What’s It Like Being A Bodyguard?

Oh Wow, Being a bodyguard is almost as good as being Private Dick. Rayman, Private Eye, that sounds good doens't it. Plus, you get to wear the official hat & shades to boot!

The close protection industry is flourishing, but is the life of a bodyguard really anything like the movies?

Once seen as the preserve of royalty or celebrities, private close protection officers are now in demand for an increasing range of clients.

The growth in the number of high net worth individuals over the last 20 years has certainly fuelled demand; in recent years when the size of their bonuses became public, City bankers attracted the wrong kind of attention and many were reported to have employed protection for themselves and their families.

Mega-rich clients face the threat of kidnapping or the kidnapping of their children, so some protection officers are employed to do the school run. There is also the risk of attempted assassination if they are dignitaries. For some, it may be more about a perceived threat than an actual one.

Jamie, ex-marine, experienced close protection officer and chief instructor with training provider Task International, believes many potential trainees don’t understand what close protection involves.

“People enquire about the training course thinking that they’re going to be wearing dark suits and dark glasses and be doing handbrake turns as they chase the baddies away from their boss.

via What's it like being a bodyguard?.