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

<![CDATA[[SecurityRatty] tag: bodyguards]]> http://securityratty.com/tag/bodyguards Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:06:00 +0000 iRatty Engine http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Female Bodyguards Get the Job Done.]]> http://securityratty.com/article/732503f31e4a0e42349e8fe161ff34fd http://securityratty.com/article/732503f31e4a0e42349e8fe161ff34fd

The Dublin City Herald recently ran a story about Lisa Baldwin, from Dublin, who is a female Personal Protection/Close Protection Specialist based in the U.K. Ms. Baldwin is in high demand by Middle Eastern clients who wish to have their women and children protected by female agents.

That is exactly why SEXTON EXECUTIVE SECURITY(www.sextonsecurity.com)designed a Middle East E.P./C.P. course that will be held in the U.A.E. from the 11th of October through the 18th. The President, John Sexton summed it up as follows; "We saw the need for agents from all over the world to be able to train in the Middle East and to experience the culture,tradition and religion first hand". "Middle Eastern clients are extremely important to our industry", he added "and it behooves all agents involved in providing safety for these families to become conversant with every aspect of their lives in order to be able to offer the best protection possible".

SEXTON will also have a group of female trainees attending their Executive Protection course in San Diego, California in December. Lisa Baldwin is described in the Herald as being "one of the world's few female bodyguards". Many women around the world now recognize that by undergoing professional training like Ms. Baldwin, they can be assigned to prestigious contracts and make a very lucrative living.

Ms. Baldwin's petite stature does not prevent her from succeeding in a mostly male-dominated industry. "You realise you're not in Iraq, you're in London", she advises. Very true. Smart protectors understand that the Art of Personal Protection is about using your mind and not your brawn. The differences between working in Iraq and London/New York/Dubai are like night and day.

Unfortunately, if the agent does not receive proper training, they may very well fail to realise the difference. There is one type of training needed for a Hostile environment such as Iraq or Afghanistan and a completely different one for the corporate/private sector. A security contractor coming fresh out of a hostile environment will often find it extremely difficult providing protection in a covert, "grey man" style.

Fortunately for them, Sexton Executive Security's focus is on private clients and their E.P./C.P. corporate training program can help those returning form overseas contracts to make the transition smooth and profitable.

In the corporate/private family world, you don't have heavy weaponry to rely upon but as Ms. Baldwin states; "Its all about the mind and prevention". Like the old saying goes; "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".]]> Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:45:00 +0000 john sexton sexton lisa baldwin baldwin sexton executive security middle eastern clients clients protection executive protection Female Bodyguards Get the Job Done. <![CDATA[Don't put your foot in it, Mr. President]]> http://securityratty.com/article/d826a8c8ac69bcbf21bb4cc5b4cdf815 http://securityratty.com/article/d826a8c8ac69bcbf21bb4cc5b4cdf815

Watching the beginning of the Olympics, I was surprised to see the way President Bush was sitting.

The First Lady was on one side of him (thankfully) and a Chinese looking gentleman was on the other side. The President had his right foot resting on his left knee, thereby exposing his shoe sole. That is a huge "no no" in Asia and the Middle East.

As I said, thankfully the First Lady, Laura Bush was the recipient of the President's sole-waving but it made me wonder if he changed legs at a later stage and "flashed" the Chinese official. I figure it was a high ranking official or else he would hardly be sat next to the President of the United States.

What has this to do with security? It is one of the topics we teach to our budding bodyguards during our intensive Executive Protection course in the United States and abroad. You could have a very successful business meeting or trip, either overseas or at home, but ruin it by insulting (albeit unintentionally)a foreign guest. It is very important for those wroking around forein nationals to be aware of their customs and traditions.

This is not that difficult these days with all of the materials available. One of the best books I have found is; "Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands". This book and others like it, will advise the reader on the correct course of action to take when dealing with people from a host of different countries. Not that I expect the President to read the book, afterall, he must have Protocol officers to keep an eye on him. My question is, were they brought to China?

For the rest of us who are not lucky enough to have our own Protocol officers to keep us out of trouble, we'll just have to read the book.]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:57:00 +0000 president president bush chinese official official protocol officers chinese intensive executive protection book shoe sole Don't put your foot in it, Mr. President <![CDATA[Work-place violence kills many U.S. workers every year.]]> http://securityratty.com/article/766e9fdd3353f7725aa107f42061b0ab http://securityratty.com/article/766e9fdd3353f7725aa107f42061b0ab
When people hear that Corporations hire bodyguards to work in their Corporations pending and following company terminations they are surprised. This surprises me. Every year, workplace violence makes the "top ten" list of serious concerns facing U.S. businesses.

