<![CDATA[[SecurityRatty] tag: bodyguard]]>

<![CDATA[[SecurityRatty] tag: bodyguard]]> http://securityratty.com/tag/bodyguard Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:59:00 +0000 iRatty Engine http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[When does a bodyguard need to shoot into a crowd?]]> http://securityratty.com/article/adcb3350b4f47491a7cfbcf84b9f26fe http://securityratty.com/article/adcb3350b4f47491a7cfbcf84b9f26fe bodyguard shot into a crowd of people and killed a man.

While professional Executive Protection Agents no longer refer to themselves as "bodyguards", if we nonetheless examine that "handle", we can break it down as; "a person who guards (protects) the body of another". If I was tasked with the investigation of this shooting incident in India, one of the very first places I would look at would be the training manuals of those involved. If they were Policemen, I would demand to be allowed to inspect that Department's training guides that were used when training their "bodyguards". Same thing would apply if they belonged to a private company/entity.

I very seriously doubt that I would find any directive anywhere authorizing those assigned to the protective detail to fire haphazzardly into a crowd of people. To me, this suggests that the bodyguard either panicked or was placed in the position without any professional training (most probable explanation). Anyone who has spent more than 15 minutes in E.P. training knows that the responsibility of the Protective Agent(s) is to evacuate their client (Principal). Shooting into crowds of people would be out of place, even in far-fetched Hollywood. I am quite sure that Indian society is nothing near as litigious as it is here in the Western world, but I still suspect that there is a smart lawyer somewhere in India trying to contact the victim's family. I believe the case will be his for the winning.

Ironically, I contactd a company in India a couple of months back with a proposal to train their Executive Protection staff. Without ever hearing a price, they contacted me back and said they were sure they couldn't afford us (eventhough they are one of the largest employers in India). Which makes me wonder, how do you put a price on a human life and what would you consider a fair price to have your people professionally trained so that you were not sued by the family/next of kin of someone killed by one of your employees? By the way, this question can be asked of any employer anywhere in the world who is in the business of either safeguarding their own employees, or protecting the life of others.

In Real Estate it is about; "Location, Location, Location". In security, it is about; "Training, Training, Training". I sincerely hope that many get to know of this incident (including nearly all of the Hollywood stars who allow their Protectors to assault people on a regular basis)and begin to realize the importance of having a professionally trained person taking care of them. Hiring some big guy with a couple of years military experience is not good enough.

That would be like hiring a person for a plastic surgery procedure whose only experience was carving the Thanksgiving turkey. Who'd be the turkey then?]]> Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:28:00 +0000 bodyguard people assault people india fair price price crowd experience life When does a bodyguard need to shoot into a crowd? <![CDATA[Why would the Government hire a security consultant and then not listen to him?]]> http://securityratty.com/article/26b217e81b5035055e1cddcbd4305e50 http://securityratty.com/article/26b217e81b5035055e1cddcbd4305e50

Apparently Mr. Aviv delivered a lecture in New York City a couple of weeks ago. He made some startling predictions. One of these is the fact that he believes the next attack(s)on the U.S. will occur in the next few months and it will involve suicide and non-suicide bombers where large numbers of people congregate. This will not come as any surprise to those of us who have seen the Al Qaida training types showing training scenarios aimed at football stadiums, shopping malls, golf tournaments, etc.

Interestingly, Aviv claims that these threats are well known by the U.S. Govt. but they do not want to "alarm citizens" with the facts. Aviv just might know what he's talking about there since he currently serves as a special consultant to the U.S. Congress and other policy makers. There is no doubt that he knows what he is talking about when he describes what is needed at U.S. airports.

I have long known that U.S. airports are not as safe as people would like to think. Apart from all of the "mistakes" and the prohibited items that make it past the security check points, there is the procedure whereby bags remain unchecked in any form until people have gained access to ticket desks and the internal front area of the airport. The people themselves are not screened until they head for the gates. What would happen if a terrorist self-detonated in the middle of a crowded airport without ever trying or expecting to make it on a plane? Scary thoughts, but thoughts nonetheless about which someone should be thinking and being concerned enough to address it.

