What is the difference between a close protection company and a security guard company? Many would think there is none, but contrary to general knowledge, there is a significant difference between the two types of private security companies. It’s like comparing apples and oranges.
Along with “How much does it cost to hire a bodyguard?” being the most popular question we hear daily, the next most common thing is “We have been quoted cheaper”, or words to that effect. Be it when quoting a new prospective client for the first time, bidding on a tender, or renewing a contract. Suppose a client is motivated purely by price and wants to hire a cheap bodyguard or residential security team. In that case, that is their prerogative as the client. But they have likely been provided with this so-called ‘cheap quote’ by a security guard company, not a close protection company.
Security guard companies provide security guards that protect physical, tangible assets that are insurable and replaceable. Such as buildings, vehicles, and equipment. Material assets such as stock in retail stores and warehouses. Owners can recover the assets’ intrinsic value by claiming on an insurance policy.
Close protection companies protect irreplaceable things, such as your physical health and mental well-being, reputation, family, and life. Of course, you can get health and life insurance, but you cannot replace your family, reputation, life or limbs.
And what if you are critically injured or permanently disabled and traumatised in an attack or robbery? A close protection team is a living, breathing, walking, talking insurance policy providing immediate and proactive cover against the threats and risks posed to your life, family, health, and wealth.
Did you know that personal security is an allowable tax-deductible business expense? Suppose the threat and risks are established from your career or company as an employee or company director. In that case, you can offset the cost of security against your corporation tax bill. Anything from CCTV to close protection and everything in between can qualify as an allowable deduction. So, investing in security makes complete financial sense for businesses and company directors.
Security of any nature should not be dictated by price alone. If you hire a bodyguard or close protection team from a security guard company, yes, it may be cheaper, but ask yourself, why?
Firstly, because they do not know how much to charge, trust us, we get our fair share of security companies fishing for our prices, either overtly in the guise of a “joint venture” or covertly and deceptively by other means.
Secondly, they will undoubtedly be cutting corners to make it financially viable, paying a low rate to an inexperienced security guard with a CP license and minimal training.
And finally, the security guard company does not know what they are doing. You are hiring security guards to walk around with you who may look like bodyguards to the average person yet not to professional criminals and adversaries.
You can be confident that no research, reconnaissance, planning, or preparation has occurred before the hire period. In reality, the guards do not know what they are doing or what they might be getting themselves into. They will not know your background, the threat and risk level, or emergency plans and procedures.
And God help you if something happens. These inexperienced guards will not see it coming and will not be reactive or protective in any altercation or situation. Hiring TV extras (background artists) to walk around with you looking like bodyguards would be cheaper, and probably more effective. At least they could act the part!
For sure, the security guard company will not have the appropriate business insurance cover in place to provide close protection services. But at least they will be SIA licensed. Or will they?
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the independent governing body that regulates the private security industry in the UK by enforcing the Private Security Act 2001. The Private Security Act 2001 stipulates that anyone working in the security industry needs to hold the appropriate SIA licence. The company directors must also be SIA registered and licensed for any company providing security services.
‘Conduct prohibited without a licence
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Act, it shall be an offence for a person to engage in any licensable conduct except under and in accordance with a licence.
(2) For the purposes of this Act a person engages in licensable conduct if
(a) he carries out any designated activities for the purposes of, or in connection with, any contract for the supply of services under which—
(i) he,
(ii) a body corporate of which he is a director, or
(iii) a firm of which he is a partner.’
Therefore, any other company providing security and close protection services aside from private security companies, such as household staffing agencies, chauffeur car hire companies, private jet and yacht charter companies, etc., are all required by law for their registered company directors and anyone that organisers or manages the service and staff, to have SIA licences.
You can guarantee that none of them will be licensed or trained. They certainly will not be insured to provide close protection services. Even in the unlikely event that their insurance policy included the provision of close protection services, the policy would be null and void due to the illegal unlicensed activity. So, in essence, they are illegally providing cut-price (or overpriced), substandard services that they do not have any experience or knowledge about to unsuspecting clients, putting them in unnecessary danger.
Creating a race to the bottom in standards and wages, unlicensed, unqualified, untrained, and inexperienced security service providers are ruining the close protection industry for genuine professional close protection companies and operatives.
It is high time the SIA focused its investigations on these illegal security service providers rather than their hardworking, law-abiding stakeholders. We openly invite the SIA to review this matter and respond accordingly in due course.
Close protection is a specialist service and should be conducted by licensed, competent, and experienced law-abiding individuals and companies. Whilst there are tens of thousands of security companies in the UK, there are only a handful of legitimate and established close protection service providers. Of these, only a few are purely service providers rather than training companies that also provide close protection (via their novice students) on the side.
Westminster Security is one of these few companies. We dedicate 100% of our time, attention, efforts, and resources to protecting our clients 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, globally. We do not divide our time in planning, marketing, selling, and running minimum standard courses that are not fit for purpose. We don’t need to. We are a 100% operational close protection company whose core objective is to protect our clients, their assets, and their interests. We hire only the most professional, qualified, and experienced close protection operatives.
Westminster Security does not lower our prices or standards to meet clients’ budgets or expectations. We do not provide minimum standard, minimum wage security guards. We offer high-end personal security services. After establishing the whole situation, threat, and risk profile of a client and their business, we use all of our expertise and experience to mitigate and protect them, utilising our other complimentary protection services in support of our close protection operations, including:
In summary, if you want or need to hire a bodyguard, contact a professional close protection company and invest in your personal security. It will pay dividends. After all, you wouldn’t hire a plumber to fix your electrics!