Icon – Behind the Bodyguard Business

ICON VIP Protection Target

Icon Services Corporation is proud to announce our new line of full-color Custom Paper Targets.  Produced in an exclusive agreement with America’s largest manufacturer of paper targets for shooters; the ICON VIP Protection Target Line is the first of it’s kind to present a challenging shooting target created by professionals in the Executive Protection Industry.

The targets themselves will provide Executive Protection Agents, Law Enforcement, Military Personnel and avid marksmen around the world, high quality targets designed to hone the shooters skills in a simulation of true-to-life events.  The initial series of 6 places the shooter in a variety of scenarios such as confronting a hostage taker on a private aircraft or protecting your client from a gun-wielding stalker as she exits the vehicle.

For more information or to order targets click HERE

The Vatican will review security procedures after a woman jumped a barrier and rushed at Pope Benedict XVI for the second time in two years, this time managing to knock him down before being pulled away by guards, the Vatican spokesman said Friday.

Benedict, 82, wasn’t hurt and delivered his traditional Christmas Daygreetings in 65 languages from the loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square. While a bit unsteady at first, he also delivered a short speech about the world’s trouble spots without problem.

The incident in St. Peter’s Basilica raised fresh questions about security for the pontiff, however, after officials said the woman involved had jumped the barrier at the 2008 Midnight Mass in a failed bid to get to the pope. She even wore the same red-hooded sweat shirt.

For the full story, click HERE.

Much like when the United States Secret Services has a breach you can believe there will be some finger pointing and people held accountable.  In the end, I think this incident will result in some altered security changes for the Popes movements among crowds, much like the introduction of the Popemobile after 1981.

Footage of the attack and security response.

Nigerian citizen Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who  was charged with trying to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight near Detroit Christmas Day, was released from a hospital in the custody of federal marshals Sunday.
A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Detroit, Gina Balaya , says Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is being kept in a secure location. She offered no other details Sunday.

The 23-year-old Abdulmutallab was being treated for burns at University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. He was charged Saturday with attempting to destroy or wreck an aircraft and placing a destructive device in a plane.
The FBI says a device containing an explosive was attached to his body Friday while aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam. Passengers put out the fire and subdued him.

For the full story click HERE

And a nice article on Jasper Schuringa who assisted in taking Umar down.

Salutations to all the brave men and women on the flight who did their part.

Day 1 complete.

So far the class is an interesting mix of individuals already in the industry and newcomers, current law enforcement and ex-military.   Should be interesting to see how this dynamic plays out.

For more information on the ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course, click HERE

It’s always kind of cool when your a fan of someone’s work and realize you are on their radar as well.  That was the case of  me and The Corporate Takeover, which describes itself as a “business magazine and lifestyle dossier for the modern gentleman”.   I’d say I’m pretty modern so I could see the fit, but I was surprised when I found out the managing editors were already familiar with my some of my work.  Several weeks later, a interview was set up which covered a wide range of topics from politics, to economics to  staying sane in the pressure filled world of the Executive Protection Industry.

Corporate Takeover:  How do you prepare for high risk assignments that take you to countries where there’s an increased threat of violence? And at one point would you have to say to a client, ‘Ok, this is too dangerous’ and advise against visiting a certain location?

Elijah Shaw:  The high risk assignments are where you really need to be focused. 90% of the job is in the planning, so you take care to minimize your clients exposure to harm. Depending on the type of client, resources might go from unlimited to a shoe string budget, so you just have to make due with the hand you are dealt. There are times, for example, when an entertainer has to make a public appearance, even when faced with a higher threat level, and the recommendations I make leads me to butt heads with other decision makers. Sometimes you can’t get away from that, but that is ultimately why a service like mine is used.

For the full interview, click HERE.

Movies are a HUGE industry in India which means their Stars are in need of security to a degree almost equal to the US.  Ran across an interesting story below, a little awkward and sensational in some places but overall a nice profile on an emerging market:

“It’s a dream job for many men with muscle. But it’s not easy being a Bollywood bodyguard. The strongmen must protect their celebrities from overenthusiastic fans, lecherous louts and malicious stalkers. They also have to be sensitive to the celeb’s mood. Shadows of celebrities, they are privy to every little move their charges make. Bodyguards must also know the delicate art of keeping secrets”.

For the full story click HERE.

Met a great guy several weeks back named Andy Santamaria that owns an interesting business called CMTY which stands for Connecting Me To You.  Andy interviews individuals from different professions and let’s the world know about them through Cyberspace.  He didn’t reinvent the wheel, but he did make the interview process fresh and engaging.  To catch my interview with Andy, click HERE.

Defense Department officials now say that more than 18,000 armed security contractors are working in Iraq or Afghanistan under Pentagon auspices, according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service that was obtained by NPR.

The bulk of the gun-toting contractors — some 13,232 as of June 30 — are in Iraq, where they guard U.S. bases, defend convoys and serve as personal bodyguards for high-level officials. The remaining 5,165 armed civilians perform similar functions in Afghanistan.

Click HERE

Related:  My interview with Portfolio Magazine on the World of Private Security

Ok, so I’ve had to keep this under wraps for awhile, but I finally get to let the cat out of the bag:

December 2 -7, 2009 sees the introduction of a new training course focusing on none other than Stalker & Paparazzi Detection.  In the same way that the underlying principals of Executive Protection form the framework of the Celebrity Protection Course, the Stalker & Paparazzi Detection Course is at its essence, Counter Surveillance Training.  In light of that I brought in an expert in the field, Ivor Terret the CEO of Israeli-based Multi Tier Solutions, and an international authority on counter surveillance, surveillance detection and covert executive protection.   

 Together, we will present a unique 5-day course focusing on profiling and identifying stalkers, potential kidnappers and paparazzi in the business, celebrity and high profile VIP industry sectors. The course will offer real world examples and scenarios that will present students with the tools they need to more effectively protect their clients in the real world. 

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

• Operating covertly in the world of Executive and VIP protection
• Case Studies
• Stalker Pattern Recognition
• Covert Methods to confirm or deny stalker surveillance
• Covert Methods to confirm or deny Paparazzi surveillance
• Counter Surveillance
• Covert Protection Methodologies
• Protection Intelligence
• Covert and Low Profile Risk Mitigation

For more information click HERE.

Celebrity & VIP Protection Training Course

(November 11-15 2009)

Icon Services Corporation is proud to present a five-day course of practical theory and hands-on
training in the world of Celebrity & VIP Protection. If you are new to the bodyguard industry or a
current operator looking to refresh and polish your skills, this course will offer excellent
instruction into the professional side of Close 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 course will offer real world problems, scenarios, and solutions from
instructors that are currently active in the industry. For more information, including a course description, click HERE.

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“The Icon Celebrity & VIP Protection Course is a must for anyone looking to break into the industry or for those already actively working in the field that just want to stay fresh and sharp. Industry insiders will tell you that consistent training is paramount to being hired and successful in the EP business. I have graduated from their courses and I use the skills learned everyday while providing protection. The instructors are top notch in the industry.”

– Sean Ernest, PPS
Icon Celebrity Protection Alumni 2.08