Should Aviv be taken serious? Well, he predicted the London bombing on the Bill O'Reilly show on Fox News stating publicly that it would happen within a week. At the time, O'Reilly laughed and said that in a week, he wanted him back on the show. Unfortunately, within a week the terrorist attack occurred.

It would be nice to know that the Government was doing all it could for us, but reading and hearing things like this does not exactly instill confidence. Then again, there were probably those who felt safe seeing Army reservists with rifles in our airports in the days following 9-11. That is, if you didn't think about it for more than a minute.

Like charity, security starts at home. Now more than ever, it may be a case of; "the Lord helping those who help themselves."]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:56:00 +0000 aviv aviv claims concerns juval aviv terrorist attack people terrorist attack airports munich olympic games Why would the Government hire a security consultant and then not listen to him? <![CDATA[The importance of choosing the right security team to "watch your back".]]> http://securityratty.com/article/8e54cf1db0eb7e7c65ccfe3dc6e9e1d5 http://securityratty.com/article/8e54cf1db0eb7e7c65ccfe3dc6e9e1d5
Eventhough they do say that there is no such things as bad publicity, it would make you wonder when you take a look at the recent Kidman case. As a personal protection specialist, there are things that you can do, other than resorting to violence.

We teach common sense principles at our executive protection course and one of our readers, Cory, made me realize that we should probably be mentioning those ideas here so that readers will get the other side of the story.

For those just thinking about breaking into the industry, be advised that acting like a thug is not the way that true professionals behave. Yes, I would have thought that a major star like Nicole Kidman would be able to hire the best of the best but some of her friends might have "known somebody who knew somebody" as the old phrase goes.

There are celebrities who act like they do not want the attention when they really do. Those are the difficult ones to protect. If a celebrity really wants to be left alone, members of the protective team can make it seem as if they are taking the celebrity out one door, but that is just a decoy and the real celeb goes out another door unnoticed.

It is also possible to agree to an organized photo session so that the various papers and magazines get all of the shots they need and they do not have to resort to chasing vehicles down,risking serious injury an maybe even death.

Beating up a camera person or interviewer is never allowed. If the Police get involved, most likely the security person would be charged with assault. The reports we hear about on the internet or the news usually only mention the incident, not what happened to the over-zealous security person once the case goes to court.

Which goes to show you, when you need to hire a security person, do not rely on the referral of a friend who might know someone whose cousin just got out of the army. Use the services of a professional security company and verify their training and experience. All good companies will be able to document the credentials of their employees.
]]> Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:45:00 +0000 security person over-zealous security person nicole kidman professional security company common sense principles true professionals behave recent bad press personal protection specialist recent kidman The importance of choosing the right security team to "watch your back". <![CDATA[This is not a bodyguard - this is a walking lawsuit.]]> http://securityratty.com/article/b7de3063418052d097744e4d08e6837e http://securityratty.com/article/b7de3063418052d097744e4d08e6837e bodyguard gone wild" video, you can't help but wonder, how many millions of dollars will this uncontrollable violent outburst cost Nicole Kidman.

As someone who not only hires personal protection agents, but who also trains them, I can tell you that Ms. Kidman would be far better off looking after herself than being "protected" by this unprofessional hothead. Not only did her security person make a grave mistake by assaulting and battering the photographer in question, but he left her totally unprotected when he jumped out of the vehicle in a rage.

What would he have done if this were a trap? If someone wished to harm Ms. Kidman, or kidnap her, they could have staged this. The 'photographer' could have merely been bait used to lure her security and trick him into leaving his vehicle. Being unproteced, another bad guy could have easily harmed her at that stage.

I do not know where celebrities hire amateurs like this. I could refer them to dozens of professional security firms who highly value their professional reputations and who would never dream of hiring an incompetent like this. I would like to think that poor judgement is confined to Hollywood celebrities, but I know that is not the case.

