VIP Security

The recent intensity of campaigning for the upcoming presidential election has caused me to think about the security of the candidates and various VIP protection situations in which I have been involved.

I have been involved in security for presidents, social activists, and referees.

I have been involved in some phase of presidential security in two different jurisdictions in which I worked. In one of the cities where I was working, our police department was asked to send officers to a nearby city to help “beef “up their security for the president coming to their city to give a speech. When our group of officers arrived at the venue where the president would be speaking we were ushered into a break room type setting. and told that we would only be used if some type of trouble developed. We sat around playing a soccer type game with the saltshakers and peppershakers on the tables for about an hour.  After the president’s speech, we were lined up along the sidewalk on which the president was to walk from the building to his waiting limousine.  We were to be a bullet shield to protect the president. The president walked within about five feet of our line. I was, as were others awe struck. It is hard not to be when you know you are standing there ready to take a bullet for the President of the United States.

In another jurisdiction in which I worked, the President had come to our city to give a speech. I was not involved in the actual security of the President at the venue where he was speaking, but was asked to guard one of his limousines at another location.  The President traveled with several limousines so the public did not know which limousine the President actually was riding in. The one I was guarding was not the one the president had ridden to the airport in. I guarded it until a secret service agent came and drove it away.

In another jurisdiction, I provided security for a political activist. This activist had philosophical ideologies with which I vehemently disagreed; however, I was a professional. I protected this man from people who disagreed with him, and could possibly cause him harm.

I have provided security for referees at sporting events. Especially when there are close games or the referee made a call that was unpopular to much of the crowd, I walked them to their car parked in the parking lot to insure they got into their car safely and were not accosted by angry fans.

I can’t help but ask myself, what kind of society have we grown into?  The President of the United States needs more police to protect him than exist in some of the cities he visits.  People cannot verbalize their opinions no matter how obnoxious and distasteful they may be, without fearing personal harm.  Are we so imbedded in our sports that referees are in danger when they make an unpopular call?

As taxpayers can we support the increasing cost of security?  As civilized human beings can we continue to live in this type of society where many need so much personal protection? How as individuals can we turn our society around to a point where police do not constantly need to watch over our behaviors to keep VIPs safe?

Until later,

Sally S