I recently came across this post in one of the groups that I belong to. It’s a response to a new individual from one of the true professionals in the industry, Joe LaSorsa. Joe’s response is 100% spot on and it’s definitely something I thought would be worth sharing with the readers of my blog. Enjoy.
Hucky
“There are so many individuals out there right now, as the Recession and the economy are hurting all business, to include the E.P. business, who are offering training as an additional avenue for revenue stream.
I suggest you search and review the available courses out there and evaluate the course content and who is offering the course and the credentials of the instructors. So many of these individuals have questionable, vague or nebulous backgrounds and experience. There are courses of all different types, levels and of varying durations and fees. What you have to determine is what is your need to be instructed in and who do you wish to provide you with your training.
Furthermore – a point about firearms and martial arts in our industry: They are great skill sets, but, first and foremost, work in the private sector is done with one or only a few agents and the issue of being armed because almost a non-relevant entity.
This is because your first and foremost concern is your protectee and client. Covering and evacuating your client is your primary concern! So, how does anyone expect that taking on an agitator or a person causing a nuisance to your client or even responding to an assailant can be accomplished effectively when you’re working by yourself or with only one or two other individuals, who may not even be anywhere close to you?
A weapon may conceivably be needed; but it will usually be the case where you will be required to utilize your discretionary skills of non-confrontation, incident avoidance and subject stabilization. As a note, Secret Service Agents, who have worked millions and millions of hours of executive protection since 1901 have never fired a weapon in a protective scenario! Never! It is an oxymoron to think that it would be a primary response. Your primary response is ‘Cover and Evacuate’!!!
Getting some training and not spending a fortune on it is critical.
However, first and foremost, obtaining the prerequisite entry level experience and NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING is how you get jobs in this field.
If you are a seasoned individual, or someone out of the military or former law enforcement, do you really need CPR and firearms training? If not, then why would you want to pay $$ to a training venue for that training now.
You do need training, however, much of the training can be obtained less expensively on your own, without paying the enormously high dollars for the long and drawn out schools. For example, you can and should get your firearms, CPR & first aid and defensive driving training ON YOUR OWN (most if which you may already have).
Joseph A. LaSorsa, CPP (ASIS – Certified Protection Professional)
J.A. LaSorsa & Associates
Mailing Address:
322 Silver Creek Landing Rd.
Swansboro, NC 28584
(U.S. SECRET SERVICE – RET.)
954-783-5020 (24 hour contact)
http://www.lasorsa.com
I have a few comments to make which, are not intended to be responses to any one particular comment made but are related to the subject matter in question… the protection specialist’s primary responsibility in protecting the client and the role that firearms play as a tool of self defense and the type, quality and quantity of training required to reach a satisfactory level of competence.
Yes, it is our primary task as a protector, to get the client out of harms way if all other measures employed to keep him or her out of trouble in the first place have failed. Yes, covering and evacuating the client are the best methods of achieving that aim when things go “pear shaped”, and yes, it may well become necessary to employ firearms in defending the client if immediate evacuation is not possible without first neutralizing the threat.
That said, even though the likelihood of ever having to actually draw, let alone fire, a weapon is extremely small, the need to train in the use of firearms remains a very large part of our training (in my humble opinion) and here is why:
In the unlikely event that we need to use the firearm that we’ve been carrying for years, we need to be able to use it safely, accurately and decisively without any hesitation and with the ability to immediately fix any malfunction that may occur while covering our client and moving off the “X”, at speed while possibly being shot at.
As a firearms trainer and Michigan CPL/CCW trainer I see people all the time who claim to practice often, that, even in a relaxed situation on a one way range, cannot hit the broad side of a barn at 10 paces!
Even if they could hit the target at 10 paces with ease, when I add in a little stress by introducing a time limit on taking a shot, most start to have issues. Add in the possibility of someone shooting at you and the responsibility of having to protect someone else and the task becomes infinitely more difficult.
So let’s be honest here, how many out there devote enough time to the kind of training where they can:
1. Realize there’s an immediate threat right now.
2. Understand that without your immediate action, your client or you may end up severely injured or dead.
3. Realize that immediate escape is not possible.
4. Accurately identify the source of the threat.
5. Draw your weapon.
6. Accurately and safely engage and neutralize the threat without endangering yourself, your client or any other innocent bystander.
7. Do it ALL right now!!
Remember that for any action to become ‘recorded’ into the body as muscle memory (happen as a natural reaction) that action must be repeated a minimum of 4,000 times so one must draw their weapon (often from a concealed carry situation and often with different kinds of clothing which open in different ways) possibly from a different position each time (shoulder rig, weapon side hip holster, ankle holster, tactical concealed carry pack, etc) each one needing to be practiced a minimum of 4,000 times. Then there’s rapid acquisition of the target… again repeated a minimum of 4,000 times, possibly from a multitude of positions… then there’s the trigger squeeze… again an minimum of 4,000 times… I could go on but I think you’re getting my point.
If everyone in this forum is honest, very few, if any of you could, without extensive training similar to the kind of training that SF guys get drilled through on a regular basis. The fact is, most of us do not have the kind of money or time available to achieve this level of mastery. One training tool that can help is force on force training but few places offer it. Another training tool is dry fire practice (contrary to popular belief, it will NOT damage your firearm) and draw practice.
