BOOK REVIEW: The Protected
By Michael Trott
Reviewed by Thomas Pecora, former CIA GS 15 Senior Security Officer
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a “bodyguard” for a high-ranking U.S. government official, the CEO of a large corporation, or the family of a billionaire? In The Protected, (not yet available on Amazon) Michael Trott takes us behind the curtain of Executive Protection (EP) and shows us not only the how but the why!
Trott has a rich and diverse span of experience having provided protective services in the U.S. military, the federal government, the corporate world and for Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) individuals. Each of these is a unique world filled with nuances.
Trott’s thorough review of the critical elements that make up a comprehensive Executive Protection (EP) program is filled with specific examples of how they are applied in the real world, including his time spent as a member of the CIA Director’s Protective Staff. As someone who worked in and around protective operations at the CIA for most of my 24-year career, albeit most of it in the overseas arena, I can vouch for the important and complicated role EP plays in supporting a protectee, allowing them to focus on their mission, whether that is directing intelligence operations or running a fortune 500 company.
It is also intriguing that Trott has been able to appeal to a wide audience for this book; not only is it interesting and informative for practitioners and principals, it is an engaging read for anyone interested in learning about the EP field and the background of people who devote themselves to it. Having taught protective operations courses, I realize how difficult it was to successfully write a book about such a complicated subject and still make it compelling for this diverse audience, but Trott makes it look relatively easy.
Beginning with a superbly apt prologue explaining some of his personal reasons and background for being in the EP field, Trott systematically addresses some of the key elements of any successful EP program - starting with helping to answer the critically important question of “why”; what factors might influence a principal to consider personal protection? He then explains how important the proper defining of the why question is to the formation of an effective EP program.
Because threats are often the driving factor, Trott focuses on the types of threats that are commonly faced by individuals who have or are contemplating acquiring an EP program. The book then examines some of the key elements that are at play in EP, including some that are not commonly known by those who are not “insiders” to this industry. Trott covers the current and possible future threats posed by the nefarious use of technology, by insider threats, as well as the more major but less common threats of kidnapping, assassination, terrorism, and natural disasters.
Trott then provides a summary of current conditions and a predictive analysis going forward regarding today’s security and EP landscape. His honest description of the difficulties of this profession as well as the future challenges make this an important reference for anyone interested in the EP field; it will also remain relevant for many years, to those who are already EP professionals and want to keep up with the trends.
Moving into the nuts and bolts, Trott then discusses some of the most common issues in the EP programs arena – arming or not arming personnel, residential and office security, and the role security operations centers play in a modern EP program. He also provides some key insights on staffing (hiring and retention) of officers, managers and consultants. Trott then hammers home the important role of the security driver and the never-ending processes that make up EP advances and protective intelligence collection. Finally, Trott discusses some of the more sensitive and seldom discussed issues that often affect EP programs for UHNW principals surrounding family programs.
The concepts, principles and methods provided in this book represent examples of best-practice standards, benchmarking and Trott’s personal experiences. The book clearly translates the complexities of EP into easy to understand language in a methodical, organized way. Trott provides enough of the key details as to make it almost a primer for seasoned EP professionals or at least a reminder of the many elements that need to remain in focus but can sometimes get lost. Trott is able to keep us anchored with the core concepts that are a vital part of any EP program and how they apply to the various difference types of EP programs (government, corporate, etc.). Lay people and entry level protection officers will also benefit from these descriptions as they are written without an abundance of industry jargon. The Protected is a vital resource for continuing education at all levels of EP professionals.
Lest you get the impression this is a dry treatise on the principles of an Executive Protection program, Trott saves some of the best for last as he goes beyond the concepts and the theory to provide real life examples from his extensive and exciting career conducting protection while in the U.S. Air Force, the CIA and in the private sector. He shares some reflections of some of the most memorable times in his career in an effort to give readers of all levels of interest in EP a bit of insight into the people that put their lives on the line for others every day. While these anecdotes are educational and many are entertaining, Trott also provides some of the personal highs and lows that come from working so close to the edge and the sacrifices made by protective personnel up to and including the loss of their own lives.
This is one of the best books I have read about the modern art of Executive Protection, told by someone with extensive and credible experience in both the public and private sectors of this industry. All can gain additional perspective and insights whether you are just interested in learning about this profession, are a novice learning the ropes or you are a seasoned professional. This book is a keeper.
This book earns a prestigious four out of four trench coats.
Our reviewer, Thomas Pecora, retired from the CIA in 2013 as a GS 15 Senior Security Officer after serving 24 years in protective operations, counterterrorism, and security training, most of it operating in low intensity conflict areas. For three years he taught protective operations training courses to foreign government protective services. He was Chief of Security in several countries where he was responsible for countrywide security programs. Mr. Pecora received the Intelligence Star and the Career Intelligence Medal.
Pecora recently completed a book, Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of CIA’s War on Terror, a memoir about his career protecting CIA personnel in war zones around the world.
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