How to be your own bodyguard

How To Be Your Own Bodyguard by Joseph T. Mullen ,

IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS AS A PRIVATE detective, I've had a lot of interesting jobs and met a lot of interesting people. I mean, why else would you stay in the business? The hours are terrible and the fringes are even worse. But, like I say, you meet interesting people.For instance, several years ago, I met the most trusted man in America, Walter Cronkite. I was his bodyguard.What happened was, somebody at the FBI called somebody at CBS and told them that they'd intercepted wiretaps. They were hearing things. So the people at CBS called me—my agency is in New York—and we followed Mr. Trusted around. We carried gym bags that were supposed to make us look like guys on our way to a workout.What we had in the bags were .38 pistols. In the car was a shotgun. Never had to use any of that artillery; but there's nothing like a bodyguard to make you feel secure.Of course, most people can't afford, and don't need, full-time protection. They don't have that many enemies, after all, and besides, having somebody around all the time gets old. I'm a pretty charming guy but I'm sure Mr. Cronkite got to the point where he wouldn't have minded going without my company.Still, it's an uncertain world out there. And the sad truth is, the better you do, the more precautions you need to take.Celebrities are obvious, high-profile targets and they typically use bodyguards who are just muscle. Their job is to keep people who want to touch the garment at arm's length. They aren't real bright, necessarily, but they can react with considerable force.Still, you can make enemies without being on the cover of People. If you have something—or even look like you have something—worth taking, then you can be sure that there are people who would be happy to take it from you. And if you're in the middle of some temporary—but very nasty—dispute, then you might want protection as well.Before restraining orders became so common, my company used to protect a lot of wives who were in the process of divorcing abusive husbands. Sometimes breaking up a business partnership can be just as ugly as getting out of a marriage. People decide they want to get even in, quite literally, the worst way. You have a key chain. Put one of those pepper-spray devices on it. They've been reported to send eight-foot Florida alligators retreating into the fetal position. But there are some situations where that little extra protection can be provided by the one person you know you can trust...you. In other words, you need to be your own bodyguard.This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to learn to punch eyeholes in a silhouette target with a Glock. Or go off to Japan and learn some ancient discipline with seven orders of belts.

I've been around a lot of bodyguards, and the best I've ever known is Robert Foti. I use him on jobs, and I recommend his course in basic personal security. He held one recently for a big law firm in New York, and on the first night, 30 or 40 people showed up. Word got around, and on the second night, 70 people came to listen to what Bob had to tell them about staying out of those situations where the only thing you have left is force and luck. (Write him at P.O. Box 309, Schenectady, NY 12301-0309; or give me a call at 212-581-5292, and I'll get ahold of him for you.)Bob can certainly handle himself when it comes down to that—he did two tours in Vietnam, with the Rangers—and he has all the skills he needs with a pistol and hand-to-hand combat. The point is, he does things so those talents never come into play.It starts with vigilance. That's the word Bob uses, and I can't think of a better one. You start out by being aware that you're a possible victim."Criminals like soft targets," Bob says. "They're looking for sleepwalkers in unsecured areas."There are things you can do that make it easy for them. Like wearing headphones. Right away, you've cut off one of your best senses for detecting a threat. Somebody might be coming up behind you, but you never hear him because you're listening to your favorite CD. Heightened awareness is your best defense.Of course, this means using your eyes. Bob says that one of your best tools is a pair of sunglasses. That way, somebody who's a threat never knows what you're looking at. You can study a guy on a subway to see if he's getting ready to make some kind of move without getting into one of those menacing "stare-downs" where the guy believes that you're "dissing" him.What you wear can be very important. It would be prudent to leave the big jewelry at home, or at least cover it up with gloves and a scarf when you're out on the street. Women shouldn't carry shoulder bags with a thin strap that can be easily cut or broken. Carry a small bag with big handles you can grip firmly. No high heels. Carry them in a bag. The best shoes, for men and women, are flat with rubber soles. Better for running and—if you get outrun and have no choice—kicking. For women who are worried about rape, Bob has this advice: "It's easier to get a dress up than it is to get pants down."Most people don't have concealed-carry permits, but that doesn't mean that they should walk around unarmed. You have a key chain. Put one of those pepper-spray devices on it. "Those things work," Bob told me one day. "I saw a demonstration where some cops in Florida used one on an eight-foot alligator, and that beast just went into a ball."But if you're going to carry one, get a couple of extras and go out somewhere and practice firing them. You need to know how to do it without even thinking about it when the time comes. It has to be an instinct. And quick. And you have to point it right at the guy's face; none of this "general area" stuff.Bob also likes a little hand-held ice scraper for your car window on the key chain. There's one made by a company called Choate, down in Bald Knob, Arkansas. Thing has little claws on it that work like a poor man's brass knuckles in a pinch. (The Executive Ice Scraper, $5, 800-972-6390.) And if you don't have one of those on your key chain, and you need a weapon, use the key. Put it between your fingers so it sticks out like a claw.Of course, if you're being truly vigilant, you should never approach your car, or the door to your apartment, with your keys in your pocket or in your handbag so that you're standing there fumbling for them. Have your keys—and your pepper spray—out and in your hand. It decreases your vulnerability.And even though that key chain is getting pretty heavy, it's a good idea to have a little flashlight on it. You can use it to check around, or under, your car from a safe distance. Criminals like the dark; it gives them the advantage.


Also, avoid underground garages if you can. Don't park next to other cars where somebody can hide and ambush you. If the parking lot has surveillance cameras, try to park near one. Make two trips if you have a lot of packages. That will keep one hand free—keys and your pepper at the ready.When you're going somewhere in the car, make sure you have enough gas and a cell phone, and be aware of where you'll go for assistance if you're rear-ended by someone who wants you to stop and get out of the car so he can take your wallet, your jewelry, your packages...or you. Don't ever stop and get out of the car in an insecure area.If you do find yourself in a bad situation, have a plan: if he wants your wallet, give it to him. You might also have your money and your cards concealed, and an old wallet with 20 bucks in ones that you can drop and then run."Give him what he thinks he wants," Bob says. "Stay alert, avoid situations where you're vulnerable, be ready to run or react, give up what you can afford to lose to save what you can't afford to lose—your life."Like most of what Bob says, that's solid. Remember, the first priority of any bodyguard is the safety of the subject. In this case...you. Don't be stupid by being brave.There's a lot more, of course, and you learn most of it by being in the trade. I've learned a lot over the years, but I still learn things from other people, like Bob Foti.JOSEPH T. MULLEN is a private detective in New York City