Bodyguard
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
A bodyguard (or close protection officer) is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person or persons — usually public, wealthy, or politically important figures — from danger: generally theft, assault, kidnapping, assassination, harassment, loss of confidential information, threats, or other criminal offences. The group of officers who protect a VIP are often referred to as the VIP's security detail.
Most important public figures such as heads of state, heads of government and governors are protected by several bodyguards or by a team of bodyguards from an agency, security forces, or police forces (e.g., in the U.S., the United States Secret Service or the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service).
In most countries where the Head of state is and have always been also their military leader, the leader's bodyguards have traditionally been Royal Guards, Republican Guards and other elite military units. Less-important public figures, or those with lower risk profiles, may be accompanied by a single bodyguard who doubles as a driver. A number of high-profile celebrities and CEOs also use bodyguards.
See also
- Siras academy
- Private investigator
- Private military company
- Security detail
- Security guard
- Security police—persons who guard government property.
- Secret Service
- List of protective services
- List of notable bodyguards
- Legal guardian
- James Shortt, Director General of the International Bodyguard Association (IBA)
- Particular kinds of bodyguards
- Yojimbo, the Japanese word for bodyguard
- Somatophylakes, the Macedonian bodyguard of Alexander the Great
- Praetorian Guard, the bodyguards of the Roman Emperors
- Spatharios, the inner circle bodyguard of Byzantine Emperors
- Rynda, ceremonial bodyguard of early Russian tsars
