The Protective Intelligence Summer Reading List

When you write books, people always ask you what you like to read. I put together a list of books focused on protective intelligence last year — a mix of predictable and unpredictable choices. As background, I’ve always been a reader of non-fiction and thrillers as I know many are within the protection and intelligence…

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What Does It Take To Be a Hostage Negotiator?

When corporate security teams or law enforcement officers are on the front lines dealing with a crisis, they need more than a weapon on their belt to diffuse the situation. The art of negotiation and communicating to lower tension and stall for time is underrated and overlooked. Gary Noesner, former FBI hostage negotiator, knows this…

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Avoiding Vehicle Violence with Executive Driving Legend Tony Scotti

In this episode In this episode, we sit down with Tony Scotti, a Protective Intelligence Honors recipient and renowned expert in security driving and vehicle violence avoidance. With nearly 50 years of global experience training corporations, governments, and military organizations, Tony reflects on his career, the founding of the International Security Driver Association (ISDA), and…

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A Driving Legend — Tony Scotti, Protective Intelligence Pioneer

The following is a personal message from the Executive Director, Fred Burton, regarding Tony Scotti’s nomination as a Pioneer in the Protective Intelligence Honors Program: In protection, regardless of the mission or assignment, your vehicle serves many purposes and driving is critical to the success of any protection officer. The driving track is also fun!…

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A Female Perspective in the Male-Dominated Field of Executive Protection

In this episode In this episode, Fred Burton talks with Denida Grow, a trailblazer in executive protection with nearly two decades of international experience. They unpack the unique challenges women face in the field, the rising demand for skilled female agents, and how Denida is shaping the future through her companies Athena Worldwide and Nannyguards.…

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How Companies Stop Insider Threats Before They Occur

Discover proactive strategies to prevent insider threats at the crucial intersection of security measures and human behavior. With insider threats on the rise (up 47% in the last two years), a thorough screening process has become imperative for any new hire. Expanding well beyond a simple ‘check-the-box task,’ screening demands a comprehensive process that uncovers…

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How-To Guide: Assessing an Executive’s Digital Footprint

A key element involved in understanding the threats, vulnerabilities, and associated risk to an executive is the assessment of their digital footprint. The ultimate goal is to surface what information is available online for a savvy adversary to exploit. This information could range from details about the executive’s travel movements, satellite imagery of their home(s)…

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Who’s Telling the Truth? The Evolution of the Polygraph

Most of us associate the polygraph with what we see in movies — a nervous witness sweating and communicating in short, fragmented sentences with eye contact dodging left and right. For those familiar with the test, this scenario is just the tip of the iceberg and reveals one of the biggest misconceptions many have about…

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What It Means to Be an Executive Protection Agent

The instinct to step forward and protect leaders when danger is on the horizon has been around since the beginning of mankind. It has evolved into the field of executive protection, or close protection, to keep corporate leaders and high-net-worth individuals and their families safe. In movies, we see agents wearing black suits, disrupting threats…

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