I’m sure that my colleagues would agree that there is a certain “mystique” to the Bodyguard and Executive Protection industry. It is a world that can be somewhat shrouded in secrecy, and unfortunately, impressions of this business can be formed based on what the public sees on television and in the movies. In the interest of getting to some truth about this business, I thought it would be interesting to share some real world information that might help those who are interested in this career to understand that what is portrayed in the media is not always the whole (or realistic) picture.
Just to be clear, there are several terms that are used and are somewhat interchangeable for “Executive Protection Specialist.” They include: CPO (Close Protection Operative), and also “Bodyguard.” Wikipedia describes a bodyguard or EPS as: a type of security guard or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats.