Executive Protection

The U.S. recently awarded contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars for more private guards in Iraq.
(By Steve Fainaru -- The Washington Post)

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
As the United States withdraws its combat forces from Iraq, the government is hiring more private guards to protect U.S. installations at a cost that could near $1 billion, according to the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

On Sept. 1, the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) awarded contracts expected to be worth $485 million over the next two years to five firms to provide security and patrol services to U.S. bases in Iraq.

Under this contract, the firms will bid against one another for individual orders at specific bases or locations. These "task orders" in the past have ranged from supplying one specialist to providing as many as 1,000 people to handle security for a major base.

Under a similar contract with five security contractors that began in September 2007, the MNF-I spent $253 million through March 2009, with needs growing over that 18-month period. That contract, which was to run three years, had a spending limit of $450 million.

Against that background, the inspector general for reconstruction predicted that costs for private security at U.S. facilities in Iraq "will grow in size to a potential $935 million." The inspector general's report, issued this year, said the MNF-I planned to switch to private guards for Victory Base Camp, one of its largest installations. That facility alone would require "approximately 2,600 security personnel," the report said.

The need for contract guards began growing this year. The Central Command's June quarterly report on contracting showed a 19 percent increase from the three previous months in the number of security guards in Iraq hired by the Defense Department. The Central Command attributed the increase, from 10,743 at the end of March to 13,232 at the end of June, mainly to "an increased need for PSCs [private security companies] to provide security as the military begins to draw down forces."

For the full article visit The Washington Post

United States — Security in Boston, particularly the Mission Hill area, will be very tight Thursday through Saturday (8/29) as politicians and dignitaries from around the country and world arrive to attend services honoring the life of Senator Ted Kennedy.
President Obama will fly from his vacation in Martha's Vineyard to Boston, and deliver Kennedy's eulogy.

The “Boss-napping” trend in France has spurred a new industry which provides advice to executives on how to avoid and prevent becoming a victim of “Boss-napping.” All of this stems from a peculiar French tradition in which laborers resort to kidnapping their “Boss” whenever labor negotiations fail and holding the boss until an agreement can be reached.

It’s a tradition that’s been around for 30 years and is considered an accepted practice in French society. However as more businesses fail and more French workers lose their jobs, boss-napping has increased as of late, putting more executives at risk. Executives who find themselves held hostage by employees are rarely harmed however it’s a crime nonetheless.

Most of the tips coming from consultants who specializing in countering the boss-napping threat are basic personal safety and workplace violence prevention tips combined and common sense such as monitor employee sentiment before labor negotiations, hold negotiations somewhere other than work and carry a pre-programmed cell phone with numbers for family, police and other contacts in the event the executive is threatened or held hostage.

“Boss-napping” might be an accepted practice but regardless what you call it, kidnapping is a crime even in France and acquiescing to such practices only opens the door to a great potential for violence.

Here are the top 10 traits of a successful Executive Protection Specialist. You might or might not have these traits already. If you think you have them, hone them. If you want them, work for them. These traits are not presented in any particular order. They’re all equally important.

Integrity
Candor
Confidence
Discretion
Bearing
Attention to Detail
Responsiveness
Flexibility
Patience
Commitment

These are the type of standards held by premier companies such as RSB International.

I walked in to the United Nations Building today and was confronted with poster after poster of what looks like a dangerous world. From conventional wars to Islamic Terrorism to hostage situations, to crime, the dangers are all around us. We live in a world on the precipice. At any moment any one of us could be killed by a bullet, a bomb, a knife or transportation. We can be taken hostage randomly by terrorist, of any number of natures, or pin pointed by criminals. We cannot be passive in the face of such danger especially when one has a family. We need to take action, we need to protect ourselves.

