The Bullet Proof Blog

Former Crack Cocaine Smoking Mayor Arrested Again in D.C.

2009-07-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

Former Mayor of Washington D.C., Marion Barry has once again been arrested - this time for stalking a woman.

It would appear that the former Mayor is intent on proving the old adage right - leopards don't change their spots.

From smoking crack cocaine to frequenting prostitutes, from not paying his taxes to stalking women...there does not appear to be any depth of deparavity to which Mr. Barry is not willing to sink.

Yet the citizens of D.C. keep re-electing him into office. Can anyone give a half-intelligent reason why this public and political misfit keeps getting re-elected to public office?

It can't even be said that it is time for D.C. residents to refuse to be the laughing stock of the country...that time has long since passed. You got what you voted for D.C.

Metro Crash Victims Laid to Rest

2009-07-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

The funerals of the Metro crash victims took place this week in the Washington D.C. metro area.

What makes it all the more tragic, is the fact that these poor people died needlessly.

Metro Trasit should never have allowed the aging train cars to be used after being warned three years ago that they were unsafe. Being a security advisor, I have become used to clients disregarding the very advice for which they asked in the first place.

Most times it is due to cost. I have no doubt that is what happened with Metro. They probably did what they thought was a "risk assessment" of their defective equipment. They probably weighed the cost of replacing the older cars against the possibility of an accident and decided there was little chance of an accident.

Anybody who disregards professional advice like this and is subsequently responsible for people being killed and injured should be sued to the hilt. While no amount of money can ever bring back loved ones, Metro should have to pay out hundreds of millions of dollars as a punitive measure.

They have showed that they care more about saving money than saving peoples' lives. I say they should be hit where it hurts - in their miserly pockets.

Robberies "Spike" on Metro

2009-06-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

We have been writing about it here and other security consultants have been talking about it....crime rises as the economy worsens

In Tuesday's "Washington Post", Lena H. Sun writes that robberies in the Metro Transit system are set to jump 24% by the end of the year.

That is the bad news. The good news is that people can do some thing about it. Apparently, opportunistic thieves are preying on people who are not paying attention to their surroundings.

Moral of the story - if you walk around with your head burried in your Blackberry or if you are moving like a robot from texting as you walk, you are going to be an easy target. Like we have said in the past - HARDEN THE TARGET.

Know where you are headed and be determined to get there without being robbed. There are wolves out there always ready to pounce on poor, unsuspecting sheep. Don't become a victim.

Going to Pakistan on Business? Better Bring Security with You

2009-06-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

It would be difficult to think of any industry or profession with greater growth potential - especially in difficult times as this downward economy, than Private Security.

No matter what country you think of; Saudi Arabia, India, China, United Arab Emirates...I have visited all of these countries over the past two years and an overwhelming need for security is the one common denominator that they all share.

That is why I find it amusing everytime our training academy announces a training course such as; Executive Protection Agent and people ask; "after I am trained, can I get work as a bodyguard, or private investigator?".

This story written by Hasan Mansoor for Asiaone News, speaks about the exploding need for private security in Pakistan - a country with a population of more than 170 million, but a Police force of less than 400,000.

Many of the people who graduate from our academy ask us about working overseas. Overseas pays very well. If we had a client wishing to take some E.P. agents on a busness trip to Pakistan (we would STRONGLY advise on bringing your own professionally trained security to a violent country such as Pakistan if it was absolutely necessary to make the trip), we would pay those agents anywhere from $500 - $800 a day with all expenses included.

Now I ask, where else can you make that kind of money during a recession where layoffs and downsizng are the order of the day? Not even lawyers can be guaranteed to earn that kind of money when many of them being laid off from Law Firms all over the country.

The tougher times get, the more need there is for security. Train today for that high paying assignment tomorrow and count yourself lucky that you are in a field that is as about recession-proof as can be found.