It is true that we are in a saturated market place and it is also true that there are a huge number of schools out there… some old and some new… it is equally true that for every good school, there are just as many, if not more bad ones so you do have to choose carefully but take a word of advice… shiny isn’t always best (all that glitters is not gold) so don’t go for the first school you come across that has flashy advertising gimmicks and remember that reputation is not always everything… there are some schools out there right now that are skirting on a reputation earned 20 years ago that they are not even close to matching today yet they are among the first schools people seek out.
Also, don’t automatically assume that because the instructors have all got bachelor degrees or course certificates from various training schools, that they are the most knowledgeable in their field – granted they have earned a piece of paper that says they have a capacity to learn and the money to afford the education but while they were at college, some instructors were out doing the job in the real world gaining the best knowledge possible – that gleaned from actual experience.
The most important aspect of any training course is it’s curriculum… What are you going to learn on the course? and, how is the content going to be delivered?
Are you going to be sitting in a classroom all day with no practical, hands-on training? Are you just going to be doing show and tell (where the instructor shows everyone what to do and how to do it but without allowing hands on practice from the students)?
Are you going to get any kind of ‘handouts’ where you have information that you can take away to watch or read at your leisure so that all of the information can be learned instead of the small amount that was retained in the lesson…
I could go on but I know I’m rambling so I’ll cut it short at this point… hopefully, I got my point across that you can never get enough firearms training and that there is more to selecting a training program and provider than merely seeing shiny ads, old reputations and instructors with walls full of framed certificates…
I wonder how many of the people who take classes in EP and spend $1000’s of dollars for it, ever get to work on an EP detail and make their money back.
Very important for all CPOs to understand,that the firearm is a LAST DITCH weapon, and not your primary weapon.
All too often I have seen newly trained CPOs walking as though they are Wyatt Earp or John Wayne, just looking for someone to kill.
Firstly the paperwork involved is a mountain and your weapon will be claimed as evidance you will be arrested you will cause great inconveniance to your principle you will not be very popular.
This is not a Stephan Segal movie where you can shoot 20 people in the first ten minutes and simply walk away.
The best advice is planning planning planning keep a healthy mind in a healthy body keep the brain cells active, A CLEAR CONCISE MIND IS YOUR PRIMARY WEAPON.
Out think the bad guys, when the SH*T hits the fan dont be in the room.
In my 20 odd years in this game I have never had to use lethal force, and I ascribe this to good intel proper planning and good back up plans. The odd smack on the head of a journalist who gets excited or fan who wont let go of a hand, coupled with the trust and confidence of your principle who will listen to your advice.
Remember you are not paid for what you do but for what you might have to do and if you have to do it they dont pay you nearly enough.
A fighter pilots last ditch is his ejectuion seat and you dont see them wanting to use it every time they fly.
To squeese the trigger will change your life forever.
Be safe.
Robert
This is so important for those of us that have been in the industry as well as newcomers looking to work in EP. From my experience this is what I have learned:
Most of the work is local, small detail (1 or 2 man)
Customer service, paying attention to detail, and the ability to adapt to an everchanging evnviroment have greater value, than run and gun, or martial arts.
The ability to get along with others, even those that may irritate you.
Be willing to accept that you may be tasked to perform menial personal tasks (Buy coffee, carry briefcase, pick up kids, drop off documents) and perform tasks that would fall under personal assistant.
Many starting out in the industry believe they will get training and the offers will come in. The field is rewarding, but is saturated with an overabundance of operators of all skill levels.
Be willing to do the small tasks and earn your reputation as someone who is willing and humble.
And then the wannabees as us..why does your company focus so much on counter surveillance..cause 90 percent of what we do needs it to survive.
great read Hucky
As a new EP I think this article and all comments are great!
The first thing our trainer advised was “we cover and evacuate”. Have a firearm but that is a last resort tool.
Lots of good info here, thanks to all participants.
If anyone has any work for a new guy please let me know. Starting a new career after 30 years in the old one.
Mr. LaSorsa makes several good points in his article and I do not dispute any of the fundamental ideas he puts forward.
Mr. LaSorsa’s one statement, “As a note, Secret Service Agents, who have worked millions and millions of hours of executive protection since 1901 have never fired a weapon in a protective scenario! Never!” is contradicted by several accounts of the actions of legendary Secret Service Agent Floyd Boring on 1 November 1950 when Puerto Rican nationalist attempted to assassinate President Truman at the Blair House in Washington DC. According to the accounts Agent Boring shot at Oscar Collazo with his 38 Cal Detective Special when Collazo and Griselio Torresola made their attack on President Truman’s residence (the White House was undergoing repairs so the Trumans were living across the street at the Blair House). Collazo was hit at least two times by either Agent Boring or a White House Police Officer on security duty at the Blair House, both of whom shot at Mr. Collazo. Mr. Torresola was killed by White House Police Officer Les Coffelt who had been shot three times by Mr. Torresola. Officer Coffelt later died of his wounds. President Truman hearing the shots being fired opened the window of his room to look out and see what was happening. He was about 30 feet away from the action. President Truman was not injured in the attack.