So what can be done in order to protect ourselves and our families? Move to the moon! That`s the truth, there is no absolutely sure way to protect ourselves. We can take precautions, we can be prepared but one of the fundamental aspects of this reality is that we are fragile and we will die eventually. The questions is how when and why. Most of us want to make it to old age. To make it we need to take care of our physical health as well as to try and ensure that people with bad intentions are defended against. Thus defense has many different natures, cost and levels of protection just as medical health has different natures cost and levels of protection. The major difference between medical health and physical protection is that medical health is seen as a basic human right and physical protection is seen as a luxury reserved for those that can afford it. Most people have some form of physical protection. Personal aggression, carrying a knife or gun or being trained in some marshal art are all forma of physical protection (on the lower end of the cost scale). For those that can afford it executive protection is the best way to ensure personnel physical safety. Companies like RSB International provide personalized physical protection all around the globe. Former Special Forces Israeli soldiers started RSB International because they wanted to put there specialist training in to use in the private sector. RSB International provides intelligence reports to clients, and use intelligence reports to best prepare for the situation that the client finds themselves in. RSB International personnel`s Israeli anti-terror training among other specialist Israeli training provide the company with the best personnel who have been trained by arguably the best trained special forces units in the world.

Physical protection obviously comes at a cost. The cost depends on the level of protection that you may need. If one is an American citizen going to northern Pakistan then there are very high risks and more security would be needed resulting in more costs. On the other hand protection in South Africa during the soccer world cup 2010 would entail less cost due to lower risks and the different nature of those that would attack, in this case petty criminals, hijackers or violent criminals.

In conclusion, regardless of socio-economic level or social status, our protection needs must be treated with the same level of importance and priority as our health; once there is a crisis it is unfortunately often too late if the original problem was left untreated.

In response to the growing concern about a return to violence in Northern Ireland, the Polish Football Association (soccer for us Americans) has arranged for a Polish protective detail to accompany the Polish team to Ireland for the world cup qualifier. The match will be played today amid concerns that terrorism has returned to Northern Ireland as evidenced by the recent deaths of an Irish Police Officer and two British soldiers.

In the background to the recent violence in Northern Ireland is also the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan several weeks ago which heightened the vulnerability of national sports teams as terrorist targets which began with the Munich Olympics in 1972.

Most professional sports complexes have undertaken some measures (with varying degrees of success) to protect both athletes and spectators from terrorism in the aftermath of 9-11. However the high profile of national sports teams, particularly those in international competitions, plus the gathered audience will continue to attract the attention of terrorist groups seeking targets.

Fortunately, Police in Northern Ireland still have extensive experience countering the threat of terrorism and will no doubt be prepared for a variety of contingencies.

During a trial of a former British Royal Protection Officer accused of fraud, allegations surfaced that some Royal Protection Officers at Buckingham Palace routinely reported for duty drunk, slept off hangovers in private rooms in Buckingham Palace, traded porn and steroids in the locker room at Buckingham, handled weapons while drunk, and equally grievous, sat on the Queen’s throne with their feet up and posed for pictures.

There were also allegations that some Royal Protection Officers smuggled friends into Buckingham Palace while members of the Royal family were on the grounds and allowed friends and associates to park their private vehicles at Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace whenever their friends and associates went on shopping trips in London.

So far, these are only allegations, but if true, this would be a very serious breach of protection of the Royal family not to mention protocol surrounding the throne.

Protection of the U.K. Royal family falls under the mission of the Metropolitan Police Service’s (the “Met“) Royalty Protection branch which, according to the Met’s website is responsible for:

Personal protection for the Royal Family, both nationally and internationally
Protecting royal residences in London, Windsor and Scotland
Protecting members of the public who visit royal residences
24-hour uniform security and protection operations at some royal residences
Personal protection for European Royal Families visiting the UK
Mobile protection for protected persons and related property, high risk prisoners and vulnerable property within London and for cross-border operations
Planning and co-ordinating joint protection operations
Buckingham Palace has been the site of previous incidents involving security notably in 1982 when an intruder, Michael Fagan, managed to scale the fence one night at Buckingham Palace and made his way into the Queen’s bedroom. The Queen awoke to find Fagan sitting at the end of her bed. When the Queen tried to summon the Royal Protection Officers, no one responded. A chambermaid finally entered the Queen’s bedroom and upon finding Fagan, ran out to get the Police.

