Keeping The Plates Spinning

It’s been a hectic but productive month on this end.  15 days crisscrossing Australia on assignment followed directly by 15 days with my instructor hat on for the back-to-back ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course, and the ICON Advanced Executive Protection Course.

*whew*

Even in the mist of doing all of this, I had planned to jump a flight and get to Baltimore to speak at the 2012 Protective Security Conference that is now ongoing.  I spoke there last year and it was a blast interacting with the other attendees and speakers.  Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on your perspective) A major client scheduled an important event that involved quite a few moving parts and it because apparent that due to some of the complexities, I was personally needed on the assignment.  Knowing full well how the last minute nature of the industry works, the host of the PSC were gracious enough to understand,  and I will continue to give them my full support and plan on again being involved and in attendance next year.

One very cool post script to all of this was that I was able to use several of the past and present ICON Advanced Course Graduates on the multi-day Protection Detail.  (They were after all the advanced course).  From real world training, to real world experience.

In a perfect world that’s how the industry is supposed to work.

“Unlearning” To Succeed In Executive Protection

Just kicked off Day 1 of the ICON Academy Celebrity & VIP Protection Training Course.  The first day is always pretty interesting with everyone getting a feel for each other and the pace of the class.  Because so many of the students come from military or law enforcement backgrounds, I always like to spent some time talking about how that alone will not automatically qualify a person to successfully perform Executive Protection work.  In fact in some cases it’s necessary to Unlearn some of the practices and techniques that have been ingrained from those fields.

The Choice: Celebrity vs. Executive Protection

Everyone’s seen The Matrix right?  Morpheus is standing in front of you, extends his hand and gives you a choice: Blue or Red.  The Blue Pill leads to a stable career in Corporate Executive Protection— more often than not, standard hours, reasonable expectations and a healthy benefits package.   Alternatively, the Red pill takes you down the rabbit hole to the wild and unpredictable world of Celebrity Security.  Long hours, temperamental clients, and a job description that includes pretty much everything but the kitchen sink.  For those of us who have entered this industry with the strong desire to apply our skills to protecting others in the most professional manner possible, it’s almost a no brainer, correct?

I mean, give me the corporate stuff, right?  Send me on my way and let me cash my paycheck at the end of the week.  Seriously, who in their right mind would want to deal with actors and their egos, or even worse, musicians with their quirks, or even worse than worse RAPPERS and their entourages, particularly if the revenue generated is the same???

But maybe that’s not the case.   Maybe there are some that find the world of protecting entertainers stimulating in a way that they just would not get in the more subdued assignments that would accompany working day in and out with the Chief Executive Officer of a corporation.   I’m not talking about the “knuckle draggers” or the “buddy-guards” either, I’m thinking of men and women who have the look, training and demeanor to slide right into a “Blue Pill” position and succeed.  They make a conscious choice to work Celebrity Protection and are happy with it.

I’m sometimes referred to as a bit of an anomaly in the fact that I actively pursue and enjoy working with both client types.   I’m able to make the transition between the personalities and protocols, and enjoy the change of pace and variety.  A short time ago I was laughing with my staff that at the beginning of the week I was working with the senior executives of one of the United States largest corporations and by the weekend I was fending off overenthusiastic fans that tried to stop my entertainment client in the middle of a busy street for an autograph.

So having established that there are some Operators who do both, I also find it interesting that in the industry as a whole there is usually an invisible line drawn in the sand and depending on which side of the fence you are on, rarely do the two cross.  A big part of that is perception.  I hope the efforts by others and myself who are involved not only with working with celebrities, but also getting information out about the successes associated with this niche market have helped with that.   The media gives us a steady diet of horror stories; Celebrity X’s bodyguard punches out a Paparazzi.  Entertainer Y’s security has decided to write a “tell all” book, so of course that paints a picture that all clients in this area are extremely difficult or that any agent working with them is little more than an untrained, ex-football player.

In the last 12 months, I personally spoke at three major industry conferences (The Protective Security Conference the International Executive Protection Conference, & EPIC) on topics related to Celebrity & VIP Protection, and after each presentation I was greeted by trained individuals who wanted to do more in that segment of the market.   They simply hadn’t thought past the horror stories and stereotypes, and realized that there were great opportunities for Operators with the right skills to make their mark.

Make no mistake about it, I also had a fair share of Protectors who patted me on the back and said, “great lecture, but better you than me.  I just don’t have the tolerance level”.  I understand that completely, and I think that’s much better than the person who says the can live in both worlds but strikes out horribly when given the chance.  I just think the industry is big enough to encompass all facets including Celebrity Protection, Executive Protection, Dignitary & Religious Figures and so on.  Thinking about it, I suppose if Neo had of taken the Blue Pill in the movie he would have had a lot less headaches, but it also would have been quite a bit shorter.

