ICON Executive Protection Training

Just wrapped up Day 1 of the ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Training Course.   The class was populated by a good group who came in with an open mind and ready to learn (the best type).  Regardless of pervious skill level, egos got checked at the door and everyone showed up ready to work.  Lot’s of ground work was covered on the fundamentals of  Close Protection, particularly as is relates to dealing with a clientele that spends a great portion of their careers in the spotlight.  I love to say we’re not teaching a course based purely off of “theory” but instead the instructors all do the work on a regular basis, and can teach from relevant hands on experience.

To learn more about the training click HERE.

Celebrity Protection: How Not to Go Overboard

I know it might sound odd, but you can do effective VIP Protection for recognizable personalities without having to resort to tactics that would paint your Client in a negative light.  We’ve recently seen some horror stories about what happens when a bodyguard is overly aggressive.    Executive Protection Agents can most effectively ensure the safely of the VIP by remembering that one of the most important pieces of the puzzle comes in the planning & preparation stage.  In industry lingo, we term that the Advance, which includes  anticipating encounters  before they happen and having effective systems in place to negate or counter them.

While some view the fans, the press and the paparazzi as a major problem, we have to be aware that, particularly in the arena of Celebrity Protection, those three are a constant.    Taking the wrong approach in dealing with them could have a negative effect to the client, and one that could also affect security.  (Insiders tip, managers and agents don’t like bad press, if the Protection Agent is responsible for it –even if they thought they were doing the “right thing”,  they could still be on the unemployment line).

I try and stress this fact during the Celebrity & VIP Protection Training Course that I teach at ICON.  ”Verbal Judo” is sometimes more effective than taking them to the floor.  With that said, it’s always nice to hear it from someone else:

Via the Star Tribune

“The security guys with Kim Kardashian garnered praise for being impressively un-heavy-handed.

Although Kardashian was in a VIP section, the security was not pouncing every time she was approached. One excited woman was gently asked not to rush up on Kardashian but to give the reality star a few minutes to adjust to the scene.

As you can see from my video, the security guys were calm and civil and not shoving people out of the way as she and her fiancé arrived at the restaurant.”

full story HERE.

ICON CEO Elijah Shaw to speak at ESI Conference

Ask someone familiar with the Protection industry and Executive Security International (ESI) is sure to make the top 5 list pretty much each and every time.  Refereed by some as the Harvard of Protection schools, the well respected academy is hosting their annual International Executive Protection Conference August 5-7, 2011 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

As their past line up of speakers have included Tony Scotti, John Wiesman and Tom Taylor the conference has a reputation for being multi-dimensional and engaging.  With all that said, I was deeply honored when asked to be a speaker at the upcoming event alongside a distinguished line up that includes Pete Dordal, Massad Ayoob, and Chris Parkerson.

Join me in August on the topic of Celebrity & VIP Protection, hosted by a fantastic organization that puts the N in Networking.

For more information on the conference as well as biographies of the speaker line up, click HERE.

Houston Officers Disciplined for taking Photos with Celebrities

While the incident between a celebrities security and a male who happened to be a West Point Cadet has been commented on at length at several different places across the ‘net, I also want to mention another fire I saw brewing from the moment I watched the footage.  I’m speaking about the on-duty officers who stopped working long enough to take photos with the celebrity.  Unless they were clueless of the incident that occurred minutes before, I think there was a lapse in judgement, if nothing else from appearances sake.

The Houston Examiner reports :

Two Houston Police officers have been disciplined for posing in pictures with a celebrity’s bodyguards after an airport scuffle that made national headlines.

A new criminal investigation has also been launched into the encounter.

West Point cadet Richard King, 23, is suing legendary R & B singer Patti Labelle after her bodyguards pounced on him in a videotaped scuffle on March 11th.    King said his career at the United States Military Academy at West Point ended because of the ordeal.

Video that was aired on news outlets worldwide showed three of Labelle’s bodyguards confronting King in an intense physical struggle in which King claims in his lawsuit that he was beaten, shoved, and assaulted.