In 2003, a journalist managed to get a job at Buckingham Palace using a false reference and was in Buckingham during the visit of then President George W. Bush. A “full investigation” of security at Buckingham was promised soon after the journalist was discovered. There’s no word whether that investigation is still on-going or will be extended in light of the most recent allegations.

WASHINGTON -- The State Department promised Blackwater USA bodyguards immunity from prosecution in its investigation of last month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians, The Associated Press has learned.

The immunity deal has delayed a criminal inquiry into the Sept. 16 killings and could undermine any effort to prosecute security contractors for their role in the incident that has infuriated the Iraqi government.

"Once you give immunity, you can't take it away," said a senior law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

State Department officials declined to confirm or deny that immunity had been granted. One official -- who refused to be quoted by name -- said: "If, in fact, such a decision was made, it was done without any input or authorization from any senior State Department official in Washington."

Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd and FBI spokesman Rich Kolko declined comment.

FBI agents were returning to Washington late Monday from Baghdad, where they have been trying to collect evidence in the Sept. 16 embassy convoy shooting without using statements from Blackwater employees who were given immunity.

Three senior law enforcement officials said all the Blackwater bodyguards involved -- both in the vehicle convoy and in at least two helicopters above -- were given the legal protection as investigators from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security sought to find out what happened. The bureau is an arm of the State Department.

The law enforcement and State Department officials agreed to speak only if they could remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the inquiry into the incident.

The investigative misstep comes in the wake of already-strained relations between the United States and Iraq, which is demanding the right to launch its own prosecution of the Blackwater bodyguards.

Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell declined comment about the U.S. investigation. Based in Moyock, N.C., Blackwater USA is the largest private security firm protecting U.S. diplomats in Iraq.

The company has said its Sept. 16 convoy was under attack before it opened fire in west Baghdad's Nisoor Square, killing 17 Iraqis. A follow-up investigation by the Iraqi government, however, concluded that Blackwater's men were unprovoked. No witnesses have been found to contradict that finding.

An initial incident report by U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in Iraq, also indicated "no enemy activity involved" in the Sept. 16 incident. The report says Blackwater guards were traveling against the flow of traffic through a traffic circle when they "engaged five civilian vehicles with small arms fire" at a distance of 50 meters.

The FBI took over the case early this month, officials said, after prosecutors in the Justice Department's criminal division realized it could not bring charges against Blackwater guards based on their statements to the Diplomatic Security investigators.

Officials said the Blackwater bodyguards spoke only after receiving so-called "Garrity" protections, requiring that their statements only be used internally -- and not for criminal prosecutions.

At that point, the Justice Department shifted the investigation to prosecutors in its national security division, sealing the guards' statements and attempting to build a case based on other evidence from a crime scene that was then already two weeks old.

The FBI has re-interviewed some of the Blackwater employees, and one official said Monday that at least several of them have refused to answer questions, citing their constitutional right to avoid self- incrimination. Any statements that the guards give to the FBI could be used to bring criminal charges.

A second official, however, said that not all the guards have cited their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination -- leaving open the possibility for future charges. The official declined to elaborate.

Prosecutors will have to prove that any evidence they use in bringing charges against Blackwater employees was uncovered without using the guards' statements to State Department investigators. They "have to show we got the information independently," one official said.

Garrity protections generally are given to police or other public law enforcement officers, and were extended to the Blackwater guards because they were working on behalf of the U.S. government, one official said. Experts said it's rare for them to be given to all or even most witnesses -- particularly before a suspect is identified.

"You have to be careful," said Michael Horowitz, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan and senior Justice Department official. "You have to understand early on who your serious subjects are in the investigation, and avoid giving these people the protections."

