Inside the Mind of a Protective Intelligence Thought Leader
This podcast was originally featured on The Great Conversation. Listen in as Ron Worman, Founder and Managing Director of The Sage Group, gets inside the mind of Ontic’s Fred Burton, a former police officer, special agent and New York Times best-selling author who has the history and credentials to provide thought leadership around protective intelligence;…
Read MoreThe JFK Assassination: When Protection Changed Forever
Whether you remember where you were when JFK was assassinated or have read about it since, we can all agree that there are many elements that remain unclear. Decades later, witnesses are sharing new details and angles to the case that changed protection forever. In this episode, the authors of The Lone Star Speaks: Untold…
Read MorePublic Figure Attackers in the United States, 1995-2015
In 2016 FBI Supervisory Special Agent Molly Amman and I completed a study of public figure attackers in the United States between 1995-2015. Our attempt was to update the work of the Exceptional Case Study Project (ECSP) conducted by Dr. Robert Fein and Bryan Vossekuil while with the U.S. Secret Service. We wanted to see…
Read MoreHow to Quantify Risk with Global Crisis Management Expert Scott McHugh
The feeling of surprise is a dreaded one among security practitioners and decision makers. Despite warnings and signals that provide context that a threat is approaching, it can be difficult for security teams to accept the forecast until a threat is imminent. In this episode, Fred Burton discusses the value of accurately assessing risk and…
Read MoreSupervisory Special Agent Wendy Bashnan on the Three Factors That Shape Human Capital
You don’t have to look too far to realize that the threat landscape is evolving dramatically. With that comes an increased need for a workforce that expands far beyond day-to-day tactical skills. As the lead advisor of all security and law enforcement training programs and policies for the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Wendy Bashnan is…
Read MoreScott Stewart and Fred Burton Discuss the Attack Cycle and Pre-Operational Surveillance
Whether in person or in a movie, everyone has seen a threat actor trying to blend in. They may be looking at a newspaper upside down on a park bench or staring a little too intently at their target. Being hyper aware of these situations that just don’t feel right are innate in the lives…
Read MoreHow the U.S. Capitol Riots Forever Changed the Value of a Proactive Security Approach
The riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 took many by surprise. Unfortunately, this feeling of surprise was felt by security and protection agencies near and far. It forever changed how we value protective intelligence and proactive threat management — especially in close proximity to a high-profile event. In this episode, Fred Burton…
Read MoreTop Seven Corporate Security Lessons from the Capitol Riot
As a former police officer and special agent in the Washington D.C. area, I am no stranger to large-scale demonstrations. But I could never have imagined mob violence overrunning the U.S. Capitol. The events on January 6 were a clear example of what happens when there is a lack of protective intelligence and contingency planning,…
Read MoreThe Risk Profile and Motivation Behind Fully Armored Vehicles
There are not many car owners who contemplate the glass longevity, degree of sunlight exposure, or whether or not Windex has been applied to the inside and outside of the windows. However, these are exactly the types of details that run through the mind of Mark Caldwell, Co-Owner of TAC Americas, Ltd. — a market…
Read MoreWhen Hiring Drivers, Proper Vetting Is Vital For Safety And Compliance
This article was originally featured on securityinformed.com. Many employers faced a need to ramp up hiring of drivers to meet a higher demand for product deliveries and transportation logistics during the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet the demand for drivers, employers had to make quick hiring decisions while also ensuring products were still being delivered in…
Read MoreWhat Makes Someone Predisposed to Stalking and the Shifting Threat Landscape
Stalkers tend to exhibit similar behaviors and mannerisms — more or less an unhealthy fixation with an individual or group. But what causes or makes these individuals predisposed to stalking? The answer is not an easy one and it’s a topic that Dr. Reid Meloy, forensic psychologist, author, and co-founder of WAVR-21, has made it…
Read MoreThe 2021 State of Protective Intelligence Report
Download the report for insights on:
Read MoreSituational Awareness: What an Attacker is Looking For with Kelly Sayre
Have you ever stepped back to think about how you carry yourself as you walk down the street? Everything from your posture, to your line of sight, to what you are fidgeting with (cellphone, anyone?) is what an attacker is observing from afar. A cue as small as turning your head twice within one minute…
Read MoreWhy Enterprises Must Rethink Employee Safety in a Remote Work Environment
This article was originally featured on Forbes Technology Council. “Staying safe” in today’s workplace usually means taking precautions to protect yourself from Covid-19, but even with millions of people across the globe working remotely, corporate security and HR teams still need to consider the issue of workplace violence. A virtual workforce has pushed potential threats…
Read MoreChallenges Facing Security Industry and Historical Inflection Points
This article is based off of my 2020 OSAC Annual Briefing presentation “Historical Inflection Points for the Security Industry” Looking back, history has not been kind to the safety and security industry. As a former agent hired after the devastating embassy bombings in Beirut and Kuwait in ‘84 and ‘85, tragedy has forced lots of changes, mostly…
Read MoreGuest Post: Protective Intelligence within Executive Protection
As threats in the world become more resourceful, diverse, and determined along their pathways to violence or to inflict harm, executive protection (EP) practitioners must increasingly shoulder a heavier burden. It is no longer acceptable for protection managers and their consumers (protectees – those being protected) to rely on the reactionary expertise and capabilities of the…
Read More