PETA Wouldn't Hurt a Fly

2009-06-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

I think that very few of us can ever hope to attain the lofty heights of humanity that PETA people seem to have reached.

Afterall, who amongst us would be in favor of catching pesky, dirty, germ spreading flies and then releasing them so that they could come back to annoy us all over again?

I would really like to know where PETA followers go to train to learn that kind of discipline. Do they have a PETA special forces type of training camp in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia?

Have they signed a contract with a Blackwater boot camp to turn them into super-humans, capable of ignoring "bug and people-eating animals" - even when those same bugs and animals are chowing down on them?

Scoff not, for it does take an unimaginable discipline to be eaten by mosquitos and to hold back from swatting or squashing them with a reflexive slap. I lived and worked in Africa in the early 90's and I did not possess that kind of discipline.

Just while living in Africa, I must have killed hundreds of mosquitos (this probably makes puts me into "war criminal" class by PETA standards)and yet, those pesky little blood-suckers still managed to give me malaria.

It will be interesting to see if President Obama puts his "catch and release" fly machine that PETA gave him to good use. Apparently, there are all kinds of bugs in the Whitehouse.

Strange, I would have thought they would have all been caught after Nixon left office.

"Death to America" chants in Tehran today

2009-06-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has a need to travel to Iran, especially Tehran, should seriously reconsider doing so after today's statement by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Ayatollah endorsed the recent election results, which many feel are false and have been seriously manipulated. It was after that statement that loyal followers of the Government were heard to chant; "Death to America".

Surprisingly, Ayatollah Montazeri, the most senior and probably the most respected of all the Ayatollahs, has rejected the results of the elections and came out against the Government in favor of the young protestors.

It will be very interesting to monitor the events in Tehran over the coming days and weeks. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's public stance will no doubt strike fear in many hearts. It is likely that the police and other enforcers will crack down in a more brutal manner.

Khamenei's statement might very well kill off protesting in the streets. For those brave souls who dare to defy him, they will be facing great danger.

Why a Security Job is the Ultimate "Job Security".

2009-06-14T17:21:00.001-07:00

I can't help but find it amusing everytime a potential student for one of our security courses asks the question; "Will I be able to get a job after graduating from your training?"

I find it hard to believe that there could be people out there who are not aware of the growth in private security or the fact that positions formerly held by Police or Military are now being filled by private security companies.

The tens of thousands of private security contractors assisting the military in places like Iraq and Afghanistan are one example, but every time you look around, you can see more and more evidence that private secuity is growing in leaps and bounds.

I remember when I first went to play golf in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, several years ago. The gates were all manned and controlled by soldiers. These days access is totally enforced by a private security company.

As long as there are hate groups and hate filled individulas, whether they call themselves; White Supremists, Al-Qaeda, Arian Nation, Black Panthers, Anti-Government separatists, or a host of other names, there will always be work for personnel with a good knowledge of security.

The more knowledge and experience you possess, the more you can seek to charge for your services. A client recently told me that they hired an out-of-work lawyer about a year ago for their company. Apparently, a few thousand got laid off in Washington D.C. the same week, so the market was flooded with job seekers with law degrees.

The next time you hear of someone losing their job in a law firm, or an auto plant, or a financial institution - tell them about the security profession. It might not be the world's oldest profession, but it is certainly one of the most stable - in good times and in bad.

Holocaust Museum Shooting in Washington D.C.

2009-06-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

Our condolences go out to the family of murdered Special Police Officer Jones who died in Monday's attack at the Holocaust Museum.

More details of the incident are bound to be released when they become known. Even at this early stage though, there are conclusions being reached that might benefit from waiting to see what took place that fateful day.

As may be seen from the Huffington Post commentary, the suspect, Von Brunn, had been in trouble with the law before. In 1983, he was convicted and sentenced to 4 years for attempted armed kidnapping of members of the Federal Reserve Board.

