Why private personal security might be for you
If you’ve ever wondered if private personal security might be for you, this article is for you.
The training and certification in high-end security provided by schools like Pacific West Academy are not just about guarding celebrities. Concerns like kidnapping for ransom have surged since 2012, with a particular rise in kidnappings related to terrorism. More information about our lifestyles and assets is available than ever before online. With recent data leaks like Cambridge Analytica sharing even more than we intend to, it’s easier and easier for profit-seekers to pick out their targets online.
There are other risks worth considering, too. Our economic climate is constantly changing, and potential trade disputes could see things worsening for many. With a rise in layoffs and bankruptcies, workplace violence is on the rise, too, with over 2 million Americans facing threats to the personal safety at the workplace.
Who is private personal security for?
Besides celebrities, there’s a range of businesses and individuals who are relying on private personal security professionals. CEOs and Executives who travel use them for protection against kidnapping or corporate crime. Money and valuables handlers, whether it’s someone transporting valuable jewelry or cash in a vehicle or someone who wants to protect their winnings on the way out of the casino may opt for protection.
People who receive large public attention such as lottery winners, criminal witnesses, and even protest targets may have need of them. International professionals, especially those in controversial fields of work like the oil industry, travel frequently, and the risk of kidnapping, as well as the use of security, in Latin America and the Middle East is rising. Even divorcees and victims of domestic disputes use private security to ensure the safety of all involved in threatening family situations.
Finding the right people
There’s a perceived increase in risk, and private personal security can give some of these individuals real peace of mind. But how do you find the right team with the right qualifications? There’s no federal licensing system for private personal security, but there are state requirements.
Besides a professional resume, private personal security teams in California receive the training they need to acquire a license from the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, can receive licenses like a California Baton Permit, and undergo background and criminal checks. State law also requires that security guards have an education from Kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12). Though these careers are not only limited to those with police or military backgrounds, they can help contextualize the skills learned on duty to apply in civilian careers, too.
It’s about more than armed guards
There’s a wide range of people who can make use of private security skills. They’re not all related to personal protection, either. While options like Pacific West’s Certified Executive Security Specialist Program do teach courses in the use of a taser, batons, and firearms, they also teach emergency training skills like tactical combat casualty care, triage, and the kind of medical training used by an EMT. A wide range of skills including armed protection, surveillance, emergency medical care and more means that private personal security provides a comprehensive kind of protection.
Personal private security may also involve working with other security professionals, law enforcement, and even simply service providers for those who are traveling out of country or across state lines. From the vetting of local security to simply interfacing with restaurant or hotel admin on the behalf of the client, the role of private security can be incredibly versatile.
For business and personal use
Private personal security assignments can vary a great deal, based on the needs of the client. Some clients only have a very short-term need. For instance, a high-rolling casino visitor taking their winnings from the casino to the nearest bank may only need a vehicular escort for security for a few hours. Other needs are much comprehensive. The CEO of an international corporation having a city break with their family may need round the clock surveillance.
As often as personal private security is used for protection of high-risk individuals in their private lives, it’s also an effective tool for corporate use. Family law centers may want protection for vulnerable victims of domestic abuse, while corporations may hire security for international guests of a high enough status.
Though the stereotype is that only celebrities hire private personal security, the truth is that the need for protection can go much deeper. You don’t have to be rich and famous to be a target. The professionals created by organizations like Pacific West Academy go on to provide security in all manners of situations for all kinds of people.
David Howell
Pacific West Academy Coordinator