ABSTRACT
The use of police ofcers in a direct protective role is a logical use of a resource by a law enforcement agency. Departments have the authority to allocate resources, such as manpower, vehicles, and equipment, to accomplish the mission. However, in protective operations, just being a trained police ofcer will most likely not be sufcient if a detail is ever attacked. Protective units, just like narco/intelligence units and SWAT teams, need specialized equipment and training. This even applies to SWAT teams that are periodically tasked with a protective function, as the nature of the mission is drastically different from their traditional role.