Interestingly, it was a "guard" who folied that attempt when he became suspicious and discovered that Von Brunn was carrying a bag of weapons. That is why a recent statement from a Police spokesman seems a little strange at this time.

The statement that was carried by WTOP radio yesterday made mention that the private security personnel at the Museum should be replaced by Police Officers. The reason being, a patrolling Police Officer outside could have observed the suspect before he entered the museum.

Possibly, yes. It should also be considered however, that a Police Officer outside would not guarantee that this would not have happened. There are many reasons why a Police Officer might have not been watching at the exact moment that the 88 year old man walked in. For instance, a tourist seeking directions could have easily diverted the Officer's attention.

I was delivering an Executive Protection seminar at the Police, Fire and Security Expo in Palm Beach last week. I used the infamous picture of President Reagan just seconds before he was shot as an example of why having Police Officers present are not a guarantee of success.

In the picture, two uniformed officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were standing within feet from where the assasin reached out with his gun and nearly killed the President. What were they doing? Looking to their right at the advancing President and completely ignoring the group to their left from where the would-be assasin struck.

Had they been doing their job properly, they would have been concentrating on the crowd in front of them, had their backs to the President and would have been in a position to grab the gunman's arm (or shoot him) as soon as he identified his murderous intentions.

We will wait to see what the findings are from the fatal shooting at the museum. Hopefully, changes or improvements will be made, if necessary, so that a similar incident is not allowed to occur at any time in the future.

How will the prison system handle Guantanamo Bay prisoners?

2009-05-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

In a letter to the editor in last Saturday's Washington Post, Colbert I. King raises an interesting point.

The writer tells the story about a D.C. native, Keith Barnes. Mr. Barnes was murdered in a Federal Prison in 2005. Barnes had plead guilty in 1998 to second degree murder and consipracy to commit armed robbery.

Barnes agreed to cooperate with the authorities to help convict his three co-defendants. As a reult of his cooperation, two of the others were convicted to 50 years and 54 years to life, respectively. D.C. inmates incarcerated in Federal Prisons where Barnes later served time, discovered his location and stabbed him 106 times.

Apparently in each prison, the authorities were alerted as to his identity and were under orders to keep other inmates away from him. He himself knew of the danger and wrote letters from inside prison. The question now remains; if the Federal Prison authorities could not keep an inmate safe from D.C. inmates who had ordered a "hit" wherever Barnes went, how are they going to control a bunch of battle hardened Al Qaeda insurgents?

FBI Director Robert Mueller is not taking the matter too lightly. He has warned that even if they are sent to maximum-security Federal Prisons, Gitmo inmates may radicalize other prisoners and threaten National Security.

With so much at stake, let us hope that the politicians do the right thing. Some might think that they could do worse than send them into the desert in Arizona and let them watch the weather channel in pink underwear all day.

Come to think of it, what is wrong with that as a solution for all prisoners?

When the hunter becomes the hunted

2009-05-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

This story is dedicated to those who try to be their own investigator and conduct their own surveillance.

We conduct thousands of hours of surveillance - employment, workman's comp, domestic law, etc. Every now and again we will have clients tell us that they have been following the spouse/significant other/employee and we immediately tell them that they are not only breaking the law but exposing themselves to danger.

Think about it - if you are an employer or spouse of the person you are following, doesn't it stand to reason that if they see you they will recognize you? In Virginia they then can call the Police and have you arrested for stalking.

The investigator in this story literally became the prey. Without knowing the full facts of the case, I can only suspect that the investigator was inexperienced since an experienced investigator would not have put themselves in that situation.

The article mentions that the investigator was on the person's private land - that would suggest that he was trespassing. Getting mistaken for a turkey and shot by the person you are supposed to observing - you'd be safer going hunting with Dick Cheney.

When you need an investigator - don't be a D.I.Y. P.I. Hire a professional - but verify their experience.

Worldwide effect of the U.S. financial crisis

2009-05-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

When you are in the security business and have used investigative skills around the world, it is not easy to "switch off".

