement officers with Novick and Zapata on Friday had been training for the last week.

"Shooting from the vehicles, escorting the people that we're protecting, evacuating them out of dangerous situations, setting up blocking positions, things like that," Kennedy told KFOX.

The six SUV entourage first stops at the El Paso Art Museum.

While Novick and Zapata are inside with one team, a group watches closely outside for any strange activity.

The outside team just moments earlier had secured the museum before Novick and Zapata arrived.

"By being professional like they are and being a good sphere of influence around the principal, they are deterring those attacks I think very successful," said Max Joseph, the director of the Tactical Firearms Training Team.

After the museum, Zapata, in character as Mrs. Heinrick, suddenly decided she wants to go shopping on El Paso Street in Downtown El Paso.

It was an unexpected change in plans to a place packed with people and potential threats.

"There is only one thing that we're paying attention to, and that's generally hands, people's hands. Hands are the things that hold the things that are going to hurt other people," said Kennedy.

While the couple went shopping, an SUV slowly followed them nearby, in case anything happened.

"If anything was to happen, not only an attack, but also medical emergency, they're very close by to extract either one of the principles to take them to the nearest medical facility," said Joseph.

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