It's not clear why the Diplomatic Security investigators agreed to give immunity to the bodyguards, or who authorized doing so.

Bureau of Diplomatic Security chief Richard Griffin last week announced his resignation, effective Thursday. Senior State Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have said his departure was directly related to his oversight of Blackwater contractors.

Tyrrell, the Blackwater spokeswoman, said the company was alerted Oct. 2 that FBI would be taking over the investigation from the State Department. She declined further comment.

On Oct. 3, State Department Sean McCormack said the FBI had been called in to assist Diplomatic Security investigators. A day later, he said the FBI had taken over the probe.

"We, internally and in talking with the FBI, had been thinking about the idea of the FBI leading the investigation for a number of different reasons," McCormack told reporters during an Oct. 4 briefing.

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Last week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ordered a series of measures to boost government oversight of the private guards who protect American diplomats in Iraq. They include increased monitoring and explicit rules on when and how they can use deadly force.

Blackwater's contract with the State Department expires in May and there are questions whether it will remain as the primary contractor for diplomatic bodyguards. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki has said his Cabinet is drafting legislation that would force the State Department to replace Blackwater with another security company.

Congress also is expected to investigate the shootings, but a House watchdog committee said it has so far held off, based on a Justice Department request that lawmakers wait until the FBI concludes its inquiry.

Written by professional security operations expert Frank Sciacca Jr., Bodyguard Principles is a straightforward, methodical manual on what it takes to be a bodyguard. Filled cover to cover with information on methods, concepts, and theories directly applicable to a profession with no room for error, Bodyguard Principles covers expectations for standard conduct, what skills are needed and expected (including investigative as well as protective skills), how to conduct a proper vehicle inspection, internet and online concerns, dealing with suspicious packages, and much more. Bodyguard Principles presupposes the reader has training in physical self-defense with or without weapons, and focuses upon the broader principles and methodologies of providing security rather than in-depth coverage of any martial arts. Written in plain, no-nonsense terms, Bodyguard Principles is a "must-have" for anyone seriously considering a career as a professional bodyguard or security provider.

When Agent Jerry Parr of the Secret Service directed the motorcade carrying President Reagan to George Washington University Hospital’s Emergency Department, after President Reagan was shot, he saved President Reagan’s life. That critical decision made in the immediate aftermath of the shooting allowed President Reagan to receive the right type of emergency medical care for his wound. What made that decision so critical is that George Washington University Hospital is a Level I trauma center which means they were equipped and staffed to treat President Reagan.

As an executive protection provider, the prospect of having to respond to a medical emergency involving your principal is very real and statistically speaking, you’re more likely to find yourself dealing with a medical emergency than responding to an attack. Part of preparing for such contingencies includes knowing where to take your injured principal
particularly when that injury involves trauma i.e. gunshot wound. A recent study published by the Journal of Trauma, indicated that patients with life-threatening injuries have a better survival rate at Level I trauma centers than at Level II trauma centers. Simply put, according to this particular study, Level I trauma centers have more experience in treating trauma which translates to better trained emergency medical staff.

From an executive protection perspective, any hospital survey should take into consideration whether the hospital you plan to use in a medical emergency is the “right” hospital. Here’s what I mean: A level I trauma center is where you want to go if your principal has been injured as a result of an attack. However, if your principal suffers from a pre-existing medical condition, then you might be better served by going to a hospital that specializes in that condition, regardless whether it’s a level I trauma center or not. Then again, do you take a risk and by-pass a level II trauma center in an effort to make it to a level I? There’s no easy answer or necessarily right answer. It all depends if you’ve done a hospital survey to begin with and whether you’re prepared for these types of emergencies and contingencies.

Start by trying to understand conceptually the differences in the various trauma centers and their capabilities. No one says you have to make it your life work or go to medical school but the time to figure out where to go is not when you need to get there. Also recognize that each state has its own, or different, definition of what constitutes a trauma center. The same holds true if you are operating overseas.