If you are in security, you know what I mean. When you go to a restaurant, you are the one who finds a seat where your back is to the wall - it's instincive.

That's why the current financial crisis has always bothered me. Not so much for what happened in the U.S. - that was easy to understand....too many people living beyond their means, using their homes as ATM machines. That was a bubble just waiting to burst.

I am talking about the rest of the world. The old phrase explains some of it; "When Wall Street sneezes, the rest of the world catches cold". Unfortunately, Wall Street didn't just sneeze - it contracted an ailment similar to Lyme Disease and the rest of the world seems to have caught something resembling a plague.

If you are like me and you want to try and make some kind of sense of it all, I'd recommend you watch the CNBC investigative documentary "House of Cards". David Faber does a brilliant job of exposing all that was wrong with Wall Street - the excess, greed and blatantly unethical practices that crashed this country's economy and took it to the brink of another depression.

So many people in high financial positions knew that what they were doing was wrong. It was a glorified PONZI scheme with shaky loans being repackaged and reworked as triple AAA investments. Anyone who watches the CNBC expose will see that cities and towns as far away as Norway were duped into investing in these glorified junk bonds, having been promised that they carried a high investment rating and were set to deliver high, steady returns.

Today, theses authorities are reeling under the losses and it is predicted that the worst news has not been fully realized yet. The reason why they bought into the promises? Simply put, they just did not understand what they were getting into. One Norweigan Mayor said that she will never trust a salesman in a sharp Armani suit again.

To put it into perspective, when Faber asked Allen Greenspan, the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve if he knew what the "CDO's" were that were being issued by Wall Street financiers, he replied; "I could not understand them and I have a good grasp on economics and mathematics AND I have access to a couple of hundered Phd's - yet none of us could understand them".

Bernie Madoff, Wall Street hedge fund managers...it doesn't matter from where the promises come - if it seems too good to be true - it probably is too good to be true.

You may want to carry a map as back-up

2009-05-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

I have been missing in action for a few weeks following an overseas conference and a 24 hour a day contract that tied up myself and my team for the past month. It doesn't mean that I have neglected keeping up with recent security-related news though!

This story that I heard on the FOX News channel this past week had additional importance and relevance in the E.P. field as it played a major part for one of our training teams earlier this year.

The story is about the possibility of some of our GPS satellites failing beginning in 2010. This would have a direct effect on GPS systems. How would it effect the popular "GPS in the car systems" that so many of us rely on these days?

Well, it seems that pin-point accuracy would not be possible. Instead of directing you right to your exact destination, the device might instruct something like;"Turn left in a half to three quarters of a mile".

There are those who say that the life expectancy for these satellites is far greater than 2010. But what if not? How many of us rely on a GPS to such an extent that they would not consider trying to read a map? How many know how to read a map?

During an E.P. training class this year, we had a young gentleman from this area who got lost heading into Washington D.C. from Route 66. Anyone who has ever driven around the Washinton D.C. area will know that when you drive East from Virginia into D.C., it is virtually impossible to miss D.C. as you run right into it.

Relying on his GPS, the young man got lost twice, opting to get off on I495 to reach Downtown D.C. When asked why, he could not explain. Most likely he put in bad co-ordinates, but it was more difficult to get lost than to go as planned. Had he used a map as back-up, he would have clearly been able to see that it was a straight shot all the way in.

Modern technology is fantastic - when it works. People tend to forget that when they become hooked on technology. A fried computer is just a big piece of useless plastic and metal. If you are about to give a presentation and the projector malfunctions or crashes, should you just give up. Would it not be better to carry a flip chart and pens?

Security professionals can not afford to disregard the ever present; "what if". Personally speaking, I believe in having back-up plans for my back-up plans. As they say in Ireland; "To be sure, to be sure".

Bodyguards and Bullets in Costa Rica.

