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Advice for finding work in Executive Protection

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of mentorships for current and retired law enforcement officers looking to transition into private sector executive protection roles. This is primarily due to my position as the head of the Law Enforcement/Military Liaison committee in the ASIS Executive Protection Community, of which our very own Jerry Heying is the Chair of that community. Also, it’s because I’ve made that transition myself. After spending almost 27 years working for the California Highway Patrol, I was lucky enough to retire and almost immediately find a job as a corporate executive protection manager. A lot of my former colleagues, nearing retirement, reach out to me for advice, which I happily do. I do it for LEO, Military, my fellow NLA members, or any decent person that is considering this line of work. We need good people in this business.

Here’s the advice I share. I believe it’s universally applicable to all candidates, not just LEO or Military.

Digital Citizenship

We have officially reached a point in history where we have an entire generation of people who have grown up using digital media. From their first moments of life, they have been introduced to technology, that provides them access and connectivity to the entire world. We see little ones in strollers playing with cell phones and iPad’s before they can even walk and talk. This new generation is already consuming and creating content at astronomical rates. However, it is important to note, and studies have shown that digital media consumption is addicting, both physically and psychologically. Participating in social media produces the same neurological response as using an addictive substance. Specifically, when a person receives a notification that a post has received attention, such as a ‘like’ or a ‘mention’, the brain naturally receives a rush of dopamine causing the person pleasure and a sense of satisfaction. This exact same response can be compared to individuals using addictive drugs (Hilliard, 2019).

Key Considerations When Building Out Your Insider Risk Program

Is Insider Risk something new, or something we need to look at in a new way? Traditionally we have put in place measures to protect the perimeter, to control access into our buildings or our systems. Why did we do this? We saw the biggest risks and threats coming from external sources. In a “less connected” world this made perfect sense. We housed our assets and managed accordingly. However, the world has changed. We are more inter-connected than ever, and in many ways, we’ve optimized against the external threats. We have become experts in “perimeter” protection. We cannot rest and let down on the perimeter, however, the perimeter being the primary focus has left us vulnerable in many ways. This paper discusses how we design our internal controls, both in physical and system realms, as we evolve our understanding on where risks really exist, and how we believe people might behave. Employees stealing physical or confidential information from their company and/or place of work is not new, however, the complexity of the environment that we protect is no longer simple, and the stakes are high. Our reputation, our credibility, and in some cases the financial viability of these organizations are at stake.

Read Complete White Paper…