Nobody’s Thug

Back in the mid-90s, I was working with a partner in Los Angeles. We got the call to work a detail for a wealthy V.I.P. who needed two bodyguards for a night out at one of the swankiest nightclubs in the city. My partner and I were responsible for driving this gentleman and his entourage of 15 people to the venue, and the job was fairly routine, as these jobs go; escorting his guests to the restroom, getting the server when the cocktails were running low, keeping his area of the V.I.P. room secure.

Everything changed when a friend of mine showed up. She and I had met at the gym, and both knew some of the same people in the acting world. It just so happened her photo spread had just appeared, and she was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month. She came by to say hello, and immediately after she walks away, my client asks “who was that?” He was rather forceful guy, clearly accustomed to getting what he wanted. “I want to meet her,” he insisted. So, I thought to be polite, I’d make an introduction. I brought her around to his table, and of course she was her usual nice, friendly self and she’d become something of a celebrity so she was obliging a fan.

After a few minutes of chatting, and a glass of champagne, she excused herself and returned to her friends. My client walked up to me and said “I want her.” He seemed to mistake her charm and politeness for interest in him. I explained that she was there with her boyfriend, a New York actor of some note, but that didn’t dissuade this guy. “How much do I have to pay you to kick his ass?” I was taken aback. I’d never had a client make such a ridiculous request.

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In the interest of providing our visitors with the best information available to succeed in this business, following are the top websites every bodyguard needs to bookmark!
Some of these are places to SEE, others places to BE SEEN. Brief descriptions of each website are included, please be sure to visit them to learn first-hand how they can be of help to you. Also, feel free to let us know which sites you like, or to comment!

#10 http://www.commandpost.org

An A-Z listing of resources for individuals in the protective services. Need to charter a helicopter for your principal? Want to know where to purchase special equipment? Learn about biochemical security? A compendium of odds and ends of interest.

#9   http://www.freelancesecurity.com

Just as the name suggests, this is a “Bulletin Board” of sorts where jobs are posted. A lot of private investigation work, surveillance, fraud detection. Post your services as a security consultant here to be considered for employment opportunities.

 #8   http://www.myspace.com

This is a place to promote yourself and your services. A lot of my friends gave me a hard time when I created a profile here (’cause a lot of young people use this site) BUT I have been able to reconnect with so many old colleagues and friends, and have heard from so many people with similar interests that I think it merits a spot in my Top Ten.

#7 http://www.linkedin.com

“Grown-Up” version of MySpace. Another place for you to post a profile and network with like-minded individuals in this field. Find old friends and make new ones! Good for self-advertising.

#6 http://industry-icon.com/blog/

My buddy Elijah Shaw’s ongoing blog. Smart guy, with interesting information to impart. Currently working as Usher’s bodyguard. (Sorry, my friend, but I had to rank my website a little higher than yours–hope you understand!) (more…)

“Hey, Hucky,” people ask, “why do you still use the term bodyguard?” Some visitors to the website have been giving me a bit of a hard time about the fact that I still use the word bodyguard, but there is a method to my madness! Let me explain.

The majority of the public does not know the up-to-date terminology for what we do. I know, the preferred job title is EPS (Executive Protection Specialist) or CPO (Close Protection Operative). The fact is, most people who are NOT in the business know the term “bodyguard” and that is what they will type in when they want to go online to find out more information. Google search engines recognize the word and this recognition means my website is ranked higher and thereby gets more traffic. More traffic means more job listings, more stories, more information and in general, more connectivity for all of us in this business.

For example, did you know that people in the film industry who work as crew (gaffers, lighting people, best boy, grips, production assistants) are said to work “below-the-line”? That’s an insider’s term for those positions. You can see how someone who isn’t an insider, who is trying to locate a film production assistant, let’s say, would search by “production assistant” rather than “below-the-line talent.”

Shakespeare said “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” and I’d like to state  “An EPS by any other name would still save your life.” It’s just a word. I know it’s archaic and brings to mind knuckle-headed over-sized lunks in black suits and sunglasses, but sadly, the rest of the world just hasn’t caught on to the new terminology. Until they do, I will continue to use it in my stories and articles, interchanging it as often as possible with the preferred nomenclature. With any luck at all, the word “bodyguard” will go the way of the dinosaur.

Kudos to Kid Rock’s bodyguard “Little Bear” for conducting advance work and finding a hidden surveillance camera that was installed in Rock’s dressing room. The performer was in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Myth night club, where his personal security team discovered the illegal spyware.

As someone who has worked for years with entertainers, I cannot express enough how important it is to be diligent conducting advance work. It will not only protect the client, but help you to keep your job!  I’m not going to lie–it’s not exactly the most interesting or exciting aspect of working as a bodyguard, but it can make everything go smoothly.

I remember times when I’d have already put in a long day with a particular celebrity, who would then tell us he’d like to go to a local club after the concert. As exhausted as I might have been, it was important to never become lax in advance work. I’d run out ahead and figure out the best route, how to get the celebrity in through an unobtrusive entrance, find a safe “holding area” for him, locate the restrooms, all emergency exits, and anticipate and watch for any fans or paparazzi who had somehow managed to figure out where we were going, and followed. I’d take notes of where everything was and the security team would all be apprised of the venue floor plan.

You work with a lot of maps when you’re a bodyguard–when we traveled out of the state (or the country) we were constantly consulting maps. We may have flown in a private jet, but once landing in a city that is on the look-out for a celebrity’s arrival, life is anything but private, and we’d need to know exactly how to get from the airport to the hotel. (more…)

Recently the following question was posed: “what is the age cut-off to for this type of work?  When is a person considered too old?”

Truth be told, it depends partly upon the assignment. Every job requires different skills from an EPS/Bodyguard. Surprisingly, many positions don’t demand someone to be in top physical form, (although that is most often preferred) it is to a certain degree, an industry expectation. However, there is no industry standard that says you must lift X amount of pounds, or run a mile in X amount of time in order to do this type of work.

SIDE BAR: If you can’t go up several flights of stairs without getting out of breath or can no longer bend over to tie your shoes, you might be in trouble with this type of career!

I continue to work out and stay strong. The thing is, I’m of an age where I just no longer want those celebrity details that keep me up all hours of the night at a club or in a recording studio. I’m strong and have a lot of stamina, but my MIND gets too bored with all that. And truthfully, I don’t care to bench 350 lbs any more and spend so much of my life at the gym. I am more interested in the organizational and recruitment aspects of protective services now.

Certainly, to have the most opportunities, potential bodyguards need to be physically strong, quick and flexible. Also mentally bright, articulate, and an outstanding problem solver. The ability to handle firearms and shoot with accuracy is certainly a bonus.  If you can speak other languages, then your opportunities (and salary) certainly go up from there. Lastly, if you have keen insights and experience with a foreign culture or military training, you are fortunate and certainly well-rounded and the most likely candidate to garner top jobs in terms of responsibility and pay.

The range of work and range of skills needed in this business are wide. The scope can start at the big burly front door guy and move into celebrity protection all the way to protecting foreign dignitaries and the like.

Age is not necessarily relevant in this line of work. Some of the best tactical skills and problem-solving skills come with age, and much is to be said about on-the-job experience. A physically fit body is not the only criteria for success. I will state however, that most individuals who want real longevity in this field are in excellent health, take good care of themselves physically and mentally and could pass physical fitness tests that the general public would most likely fail!

Hucky