2009-04-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking of hiring Personal Protection Agents while visiting Costa Rica, be careful not to hire trigger-happy gunslingers.

A recent story in the Sports Examiner of the marriage between NFL Quarterback, Tom Brady and Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen, highlights how their recent ceremony nearly ended in disaster.

According to a couple of photographers (who claim to have had Brady's permission to take the photos), the bodyguards opened fire on their vehicle as they were leaving the wedding. The Examiner shows a picture of the alleged vehicle complete (or incomplete) with a blasted out window.

When hiring an individual or team for protection, it is always best to go through a known contact. This is even to be recommended in the U.S., but it is imperative for travel overseas.

Most of the smaller "one person", or part-time companies will not have a large list of overseas contacts, but the companies who specialize in Executive Protection will have trusted contacts in different cities and countries around the world.

Why take a chance on unknown individuals in a country where training and licensing may be suspect or non-existent? Make the arrangements before you travel and that way you have more chance of accountability.

U.S. Ship attacked by Somali Pirates

2009-04-08T17:18:00.000-07:00

It is being described as the "first time in living memory", that a U.S. flagged ship has been attacked by pirates.

The Maersk Alabama with a cew of 20 Americans was attacked and seized earlier today in the Indian Ocean. The closest "protecting" battleship was 345 miles away at the time.

In a rare turn of events, the crew this time attacked the pirates and regained control of the ship. This is the first report of a crew turning on the pirates and chasing them overboard.

Unfortunately, as they were scuttling overboard, the pirates managed to grab the U.S. Captain and are now holding him hostage on the lifeboat used to make their escape. It will be interesting to see how the U.S. Navy handles the incident. Hopefully the Captain will be released unharmed, but it is bound to change the nature of these all-too-common hijackings we have come to expect in that part of the world.

New security product takes picture of thief and sends to your cell phone!

2009-04-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

I attended a community seminar on protecting homes in Loudon County last Saturday morning.

Loudon County is one of the top three fastest growing counties in the U.S. Recently, thieves have been breaking into resident's homes during the day. In fact, since January '08, there have been 102 burglaries.

Deputy J.D. Spurlock of the Special Operations Division did a commendable job of explaining to home owners how to safeguard their property. I think that most of those in attendance were quite surprised to learn of the National statistics for burglaries.

For instance, in the U.S., a home or apartment is broken into every 15 seconds. July and August are the months with the highest burglaries. Most break-ins happen between 6am and 6pm. Why? Thieves know that most people are gone during the day to work, school, etc. and they will have an easier time.

Those of you who have a house alarm, how many of you turn on the alarm during the day? I would say the numbers would be very low. Most people only think of using an alarm at night, yet most burglaries happen during the day and that is when the alarm should be activated.

Deputy Spurlock advised on utilizing a "layered" system of security. This means that residents should not just rely on one house alarm to keep them safe. They should also trim the bushes in front of windows, report suspicious persons, etc. When the officer was asked for his opinion on GUARDIT, the new security system that took picturs of thieves entering your home and then sent the pictures immediately to your cell phone, he replied that as long as the pictures were of good quality, it sounded like a great idea.

Deputy Spurlock went on to say that Police Officers usually had a good idea who was involved in local crime, but placing them near the scene was difficult if they were not caught red-handed. He said that GUARDIT technology would be a great investigative tool to catch the criminals involved.

GUARDIT will make the job of Law Enforcement much easier and give victims a very real chance of recovering their stolen property. We think that using GUARDIT Technology as part of your overall layering system is a smart security move.

Killers wearing Body Armor - New Trend?

2009-04-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

The thought had crossed my mind listening to the news over the past 48 hours - both the perpetrator of the Binghamton, New York, massacre and the Pittsburgh Police Officer slayings were wearing body armor.

Our good friend and Academy Instructor, Rick Neal, pointed out the similarities to me this morning that started my thinking that this violent modus operandi needs to be carefully studied. Rick is in a position to know about these types of situations having recently retired as a S.W.A.T. Commander in Florida and having responded to more than three hundred "call outs".

