Bodyguard
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A bodyguard is a person or group of people who professionally protect someone (known as their principal) from personal assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats. Alternative term for bodyguard that is gaining popularity (particularly with the bodyguards themselves) is close-protection officer. Many professional training courses identify themselves close-protection training instead of bodyguarding training, for example.
General overview
Bodyguards may be armed, depending on the laws in their jurisdiction, and have expertise in unarmed combat, tactical driving, and first aid. However, the most important skill for a bodyguard is the ability to assess a situation and decide how best to respond to minimize danger to his principal.Most important public figures are protected by several bodyguards who work as a unit (or even agency), using sophisticated tactics. Less-important protectees (or those with lower risk profiles) are accompanied by a single bodyguard, who may double as a driver. However, some billionaires and dignitaries choose to dispense with bodyguards in all but the most risky situations.
In multi- units (like those protecting a celebrity or a head of state) one or more bodyguards may specialize in specific tasks, such as:
- communications/communications protection
- operation of physical security measures (regarding premises, transport vehicles and personal armor)
- intelligence, threat/vulnerability/risk assessment and analysis
- explosives and chemical detection
- sniper warfare and special weapons
- crowd screening and control
- SCUBA patrol, and other.
Famous bodyguards and bodyguarding agencies
In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, most bodyguards are former or current police officers, or sometimes former military or other government agency personnel. E.g., former members of the Special Air Service often go in close-protection after retirement, since many are given specialised training in the field during their time in the regiment.One well-known public agency that provides bodyguard services is the United States Secret Service which safeguards the lives of the President, his family, and other executive officials. The Secret Service can be compared to historical bodies such as the Praetorian Guard, Varangian Guard, Swiss Guard and the Janissaries.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
Another agency, the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, is responsible for protecting U.S. missions and their personnel overseas, as well as selected dignitaries in the U.S., including the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the Secretary of State, and visiting foreign dignitaries below heads-of-state level.
Whilst the US Secret Service's close-protection role is its most visible, its historic role as agents of the United States Treasury makes it somewhat unique internationally as usually "official" bodyguards are part of general police forces. A significant example is the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department of the Metropolitan Police, which is responsible for the security of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.
In India NSG (National Security Guards), an organisation particularly trained in anti-terrorist activities, also provides Body Guards for the VVIPs. The Organisation functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India. In 1984 Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her security guards, reportedly chosen as personal bodyguards.
Notable bodyguards
- Sempronius Densus - bodyguard of Piso Licinianus, deputy Roman emperor, who singlehandedly fought an entire company of soldiers in 69 AD.
- Walter H. Thompson - bodyguard of Winston Churchill for 18 years in the period 1921-1945.
- Suge Knight - Bodyguard of Bobby Brown
- Mr. T - bodyguard of modern American celebrities stars such as Muhammad Ali and Michael Jackson.
- Mykola Mel'nychenko, an agent assigned to provide communications protection for the Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma, publicly accused his principal of committing numerous crimes in 2000, causing an international scandal.
- Satwant Singh and Beant Singh - bodyguards who assassinated then PM Indira Gandhi
Fictional bodyguards
- Bodyguard - former Japanese television series starring Reiko Takashima
- The Bodyguard - film about guarding a celebrity singer
- Bodyguards - UK television series
- ''Kevin Nash as Diesel was Shawn Michaels' bodyguard.
- The Human Target - American comic book and television series
- In the Line of Fire - American film about guarding the President
- Usagi Yojimbo - Stan Sakai's anthropomorphic samurai based upon Miyamoto Musashi
- Yojimbo - Akira Kurosawa film
- Sheeva - The personal protector of Sindel
- Domovoi Butler - From The Artemis Fowl series
- MagnaGuard - General Grievous's bodyguards.
- Lord of War - The main character's brother protects him while he makes arms deals in war-torn countries
- Suki - A Japanese manga about a relationship between a teenaged girl and (unbeknownst to her) 32-year old bodyguard.
- Man on Fire - Denzel Washington plays the ferociously protective bodyguard of a young girl, played by Dakota Fanning.
Other uses of the term
Minders
A minder is a bodyguard who protects the financial interests of the principal rather than their personal safety.Dogs as bodyguards
Some sniffer dogs who are considered valuable enough for criminals to attempt to kill or bodily harm, are assigned large breed police dogs to serve as their bodyguard. [[Citing sources citation needed]]
See also
- List of protective services
- security police, elite military forces which guard a head of state.
- Yojimbo, the Japanese word for bodyguard
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