Don’t assume that every hospital has the same capability to treat every category of injury. Assumptions can be lethal. Verify and validate the information on your hospital survey before you need to use it.

The Executive Protection community has already witnessed the implications of suicide bomber attacks against protected persons for several years. I don’t mean just the attack Benazir Bhutto, who’s death by a suicide bomber has had a profound impact on Pakistan and the region. We saw how effective a suicide bomber targeting a VIP could be with the attack on Raj Ghandi in the early nineties. We saw it and subsequently experienced when Shah Masood, the leader of Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance was killed by Al Qaeda operatives two days before 9-11 as part of the overall Al-Qaeda attack strategy for 9-11.

This disturbing report on Al-Qaida efforts to recruit children as suicide bombers contains at least two critical observation from the perspective of preventing suicide bomber attacks on VIPs. First, the authors note the tactical advantage a child possess operating as a suicide bomber. As female suicide bombers have demonstrated the world over, children would not typically rise to the level of suspicion, or perceived threat as the classic, but sometimes erroneous portrait of a male suicide bomber. This presents a real challenge when you look at options for tactically neutralizing a suicide bomber. How many of us are willing to make that call based on instinct alone?

The second element in this article worth noting is the three day stalk of the target by the child suicide bomber. One of the primary security concerns surrounding a suicide bomber is the bomber’s ability to adjust the attack based on a real-time assessment of security surrounding the target. If operational conditions don’t favor the bomber, the bomber has the ability to delay the attack or as demonstrated in the near simultaneous attacks that occurred against in hotels in Jordan, select another equally attractive target instantly. In the Jordanian attacks, one of the suicide bombers was turned away from his primary target yet he moved to another adjacent location and still managed to kill innocent people. While the bomber was not successful in achieving his goals at the intended target, the bomber still succeeded in creating casualties and achieving a victory in the form of creating the ensuing fear and publicity that terrorist attacks generate.

December 15, 2008: This month, about 26 people a day are dying from criminal and terrorist violence a day in Iraq. That's a bit lower than the death toll in northern Mexico, which on a bad day (like last November 3rd) saw 58 people killed. The police are generally helpless, hundreds of thousands of middle-class Mexicans have fled the border region, often to the United States (if they had dual-citizenship, which many do). Those without money must hunker down and wait for someone to win this war. The drug gangs show no signs of weakening, although the army believes that it can prevail in the next year or so.

The security business since 9/11 has been red hot. Executive protection (EP) in particular is a growing market. With terrorism on everyone's mind and well-paying jobs available in many of the trouble spots in the world, there has never been a better time to enter the EP field. However, the training and experience that many law enforcement or military personnel have does not necessarily qualify them to provide personal protection services.


In California, the laws, rules and regulations that apply to security guards apply to bodyguards as well. Security guards are now required to have 40 hours of mandated training and receive eight hours of continuing education annually.

Only a licensed private patrol operator (PPO) may contract to perform security guard or bodyguard services to any person or business. One must first have previous experience and pass a state test to qualify. An active duty peace officer with a guard card and an exposed firearm permit may perform armed security guard (bodyguard) duties ONLY as a security guard employee.

Taking the first step toward obtaining a private patrol operator's license will almost invariably guarantee the military person, or law enforcement officer-turned-bodyguard, a greater opportunity to make more money, have greater control over his work and eventually branch out into bigger and better things.

Though many law enforcement and/or military-related skills do transfer directly to the EP task (i.e. surveillance skills, knowledge of civil and criminal liability, risk analysis) as in other areas of security, executive protection is also an acquired skill. Law enforcement and military people would find themselves much more marketable with the proper kind of EP training.

The biggest myth about EP training for either security personnel or the law enforcement officer is that once you have attended an accredited EP school or seminar and the training is over, you now feel qualified for any assignment in any part of the world. This is far from the truth. As a matter of fact, initial EP training equates more closely to going out on patrol for the first time.

