Executive Protection Qualifications

[Jim1348]

I just saw an opening last week for a job that looked interesting. It was for one of the largest banks in the US. I am just wondering if anybody here does executive protection full time and what employers typically look for in a candidate? I was a police officer for 10 years and a deputy sheriff for 17 years. I currently do executive protection support at my current employer, but it is just a collateral duty. I do it a few days a month, not everyday.

Is doing EP full time a lucrative job? I am not looking to get rich, but I do want a job that has some challenges and is interesting. I have not been to FLETC yet for EP training. I did just get to a day long driving school and that is an important skill.

Also, does anybody have any tips on how to make my skill set sound more like I fit in with the private sector? I have been working for some level of government for most of my adult life. When I look at jobs in the private sector, the descriptions sound a bit different.

I would also be interesting in hearing about clothing, equipment, and vehicles. I assume that a large bank would want their EP folks in nice suits. Are clothing allowances, like uniform allowances at police departments, common in private sector? (My current employer actually pays for the suits. You go to a place that they use and you are set up with suits that are designed to work well when carrying a sidearm, etc.) Would most places provide the handgun? What about vehicles? Would any banks have take home vehicles for EP staff or do they typically have vehicles at stay at the bank?

[Sierra 1]

Jim,

FYI-

About four years ago I began developing a protective services program for the global company that I work for. I attended and completed two of the better known (popular) corporate type executive protection programs. I also benchmarked with several large organizations that have full-time EP programs. This is what I discovered:

Basic Requirements:

1. Know someone in the industry and possibly someone who works for the organization that you are applying.

2. Completed one of the more popular EP training programs (EPI, Oatman, ESI). All of the programs mentioned do have some type of networking once you complete their training program.

3. 5+ years Law enforcement and/or military experience is sometimes preferred.

4. Ability to pass some type of physical/medical requirement to prove that you can do the job.


Benefits:

1. Compensation for Protection Specialists- 50,000- 80,000 annually (based on company/organization, previous experience, etc.). Larger organizations will also include basic retirement benefits (401 k).

2. Insurance- The majority of your large corporations will have health/dental coverage for proprietary protective services personnel.

3. Equipment- Most will require you to provide clothing and equipment. Two of the organizations that I benchmarked did provide a small, annual allowance to help off-set cost. Firearms- you will NOT be conducting armed work if you work in the CONUS. Just doesn't happen in the EP industry, especially in the larger corporations. The mindset is- if you need a gun, you haven't done your job (it's all about the advance). Armed work, when required (based on the threat assessment) will be conducted by contract personnel (armed guards hired to secure the perimeter, or off-duty police officers working in uniform).

Training/Self-Improvement

FYI-

Your FLETC training won't get you far in corporate EP. Public sector protection (i.e., police officers) focuses on armed work, high speed driving, J-turns, AOP drills, etc. You will not have the need for that in the corporate world. Skills in basic protective driving, conducting advances, threat assessments and security surveys are the trademarks for your desired corporate EP specialists.

[Jim1348]

Executive Protection Qualifications

.....Firearms- you will NOT be conducting armed work if you work in the CONUS. Just doesn't happen in the EP industry, especially in the larger corporations. The mindset is- if you need a gun, you haven't done your job (it's all about the advance). Armed work, when required (based on the threat assessment) will be conducted by contract personnel (armed guards hired to secure the perimeter, or off-duty police officers working in uniform).....FLETC training won't get you far in corporate EP. Public sector protection (i.e., police officers) focuses on armed work, high speed driving, J-turns, AOP drills, etc. You will not have the need for that in the corporate world. Skills in basic protective driving, conducting advances, threat assessments and security surveys are the trademarks for your desired corporate EP specialists.

Thank you very much for the reply. The announcement states "Must possess valid driver’s license and either possesses or is capable of possessing a concealed weapons permit for use during course of duties." I found that interesting because I, too, was wondering about firearms in the private sector here in the United States. Of course, outside of the United States, a weapon permit wouldn't be recognized. I also noticed that it doesn't specifically state that the applicant would be carrying a firearm, but rather that they have a permit.

With regards to the driver's license, my current employer requires it upon application, BUT most of the other officers never drive a work vehicle. The employer does check periodically, however, to make sure that everybody's license is current! I guess it is just one of those things just in case they ever did have to drive a work vehicle.

It sort of reminds me of an acquaintance of mine. He works for the state DOT. He was a paramedic before he was hired by the state. And, although he is NOT working as a paramedic for the state, they pay for him to maintain his certification! In fact, he really can't do much more as a paramedic in that job than he could as just an EMT or EMS and really doesn't have all the equipment, but he does carry a first aid kit, oxygen and an AED.

I am a Commercial Class A driver and I have talked to a few fellow CDL holders over the years that have it, but don't use their CDL and their employer pays the cost for them to maintain it. Again, I suppose just sort of hedging their bet in case it would be needed.