Another person who is well qualified to comment on these type of mass killings is Dr. Park Dietz, a criminologist and forensic psychiatrist at UCLA who was a consultant on the Columbine killings in 1999. Dr. Dietz made a disturbing observation, but one that many of us in the security profession have known for a long time; people in the respective communities were aware of both killer's propensity to have carried out something of this magnitude.

According to Dr. Dietz; "many people knew of the shooters' anger, unreasonableness, the fact that they had made previous threats and were armed. In fact, they've known for a long time, but none of them did what they should have done with that information".

We wonder how many similar killers are lurking out there amongst us and how many of us know they they are there, but are not doing "the right thing". If you know, tell somebody before any more innocent lives are lost.

Police Officers are hard working public servants who are more than glad to come to our assistance when we call them - regardless of the dangers involved. We only have to look at the brave actions of Officer Kelly in Pittsburgh to know that. This brave officer was off-duty at home when he heard the shots in the neighborhood and ran out to help. Let's work with them and give them a fair fighting chance so they don't have to go into a situation blind.

Do you want to be a (internationally trained) Bodyguard?

2009-04-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

While we are on the theme of training, Sexton Executive Security would like to announce their International Training Program (ITP)to be held from 10/10 - 10/18/09. Executive Protection Training will take place on the ground in the following places over the course of the week; Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Jamaica.

This is a fantastic training opportunity for those looking to work international assignments. Not only will attendees be treated to top tier classroom tuition from highly experienced instructors, but they will get a chance to experience real-life scenarios in various cities and countries.

This is a truely unique experience. Most domestic training schools can only mention foreign assignments in their classroom lectures. At SEXTON, attendees will experience first hand what it feels like to work an assignment overseas. Best of all, they will experience this in at least three different countries.

Seats will be limited and those wishing to avail of this unique training experience should contact our office at once by e-mailing; training@sextonsecurity.com. A non refundable deposit of $650.00 will be necessary to book your place. All deposits need to reach us by 7/1/09.

Back from Training

2009-04-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have been missing in action these past two weeks due to our intense training program.

We had 12 action packed days of entry level & advanced handgun training coupled with our highly acclaimed Personal Protection Specialist Course. I am glad to report that we had a first rate class of students. The youngest was in his mid 20's and the most senior was a Police Officer who is retiring from service later this year.

I applaud these latest graduates for taking the stand and undergoing training in these tough times. Eventhough none of us (not even the smartest financial minds in the country) knows when this recession will subside, there can be no doubt that one day it will.

When that day arrives, clients will once again be willing to spend money and be less afraid of the future. E.P. agents need to be able to show current and professional training credentials when that day arrives.

Another reason to train now is due to a higher level of competition. With more and more qualified people out of work and chasing after fewer jobs, candidates need to do everything possible to give themselves the edge and to beat out the competition.

Speaking of qualifications, I saw something very unsusal today. I was looking over the qualifications of some people listed in a local executive protection association here in Virginia and noticed that one person who owned an E.P. business had actually no formal training or government issued credentials.

Those of you thinking of working for a security company or giving a training school your hard-earned dollars for training, MAKE SURE you check them out and find out what qualifcations THEY have. If they can not demonstrate years of experience and certified qualifications, then walk away and find someone who can.

How does your resume measure up?

2009-03-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

I have written about the importance of resumes and cover letters before.

Unfortunately, we still receive countless resumes from people who should be reading these pointers. If you have the time to send out resumes, especially unsolicited resumes, you should also have the time to compose a decent cover letter.

There is no excuse for sending someone a blank e-mail without even bothering to put anything into the subject line. As an employer, I can promise you that the quality of resumes we are receiving are getting better by the day. You can thank the economy for that.

