They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Female bodyguards, tell us  your thoughts.
Obama and The Presidential Security Challenge
Â
By Fred Burton and Ben West
The U.S. presidential campaign trail presents a host of challenges for the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protective detail assigned to cover the presidential candidates, something we’ve discussed previously. Major presidential candidates have been afforded USSS protection since the 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy at a campaign event. Due to the nature of modern presidential campaigns, the candidates’ schedules are packed with events that often start at breakfast and continue long after dinner. Candidates also hopscotch across the country, often visiting several cities in a day and sometimes visiting multiple venues in the same city.
The Security Challenge of Campaign Season
In the last weeks before the Nov. 4 election, the campaign of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama hit several different cities in one day, meaning that several teams of advance agents were deployed around the country at any given time. For example, on Nov. 3, Obama visited Jacksonville, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Manassas Park, Va. Campaign managers often adjust itineraries on the fly to meet the needs of the campaign.
This tempo constantly forces protection agents into new environments with very little time to plan and implement security measures. Wherever Obama traveled during the campaign, USSS agents would send advance teams to scout airports and motorcade routes, plan security for campaign sites, conduct liaison with local police and keep tabs on any persons of interest during the visit. The advance agents are supplemented by teams of extra agents to help secure sites; dog handlers and explosive ordnance disposal technicians to check for explosive devices; and uniformed officers to help control access to sites, man metal detectors and provide countersniper support.
Due to the nature of political campaigns, once a candidate like Obama lands and safely arrives at an event location, there is frequently tremendous exposure to the public. This is true not just on stage behind a podium but also as the candidate works the crowd, shaking hands, kissing babies and talking to voters. As seen during the May 1972 attempted assassination of George Wallace and the later attempts against presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, it is during these times of close interaction with the public that a VIP is at the highest risk. Would-be assassins can use the crowd for camouflage and quickly get a close shot at the VIP, leaving little time for agents to respond to the threat. Because of this, working the crowd is a difficult task and one protection agents hate. Fortunately for the Obama protective detail, with the election period over they will find themselves in these kinds of situations less frequently. [Read more…] about Obama and The Presidential Security Challenge
International Academy of Executive Protection Agents
Bodyguard Careers is pleased to announce its partnership with, Prof. Leonard Holifield, and the International Academy of Executive Protection Agents. Our first executive protection course in Atlanta is scheduled for January 17th, 18th & 19th 2009 and is filling up quickly!
Due to popular demand, the International Academy of Executive Protection Agents is going to offer another round of courses in Washington D.C Las Vegas and New York, the first and second week of February. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from one of the top professionals in the business!
For more information please contact Harlan Austin via email:
Â
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af-RioWxRz0[/youtube]
Interview with Jacquieline Davis
Jacquieline Davis
For more than twenty-five years British born Jacquieline Davis survived as one of the top operators in a male-dominated profession – the secretive, often dangerous world of covert operations. After leaving the police force she worked as a bodyguard, where her training – which included combat training – and a willingness to risk everything for “the client”, led her into increasingly dangerous operations, so much so that she became recognized as “The World’s Top Female Bodyguard”.
Her book, The Circuit is a fascinating account of one woman’s amazing experiences involving the dangerous job of rescuing children and adults around the world to the more glittering world of guarding well-known celebrities such as Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli and J.K. Rowling. Available from amazon.com or www. jacquiedavis.com
BGC: How did you get started in the Executive Protection Field?
Jacquieline Davis: Back in the 1970s, police pay was very poor and everybody moonlighted to earn more money. Working as a bodyguard was one of those jobs we were asked to do. Our Pay as a bodyguard was £30 per day for 12 hours. It was a fortune to us as police take-home pay was about £120 per month ($240 dollars at today’s rate). I was then asked by an agency if I would like to train as a Bodyguard, I said yes and the rest is history.
BGC: Who are your typical clients? Celebrities? Executives?
Jacquieline Davis: Most of my clients are Executives, I shy away from the pop bands and singers, they have minders, not Bodyguards.
BGC: What is a “minder?” [Read more…] about Interview with Jacquieline Davis
Book of the Month
“DEAD CLIENTS DON’T PAY”
by Leroy Thompson Paladin Press, 1984 120 Pages
This book is certainly dated, but has some good information. It has somewhat more fluff than substance, but is an entertaining read. Topics related to bodyguarding include: protecting and securing the home, office, and automobiles, threat assessment, weapons and tactics. There’s alot about the “perks” of this type of work, and the author highlights the glitz and glamour of the job. A good primer for someone curious and looking for an overview of the profession.
True Bodyguard Stories # 9 Playing With The Paparazzi
When you work for an extremely popular mega-star, one of the major responsibilities is dealing with the paparazzi. They can be like sharks with cameras, and navigating rough waters with a famous celebrity can be tricky and sometimes downright dangerous.
I worked for a major recording celebrity in the 1980s who didn’t like having his picture taken. He was always asking us to try and confiscate the film. One time, as my client was getting into his limousine, a photog jumped into the car with him to snap a close shot. The client went crazy, and the head of security asked us to handle the situation. I was young, but I knew that if I laid my hands on this photographer, or his camera equipment, it could mean big trouble since the law would be on his side. The other two bodyguards in the entourage jumped into action–forcefully ejecting the guy from the car and grabbing his camera and film.
Of course, the photog called the police and one bodyguard was arrested for battery and the other for robbery. They spent the night in jail.
Since our client was so adamant about not letting people take his picture, it was always a big pain dealing with the paparazzi. He’d order us to confiscate the film from the camera (that was back before digital) but we’d all learned our lesson, and it wasn’t worth jail or the consequential smear on our records to steal property from other people just because he was camera-shy! It got so we’d keep rolls of film in our pockets, just so he’d think we’d done his bidding. We’d race off after a guy, and a couple minutes later, return. He’d ask to see the evidence, and we’d reach into a pocket and pull out one of our decoys.
[Read more…] about True Bodyguard Stories # 9 Playing With The Paparazzi