You can read more of my personal views on the Executive Protection Industry in every issue of The Circuit Magazine where I write a regular column entitled, Keeping Your Edge.   Find it HERE.

Industry Spotlight: Executive Protection Agent Bill Peeler

Icon – Behind the Bodyguard Business holds a spotlight where we feature someone in the Executive Protection, Security or Investigation industry.  Our hope is to provide some insight into our profession and also show newcomers & the media that people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe do this type of work with honor and pride.   No it’s not like the movies, but it can be rewarding, thrilling, and yes, sometimes fun.

Agent Name:         Bill Peeler

Company Name:  The Peeler Group, Inc. DBA Peeler Group International

Website:                www.peelergroup.com

Home city:            Albany, New York

What is your background Protection industry?

I got my start while working as a Deputy Sheriff, I was asked to spend some time working with our Superior Court to provide Personal Protection for our Justices  while on and off the bench. In addition to this, then V.P. Bush, lived in our jurisdiction so my duties both in the public and private sector allowed me assignments to perimeter post in support of the Secret Service mission, which of course I found very intriguing.  Not uncommon then and now, I found as a police officer that I  needed to subsidize my income through moonlighting in security, this brought me to my very first client which was a wealthy family from the New England area. I provided travel security for the family and managed security to twenty plus events/cities each summer for the family business.  After leaving law enforcement I worked for a fortune company in investigations, assessments, training and protection for VIP’s and special events. Since my start I find that the core of my clients are from corporate or government backgrounds, although I have worked with Principles from fashion, sports and entertainment industries. Aside from protection and investigation operations, over the years I have provided presentations regarding Risk Assessment, Emergency Preparedness, Mitigation and Recovery to federal government agencies and the private sector.

You also run a training course, can you tell us a little bit about it?

Sure, since the early to mid 90s I have been providing state required certification to security guards through the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, and since its creation, the Enhanced Security Program offered by the New York State Office of Homeland Security. In addition to this we offer both law enforcement and security firearms training, as well as NRA firearm programs to the general public. As an introduction to Executive Protection, for those individuals with interest in entering the field, we offer a one day introductory class to EP. This allows us to not only offer a glimpse of the field to those interested, but it also allows us to view perspective employees for our more lengthy in-house program. A number of times throughout the year I work with a vocational school in providing instruction and certification to high school students who wish to enter the security or law enforcement fields. We will soon be expanding on our courses offered and the states we will be serving.

Can you share a bit of one of your best experiences in the industry so far?

Wow, where to begin? During the rebuilding of Iraq I worked as a team leader for the protection of an organization traveling within the country. I had the very distinguished honor of being asked to speak to about a hundred Iraqi Chiefs of Police as a result of my training to the Iraqi police officers and Ministry of Defense Protection teams. These memories, for me, are the ones that you know are historic, working with the “Internal Affairs” Chief in Iraq on day one of its existence, the division was so new the sign was hand-written on the door at headquarters. But truthfully, the best experience is watching the individuals who have worked for me make a mark on their own. I find it very rewarding to have a young person come to work for me and watch them move on to more responsibilities with our organization or others. The one person that has given me my most proud experience is my son. He came to work for our uniformed security division when he was 18, he then entered the US Air Force where he was assigned to protect ranking officers while in Iraq and later POTUS missions. I had an opportunity to have him come back to work a Detail with me in the Midwest, where I assigned him to drive a 60 Minutes TV crew, one of the crew members complimented him in his professionalism, to which he simply replied, my dad would not have me be any other way”.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

If the answer to this could one word, it would be “Entitlement”. We observe Entitlement throughout the industry from the agent who is working with a client and who allows it to become more about him or herself, to the instructors who have forgotten how to humble themselves and spend far too much time building their own ego while tearing others down. You can have the “A” type personality without the rest. Agents need to do the “job” and forget the rest, and instructors need to build people for our future and not themselves by short stopping others.

To someone coming up after you in the industry, what advice would you give?

Take the time to learn the trade. Truly study the fundamentals of our business before setting out to tackle the world, and then train! To fall back on what I have been taught, hard work and diligence will be recognized and rewarded after time… You need to have the “can do attitude”. Align yourself with individuals who are positive thinkers and who are going to support you in reaching your goals. In this business common sense can be your best friend, the problem is it is not that common. Learn about the world around you, as an EP agent you are expected to know anything and everything at times. The manner in which you conduct your personal life will be shown in the way you are able to perform in your job. If I am picking you up at the airport and you do not know if you are at departures or arrivals, or terminal A or B, how will you get to the next job, more importantly how will you know where you need to get your client, as I said, know the world around you. Finally, stay away from the many pitfalls you will encounter, i.e. Substance use, women, men, and of course the offer to undercut employers. Above all else enjoy, what you do and be the best you can be at what you do.