It is not just happening in the U.S. The Washington Post last Sunday ran an article about the how hard the financial crisis is hitting the middle classs in Ireland. For those who were unaware, the Irish economy has been shooting through the roof this past decade or more. It was even christened the "Celtic Tiger Economy".

That is not the story any longer however. An unbuilt McDonald's over there has already stopped taking resumes for its 50 positions after receiving 500 resumes. That is not the remarkable part though.

The resumes had been submitted from bankers, accountants and architects. We are not even advertising Investigator or Executive Protection positions available, yet we are receiving resumes from people with Post Graduate degrees.

For those who know how to properly submit a resume and cover letter and who are waiting to be called for an interview, visit www.bodyguardcareers.com and read the pointers that our friend Hucky gives for interview success.

To the rest of you; do you still feel comfortable sending out those coverless resumes that leave a potential employer scratching their head as to what you want? I hope not. You should be doing your utmost to answer every company's main question; "What can you do for us?"

Are Mexican Drug Cartels Operating in Atlanta?

2009-03-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

It was disturbing to hear Rusty Payne, a DEA spokesperson talking recently about the likelihood of Mexican Drug cartels in Atlanta, Georgia.

Mr. Payne stated that Atlanta is the perfect hub for this type of organized crime as it gives easy access to the whole East Coast and a straight shot up 95 to New York City. If anybody should know about drugs, it must be the Drug Enforcement Agency.

More and more people are beginning to realize the danger coming from our Southern Border. Yesterday, the State Department issued warnings regarding travel to Mexico especially for holiday makers.

I am sure there are thousands of worried parents all across the country right now as they wait for their children to arrive home safe from Spring break. Mexico is a very popular destination for these college students.

Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to talk to your children about the dangers lurking beneath the surface in Mexico and suggest safer destinations right here in the U.S.

The Mexican Government will not want to hear that, but the economy here will be grateful for all the help it can get.

Not-so-secret Secret Ballot

2009-03-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been as confused as I have been over the Government's support of the Union's desire to do away with the "secret ballot", I believe I found the answer this morning.

Up until now, there did not seem to be any rhyme nor reason why President Obama would be so much in favor of killing the secret ballot. This morning as I watched the news over coffee, the answer became more obvious. Unions raised and contributed more than $67,500,000.00 to the Democratic Party in 2008. Sounds like it's their turn for a back scratch.

Last Saturday morning I listened to John Rutlidge, a respected financial analyst comparing the move to something that would happen in North Korea. He spoke from experience as he had just returned back from a trip to North Korea. In that country, citizens must appear in front of the Politican running for office and openly state if they vote for or against them. Do you think there there may be a slight chance of intimidation there?

There is no doubt that Unions have done a lot of good over the years. They have helped downtrodden workers to fight for better pay and conditions. That is admirable. Bullying, intimidating and ruling with an iron fist is not.

Workers should be able to vote in secret whether or not they want to have a Union. If this goes through, will we one day have to stand in front of politicians and point out the one we want?

Security companies in Washington D.C. became unionized recently. Some security companies are known for paying bad wages and not treating their employees very well. Union involvement there most probably helped a lot of security officers who were not getting a fair deal.

Unfortunately, the banning of the secret ballot does not seem set to help anybody - except the Unions who are probably expecting an influx of new (paying) members. There is talk that many companies will either close down or outsource their manufacturing to Asia if Unions are forced on them.

Do we really need to risk more jobs in these terrible economic times? Apparently those who handed over more than $67.5 million dollars seem to think so.

You can now catch a thief on your cell phone!

2009-03-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to an incredible new security and safety product that looks set to revolutionize the alarm world.

It is an all portable wireless alarm system. The sensors are "peel and stick" and may be placed on any surface. If you place it on your house/apartment door and an unauthorized person opens the door, the unit will take a picture of the intruder and immediately send the picture to your cell phone.

The Police are going to love that. I can see this system becomming so popular that in a couple of years people who have their car stolen and report it to the Police will be criticized for not having this alarm.

