Back in the 1980s, most bodyguard “training” consisted of stints in the military. (ESI is the oldest intelligence-based protection services training program in the world, and was founded only 28 years ago.) I was one of the lucky few who fell into this line of work thanks to friendships and “right time, right place” circumstances.
I had to do most of my learning on-the-job. When I started out in this business, I was pretty much the baggage wrangler, and moved my way up through the ranks. Along my move up, I became involved in conducting advance detail duties. One of the most important things I learned is that executive protection work is based on a strong foundation of advance work. The advance team serves as the “eyes and ears” for the detail. Advance work means using a checklist to prepare for all types of scenarios.
At that time (before any formal training on advance work was in place) it was really something that came out of developing common sense, using imagination to help visualize “worse-case-scenarios” and paying attention to intuition. I actually rather enjoyed doing advance work, because truthfully–it was time to myself when I wasn’t at the beck and call of the protectee I was protecting. It was breathing room, and a chance to look around whatever city we might be in! This is a true story about the importance of conducting thorough advance work.
My protectee was a major super star in the mid 1980s. He had a penchant for visiting nightclubs after his concerts, and it was my duty to look the place over and arrange for special seating and take note as to the layout, exits, and in-house security procedures. In this story, the club of the hour was in West Hollywood, located in the Beverly Center.
I did a walk-through with one of the club bouncers to locate back exits, restrooms, and to generally assess the safest place for my protectee to be seated. I observed that there were no metal-detectors and that these bouncers didn’t conduct any sort of pat-downs. Needless to say, this had me somewhat worried–don’t forget, this was California in the ’80s, when drive-by shootings and acts of gang violence in seemed an everyday occurrence.
Later that evening, we are all at the club–my principal is seated at his table–and his long-time friend who was a hugely popular comedian and actor shows up, and decides to sit at the adjoining table. He has his cadre of burly bodyguards on hand, as well.
The club is thumping and jumping, and everyone is having a great time when we hear a series of gunshots ring out! I look up, and see all five of the comedian’s bodyguards dive to cover their protectee, all of them in a huddle. My guys and I circle our protectee, and because I had done my advance work, hustle him out through the back kitchen exit. I had purposefully seated him near this exit, which could not be seen from inside the club. We were out and in the cars in less than a few minutes, heading down the road.
My protectee called up his comedian buddy the next day, to see how he had fared in the melee–which was how we all learned the details of what occurred after our hasty exit. Turns out, his bodyguards tried to hurry him out the front entrance, where they’d come in, which moved them all towards the shooter–who fired 2 more rounds!
There had already been mass panic–now it was complete insanity, with hundreds of people rushing to get out and away from the shooter. The comedian’s guards once again threw themselves over their protectee, and damn-near suffocated him. They were stuck in all that hysteria and chaos for 45 minutes!
The comedian asked my employer “how’d you get out of there so fast?” and my guy said “Didn’t your people check out the club before you got there?” Apparently they hadn’t. When the comedian realized that his bodyguards didn’t have the foresight to do any advance work, he fired every one of them.
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Bill
Great story. John has a commodity that is becoming increasingly rarer: the gift of common sense. As we used to say in law enforcemtn, too bad it cant be taught.
John
Planning for the “worest-case” I THINK is always a good idea, then if it doesn’t happen then everything else is gravy! I actually had a boss tell to stop planning for worest case, it will never-or highly unlikely happen… . I thought humm interesting, history says it does.
Great story, I have seen this happen time and time again to my amazment.
Carlos Amaya
Great Article and a great lesson on the lack of advance work. While reading this article I started realizing how far the “Bodyguard” industry has come. It has become more intelligence and more high tech based. Now we can use our computer and internet access to map out travaling routes for our clients and also to network with others in the industry! This days we see less and less of the big muscle bound guy standing next to the principal, perhaps on certain details this type of bodyguards are required but certainly not on most. Even your average security guard who works at any local convenience store is required to have additional training which includes customer service, but its all good for the protective services industry in general that these changes have taken and are taking place. The real estate industry has the following motto – Location, Location, Location!! For the EPS industry the motto is – Advance Work, Advance Work, Advance Work!!
Michael B
Great article Hucky and excellent comment Darren. Advance work is vital and one of the keys to staying employed in our line of work. In the event your client throws you a ‘fast ball’ (deciding to go to a venue at the last minute and without notice) at least one agent of the detail should be sent by the team leader to perform a hasty advance of the site. We are not only hired to protect from physical harm, but if you take your job seriously, you’ll make every attempt in protecting your client from embarrassment and image damage. We do that through advance work. Letting the team leader know prior to arrival that media is present at the venue or even a ‘persistent’ fan was spotted. That’s why its is always a good rule of practice to have a vehicle designated solely for the advance agent or team.
Deb Conrad
Excellent story and the comment by Darren is truthful as well. I guess the only thing I can add to this,is just the reminder…… Never get too confortable. Very good website by the way…..
darren c
Thorough planning and preparation is essential to our job, but even if time doesnt permit ie client in a rush, at least one of the comedians bodyguards could of located exits on arrival if you get what i mean.