What do think of us Bodyguards or Close Protection Officers?

Pharoah

New Member
Close Protection Officers, We risk life for money, CPOs from my campany CPSS www.cpsecurityservices.com earns over £120,000 ($240,000) per year after tax for working in Iraq & Afghanistan, some of guys I know have families but r working in highly dangerous places. what do you think?
 
Bullet catchers are what I call them. My husband was a bodyguard and then a CPO worked only in the UK though. I hated him doing it though he absolutely loved it and hasn't enjoyed anything else he has done since he gave it up. It is a single man's job and I used to highly resent the fact he was putting his life on the line for someone other than his family. I could accept it if he was serving in the armed forces but not for protecting the life of an individual. In the end I made him choose - his wife and kids or his employer. Money is no substitute for a Father and Husbands life.
 
Pharoah

ref your wages, its good to see a provider that actually pays his manpower a decent wage
instead of taking the lions share
most companies that i know of, pay their manpower between £200-£300 whilst in country, and nothing when they are on leave.

with CPOs they have had quite a bit of bad press ie Blackwater and URG,
and it dosent help being labeled a mercenary either

the way i see thing is that im a provider for my family, the more i provide the better standards of living they have

you all realise the risks that come with the job, its all a balancing act.
 
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I would probably be the same,

You know the risks but you work hard for a short time so as to improve the standard of living for your family and kids.

Its a risk worth doing i think?
 
Up until recently I was working in London on potentially hazardous operations. My wife always said when I walked out the door it was like I was walking into another life and that she never really knew the person at work ie me. She was right on the money. It was another world, and a world that she and my kids won't ever come close too in the near future because of the efforts of folks who put themselves in that arena. She didn't like it, but it was a job and I worked for the police so that in her eyes made it ok. The pay however was dire. Now I am in the private sector I have the chance to put to good use the skills I have gathered over the years with police and military and earn an above average wage providing for my family and give them a better quality of life.

We have been down the route of normality (whatever that is) and for a period I was (and still am) a qualified photographer. Money was mediocre and the hours were long... very long! But inside I knew there was something missing, and more importantly so did my wife.

I sympathise with Nichola and understand her point of view. There must be many partners (both male & female) around the world as I write this who feel the same. Although I think bullet catcher is a little harsh! I like to think that our professionalism and experience are all part of the mix in the planning stages and keep our clients / principals and ourselves well out of harms way. But I take her point and accept that sometimes it is unavoidable. Without being melodramatic its who we are inside. Some of us can accept the normal existence of "civilian" life, for others (and as I say I have tried) its not that easy. But each has his or her own reasons for doing what we do, money, adrenalin, or running away. Some don’t have an option and its all the can do, all they have ever known. Some like myself like to think that as well as providing for our families that we make a difference in some small way, whether that be looking after someone who may change life for the better on a scale that we ourselves cannot, or gathering intel / evidence to put away "the bad guys" on what ever level you work at.

Sorry Pharoah... didn't mean to hijack your thread. :D I am intrigued though as to why you asked the question in the first place?

Bill (Pepe)
 
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Ladies and gentlemen i think we've found ourselves the brains/philospher within this forum!

LOL

Pepe you strike me as being very articulated. Your post is very precise and accurate!

CM
 
Ladies and gentlemen i think we've found ourselves the brains/philospher within this forum!

LOL

Pepe you strike me as being very articulated. Your post is very precise and accurate!

CM

LOL... I have been called many things over the years but never brains / philosopher !:)
Thank you.
I take it that you could relate?
 
Pharoah, Id like to ask a question if I may.

Would you as an employer take on a newly qualified guy who was looking for that first job?
 
As a guy who works CP in the UK and EU I have not been to Irag or Afgan. I think the guys who stand on nightclub doors are more likely to get injured or even killed than I am, there are many dangerous jobs around this is just one of them you just have to do your risk assesments ask the right question then make up your mind on each contract DONT just take a job for the sake of working
 
Roy, i agree with you and hope so as well. I belong to a few forums and most are like that. So far this is very good i think.
 
hi pharoah ive been trying to get some work in the uk ,not got any hostile area exp since NI in 1979 and dont live near london so its hard to get work any contacts you have for CPSS would be very helpfull cheers
 
Having worked for HMG, then privately on high risk numbers in places as far a field as Iraq, Columbia etc etc earning the big bucks, worked the celeb circuit, trained and now am in-house in a senior management role I feel the choice of what risk does one take is a choice that can only be made by the indivdual in question...

Looking back, I believe the reason I gave myself for being in High risk environments (the money) was simply an excuse.. The real reason was I hadn't adapted to 'civvie street' and pmc work offered my a way back to a military type lifestyle..

Now, I've (I hope, although Im sure Paddington will disagree) settled more and put various issues and demons behind me... (I hope so, as I cant afford a 3rd divorce!) and can sit at my desk fairly happily (as long as I get to slip down the gym and slap a few people a couple of times a week)

I think the both terms Bodyguard and Close Protection Officer are over used, both by the industry and press... Bodyguard was, back in the day simply a name for a position within the team and Close Protection was a RMP coined description that many, many organisations have taken to using..


Some years ago I studied at FLETC (Federal Law Enforcment Training Centre)
I took a couple of courses, Federal Investigator and Advanced Federal VIP Protection..
The Protection course was 12 weeks long!!! Longmore is 8 weeks.
So, even though I have in the past taught CP in the civil sector, I wonder, after 150 hours of training is the individual qualified to describe himself as a CPO?
I have no desire to put anyone down but I do often mull this point... Especially when interviewing persons to travel with my companies senior figures....
 
Hippy I could not agee more .I no every one has to start some where but of the guys on my (SIA)course there was only ONE I would even think of working with I could not belive the rest got to sit the written exam (but that was the case) I get a lot of DS or event guys tell me there thinking of doing a CP course and ask if it is easy to find work I always tell them the truth as I see if you dont know some one who will work with you or can offer you work save your money . I am not ex mill but have been doing CPor BG what ever you wont to call it for a long time now , I sort of fell into the job due to people I knew I learnt on the job and I made mistakes (not that serious that any one got hurt my them ) I think to many new guys to the civi side of the job (can not comment on irag or afgan ) dont realy know what it is about maybe Im wrong . look foward to other peoples views.
 
Greetings

I am the real Pharoah (pharaoh) the above was posted on yahoo answers by me in late 2006 !! and I have never posted the above.

well as there is a pretender pharoah and this is a reason why proabably he can not answer your questions.

I wish to explain why I asked this question on yahoo anwsers?

During the time as I was new in CP world, my friend Jim (Irish) had a CP job in Iraq, and I was to soon to go Afghanistan. Meaning I understood what I was doing because I had no family or kids and no fear of anything. But I could not understand why Jim would take risk when he has wonderful family that he dearly loves.

Proabably now I understands that a father would do anything for his family.

during that time I was bit sentimental, insecure and little drunk when I asked this question.

Anyway regarding CPSS they do not operate in conflict zone or war zone that was a sub-contracted work and you guys probably know during that time it was in high demand. As you check on their website CPSS usually works for Celbrities and VIP meaning mainly Europe.

I am pleased to have moved up in this company CPSS as I am now an Operations Manager and I specialise in countries Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Chez Republic and some UK.

Any questions or help please feel free to contact me.

Regards

BG
pharaohreturn@yahoo.com
www.cpss.cc
 
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