And even though I was not in the armed forces, I know that their are books and online website to help applicants "civilianize" their resume's and job applications. I have seen a few private sector employers that seem to recognize and seek people with police experience. The private sector employers that I have seen looking for that seem to be private contract security companies, armored truck, private hospital security, private college/university security, nuclear power plant security, Federal Reserve Law Enforcement, and railroad police departments. There probably are a few more, but those are what came to mind.

I did find these URLs for the schools you mentioned. In all honesty, I have never heard of ANY of them before! Being in the public sector pretty much all of my adult life, most of the training that I have attended is under the auspices of some government agency. Sure, many of them are private sector companies, but they are under government contract to conduct the training. I will take a look at these and see what I can glean out of it.

http://www.personalprotection.com/

http://www.rloatman.com/services.aspx

http://www.esibodyguardschool.com/

[vitamin]

Info

Who here has gone through an executive protection program? How was it, and which one did you attend?
How is the net-working..for getting a job like? Did you stay touch with others who attended & if so, are they working in EP?

I'm very much considering attending EPI this coming Oct. It's a 7 day course, and I may stay additional days for a protectors pistol course which is 3 days.

So what was your experience attending one of the programs out there? And if your currently working EP, how is it?

[Soper]

They are a basic intro. That's all. You need a work history to get into the biz. It's over saturated with highly qualified players due to the drawdowns in the ME contracting world.

Start at the bottom.

[Job Alert]

Jim 1348, the first step to having a successful career in the Executive Protection industry is building a solid
foundation.

To be successful in most fields you need to have some type of formalized or specialized
education under your belt to teach you both the basic and advanced skills that a specific job may
require. Hence, those entering into the field of executive protection are required to have some type of
formal and ADVANCED TRAINING.

As an example, there are all kinds of lawyers, but if you’ve just been involved in a work-related shooting,
you wouldn’t choose one who specializes in corporate tax. Similarly, guys my age don’t go to
pediatricians when they need their cholesterol medicine renewed. With that being said, which is the

BEST PROTECTION SCHOOL FOR YOU?

Training is a component of Executive Protection that has changed significantly over the past 25 years.
There was a time when any large, physically‐fit man with an intimidating presence could be employed as
a Bodyguard—or as is the politically correct term would be in 2018— Executive Protection Specialist
(EPS). This simply is no longer the case. Today, men and women are both working in the field and
training is considered key to succeeding in the field; physical strength, endurance, and agility are only
part of the EPS equation.

In many cases, you will have an extremely hard time finding employment, either with the team or as an
individual without a formalized education. It is also important to remember that as an executive
protection specialist you have to continue on your path to excellence. Just because you graduated from
the ABC school of executive protection does not mean that your education is complete. It is imperative
for you to consistently continue to learn; the old saying “ KNOWLEDGE IS POWER” is true.

The more training you have the better off you will be and the more success you will have in the EP industry.
As with anything, it is advisable that you do your homework before parting with your hard-earned cash.
Ask questions, ask for real references to talk to, search the Internet for information on prospective
schools. Join executive protection forums like this one, talk to prospective employers, (that are not trainers!), ask
them candidly, “If you were going to employ me as a newbie, which course would you prefer that I have
completed?

Training is not cheap so mistakes can be costly. Finally, determine what your expectations are for
training and what area of executive protection you see yourself gravitating to.

Harlan

[Soper]

The term "Bodyguard" has been out since the mid 2000s as a term used in quality security organizations. It has nothing to do with PC, it has everything to do as a professional level of training: EP/PSD.

There are several employers out there who also run their own highly rated EP/PSD programs.

[Tom Horn]

The term "Bodyguard" has been out since the mid 2000s as a term used in quality security organizations. It has nothing to do with PC, it has everything to do as a professional level of training: EP/PSD.

There are several employers out there who also run their own highly rated EP/PSD programs.

When this thread was started they were probably still calling them bodyguards!

[CTEXSEC1]

Firearms- you will NOT be conducting armed work if you work in the CONUS. Just doesn't happen in the EP industry, especially in the larger corporations.

I suspect this varies by state. Texas, for example, requires quite extensive firearms training for EP (it's called PPO here) officers. They are most certainly armed at all times.

[Job Alert]

Info

Who here has gone through an executive protection program? How was it, and which one did you attend?
How is the net-working..for getting a job like? Did you stay touch with others who attended & if so, are they working in EP?

I'm very much considering attending EPI this coming Oct. It's a 7 day course, and I may stay additional days for a protectors pistol course which is 3 days.

So what was your experience attending one of the programs out there? And if your currently working EP, how is it?

The importance of attending a top-tier EP School cannot be over emphasized.

http://www.bodyguardcareers.com/bodyguard-training/