Personal Protection Specialist Bill Peeler can be reached at (518) 853-8837 Or Email:   info@peeler-group.com

The Best of Bodyguard Blog’s: Caption This

The month of May will see the return of a popular feature around Bodyguard Blog (and our associated FACEBOOK PAGE).  While gearing up for future installments of “Caption This”, the feature where we ask readers to supply their own witty comments to our humorous selection of Executive Protection/ Law Enforcement / Military related photos, I thought it would be a good opportunity to pull together a list of my personal Top 5 entries.  The comments section are also still open, so if you think yo have a zinger that’s funnier than the rest, feel free to post it.    Bring on the marching bands, and “Caption This…”

5. Can You Caption This? HERE.

4. Can You Caption This? HERE.

3. Can You Caption This? HERE.

2.Can You Caption This? HERE.

1.  Can You Caption This? HERE.  

To see all of the past “Caption This” features, click HERE.

Industry Spotlight: Executive Protection Agent Douglas Belton

Icon – Behind the Bodyguard Business holds a spotlight where we feature someone in the Executive Protection, Security or Investigation industry.  Our hope is to provide some insight into our profession and also show newcomers & the media that people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe do this type of work with honor and pride.   No it’s not like the movies, but it can be rewarding, thrilling, and yes, sometimes fun.

Agent Name: Douglas Belton

Company Name: Luminary Executive Services LLC

Website: www.luminaryservices.com

Home city: Miami, FL

What is your background in the Protection industry?

My background in the industry began with my enlistment into the U.S. Army National Guard in 2006 and is rooted in field-based protective intelligence. Behavior Pattern Recognition has been a critical skill in most of the work I’ve done in this industry and has proven its value on multiple military and private sector protective assignments in the U.S., Afghanistan, Israel and other countries. The National Guard allowed me the flexibility to train hard and gain vital experience in my field when on orders while pursuing more lucrative opportunities to gain experience in the private sector when off orders. One of my assignments was as a plain-clothes counter terrorism security operator.  The project was the first security program adapted from the Israeli airport authorities’ security methodology to fit the needs of one of the United State’s’ largest privately held tourist destinations. I hold a B.A. in international business and cross-cultural communications which has proven helpful in understanding many of the strategic complexities facing the individuals and organizations I’ve worked for.

I know you speak several different languages, how have you incorporated that into your “professional toolbox”?

Ah… languages. The ability to speak the language used in your protected environment is huge! The biggest advantage for me has been as a marketing tool. The second biggest advantage is of course the ability to more efficiently facilitate my principle’s movements abroad. I list these advantages in this order because usually the second advantage is a direct consequence of the first. Anyone who has attempted to learn a second language as an adult can attest to its difficulty. For this reason I always recommend to the extent possible complete immersion in the target language. This may not be an option for everyone but in my opinion 4 months of complete language immersion is easily worth 4 years of university study where you may only work on your language skills 5-6 hours/week. Another important factor regarding language acquisition in the protective industry is deciding in which language to focus your time and effort. It’s always a good idea to look hard at why, and in what way will a particular language benefit your career. For example, you might already be working a lot in a foreign country and learning the language would enhance your value to new and existing clients. At the same time if you don’t have many foreign contacts and want to work more internationally, learning the language of a historic or emerging security hot spot is always an excellent way to take that next strategic step in your career’s development.

With respect to Operational Security, can you share a bit of one of your best experiences in the industry so far?

One of my best experiences so far was while working a counter-terrorism assignment. I had identified behavior in an individual in my protected environment that indicated possible harmful intentions. After initiating a short conversation with this individual in order to confirm or refute my suspicions I had determined through body language analysis the person was being deceitful with me. After following up with my concerns in accordance with S.O.P. it was discovered that this person was a viable and veritable terrorist threat and dealt with accordingly.

You work abroad quite a bit, what are some of the differences between providing services domestically versus internationally?

Internationally you have to be much more spun up on local ways of doing things. One of the major pitfalls operators working internationally is assuming things are done the same in one country as they are in another. This issue runs the gambit from bureaucracy to inter-personal communication. When tasked with protecting your Principal from physical harm and embarrassment the last thing you want to do is be the cause of either one.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

I wish operators would stop writing “Tell-all” books. Every time one of these books or articles hits the stands it degrades a little of the advancement the EP profession has made in the public mind.