Sometime people hire a "friend of a friend" who used to be in the army, or who used to be a night club bouncer. Those hires are always a mistake. The have LIABILITY written all over them. Whenever you hire someone to work for you, stop and think what might happen if they are not who or what they claim to be.

What happens if they use drugs and have an accident while driving your company vehicle? What happens if they have a temper problem like Ms. Kidman's employee? I think you already know the answer and it isn't pretty.

Do yourself a big favor and always do your due diligence. Or you could always hire an expensive law firm. Lawyers have to eat too, I suppose.

]]> Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:52:00 +0000 hire celebrities hire amateurs security security person vehicle company vehicle people hire professional security firms night club bouncer This is not a bodyguard - this is a walking lawsuit. <![CDATA[Snoop Dogg's out-of-shape bodyguard]]> http://securityratty.com/article/0840a4900d6d039463d88aafb5450510 http://securityratty.com/article/0840a4900d6d039463d88aafb5450510
A couple of the D.J.'s were commenting on the singer's reality t.v. show and the fact that he did not appear to be doing that well, financially speaking, since he was living in a normal house in a normal neighborhood. One of them then mentioned that he was still quite famous since he employed a Bodyguard.

That was the part that got my attention and made me call in to the radio show. Being the owner of a security company that hires and trains bodyguards, or as we prefer to call them: Personal Protection Specialists, I was put on the air right away.

I had seen an episode of the show that took place inside a gym. Snoop Dogg was trying to take up Yoga and his bodyguard was right there with him on the floor. His bodyguard was an immensely unfit looking individual who appeared to be 150-200lbs overweight. The poor man was so unfit that he had difficulty getting up from the floor and was visibly huffing and puffing simply from the effort of getting up on his feet.

As I told the radio show, he was not the type of individual who would be hired by Sexton Executive Security, at least not in his current unhealthy state. How can one be expected to protect a client if they are in such poor health? having a big overweight guy like that for protection is all for show.

Thankfully, most clients these days realize that they need to hire personal protection agents for their professional abilities and not for the fact that they eat like Sumo wrestlers. Unfortunately, many in the entertainment industry still seem to prefer brawn over brain.
]]> Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:50:00 +0000 snoop dogg wjfk radio week radio bodyguard personal protection specialists protection week sexton executive security unfit Snoop Dogg's out-of-shape bodyguard <![CDATA[Good luck, Mr. President!]]> http://securityratty.com/article/08cc179e2d3dacce05cdc6b7664ec1e2 http://securityratty.com/article/08cc179e2d3dacce05cdc6b7664ec1e2

Apparently, President Bush will be visiting Israel in the coming weeks. He is but one of many Presidents and diplomats who have tried and are trying to bring peace to the troubled region. However, Mr. Bush should pay extra attention to his own security while there.

According to an Israeli Magazine, a bodyguard from the security detail that failed to protect Prime Minister Rabin on the night he was murdered in 1995, has now been promoted and will be the senior Israeli responsible for protecting the U.S. President in January.

Speaking as someone who hires executive protection specialists, the last thing I would have done with that ill-fated security detail would have been to promote any of them. Actually, I can not see how any of them would have been allowed to keep their jobs. One wonders how much difference there is between the public and private sector there.

For the president's sake, I hope they are big into "learning by their past mistakes".]]> Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:16:00 +0000 president security detail president bush security bush senior israeli responsible israeli magazine extra attention past mistakes Good luck, Mr. President! <![CDATA[Careful - you just might be hiring a "brutal rapist".]]> http://securityratty.com/article/c599b0bae1e07ca6d44d7198b916c257 http://securityratty.com/article/c599b0bae1e07ca6d44d7198b916c257 sexual predator? I can hear you gasp in shock eventhough the ink has barely had time to dry on the paper. Read down through this blog and you will see how some people make strange hiring decisions.

