Creating a secure environment for an office or a place of residence is an important investment. Hiring security personnel is the best way to ensure that these places are protected all the time. However, it may be costly for a normal individual to avail of security services. This is why people usually see security guards stationed at commercial buildings or offices. Businesses need security personnel to make sure that their daily operations will not be hampered by theft or any form of disturbance.

Since businesses acquire security services to protect their places of operation, some people have become curious if protection should also be given to the owners of these businesses. This is going to be the main topic for this article. It will be discussed why it is crucial for businessmen to hire close-in security personnel, which is given by bodyguards.

Important Things to Know About Bodyguards in Ontario

When one watches the news and sees a president being featured while doing a speech, you may see several people at the back of the president stationed at strategic positions with earpieces and formal uniforms that look ready to pounce whenever an incident happens. These people you see are bodyguards specifically assigned to protect that president. High ranking government officials and famous celebrities are known to hire bodyguards to keep them safe at all costs.

However, if you are a fan of watching movies, you will see bodyguards diving around and shooting people who try to get close to the personalities they are assigned to protect, who are also referred to as VIPs (very important people). That might be the case of bodyguards trained and licensed from different countries.

However, the Canadian government has imposed strict regulations on any type of security personnel working within the country. This is important to understand so that you will not be disappointed if you hire a bodyguard thinking that they can just freely fight and shoot anybody that would try to harm you. You may refer to the following for some important things you need to know about bodyguards in Ontario, Canada:

  • Any type of security personnel must be 18 years old or older. Also, a person needs to be eligible to work in Ontario Canada. This would mean that to become a bodyguard, the person should either be a permanent resident of Ontario or has a valid working visa.
  • Before security personnel can work as a bodyguard in Ontario, they should first become licensed security guards within the province of Ontario, Canada. A security license from Ontario may not be accepted in another province or country since there are different requirements and training given in different areas.
  • One of the main characteristics bodyguards from Ontario have is that they do not have any criminal records. This is a requirement for these people to attain a security guard license within the province.
  • Before taking the licensing exam to become security guards, applicants are required to take an accredited Ontario security guard basic training course. This is necessary since the training completion number the applicants receive after finishing the course will be needed to be supplied during the licensing exam.
  • The training and certification to become a bodyguard is given by security agencies that hire licensed security guards.
  • Bodyguards are not allowed to refer to themselves as police officers or private detectives. They must always carry their valid security guard licenses with them at all times. Ontario law states that the security guard licenses will expire 2 birthdays after they have been issued. Any member of the public can request to see their licenses anytime.
  • The province of Ontario recognizes bodyguards to be the same as security guards. There are some minor differences that are allowed by the government for either type of security personnel. Bodyguards are allowed to have a different type of uniform while they are on duty. Another of their differences is that a security guard may be allowed to carry firearms if he is protecting cash or any precious metals.
  • Bodyguards are required to maintain a clean criminal record. Once they make mistakes by committing a criminal act, they can lose their licenses.
  • A bodyguard is allowed to make a citizen’s arrest. This means the bodyguard must have seen a person do the criminal act before he can perform the arrest. However, bodyguards are allowed to subdue a criminal without using unnecessary force. The bodyguard can hold on to the criminal until the time when police arrive to bring the perpetrator to jail.

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Reasons Why Businessmen Need To Employ Bodyguards

Seeing that Ontario has given a lot of restrictions to bodyguards and other types of security personnel, these people are still effective in protecting anyone that would hire their services. The work of bodyguards does not only revolve around apprehending criminals trying to cause disruptions in the presence of their VIPs. Below are some of the important reasons why businessmen need to employ bodyguards:

Businessmen will need to be escorted when they go to meetings or events

o   As VIPs, these businessmen will be getting full attention from crowds or public onlookers. This is already a risk for these people. However, having bodyguards around may scare people who have negative intentions from pursuing their plans. The mere presence of bodyguards can give businessmen some kind of relief as they move to different locations. Furthermore, bodyguards will act as a shield when there are problematic situations. Bodyguards are tasked to keep their VIPs safe at all times. They will lead them to safe areas rather than try to defuse a situation. But if is a need for the bodyguards to perform self defense to protect their VIPs, then they are also trained to deal with these kinds of situations. Most of the time, bodyguards will be able to determine if there is hostility within the area and preventive measures may already be implemented to avoid putting the VIP in a dangerous situation.

Bodyguards will make a detailed plan on where the VIPs will be passing through on their way to their commitments

o   If a businessman avails the services of a team of bodyguards, the person is assured that the security team will be making plans on how they would be going to their planned appointments. The bodyguards will be creating specific routes and contingencies which would lead the businessman to reach his commitments at the least amount of time. The security team will also perform security checks to these routes for any threats before the businessman will be allowed to go through. A security team will assign one of the members to stay close to the businessman while the others will be securing the area around them. This route may start with travelling from the businessman’s house. All possible scenarios will be considered to make preparations for any type of problems that may occur.

Based on the appointments the businessman will have on a daily basis, the bodyguards will perform security sweeps on the destinations before the businessman arrives

o   This is a crucial task that bodyguards need to fulfill. Advancements in technology have given criminals advanced ways to spy, steal, or attack any person. The advantage when businessmen avail the security services offered by reputable security agencies is that these agencies are equipped with the latest technology and methods to search and counter any forms of attack criminals may do to businessmen. Bodyguards can use any tools and knowledge they learned from their training to secure the destinations that their VIPs will be going to.

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Bodyguards may also give businessmen more secure ways to travel

o   There are bodyguards that are trained to have the skills of an advanced professional driver. This skill may be needed if there is a need for a businessman to escape from dangerous situations. Since successful businessmen are known to have high net worths, criminals may plot to attempt kidnappings or extortions against these businessmen. This is where bodyguards may come in to ensure that these criminals will not get close to these businessmen. Bodyguards will apply evasive measures if they realize that the lives of their VIPs are being threatened.

Bodyguards Have Their Ways to Keep Businessmen Safe

Even if bodyguards are not allowed to carry firearms and perform excessive acts against criminals, they are trained to handle situations with the tools and knowledge available to them. Bodyguards are hired to help businessmen by applying preventive measures against any form of threats. They are not tasked to attack perpetrators, but they will protect and shield their VIPs in every situation. Ontario-based bodyguards are known for their high-level of skill and unruffled nature. They have been trained to perform carefully and rationally in high pressure situations. They are also known for having integrity and are focused on ensuring that their VIPs are kept safe in any situation.

If you are in need of a team of well-trained bodyguards, you may get in touch with Northern Force Security. As one of the most trusted security agencies in Ontario, we assure our clients that the main focus of our security personnel is ensuring that the life and property of their employers will be given priority in all situations. You may contact us at (647) 982-1385.