This was cool. Sunil actually contacted me the other day, and we had a pleasant exchange of emails. He expressed an interest in sharing any published stories of his company on FJ. I obliged by posting this interview below that he did awhile back, and I also put up a link to his company for any of my Canadian readers that are interested. Now that is new media information engagement, and bravo to Sunil for doing so.
His company is also one of the few Canadian security companies out there, that are actually licensed by their government. One of these days, we will do a post on how that is working out up north, and if there is anything we can learn from that program here in the US. –Matt
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Edit: 11/21/2009- I was contacted by Professor Sunil Ram, who is someone completely different than the Sunil Ram in this interview, and for the readership and record, I just wanted to make sure everyone knew the difference. I imagine they get mixed up together often.
Also, here is Professor Sunil Ram’s background:
Adjunct Professor, School of Security and Global Studies, American Military University
Military Advisor, Saudi Royal Family
Defense Studies Committee, Royal Canadian Military Institute
Thesis Advisor (COTIPSO), Peace Operations Training Institute
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Jan 17, 2007 11:41 AM, By Ashley Roe
Veteran personal security specialist shares his experience in the industry.
When assassins threaten famous people, it only takes seconds for bodyguards to spring into action and offer protection a skill that Sunil Ram, a veteran personal protection specialist, says only comes with training.
Ram is the owner of the Huntsville, Ont.-based Executive Security Services International (ESSI) and has worked in the personal protection industry for 21 years. He shares his perspective of the personal protection business in an interview with Access Control & Security Systems. More information on ESSI can be found at http://www.essi.cjb.net/.
WHAT TYPE OF protection services do you offer? Our specialists protect executives, celebrities, entertainers, athletes, doctors, lawyers, abused women and witnesses. We provide our services to clients around the globe, and currently, we have 20 on-call security specialists.
Why do you prefer using the term security specialist over the term bodyguard? The image one sees of a bodyguard is usually that of a 250-lb. goon. In the industry, when we refer to individuals as bodyguards, it usually means someone who does not have any professional training in the field. He or she may have a martial arts background, may have done some bouncing work and may have worked in law enforcement, but they do not have the proper training and understanding of what the job entails.
Does it take certain personality traits to work in your field? We want people who can take directions and yet be able to take the lead role if it comes to that. Physical fitness and keen observation skills are important. You need to be a people person and someone who commands respect, but does not come on too strong.
What Experience is needed for this profession? Our staff is comprised of former government operatives and individuals who have worked on presidential, diplomatic and dignitary protection units.
What kind of training do applicants typically undergo? We offer courses on risk evaluation, threat assessment, personal security skills, building security, search procedures and intelligence gathering, among many more. The courses can run in length from a couple of days to a month, and we custom tailor them depending on the person we are training.
Is there an elimination process for prospective candidates? We try to weed people out right from the first time they call us about our training courses. I clear up any misconceptions about the job. Individuals have called us thinking that this business is all about fast car chases and gun battles, but there is a great deal of advanced planning involved.
How might this profession affect someone’s personal life?What additional stressors would they have?This is a great line of work for a single person, but most of our staff is married. It can be difficult on relationships. You can be away for long periods of time. The stress of taking a life itself is something the security specialist will need to deal with and may not ever get over. I personally know of individuals who quit the business because they had to take someone’s life while protecting their client. It happens. But you do everything in your power to make sure it never gets to that point.
Is there any distinction between the sexes in performing this job? My staff is about 75 percent male and 25 percent female. I’ve found that females seem to have better observation skills and pick up on small details. Female police officers are often used to diffuse volatile situations.
Find this article here.