Executive Protection Services
Security
Executive Protection: How It Works and Why You Need It
What Is Executive Protection
Per Wikipedia’s definition, " Executive protection (EP), also known as close protection, refers to security and risk mitigation measures taken to ensure the safety of VIP’s or other individuals who may be exposed to elevated personal risk because of their employment, high-profile status, net worth, affiliations, or geographical location. "1 Regarding protective measures, the article further states, " Protective measures may include home security, bodyguards, armored vehicles and vehicle scramble plans, mail screening, private jet travel, background checks for other employees, and other precautions.[2] Executive protection may also provide security for immediate and/or extended family members to prevent kidnapping and extortion. ".
Do You Need Executive Protection Services?
Your high-profile life as a company CEO, entertainer, athlete, heir, or public figure can leave you vulnerable to bodily harm and abduction attempts throughout your day-to-day life. Your family might also be at elevated personal attack attempts because of your high-profile status.
Your best defense against sudden, immediate harm to your family could be found in executive protection services.
Nevada security specialists MPS Security make the case for executive security services in four key points. Their website cites these reasons for getting close protection services: " 1. It allows you to be proactive rather than reactive—putting a stop to security threats before they even materialize. 2. It can be reassuring not just to you and your loved ones, but to shareholders and other key personnel within your organization. 3. It allows you to travel more efficiently, and with greater peace of mind that your life, family, and belongings are being taken care of. 4. It allows for heightened productivity, too—because you don’t have to worry about your security or privacy."2.
Know Your Personal Risk Factors
Taking an honest assessment of your risk factors for attack, and how you can best circumvent these attacks with the help of one of more round-the-clock security guards, are the first steps to protecting yourself and your loved ones from a planned assault.
Get Protection That Matches Your Needs
There is a large number of security companies offering executive protection services. It’s worth noting that as the requirements for team size and specialized skills increase, the number of qualified security agencies shrinks. One of the easier assignments is protecting an individual or family that is attending a single event. Move up to protection for a one-week vacation abroad and the job becomes much more complex. Move up again to 24-hour protection 365 days a year and you may need almost a para-military force. And, as should be expected, your costs increase accordingly.
To get an idea of the skills that your team may need, consider what The World Protection Group (a top tier protection firm) looks for in their security personnel. Their website mentions recruiting personnel with military and law enforcement backgrounds, and further states, " In addition to defense, combat, and firearms training, our agents are trained to perform advance work and planning, logistics, emergency medical response, communications and surveillance. They are certified in Emergency First Aid, CPR/AED, and always travel with trauma kits. These agents are also thoroughly screened with intense (and regularly-updated) background checks and psychological assessments and strength tests. "3.
Common Reasons to Get Executive Protection Services
If you are a celebrity, it is obvious that you need a 24-hour-a-day security guard to protect you from capricious fans. However, if you are not constantly in the public eye, you might have a harder time accepting that you need a professional, or team of professionals, to look after the best interests of you and your family. Some questions that you really need to ask yourself are:
- Do I handle, or have control of, large amounts of money for my organization?
- Although I live a quiet life, can others easily find out that I am a CEO, CFO or other high-level executive with access to large amounts of cash or other valuables?
- Are there any new people in my work or social circle that are giving me the gut feeling that their intentions towards me or my family are insincere?
- Could my job title and responsibilities leave me and my family open to a random kidnapping or physical harm attack?
- Have I recently been awarded with a public honor that might draw new attention to me or my family?
- Have I recently been given a large bonus from my company that was mentioned to other people, or the local, national or international media?
- Are there any other reasons for me to believe that my elite position in life will leave me vulnerable to outside attack?
Getting Started With Executive Protection Services
Once you determine your need for executive protection services, you need to understand how your new security team will work to curb any attempts made on you or your family’s lives. Don’t be surprised if they advise you to make changes to some of your routines, travel patterns, and where you visit.
The starting point is helping the team to know about you and your family’s daily and weekly itinerary. Then, they will look for weaknesses within your family’s schedule, vulnerabilities in travel paths, destination buildings, and to identify conditions that would allow outsiders to come in and seize control over you or one of your family members. Some examples of this would be arriving and departing to work and school or social events, traveling for work or pleasure, and leaving or returning home at very early or very hours of the day or night.
Once your usual routines are established, the personal body guards will then take note of you and your family’s websites and social media pages. They will then estimate how much information about you and your family can be gained by people with malicious intent.
Moving forward, the personal protection team will take a closer look at you and your family’s lives, and decide on the best course of action to take to protect you and your loved ones at all times.
How to Choose the Right Executive Protection Company
Choosing the right company is essential to your family’s daily survival. It is wise for you to interview several professional security companies before you make your final decision.
When performing your due diligence, ask for references, testimonials, state licensure certificates and written, detailed plans of action before you commit to any one company. These plans of action should include personal physical protection in addition to sophisticated home and work security measures.
If you are contemplating executive protection services or personal protection services, call Manning and Associates for a discrete consultation with security professional and CEO Wayne Manning.
CREDITS and FOOTNOTES
- 1 Various , "Executive Protection", January 9, 2020, Available from Wikipedia
- 2 MPS Staff, "Executive Protection", August 23, 2021, Available from MPS Security
- 3 WPG Staff, " Executive Protection and Security for High Net Worth Private Executives", September 9, 2020, Available from The World Protection Group
- Photo Credit: Photo by "RGAYMON", available at Pixabay