To someone coming up after you in the industry, what advice would you give?

Besides the big ones like train hard and network, it’s also good to be a specialist in something. Always keep your eye out for an underserved niche in the market which is potentially lucrative and intersects well with your natural talents, skills and interests. This can be helpful in keeping you motivated through times of discouragement. Don’t give up or take it personal if no one is throwing you a bone and putting you on a Detail. Get comfortable selling yourself to decision makers and get the business yourself!

Personal Protection Specialist Doug Belton can be reached at (786) 383-3123 Or Email: dbelton@luminaryservices.com

*Edit:  Read the excellent commentary this feature has generated on the North American Bodyguard Association Facebook Page by clicking HERE.

5 International Travel Tips for Bodyguards

Travel plays a big part in the duties of the Executive Protection Agent, and those that make a career out of the profession quickly earn the title of “Road Warrior” –-Bags packed, will travel.   Taking that travel international adds a whole new dimension to protecting the client, so here are a few helpful things to keep in mind.

Make yourself familiar with the travel advisories. -   The US State Department is an excellent resource as is the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC).  Also read international newspapers, you may find that news developments vital to the area that you will be in are reported differently outside the United States.

Remember what’s lawful in the US could get you into some serious hot water in another country.  – Make sure you particularly remember this one as it relates to the possession and use of firearms and other weapons.  This should also extend to your client, as even some over the counter medicines are prohibited in some countries.

Keep in mind you are in someone else’s playground.  – Use local resources when possible to aid your journey.  Think about it, who knows an area better than a person that lives there?   At a minimum, try not to come in with a holier-than-thou attitude and piss off the other security/law enforcement teams you may encounter.  Allies are better than adversaries, and that is never truer than when operating in a foreign land.

Plan for delays. -  While there is a universal constant of 24 yours in a day, time can sometimes move different depending on what part of the world you are in.  Just ask anyone who’s spent a significant amount of time in Mexico, Nigeria or India, things just take longer, so work that into your logistics.

Keep cultural nuances in mind to avoid embarrassment. -  Making yourself familiar with the customs and traditions of a foreign country outside of just the security concerns could pay benefits in the long run.  Don’t let a slip of the tongue or a wrong hand gesture draw attention to you or your client.  Bodyguard Blog did a whole article on just this topic, find it HERE.

Bodyguards: Standing Next to a Star Doesn’t Make You One

One thing I’ve always found fascinating in my observations is that as Executive Protection Agents, we have a tendency to define ourselves based off of the status of our Clients.   Those of us actively working in the industry for a while have likely experienced, or at least witnessed, the following at one point or another (on either side of the coin).  The scenario is often a variation of this:

You are a skilled Close Protection Agent assigned to escort your client to a public event.   Other VIP’s are in attendance, and one is better known than your Principal.  Perhaps you notice that the support staff consisting of host and event planners, seems to faun over some of the others in attendance to a larger degree.  That in itself is not an issue, however you also seem to notice that the other bodyguard, now in a secure environment, seems to be too important to even acknowledge you.

Perhaps the two of you are standing side by side at the perimeter of a large banquet area both with eyes on your perspective clients, and yet any attempts to be social yet still professional, are rebuffed.  Of course this could just be attributed to the agent being focused on the task at hand, perhaps his client has a higher degree of potential threats directed at him — things you of course would not be privy to.  But in some cases the agent simply gives off the aura, intentionally or not, that since he’s with the biggest fish in the room, that means he too has no time for the “little people”.   In this case, an Operator with a lesser known client.

Over the years I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the biggest and most recognizable stars in the entertainment industry.   (As this is the Internet age, a simple Google search will collaborate.)  With that said, I know all to well that if you are around a superstar long enough, human nature kicks in and that sense of “importance” or “entitlement” rubs off on the agent.  What I think that we as protectors need to be careful of is that we don’t sour relationships with our peers just because Client X has more clout than Client Y.

At the end of the day, how would the client’s finances or fame affect how we go about the essence of our job? The amount of dollar signs in the Protectee’s bank account or the number of blockbuster films under their belt should not have any effect on how we respond to situations either proactively or reactively.  They also shouldn’t isolate us or give us a reason to negatively prejudge other agents.

The key to overcoming this is to try and always be mindful that at some point or another we’ve all been the new kid on the block.  We should also remember the old saying “tomorrow is not promised”.  Simply put, you might be with the hottest thing since sliced bread today and later calling up your old contacts searching for more work tomorrow. Who wants to be that agent sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring and it doesn’t simply because all your peers thought that YOU thought you were too good for them?

