ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an introduction to the world of high-level close personal protection. Progressing from the early days when personal protection consisted only of “hired guns” and “bodyguards,” executive protection is professionalized and all encompassing of a wider range of security. The guards were instructed to sit or stand at a particular post or sometimes to patrol a specific area, checking doors and locks, and reporting any unusual activity they happened to discover or observe. There is usually a minimum of three layers of rings or circles of security-related bulwarks shielding the protectee from intrusive, perhaps harmful behavior. The “people” part of the formula for hardening the target and deterrence are the protectee, his family, staff and management, the rank and file employees, the executive protection specialists, and all others with an interest in providing safety and security to the protectee.