"What do you mean you don't have a picture of the thief?", the cop will ask, "everybody gets a picture of the thief nowadays".

Seriously though, this new system is going to be a great tool for renters in apartments, college dorms and for parents of the young and the elderly. I was recently hired to investigate thefts from a number of tenants in an apartment building.

Even if we fail to identify the thief(s), I can now give those who have lost valuables some peace of mind for the future. Heretofore, the big alarm companies were not interested in wiring apartments. Now renters have a solution - and there is no wiring needed.

Where would we be without all of this technology?

Texas Prepares as Mexico Spirals out of Control

2009-03-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yet more news today about organized crime threatening the peace and safety of Southern Texas.

Representative Michael McCaul from Texas was interviewed by FOX news this morning and spoke about contingency planning as chaos continues further South.

The death toll from organized crime activity in Mexico last year reached nearly 6,000. It is said that 2,000 have died so far and the year is not yet ten weeks old. Rep. McCaul appeared to be in favor of National Guard Troops being called in to bolster Law Enforcement.

At the current rate, it will not be too long before Mexico more closely resembles Iraq than a cheap get-away for holiday makers.

Some things just don't make sense.

2009-03-08T20:00:00.001-07:00

Have you ever thought that there are somethings that just don't make sense?

Granted, there are things that may not seem to make sense at the time and later on situations may change. Take the Bernie Madoff case for example.

At the moment, many of us are sceptical about the rumors of a "plea bargain" arrangement with Bernie Madoff. Except for his wife, there must be a couple hundred million people in this country looking forward to him going to jail for life.

The question at the back of our minds is;"but will he?" Time will tell. Hopefully the authorities will do the right thing and won't have us all wondering if there is a different law for the rich (and parasites who swindle people out of their life savings).

What I am talking about though is Customer Service. I have been seeing a noticeable deterioration in customer service these past months and it makes no sense.

In these hard economic times when people are watching their spending habits, you would think that customer service would be at an all time high. I'll give an example. One of my Executive Protection Agents was flying in to work at the inauguration with our clients and I picked him up at Dulles airport.

On the way back, we stopped to get something to eat. The waitress who took our order, returned with one glass of water and was never seen again until the manager checked on us a half hour later. I told the manager that we had to find another waitress and my guest had actually to go to the "warming" area and find his own food.

I also let her know that businesses need to go "above and beyond" these days to make sure that customers have a pleasant experience and keep returning so that the business can remain operating. She agreed 100%.

On Friday I went into my wireless phone company with a question about my service. I counted nine employees and three customers (I was the third). After watching them gossip with each other and talk on their personal phones for twenty minutes, I had had enough and asked to speak with a manager. I did not get an apology and the person who responded took another five minutes to do so. I felt like asking; "CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?"

Those of us in security should always realize that customer service is an important part of the service we provide. If you notice others doing a poor job,do not try to emulate them. Give the client your full attention, be courteous and alert and ready to respond to any situation at all times.

To do otherwise would just not make sense.

Are U.S Border Towns Turning into Drug Battlegrounds?

2009-03-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this ABC news report is accurate when it says that Washington is only concerned with terrorists, but it would seem that Drug Cartels are starting to terrorize Southern cities in the U.S.

To those who say; "it's alright since it's drug on drug crime", think of all the shootings and killings of innocent victims in this country everyday who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Also, if these brazen criminals think that Law Enforcement is turning a blind eye, how long will it be before they start targeting wealthy Americans and dragging them across the Border for ransom?

The U.S./Mexico border becomes more problematc by the day. As the tourist industry dries up, there is no doubt that the criminal element will become far more vicious, this is already evident.

The recent kidnapping, torture and murder of a decorated General - his bodyguard and driver in the resort town of Cancun, is proof that nowhere is safe in Mexico. I bet that very few ever gave a second thought to their safety in these well known and popular resorts.

It is now time to be having those second thoughts.