Shortly after medics took him away, the surveillance video of the encounter shows at least one Houston Police officer embracing Labelle and posing for photographs near a pool of blood that King had left on the ground in the spot where he was confronted.

Sgt. David Johnson has been given formal notice that he is being transferred away from the HPD Airport Division as a result of his posing for pictures in this ordeal.   One HPD source involved in the case says Sgt. Johnson had gotten into trouble for the same thing in the past. (emphasis mine, ES) That source said Sgt. Johnson had been seeking autographs and photographs with other celebrities he encountered while patrolling the airport and escorting dignitaries through the airport, which prompted supervisors to warn him against similar encounters in the future.

For the full article click HERE.

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It’s more the mentality than anything, and I take issue when it occurs on a protective detail in which the officer are involved.  In many cases law enforcement may be used in an official (or unofficial capacity) by Executive Protection Teams, however compensation for that isn’t intended to come in the form of an autograph or a picture.  Theres a time and place for everything, and more often than not, that request comes at moments that increase rather than limit the VIP’s exposure.

As far as the rest of this story.  it’s unfortunate and one that i’m sure will be concluding in the courts.

Tom Brady & Gisele Bodyguards to Appear in Court Over Shooting

The true art of Executive & VIP Protection involves not only safeguarding your clients well-being, but also their reputation. Here’s how NOT to protect your client:

A trio of Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady’s bodyguards will have their day in Costa Rica court after allegedly firing shots at paparazzi during the couple’s wedding two years ago.  Miguel Solis, Manuel Valverde and Alexander Rivas are slated to attend a “private oral hearing” in Puntarenas on April 29, after charges were filed by Agence France-Presse photographer Yuri Cortez and Rolando Aviles of Costa Rican newspaper Al Dia.

the report says that the photographers were on public property when private security guards forced them back onto private property, demanding they turn over their photographic equipment, when one of the bodyguards fired his weapon at the photographer’s vehicle when they attempted to leave scene.

In addition it looks like their clients may also have to give testimony in the incident. If there was an immediate threat, that’s one thing, however it does not appear to be the case at all in this instance.  What a wonderful wedding gift courtesy of the security team.

Source

See Related: Security vs. Paparazzi at Gisele’s Wedding

2011 Executive Protection Training Classes

Women’s Safety & Fitness: (2 days) June 4-5, 2011

A specially designed course for civilian women pulled from elements of the highly acclaimed ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Training Program that has helped bodyguards from around the globe to operate successfully in the world of Executive Protection,.  This one of a kind course is a great way to challenge yourself mentally & physically, while at the same time learning new skills that could one day literally save your life.  For recent news coverage of the course click HERE.

Celebrity & VIP Protection Course :  (5 Days) July 13-17, 2011

A five-day course of practical theory and hands-on training in the world of Celebrity & VIP Protection.  Taught by industry veteran Elijah Shaw, who in addition to his corporate clients, has traveled the world as the personal bodyguard of international public figures such as musical giant Usher, supermodel Naomi Campbell, and rap megastar 50 Cent, the class covers not only tactics but marketing & career search.

Advanced Executive Protection Course:  (10 Days) July 18-27, 2011

This intensive 10-day class is an excellent tool for Operators sharpening their skills with a focus on conducting close protection assignments with a potential high threat level. Work with experienced professionals who are not teaching “theory” put practical applications developed from many years of doing the job.  Taught by Instructors  in private security working globally in a number of high-risk environments including Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, Southeast Asia, South and Central America.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the above Close Protection related courses from Icon Services Corporation, click on the links or send and email to Training@Industry-Icon.com.  We stand behind the quality of our teaching methods and can also put you in contact with previous Alumni to talk about their past experiences.  Group & back-to-back course discounts apply.

What Happened to Lara Logans Security?

Security Professionals always look at incidents of violence perpetrated against public figures with a slightly different perspective than the general public.  Such was the case when I heard about the tragic story of CBS News Corespondent Laura Logan.  The journalist was a victim first of detention by the Egyptian authorities and following her release and return to the region a brutal assault by a mob.