EP training is a really a way of life. To be successful in the arena of executive protection, you must adjust your lifestyle accordingly. This is especially true for the agents on "long term" protection detail. If you are not out there surveying driving routes, or thinking about how you would handle someone who will not take "no" for an answer, then your skills will begin to deteriorate.

EP training should have a main focus on advance work and a secondary focus on studying various types of threats and risks that are applicable to you or your client. This kind of study should be a constant habit when traveling or scheduling anything that involves you and your principal. A back up plan for the back up plan is always the best contingency.

To train in advance work is somewhat complicated. Advance work is the study of factual or estimated information and the activities or arrangements made as it pertains to the location of the arrival of a future client. Advance work takes time and must be done before the client is destined to a particular location. Doing it correctly is a tedious, even for the seasoned professional.

The fact that someone is physically familiar with the layout of the region he is working in does not necessarily mean he knows how to advance a location properly. Good customer service and social skills make it easier in collecting data and information that will be pertinent to the advance and the overall protection of the client. If you want to practice advance work, concentrate on being organized first.

One thing that should be required in any protection program is the study and exercise of martial arts training. Without focusing too much on the self-defense aspects of executive protection, martial arts training builds an inner peace that aids in emotion and action control - especially the actions of others who could be a physical threat.

Take your martial arts training further and apply it to close protection work. It does not matter how long you have trained or the art you know. The question is, can you apply your moves and techniques on an adversary while trying to manage your own fear and the location of someone you are protecting?

Remember that the protection agent who is 6'6,'' weighs 300 pounds and in excellent shape is useless if he does not know how to say please and thank you. You must be able to acknowledge mistakes and accept criticism. The real skills that matter most are manners, professionalism and mental awareness.

LE Career Advice and Business Opportunities
with Jon Felperin

With increased federal funding and nationwide attention, there's never been a better time to start a private security company. Homeland security holds many opportunities for professionals in a variety of fields such as health care, technology, transportation, business, entertainment, and sales.
This is the first installment of several on the business of security, and the many economic opportunities currently open to active, retired or reserve officers.

People in law enforcement have a love/hate relationship with private security. Most private security people lack the necessary screening or rigorous training to do a proper job. Yet most law enforcement personnel usually do some kind of security work during their careers. From estate security to body guarding, and everything in between, most officers before, during or after their career somehow get involved with private security.

And for good reason. After all, modern policing grew out of private security concerns. Crime prevention has become a major issue in our society. A greater burden is being placed on public police forces to respond to crisis situations. As a result, the consumer is turning to the private security industry to help protect our neighborhoods and businesses.

Moreover, this trend shows no sign of abating. With such deep cutbacks in public spending in recent years, many law enforcement jobs have simply been eliminated or privatized. In fact, according the American Society of Industrial Security, demand for security services is growing at stellar, 6% rate a year in our post 9/11 climate.

Will the trend continue? It certainly looks that way. So the real question is, how can we personally benefit from this great increase in demand for more security services, and which business should we ultimately choose to go into?

In California, the Department of Consumer Affairs licenses private patrol operators, private investigators, alarm company operators, repossession agencies, and locksmiths, and certifies their training facilities and instructors.


Each of these businesses has a bright future. Personal insecurity, financial instability and the complexity of modern society all are increasing the demand for such services. Licensing and certification not only ensure that the business operator and specific employees have passed a criminal background check and have met DCA requirements, but also restrict the supply of each, which in turn becomes a barrier to entry. This is both good and bad. Bad for the consumer but good for the potential business owner.

Private patrol operators in California provide services to protect persons and/or property in accordance with a contractual agreement.

Private investigators conduct investigations for individuals, businesses, attorneys, insurance companies, and public agencies within the areas of civil, criminal, and domestic investigations.

Alarm company operators sell alarms on private or business premises and install, service, maintain, monitor, and respond to burglar alarms. These services are provided to individuals, businesses, and public entities.

