FAQ’s – Protective

Q. What is Executive Protection?
A. Definition from Wikipedia: Executive Protection (EP) also known as close personal protection or body guarding refers to security measures taken to ensure the safety of VIPs or other individuals who may be exposed to elevated personal risk because of their employment, celebrity status, wealth, associations or geographical location.

The term executive protection was coined in the 1970s by the United States Secret Service when they created the Executive Protection Service to guard visiting foreign dignitaries. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_protection

Q. When should I consider having Executive Protection? 
A. Consideration for hiring protection agents should be given any time you or your company is potentially at risk.  This is not always an easy decision.  Security directors, risk management and human resources may assist in making this decision, as well as corporate counsel.

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Q. What type of businesses/people would use your protection service?
A. Law firms, corporations, individuals who want discreet high end security at their events, large estate properties, companies experiencing layoffs and people who want a court escort to name a few. If you have a need for protection that is not listed here, please call us at 408-842-0602 or e-mail information@cookepi.com

Q. Why would these businesses/people use your protection service?
A. Hostile terminations, hostile meetings, violence in the workplace, domestic violence issues that may enter into the workplace, board meetings, share holder meeting, large company events and product launches to name a few. If you have a need for protection that is not listed here, please call us at   408-842-0602 or e-mail information@cookepi.com 

Q. What is the difference between armed guards and Executive Protection?
A.  Generally when someone refers to “armed guards”, they are speaking about uniform guards who carry guns. Executive Protection agents will most often be in what is called plainclothes; street clothes, suit and tie or other non-uniform attire dependent on the assignment. Executive Protection agents will also carry a concealed firearm as necessary or feasible, based on the situation. Beyond just appearances, the Executive Protection agent will possess a higher level of training and experience than an “armed guard”.

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Q. Has anyone ever been injured while under your company’s care?
A. No, no one has ever been injured under our protection.

Q. What type of people do you employ? 
A. We take pride in the quality of our service and the people that we employ. Our typical Executive Protection agent is a police officer who has a broad experience and knowledge base due to the variety of assignments they have worked. Most have in excess of 10 years of police and dignitary experience. Additionally we have civilian Executive Protection agents who have made a career in this field. They have obtained the best executive protection training and honed their skills on national and worldwide assignments. All our protective staff has been properly licensed and trained to carry concealed firearms. 

Q. What geographical areas do you provide service?  
A. We provide Executive Protection services throughout California.

Q. How many Executive Protection agents can you provide at one time?
A. We can handle whatever your staffing needs are. We have provided Executive Protection staffing from 1 to 35 agents per shift throughout California.

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Q. Are you licensed and insured?
A. We are licensed by the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigations to provide Security in the state of California. We carry in excess of twice the legal requirements for insurance.

Q. I’m going to be traveling on a commercial airliner, can I have an armed agent travel with me? 
A. While we can make arrangements for the agent to be armed at the beginning location and the final destination, the Executive Protection agent may not travel with a weapon in the passenger cabin of the aircraft per federal regulation.

Q. How quickly can you respond to our location? 
A. Depending on the requirements and location, we can usually have an agent on site within a few hours.

Q. How much will this cost? 
A. We must first assess your needs and fully understand your situation before we can quote you a price.  We need to know your facility size and layout, the number of personnel present or involved, whether there is a perceived or acknowledged threat or if this is simply a preventative measure. We are always respectful of our client’s bottom line.

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