The offical account goes as such:  The evening of the attack, Ms. Logan, 39, the network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, was covering the celebrations in Tahrir Square in central Cairo with a camera crew and an unknown number of security staff members. The CBS team was enveloped by “a dangerous element” within the crowd, CBS said, that numbered more than 200 people. That mob separated Ms. Logan from her team and then attacked her.

I, as well as scores of my peers, have had first hand experience dealing with massive crows that are whipped into such a frenzy that you can feel the threat looming, so much so that it’s almost a tangible thing.  At that point, independent of even the clients wishes, a decision must be made to leave the area for the safety of the Protectee.  You might get chewed out or even fired later, but your client will live to tell the tale.  After initially hearing this story, the obvious question to me was, exactly how did her secuirty team become seperated from her?

While researching I stumbled upon outtakes of an interview Ms. Logan conducted with Esquire Magazine, conducted after the detention, but before the assault, that appeared to shed a little more light on the incident:

Esquire:  On whom she was traveling with:

Laura: “I’m not the only one going back, my producer is coming with me. And with my husband. We made this decision together. And with my boss.”

Esquire: On the precautions they’d be taking:

Laura: “We’ve made sure that the Egyptian embassy in the U.S. knows we’re going. They’re fully aware of it. They know what our purpose is, that we’re journalists. We’ve made every effort to try and get media accreditation before we left, but the embassy said because of the backup they couldn’t [get it to us], so they’re trying to help us on the ground. There are no surprises here this time. It is a better plan. Again, it’s not foolproof, you know?”

Esquire: On worrying about a repeat scenario:

Laura: “Sure, of course you can never discount [that], it would be foolish to discount that possibility.”

Esquire: On traveling with private security:

Laura: “No. We are not. It’s been so chaotic. I think we do have a security person on with us now, on our team, but I haven’t had a chance to even address that.” (emphasis mine ~ES)

While in no way placing the blame of the assault on Laura Logan herself, I do think at least at the time of the interview, security was an afterthought.   There may or may not have been a trained agent from the states with her, and if there was, his available resources may have been minimal.  It is also likely that a local(s) could have been used, at which point the vetting process could have been anywhere on the scale of “bad” to “very bad’.  It is also possible that none of this was the case and the network provided Mrs. Logan with an equipped team of seasoned security professionals qualified to go into a potential hot spot with their primary responsibility of protecting their client — not of making sure she got an award winning news story.  It’s possible, but based off of my personal experiences, unlikely.

This is a story i’ll be following with great interest, and it is my hope that corporations placing their employees in hostile situations overseas begin to recognize the value of being proactive with security.  Sadly, Laura Logan has paid a high price for that lesson.

~Elijah Shaw

ICON CEO Elijah Shaw Interviewed on America’s Frontlines

This Friday at 1:00 pm CST i’ll have the pleasure of being interviewed on the radio show “On America’s Frontlines of Crime & War” found on Voice America which broadcast to over 130+ countries.  The show, hosted by JJ Sutton & William Vinelli has had some pretty interesting and engaging guest in the past, such as Security Driving Expert Joe Autera and the controversial Joe Arpaio, better known as  ”America’s Toughest Sheriff”.  Both tough acts to follow, so i’ll try not to put anyone to sleep.

Here’s the episode blurb:

The protection industry has been around for centuries. Words that spring to mind are Honor, Integrity, Warriors, and so on. Today the industry is much different than what it once was. Some of the driving factors are the fact that private wealth has changed our society dramatically. We now think of Celebrity Protection as the top most level of private industry work. It has many appealing factors that draw new faces to our industry. Traveling on private planes, staying in luxury hotels, and attending the best parties – but behind the scenes real professionals are quietly handling some of the most detailed choreography that defines them as the true professionals they are. These hardworking men and women are the real deal in Celebrity Protection work and they do follow the age old adage of handling things with Honor &, Integrity. In this episode we speak with a Celebrity Protection Expert, Elijah Shaw who discusses how hard the work really is.