Yesterday, on WTOP radio station I heard the phrase; "Desk Rage" for the first time. Unfortunately it is very appropriate. Some people have very bad tempers and an argument or decision at work can lead to them getting a weapon and committing homicide. This was evidenced a couple of weeks ago in Kentucky when five factory workers were killed by an employee who had been slightly reprimanded.

Employers do have a responsibility to ensure a safe work place environment. That is the reason companies hire us. If we are called in and are onsite when a violent worker returns intent on hurting people, we will be the ones to stop him or her from committing the act.

Fellow workers should report incidents involving any type of inappropriate behavior, especially instances where people are likely to get hurt, or worse. Very rarely does an employee just go ballistic or "postal" for no reason. The most common cause of work place homicides are domestic situations. An employee with a dangerous spouse/significant other who has just been arrested on domestic violence charges or has been served with a protective should be brought to a supervisor's attention immediately.

With so much rage in schools, on the road and in the home, the Police have their hands full just reacting to situations where many times the SWAT team will be called in. Private security companies are a great resource to the business community as Police do not have the resources to sit for days and wait to see if something will happen.

Be part of the solution. Report all potentially dangerous situations in the workplace to a supervisor.]]> Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:28:00 +0000 domestic situations situations corporations hire bodyguards dangerous situations reason people reason companies hire corporations report incidents Work-place violence kills many U.S. workers every year. <![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[Training your way out of financial difficulty]]> http://securityratty.com/article/12d650660f94e450880b2e5530740ba0 http://securityratty.com/article/12d650660f94e450880b2e5530740ba0
Many of our students come from Police and Military backgrounds, with some still serving in those capacities. Last Friday, Police Magazine wrote an article about our training and how it was suited to those with a background in security. The editor asked me how attendees utilized the training once they graduated.

There are some who wish to train as Bodyguards as a career change, while others get into the profession as a way of advancing in the field of security and to be able to command a higher salary. That made me think about those who train to become Executive Protection agents so that they can work on a part-time basis. I recently read that many people who find themselves in financial difficulties during these trying times would be able to "stay afloat" if they could find a few hundred extra dollars every month. Of course, their regular jobs aren't going to give them a salary increase all of a sudden, so they must go out and do something to bring in that extra money.

Now there is another reason for people with the ability to further their education and training, not only to land a decent job, but to help them weather the storm during difficult periods like the present economic climate.
What better investment could one make than by investing in themselves?

Now that I'm back, I promise to pay attention to those security related items that might have escaped your attention. If you have anything you'd like to share, please feel free to drop me a line and tell me about it.]]> Sun, 11 May 2008 19:21:00 +0000 police intensive personal protection salary increase police magazine security executive protection agents bodyguards executive bodyguards salary Training your way out of financial difficulty <![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[Do not dismiss the dangers of being stalked]]> http://securityratty.com/article/9cc7f9cc43d39bbab3cabca5c34f8758 http://securityratty.com/article/9cc7f9cc43d39bbab3cabca5c34f8758

A: You are right to be concerned for your friend’s safety. Stalkers are people with serious mental disorders. The ones we tend to hear about most often are the cases involving celebrities. We all know what happened when John Lennon’s stalker followed him home and the ex-Beatle did not have any security around him. I have dealt with many cases and most people would be horrified to discover the thoughts that go through a stalker’s mind.

For instance, we were protecting a television personality some time ago who was being stalked by a person from out of State. The stalker “knew” our client from having seen her on television. However, in his mind, they were involved in a “relationship”. He would write to her work telling her that other television presenters were talking “in code” about our client and he on the air.

Our client became so frightened that she was afraid to go outside of her door. The stalker became more and more irrational and added to her state of fear when he declared that he knew she was sending him special messages by the color of clothes she wore when she appeared on television.

In that particular case, the stalker’s identity was known and the fact that he had previous convictions in his own State for a similar offence. It took several months, but eventually he was picked up by the Police on a warrant. The only way that the victim could go about her life was to have bodyguards protecting her 24 hours a day. Without that protection, she would have been looking over her shoulder everywhere she went and not only would it have made her job as a reporter extremely difficult, it would have hindered her ability to enjoy life.

I often advise clients to have the stalker’s handwriting examined and evaluated by a hand writing expert. On another case, the stalker had sent one of my clients several letters that had been computer generated but he had handwritten her address on the envelopes. I took the envelopes to a highly regarded hand writing expert for subsequent examination.

The expert’s evaluation was quite alarming. The stalker knew where our client lived, since he probably followed her on many occasions as he also knew her work address. Apparently he knew she was married and that is where it became very disturbing. The expert was able to tell that the stalker became angry when he wrote about our client’s husband in the letter.

When he mentioned her husband and even when he wrote her surname (which was her husband’s name and became her married name) on the envelope, he applied more pressure to the pen as the ink was darker. That was a tell tale sign of his anger. When I asked the expert if his handwriting gave away any clues to the stalker’s ability to harm our client or her husband, I was told that he was capable of inflicting physical harm, especially against the husband. The hand writing expert believed that if he did become physical that his preferred method of attack would be up close, most likely with a knife.