• For more observations on the Executive Protection Industry, check out my ongoing column Keeping Your Edge, found in every issue of the Circuit – The Magazine for Bodyguards.  Order it HERE or on iTunes  for the iPad or iPod HERE.

A Day in the Life of a Executive Protection Agent (Excerpt)

A Day in the Life: 

 Assisting On a Protection Assignment

By Edward Nielsen

You are at home getting some rest, and your cell phone rings. It’s the call you have been waiting for. The Team Leader on a Protective Security Detail is telling you they need last minute assistance to provide security for a well known recording artist who is in town during the weekend of a major sporting event.  What do you do? Well let me tell you what I did. I immediately asked where and when I was needed. His answer to me was “now,” and then proceeded to give me the location where the client will be at a few short hours from then.  I quickly got dressed and proceeded to the location, getting more specific instructions while in transit. I arrived at the site and met with the head of security for the venue to see where the client would enter and where his cordoned off VIP area was located. I then contacted the Detail Leader and let him know contact was made with the venue security and all are awaiting his arrival.

A few hours later, and just prior to the Client’s arrival we hit another obstacle – due to the massive crowds, the police officers on site had now blocked off the adjacent streets and would not let vehicles closer to the venue. –No exceptions.  The frustration of the officers was very evident, likely because of the amount of people that voiced their displeasure at them once they learned the routes were blocked off.  I tried a variety of approaches with the officers but they did not intend to change their mind regardless of the VIP.  Of course the Detail leader did not want to hear that, and even in the heavy traffic, I knew they would be arriving shortly and there was no way the client was making the quarter mile walk on foot. I enlisted the aid of the venue security and after putting our heads together, got access to a vehicle from the interior side of the street closure.

Once the Principal’s vehicle arrived, we quickly moved the client and the travel party into the new vehicle and whisked it down the street.  I, however, watched that last part happen curbside, as I was now tasked with parking and securing the client’s vehicle in a location where parking spaces were a valuable but rapidly shrinking commodity.  After finding one, I then knew I had almost a half mile jog to get back to the security detail, all the while keeping in the back of my mind that I am going to have to do this again when it’s time to leave…

…Continued in the Spring 2012 Issue of The Circuit Magazine.   To subscribe to The Circuit – The Magazine for Bodyguards and the Official Magazine of the North American Bodyguard Association, click HERE.

The Circuit - The Magazine for Bodyguards (previous Issue)

ICON Academy Scholarship Program: 1 Students Experience

To the Icon Scholarship Selection Committee:

First and foremost I would like to say thanks and express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity that allowed me to be awarded the ICON Academy Scholarship for the Celebrity / VIP Protection Training course of first quarter 2012. The wisdom and expertise the instructors imparted along with the lessons learned during the course will go with me throughout my career.

After being asked to work security at my church I had an instant interest and desire to learn more about the security industry. Later as I began my research into the steps necessary to begin a career in Executive Protection, I have to admit, I became a bit disheartened after seeing that the training courses were very expensive. It is for this reason that I was shocked to see that ICON offered a scholarship program; to my knowledge, no other company out there has a scholarship program –at least none that I could find during my research.

Realizing that this was my opportunity, I completed and turned in all the necessary documents to fulfill the requirements, including what I would later be an important part, namely the section on how I would use skills obtained in the course to better the industry and my community.  Once the deadline was reached, my family and I were extremely excited to learn that I had been awarded the scholarship.

The CPC training course was challenging both mentally and physically but after coming out on the other side I can truly say it was all worth it and I would not trade that experience for anything. The instructors challenged us to take an active role in our development and to think outside of the box where security is concerned. Each instructor brought their own unique style and feel to the training from real life experiences that let us see things in different perspectives, not just teaching scenarios from a book.  My education is in no way complete, and I have additional courses already on the books but this jumpstart was instrumental both financially and motivationally.

To Elijah and all the staff at ICON: Thank you for giving back and offering a scholarship that levels the playing field, giving individuals the opportunity to obtain top notch training at, in my opinion, one of the best companies around.  ICON has given me a chance to achieve my dream and anyone who has a genuine desire to learn but not sure where to begin, you have my strongest encouragement to research the program.

~ Uriah Riley

ICON CPC, Course Graduate, January 2012

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Click on the highlighted link to learn more or apply for the ICON Academy Scholarship Program.

Next Dates

Celebrity & VIP Protection:  April 25 – 29, 2012 (Financing & Scholarships Available)

Advanced Executive Protection (High Risk): April 30 – May 9th, 2012 (Financing & Scholarships Available)