Secrets of a Professional Bodyguard: How to Stay Safe in a Crowd by Daisy Luther for The Organic Prepper
Have you ever wondered how personal protection experts can manage to watch a big crowd to keep a high-profile individual safe from the one person in the crowd who wants to do them harm? I recently had the opportunity to conduct a fascinating interview and learn some of the secrets of a professional bodyguard.
I recently met Drew, who has been working in the personal security sector at a high level for several years. Formerly a member of the US military, he has undergone rigorous training to be able to identify those who pose a threat to the person whom he is protecting and to work with a team to keep them safe.
While we certainly can’t all afford our own private security teams, there’s a lot we can learn from a guy who does this kind of work full-time.
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We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
Why do we need to learn the secrets of a professional bodyguard?
The world has gotten a lot crazier over the past few years and tensions have grown. There are a variety of reasons for this:
- Political strife
- Potential terrorism
- Medical freedom
- Racial tension
- Extremist philosophies
People from every possible facet of life are angry, and angry people are dangerous. Add a crowd dynamic and mob mentality to that anger and you don’t have to be a high-profile figure to become a target. Remember the lady who was having dinner at a sidewalk cafe and faced the ire of a group of people who wanted her to pledge obeisance to their political cause?
If everyday people can easily become targets, you can imagine how dangerous it is to be a public figure or celebrity. But the tides have turned to the extent that now, we can all benefit from learning the secrets of a professional bodyguard. Drew and I spoke for a few hours about the following topics, and I’ve turned our discussion into an article that I hope you’ll find informative. Any mistakes in conveying the information are completely mine.
What are the visual cues that indicate someone is potentially violent?
In the study of violence dynamics, there are certain visual cues that indicate a person is considering or planning an aggressive action in a one-on-one situation. Most of these cues are completely unconscious but knowing what they are can help you in two ways. First, it can give you an early warning that the person confronting you may attack. Secondly, it can help you to prevent giving out these hints yourself. Out of all of the things on the list, I know I’m personally guilty of the weapons check if I’m in a situation in which I feel like I might need to defend myself.
This information is a combination gleaned from my interview with Drew, the book Facing Violence by Rory Miller, and a violence de-escalation course I took with Dr. Tammy McCracken of 500Rising. Note that people who are more comfortable and familiar with violence are less likely to display these traits.