My information may be an incorrect account of the incident and Mr. LaSorsa’s could have better information in which case I apologize for this post. The point is still well made even if there has been one case of a Secret Service agent firing a weapon in defensive of a principal that is still only one case in the millions of hours the Agency has spent defending high value targets in high threat situations.
Excellent advice. I do not work in E.P., but as a private security supervisor. I am very proud of the fact that, in 14 years, I have only been involved in (3) physical ‘entanglements’. This includes all areas I’ve worked…. (4) years as an auxiliary police officer, bouncer, security guard, private security patrol officer, etc. Yes, sometimes a forceful response is the only way out, when it gets to that point, everyone has already lost 🙁
Mr. LaSorsa beat me to it… 🙂
Well, just like the USSS, I’m sure that most of us prepare for the most unlikely scenarios because the price for failure is unacceptable. But some come into this job focusing on shooting and combat skills (and some schools cater to that mindset), and they’re missing the big picture. I think that’s LaSorsa’s point.
None of the guys I encounter in the field seems to realize (or accept) that we’re not supposed to crouch and lower our profile when shots ring out: we’re the shield between bullets and our clients. Similarly, a lot of us have to break out of the “search and destroy” or “engage the threat” mode, to fully embrace the C&E mission.
So my take is that the article speaks to a focus shift, considering the odds. But we all know that we should prepare for the worst.
Gentleman,
The comments made on this topic are great!
We simply need to keep in mind:
We are “Incident Avoidance Professionals”!
The moment we have to draw a weapon and get involved in a firefight, the protectee will be a great risk and and may suffer harm or may even be killed. We then, will have failed at our ‘mission’.
In private sector one and two man protective scenarios, firing a weapon and the ‘cover and evacuate’ concept are essentially an ‘oxymoron’!!!
Utilizing any and all levels of advance work available and being pro-active, alert and avoiding incidents – is the best and practically the only way you will be able to keep your client safe and secure in the private sector world of ‘limited resources’.
However, having said this, it still does not preclude the need to be proficient with firearms; to be physically fit; to be as well trained, experienced and knowledgeable as possible and to always be prepared for any eventuality!
I have been in the business for years. I have always been of the mind set that the most, or one of the most important schools you should attend is a driving school. You can do this on your own for a resonable about of money. Think about it… you drive your family every day, your client, your dog, your life depends on being a great driver. I also teach at a shoot school but more for the civilian and security gaurds who need a CCW. I love to shoot but short of being on a detail in Iraq have I have never had to draw my weapon while with a client. Thank you for this artical, remember, our greatest weapons,,, Mind, eyes and the ability to read people.
First of all there is no disrespect to the Author. Joe LaSorsa is well respected and a professisonal in the field. I beleive haveing a ccw and the ability to carry a firearm looks great on a resume. Just make sure you are properly trained and proficient with it. Second it is a great statistc that the Secret Service has never fired a weapon however, we have had Presidents shot and killed. Sould there be a happy medium.
Another big yes! And I’m with Joe Nuskivicz too. When you consider that our job is to stay a couple of moves ahead of any potential threat (instead of confronting them), it becomes obvious that our best weapon is between our ears, and that we have to have the discipline to keep using that one… so we don’t have to produce the others.
The “rest” is nice, but mostly for bragging rights and fluffing up resumes to impress clients who don’t know any better.
Few people who start out in the business have a clear understanding of what it entails, though, and that turns them into easy preys for all types of “instructors”. Tactical entry team tactics see little use on celebrity details, for example…
I think you’re often better off learning the ropes on the job, then seeking training in the areas where you realize you fall short, rather than looking for that ONE school that’ll teach you everything.
A prospective employer once asked me how good of a shot I was (better than him, it turned out!), and that instantly told me he was a joke. This is not what the job is about.
A GREAT ARTICLE JOE LASORA IT HIT HOME PLATE .I WAS TAUGHT THAT A LONG TIME AGO AVOID CONFLICT DO YOUR JOB.PROTECTION IS THE GOAL OF CLIENT .
I attended J.A.Lasorsa & Associates and i can say Joe gave alot of information and he made you wanna learn his class was full of excitment and it was a great learning experience…I would advise any one who is interested in E.P. Training that does not have alot of money and want training attend one of Joes classes you will love it…….Thanks Joe…..
“Thanks, Hucky!! Will take and pass this along;)”
“I agree, great article! This goes along with my personal philosophy that proaction is the goal. Proaction is avoiding a conflict or attack. Reaction is having to fight, subdue or resort to lethal force. I consider my successes by the number of “situations” I was able to detect and avoid.”
“Outstanding.”
“Excellent advice. Thanks!”
Have been in the industry since 1997 & consider myself to be a true PROFESSIONAL with GREAT TRAINING & ON THE JOB EXPERIENCE. ALWAYS ALWAYS check company & instructor back grounds & what TRUE knowledge / REAL on the job EXPERIENCE they had. There are far to many individuals & companies that can TALK THE TALK but cant WALK THE WALK.”