Repossession agencies repossess personal property on behalf of a credit grantor when a consumer defaults on a conditional sales contract that contains a repossession clause.

Locksmiths install, repair, open, modify, and fabricate keys for locks. These services are provided to private individuals, businesses, and public entities. Individuals who duplicate keys from blank stock are not required to be licensed as locksmiths.

Training facilities offer courses to private investigators, private patrol operators, guards, alarm company operators and their employees. Students are taught the proper carrying and usage of firearms and batons in relation to their licenses or registrations.

All managers of security companies must meet certain requirements. According to DCA, the manager in charge of the private security-related business must be a DCA-qualified manager.

A qualified manager must pass an oral and/or written exam given by DCA, pass a criminal background check, and provide proof of qualifying experience in the security industry. A qualified manager is the responsible person for the business-the first point of contact when the consumer has a question about the services being provided.

Security guards cannot contract as sole proprietors-a private patrol operator must employ them. Private patrol operators can work as security guards as long as they are qualified managers of private patrol operator-licensed businesses. All private security-related business employees under DCA jurisdiction must carry a pocket license at all times.
The laws, rules and regulations that apply to security guards apply to bodyguards in California. A bodyguard who works in civilian clothes with a concealed weapon must possess a guard card, an exposed firearm permit and either possess a CCW, or be an honorably retired peace officer with an endorsement to carry a concealed weapon, or be an active duty peace officer.

In California, only a licensed private patrol operator (PPO) may contract to perform security guard or bodyguard services to any person or business. An active duty peace officer with a guard card and an exposed firearm permit issued by DCA may perform armed security guard (bodyguard) duties only as a security guard employee.

Taking the first step toward obtaining a private patrol operator's license will almost invariably guarantee the law enforcement officer-turned-bodyguard a greater opportunity to make more money, have greater control over his work, and eventually branch out into bigger and better things.

LE Career Advice and Business Opportunities
with Jon Felperin

A growing number of executives and even everyday people are choosing to hire executive protection and security agents.

(RSB International) In the past, entertainment magazines and tabloids often printed pictures of tiny celebrities surrounded by tough-looking bodyguards. This, coupled with the way bodyguards were featured in movies, led many people to believe that bodyguards and protectors were something reserved for famous people and presidents. These professionals were often referred to as “goons” or “secret service agents.” If this is your view, too, it’s time to rethink the stereotypes.

The truth is, today’s bodyguards do a lot more than just protect celebrities. A growing number of executives and even everyday people are choosing to hire executive protection and security agents, as they are now known. These professionals have extensive training and are most likely licensed in the state where they work.

Why hire a bodyguard?
Executives are hiring security professionals – including bodyguards – increasingly often, mostly because a number of high-profile attacks on employees and their families have shown that some workers are in peril simply because of the work they do. High-level executives in financial, energy, and pharmaceutical industries have been shown to be especially at risk, especially when they are stationed overseas in high-risk areas. These employees may become the target of threats and even bodily harm by terrorists and by criminals who use the workers to commit crimes or to make political statements. The situation has gotten so serious that some companies are offering security packages and bodyguard services to their top executives as a matter of course.

For individuals, too, bodyguards are becoming more common. Sadly, our world is not always safe and with our increasing awareness of crime comes an increasing awareness of risks. Domestic violence, child abuse, bullying, and threats can all lead to risky situations that require some form of protection. A bodyguard can reduce the risk of crime and can offer peace of mind and mobility as well.

