How to Hire a Bodyguard

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Understand that "Personal Security" is a professional service

   As the core component of PROTECTIVE SERVICES, Personal Security is divided among several specialties focused on the type of person being protected.
   
   Individuals trained to handle corporate executives, politicians, dignitaries and high net-value families fall under "Executive Protection" or "EP" in contrast with those trained to handle Celebrities, Actors, Musicians, Professional Athletes and other high-profile, public individuals are commonly referred to as "Talent Security".
   
   All qualified Practitioners are driven to be visibly low profile and are capable of adapting to and remaining as unobtrusive to your lifestyle as possible.
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   Step 2: so keep your expectations realistic.

   , Contrast these specialists with the stereotypical 400-pound thugs working for Britney Spears or Madonna.
   
   These "bodyguards" are only able to REACT to a threat and are usually working as bouncers or bounty hunters and "sidelining" as a Bodyguard and generally lack the specialized training. , Learn the name of the required license for “Bodyguard” or “Personal Protection Officer” or something closely related.
   
   The candidates will need this license in order to work for you.
   
   That said, do not assume that a "Bodyguard" license from any state is in and of itself a good indicator of their abilities.
   
   The majority of states have no requirements other than a Concealed Handgun License, a few have very stringent training requirements and the rest have appallingly low training requirements that meet no professionally recognized minimum training standards.
   
   These licenses have names like Personal Protection Officer (PPO) or Personal Protection Specialist (PPS) and are probably required for the individual to work for you but most are acquired with very little training that anyone can get if they have a "Security Guard" license and $100 to pay for a "Bodyguard" course. , Oatman & Associates in Maryland National Protective Services Institute in Texas Gavin de Becker & Associates in California The former Vance International in Virginia International Training Group in California Texas A&M University's TEEX in Texas Academi/US Training Center in North Carolina Executive Protection International in Massachusetts.
   
   There is also a University that specializes in Personal Protection Management and offers Bachelors, Master's and Doctorate level Degrees (see Henley-Putnam University) If a candidate attended a school not listed above, ensure that the instructors openly identify themselves, have extensive experience (10+ years) in Government Protective Services or a civilian equivalent and that the course was a MINIMUM of 100 hours of formal personal security training.
   
   As a second choice, consider “Executive Protection/Protective Services/Corporate Security” personnel from Fortune 500 corporations like Microsoft, Dell, Boeing, IBM, etc., with direct (not limited or collateral) experience. , If a candidate claims to have been a member of a US military Special Operations Force, like Army Special Forces "Green Beret"
   
   US Army Ranger, Navy SEAL, Air Force Combat Controller, Marine Corps Special Operations (MARSOC), etc., ask them to provide you an ORIGINAL copy of their DD214.
   
   This document is issued to all former military service members and will give you the names of schools they graduated from and their professional character while in the service.
   
   If they claim their background is "Classified"
   
   they are lying to you.
   
   The only thing actually classified about their military background would be missions they took part in. ,,,,, If s/he gives you a list of names, those names would likely be okay and can most often be verified by contacting the company, government office or a celebrity's agent or representative.
   
   However if a candidate starts revealing personal information it is possible that they are violating non-disclosure and confidentiality statements they agreed to.
   
   At the same time, do not accept the response, "I can't tell you for reasons of privacy." Good bodyguards are very careful about divulging information about former clients or protects, and will find a way for you to verify their claims without violating confidentiality agreements. , Again, there are very few recognized and respected schools in the US that teach these skills; Scotti School of Defensive Driving (SSDD) Bill Scott Raceways (BSR) Vehicle Dynamics Institute Bob Bondurant School of Performance Driving Crossroads Training Academy Advanced Driving & Security Inc. (ADSI) Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Vehicle Ambush Countermeasures Training Program (VACTP).
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   Step 3: unlike the United Kingdom

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   Step 4: there are no national civilian training standards for this profession in the US or Canada

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   Step 5: there are several titles a Practitioner may use: Executive Protection

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   Step 6: Protective Services

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   Step 7: Personal Protection or Personal Security.

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   Step 8: Like the Secret Service

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   Step 9: the best individuals are proactive

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    Step 10: clean cut

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    Step 11: intelligent

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    Step 12: articulate

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    Step 13: educated professionals that are trained to PREVENT a threat to your welfare.

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    Step 14: Look on the Internet for your state’s private security company regulations.

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    Step 15: Ensure your candidates are graduates of a Government Protective Services course from the; United States Secret Service (Special Agent versus Uniformed Division)) US State Department's Diplomatic Security Service Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) US Army Military Police School's Protective Services Training Course US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) US Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) or graduates from one of the few

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    Step 16: internationally recognized and respected

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    Step 17: civilian executive protection schools in the US like; Executive Security International(ESI)in Colorado Executive Protection Institute in Virginia R.L.

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    Step 18: Just because someone has been in the military

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    Step 19: law enforcement or has worked overseas on a Protective Services Detail (PSD) DOES NOT mean they have the right mind-set

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    Step 20: training or skill-sets to perform Personal Security within the United States.

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    Step 21: Get a photocopy of the applicant’s driver’s license

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    Step 22: Social Security card and copies of any professional certificates.

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    Step 23: Conduct a background check on the web and pay for a simple criminal history check.

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    Step 24: Have every candidate sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (available for free on the Internet) before discussing your needs or personal information.

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    Step 25: Look for specific experience

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    Step 26: and ask for examples of how the candidate has demonstrated proficiency in skills including

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    Step 27: but not limited to: Choreography (knowing how to stand

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    Step 28: walk and get in and out of a car with a Protectee) Conducting advance work to prepare for trips and events ahead of time Effective countermeasures to deal with an attack or security threat if one materializes Knowledge of physical security and access control systems Formal training in specialized driving skills

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    Step 29: and Extensive Firearms and Defensive Tactics or martial arts training

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    Step 30: Ask the candidate about "big name" people s/he has protected.

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    Step 31: Specialized driving skills are generally considered a sub-specialty within Personal Security and are commonly known as Evasive and/or Counter-ambush Driving

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    Step 32: that few Personal Security practitioners have formal

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    Step 33: in-depth training in.

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