To catch the show click HERE.

The Alpha Male Trait in Executive Protection

Playing Well With Others

by Elijah Shaw

The 2011 Grammy Awards is a very prestigious event.  Every A-List celebrity you can think of in the entertainment industry; musicians, actors, models, but more importantly decision makers, shot callers and handlers are in attendance.  For the Security Professional operating in the celebrity arena, it’s the equivalent of your team going to the super bowl – It likely took hard work to get there, it raises your profile, but the stakes are dramatically higher.  In addition there’s the added pressure that, as opposed to working one on one, with your Principal you are now moving your client in an environment where he or she may not be the most famous person in the room.  Things may take a little longer to happen, there are additional security procedures that apply to everyone and the undivided attention and assistance you once got from support staff is now splintered.  In short your VIP is now one Very Important Person amongst many.

The problem I see too many in our industry make when faced with this situation is that instead of adapting, we try and throw their weight around.   We become belligerent to the PA’s (personal assistants) who are in charge with navigating us around the event.  We become acrimonious with law enforcement that has been given strict orders that in a place where “everybody is somebody “ all need to submit to security screening. Most telling of all, we sometimes treat our counterparts working close protection as adversaries as opposed to allies.

It’s that last point that I’ve found so fascinating in my many years in the industry.  While I fully acknowledge that a contributing factor to success as a bodyguard is the “Alpha Male” Personality, I’ve never understood why when you put more than 3 of us in a room who are not on a detail together you can see territorial lines being drawn almost as clearly as if they were written with crayon.

Now don’t get me wrong there are definite exceptions to this rule (I try hard to consider myself one of them).  There are some great guys and gals in the industry that every time I see them it’s an opportunity to combine intel and share resources.  When on an event similar in scope to the Grammy’s we provide introductions to key staff and alert each other to any security or logistical problems.  But more often than not, I see agents eyeing each other with suspicion and barley veiled contempt.  You can almost hear their thoughts out loud:

“How did this guy get that client? I’m so much better than he is.”

“That’s not how you escort the Principal, diamond formations always work better than box.”

“This guy is standing too close to my client’s door, is he trying to steal my client”?

I know this situation is not unique to the Celebrity Protection market.  My associates that operate in some of the more hostile areas of the world tell me about protection teams sizing each other up all the time.  Of course the stakes are different when you’re in Iraq or Papa New Guinea.  The point I’m trying to make is: Think how much could be accomplished if  simply we adjusted our mindset that other EP Agents and event staff were all working for the same goal – The safeguarding of the individuals inside that collective circle of protection.    Sometimes those rings will overlap and when they do, I’ll look at others providing services not as nuisances but as brothers (or sisters) at arms dealing with their own set of challenges.  I believe that an attitude like this will pay back in dividends in the long run.

Read the full story in The Circuit – The Magazine for Bodyguards by ordering HERE.

Executive Protection Course Round Up

ICON is proud to announce the successful completion of our January 5-day ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course!  Thank you to the 14 students that made it to the end, giving their time, dedication and hard earned dollars to attend.  (Not to mention the fact that all did their due diligence and knew they were talking a course in Minnesota, in January! –extra kudos goes for that fact alone.)

Once again the attendees came from various countries (Canada, Australia), ages, colors & genders (thank you to the 3 ladies in attendance), to meet in an environment that leveled the playing field.   By the time the course wrapped, everyone –instructors included — were tired, but as the motto goes:  Train hard, Win easy.

Next course, March 23-27, 2011.  To sign up for future classes, click HERE.

“I recognized the enormous benefits in training internationally with like minded professionals in our field.  Having instructors and presenters that actively work within the industry and who are willing to share their wealth of practical information, transposed to world class training that was both interesting & informative, with a focus on the real aspects of the work.  I will not hesitate to recommend the course to my friends and colleagues in the industry.”  ~ Chris Feretopoulos from Melbourne, Australia on why he choose to attend the course.

Protecting the Principal