Should you hire one?
If you are considering hiring a security agent or bodyguard service, ask yourself:
1) Have threats been made against me? Is there something high-risk about my situation? It is not always easy to tell whether you are safe or not, but if you have reason to believe that someone wishes you harm and may act on that, bodyguard protection may be a good idea.
2) Am I avoiding social activities or events because I fear for my personal safety? A bodyguard may provide the sense of security you need to live a full, normal life. No one should be so afraid that they hide out at home.
3) Am I worried about my children or loved ones? There is no feeling worse than worry for your family and friends. If you think they are at risk, security may be the best gift you can give those you care about.
4) Am I figure of known wealth or am I otherwise known in my community? You do not have to be world-famous to be at risk. If you have just won a large sum in a lottery or been involved in a notorious court case or event, you may be at risk.
5) Am I preoccupied with safety? If you feel trapped by your situation, a bodyguard service can provide you with the assurance you need to face your life with confidence.
6) Have I had a threat assessment run? If you are still not sure whether a bodyguard is the right move, consider hiring a private investigator to assess the risks made to your safety. A professional investigator can offer a professional view of your situation and can run a risk audit to help you make the right choice. They can even inform you about all your options when it comes to personal safety.

When it’s time to make a choice
If you have decided that bodyguard services are for you, you need to research and find the right executive protection or bodyguard services for you. That means finding local qualified professionals and interviewing them to find the best match. You can easily find the right professionals in your area with the RSB International.

About RSB International

RSB International offers a wide range of security services all of which constitute former elite IDF (Israel Defense Force) personnel or special government agents.

The unfortunate past in dealing with terror attacks has brought about a unique and exceptional knowledge of how to deal with these scenarios. With the knowledge and experience acquired, RSB International has constructed a team of highly trained ex elite commandos of the IDF and special government agents, their US counterparts being the Navy Seals, Delta Force and CIA, to secure and protect individuals/groups and their assets all over the world.

They provide vital services such as Executive protection, Covert protection, Surveillance detection, Intel services, Tactical training, Covert protection training and Maritime security

please feel free to visit their site at www.rsb-int.com for further inquiries.

Protecting executives and upper management requires risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis and old-fashioned legwork.

By Daintry Duffy
April 01, 2005 — CSO — Executive protection—how important is it? Unfortunately, one very bad event is all it takes to answer that question:

Terrified, haggard and frostbitten, Karen McMullan refused to give police the details of her ordeal until she knew her husband Kevin was safe. Twenty-four hours earlier, men dressed as police officers had talked their way into the McMullan's home. Once inside, they held a gun to the head of Kevin McMullan, the assistant bank manager for Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and explained that he would help them carry out a daring robbery. To ensure his cooperation, they kidnapped his wife.

At the same time just a few miles away, armed men entered the home of another bank employee, supervisor Chris Ward, and conscripted him into their plan by taking his mother, father, brother and brother's girlfriend hostage. Per the kidnappers' instructions, the next evening McMullan and Ward used their security passes to enter Northern Bank's inner vault and packed up bags of banknotes. The cash was loaded into a white truck and driven away. Hours later, Karen McMullan staggered out of a Northern Ireland forest and into the first house she found.

Many companies pay lip service to the notion that employees are their most valuable assets, but few have actually done the math. In the case of Northern Bank, the use of the McMullan and Ward families in that December 2004 robbery cost approximately $50 million—and that is just the thieves' take. Add to that the public relations costs (worldwide headlines, inquiries by prosecutors and British intelligence), and the tab runs considerably higher.

The threats facing an executive vary widely depending on the size of the company, the industry it belongs to and the individual executive's profile. CSOs in oft-targeted sectors such as the financial services, pharmaceutical and energy industries, and those with executives based overseas, worry about kidnapping, carjacking, mail-borne explosives, biological agents and ecoterrorism. Threatening letters and e-mails and workplace violence fill out the list.

Given the range of risks involved, CSOs who have managed executive protection programs know that protecting an individual is a very different discipline from securing a facility. A top executive not only can't be locked down but, unlike a building with a single gate, there are numerous ways for an attacker to get to an executive, including through family members, as in the Belfast example. Executives will also rebel against onerous security restrictions. CSOs face the challenge of calibrating protection that serves their company's needs while also making that security palatable to the executives who have to live with it.

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