The Police will usually get involved and assist as much as possible to find a stalker and arrest them, albeit temporarily. Unfortunately, stalking is only a misdemeanor offence so even if a victim is successful in having a stalker arrested, they will most likely be out on bail in a short time. The best result will be if the authorities can have the person medically examined to determine if they are a real threat.

Those victims who can have their own security will obviously be in the safest position since the Police do not have the manpower to sit outside of a victim’s home at night and accompany them through out the routine of their daily life. For those who can not have their own private security, they should become extra observant as they go about their business and vary their routine.

They should pay attention to their rear-view mirror for anyone following behind their vehicle, make notes of vehicle tag numbers and description of suspicious persons. Dead bolts and an alarm system should be installed in the home. You should consider the use of discreet surveillance cameras.

Above all else, do not take chances. You will not know this person and therefore, you do not know what they are capable of doing. If at all possible, avoid traveling alone and always let people know your times of departure and estimated time of arrival. Listen to your inner feelings. If you feel something is not right, there is a good chance that it is not.

]]> Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:48:00 +0000 stalkers mind mind stalkers stalker john lennons stalker clients husband stalkers dangerous clients stalkers ability Do not dismiss the dangers of being stalked <![CDATA[It may be fashionable in Paris, but will lipstick and high heels keep Qaddafi Safe?]]> http://securityratty.com/article/50217c16558a1483bf192d95876ed9d7 http://securityratty.com/article/50217c16558a1483bf192d95876ed9d7

News reports were buzzing after Libya's controversial leader, Col. Qaddafi visited Paris. Most focused on the extravagance of the trip. Many appeared mesmerized by his all-female protective detail.

While we are used to seeing females as part of protective details, especially where female principals and children are involved, there is something that does not appear right about the Libyan leader's detail. There seems to be too much emphasis being placed on their looks and style. Afterall, it is quite difficult to imagine an attack scenario on a Principal being handled professionally by a security detail where everyone is wearing high heels and smiling at the cameras.

At the risk of sounding sexist or demeaning to women, these Libyan bodyguards look more like flight attendants than any kind of presidential Secret Service type of unit. While a strong case can be made that these women are helping to promote women's rights in the Islamic world, one wonders if they offer the kind of serious protection needed by a country leader.

This is even more relevant in today's climate with reports that Al Quaeda consider Qaddafi as an enemy of Islam for having "sold out" to the West. No doubt, his cruising around Paris with French President, Nicolas Sarkozy will not help his cause back at home.]]> Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:58:00 +0000 security detail detail paris qaddafi all-female protective detail news reports reports libyan leader libyan bodyguards It may be fashionable in Paris, but will lipstick and high heels keep Qaddafi Safe? <![CDATA[Providing executive protection for Lindsay Lohan, Brad Pitt, Mel Gobson and other Hollywood stars]]> http://securityratty.com/article/0a0bb304aa0629efb29e0a142be3607b http://securityratty.com/article/0a0bb304aa0629efb29e0a142be3607b

I've been hearing a lot of talk this past while about Hollywood stars hiring ex-Israeli Commandos to protect them. Reporters are calling it "the latest craze".

As a security professional, I am always suspect about anything that can be described as a "craze" or a "fad". Executive Protection or Personal Protection is not a new phenomenon. Unfortunately, Hollywood celebrities have not always proved to be the best judges in the past when it comes to deciding who to pick for their personal protection.

Many of Hollywood's leading stars have had (and some still do) big burly guys with names like "Tiny" and "Big Mo". Astute corporate executives on the other hand, realize the importance of hiring intelligent agents who can make split-second decisions and assist with the planning of the client's itinerary.

Hollywood clients beware; not every Israeli soldier belonged to a crack counter-terrorism unit. As a security employer, I am all too aware of how the truth very often gets stretched. It is not difficult for a truck driver to turn into a special forces commando merely by traveling to a new location.

Caveat Emptor; even those who are assigned to apecialized units need to have their credentials checked. This article from an Israeli publication highlights the fact that one of the Israeli bodyguards who "protected" Prime Minister Rabin on the night he was assasinated in 1995, is now the senior Israeli in charge of the security detail that will be protecting President Bush when he travels over there next month.

Maybe Hollywood needs to think less about muscle and hype and rely on U.S. companies who hire professionals with Secret Service and Diplomatic Security Service experience and whose backgrounds can be easily verified.]]> Sun, 23 Dec 2007 15:19:00 +0000 hollywood hollywood stars hollywood celebrities stars hollywood clients beware personal protection executive protection special forces commando prime minister rabin Providing executive protection for Lindsay Lohan, Brad Pitt, Mel Gobson and other Hollywood stars <![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".