Ricky Hatton is a boxer from Britain. He has hired another boxer to be his bodyguard, or as they often say in the U.K., his "minder". Ricky's "minder", John Paul King, was unable to accompany his employer to Las Vegas last weekend for Ricky's WBC welterweight bout against Floyd Mayweather. The reason King could not attend was due to his having to stand trial for triple rape during the time when he was working for Hatton. King will not be attending any other fights any time soon after being handed down a life sentence.

Shame on Ricky Hatton and anyone else who hires a guy based on his size and/or brute strength. This is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Hiring a thug is bound to lead to trouble - costly lawsuits and bad publicity are but a couple of examples. It is no wonder that Kevin Hallinan, the former Major League Baseball security director warns against hiring bodyguards, because many "hire their brother-in-law or a friend of a friend".

While we understand Mr. Hallinan's comment, he should have gone on to say that if you need to hire an executive protection agent, make sure you hire one with credentialed training and experience. If someone broke their leg, of course they shouldn't go to a "friend of a friend" to reset it, (unless that person is a qualified doctor)but at the same time, they should not be warned against getting their leg set in place.

Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley, recently decided that there are too many dangers out there facing professional athletes today. He now has a Personal Protection Specialist accompany him everywhere he travels. How does it make him feel? "It's a blessing", he was recently quoted as saying.]]> Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:06:00 +0000 ricky hatton hatton ricky friend time hire wbc welterweight bout hallinan leg Careful - you just might be hiring a "brutal rapist". <![CDATA[Sports stars to practice self-protection?]]> http://securityratty.com/article/50516dfd02446c94cb5f1f5b2e8ff69f http://securityratty.com/article/50516dfd02446c94cb5f1f5b2e8ff69f

My recent posting regarding the safety of sports stars and the need for Risk Management appears to have been quite timely as USA Today followed-up with their own article on athletes and security.

It is obvious from the article that many professional NBA and NFL stars are concerned for their safety and are talking about purchasing guns and dogs to help protect themselves. While I fully understand their concern, the athletes involved need to be aware of the danger that some of these ideas may pose. For instance, the NFL has strict guidlines restricting the carrying of weapons on their property. Likewise, cities such as Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, all have very strict laws that make it very difficult to carry a concealed weapon if you are not a law enforcement officer.

Even if an athlete could carry a concealed weapon, there are no exceptions covering Federal Buildings, establishments that serve alochol, crossing State lines, etc. As Kelly Davis, a Chicago police officer who worked for three years as a bodyguard to NBA star Denis Rodman said; "if you feel like you need to carry a gun....you need to hire security". A gun is not the ultimate solution to every security threat and guns in the hands of non-experts pose a serious risk factor and open the door to huge liability problems. It is much better to rely on the services of a professional Security firm for these reasons.

Some athletes, such as Torii Hunter of the Los Angeles Angels, intends to "keep a lower profile". While this sounds fine in theory, in reality, it may be very difficult to put into practice. Sports stars, like the President of the United States, will continue to be in the public eye. It is unrealistic to believe that they will stay behind guarded walls when they are not on the field. That is why they need security professonals to "watch their backs" as they go about their lives with as little interruption as possble. The President continues to travel about the country and the world, and in so doing, is protected by highly trained professionals who spend all of their time ensuring that their Principal is safe.

Unfortunately, there appears to be an increase in violent crimes - robberies and burglaries occurring in the player's homes these days. We agree fully with Antwan Jamison of the Washington Wizzards when he says; "you have to take precautions now as far as being at home". Our theme of "target hardening" has never been so approporiate as it is today. The NFL league spokesman, Greg Aiello sums it up perfectly when he says; "don't make it easy for people to target you".

Like we have said many times before, thieves and criminals are opportunists. If they see that a home or an athlete is being protected, they will move along to the one that is without security. For those with a particular axe to grind, the security professional will advise his client on the best way to alternate routes and times of travel, using decoy vehicles, etc. We could go on, but we do not want to give away too many secrets.]]> Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:59:00 +0000 security security threat security professional professional security firm sports stars hire security nfl nfl league spokesman los angeles angels Sports stars to practice self-protection?