Bodyguards of Viktor Yushchenko (far left) after leaving Gdansk city hall.

A bodyguard is a person or group of people who professionally protect someone (known as their principal) from personal assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats. An alternative term for bodyguard that is gaining popularity (particularly with the bodyguards themselves) is close-protection officer. Many professional training courses identify themselves as close-protection training instead of bodyguarding training, for example. The profession of being a bodyguard is referred to as the 5th Profession. The term is used to signify the history of and the value of the profession. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko (Ukrainian: ) (born February 23, 1954) is the current President of Ukraine. ... For alternative meanings of Gdańsk and Danzig, see Gdansk (disambiguation) and Danzig (disambiguation) Motto: Nec temere, nec timide (Neither rashly nor timidly) Voivodship Pomeranian Municipal government Rada miasta Gdańska Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Area 262 km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 461 400 (2003) Ranked 6th 1... It has been suggested that Extrajudicial Executions and Assasinations be merged into this article or section. ... Confidentiality has been defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as ensuring that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access and is one of the cornerstones of Information security. ... A threat is an unwanted (deliberate or accidental) event that may result in harm to an asset. ...

General overview

Bodyguards may be armed, depending on the laws in their jurisdiction, and have expertise in unarmed combat, tactical driving, and first aid. However, the most important skill for a bodyguard is the ability to assess a situation and decide how best to respond to minimize danger to his principal. A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... In law, jurisdiction (from the Latin ius, iuris meaning law and dicere meaning to speak) is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Driving is the controlled operation of a vehicle, which is usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, bus, or car. ... First aid is a series of simple, life-saving medical techniques that a non-doctor or layman can be trained to perform. ...

Most important public figures are protected by several bodyguards who work as a unit (or even agency), using sophisticated tactics. Less-important protectees (or those with lower risk profiles) are accompanied by a single bodyguard, who may double as a driver. However, some billionaires and dignitaries choose to dispense with bodyguards in all but the most risky situations. Look up Agency in Wiktionary, the free dictionary In philosophy, law, and other fields, agency is the status of an agent. ...

In multi-agent units (like those protecting a celebrity or a head of state) one or more bodyguards may specialize in specific tasks, such as: Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ...

• communications/communications protection
• operation of physical security measures (regarding premises, transport vehicles and personal armor)
• intelligence, threat/vulnerability/risk assessment and analysis
• explosives and chemical detection
• sniper warfare and special weapons
• crowd screening and control
• SCUBA patrol, and other.

Regardless of the team size, there must be a comprehensive security plan with a staffing plan and budget. The term communications is used in a number of disciplines: Communications, also known as communication studies is the academic discipline which studies communication, generally seen as a mixture between media studies and linguistics. ... In telecommunication, communications protection is the application of communications security (COMSEC) measures to telecommunications systems in order to: (a) deny unauthorized persons access to sensitive unclassified information of value, (b) prevent disruption of telecommunications services, or (c) ensure the authenticity of information handled by telecommunications systems. ... Physical security describes measures that prevent or deter attackers from accessing a facility, resource, or information stored on physical media. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ... Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int [Commonwealth], or intel [U.S.]), is a military discipline that focuses on information gathering, analysis, and dissemination about enemy units, terrain, and the weather in an area of operations. ... A threat is a declaration of intention to inflict punishment or harm on another. ... For other uses of the word Vulnerability, please refer to vulnerability (computer science). ... For other uses, see Risk (disambiguation). ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... // Distinguish from censure and censer and censor. ... This article is about the military occupation. ... French mobile gendarmes doing riot control. ... Scuba diving is swimming underwater while using self-contained breathing equipment. ...

Famous bodyguards and bodyguarding agencies

18th-century Imperial bodyguard of the Qianlong Emperor

In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, most bodyguards are former or current police officers, or sometimes former military or other government agency personnel. E.g., former members of the Special Air Service often go in close-protection after retirement, since many are given specialised training in the field during their time in the regiment. One of the Qianlong Emperors numerous Manchu bodyguards. ... One of the Qianlong Emperors numerous Manchu bodyguards. ... The Qianlong Emperor (born Hongli, September 25, 1711 – February 7, 1799) was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... The 21st century is the present century of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... An agency is a department of a local or national government responsible for the oversight and administration of a specific function, such as a customs agency or a space agency. ... The Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) is the principal special forces unit of the British Army, and arguably the most well trained special forces unit in current existence. ...

One well-known public agency that provides bodyguard services is the United States Secret Service which safeguards the lives of the President, his family, and other executive officials. Secret Service redirects here. ...

Another agency, the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, is responsible for protecting U.S. missions and their personnel overseas, as well as selected dignitaries in the U.S., including the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the Secretary of State, and visiting foreign dignitaries below heads-of-state level. Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... The Bureau of Diplomatic Security, more commonly known as Diplomatic Security, or DS, includes the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), DSs most high profile branch. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ...

Whilst the US Secret Service's close-protection role is its most visible, its historic role as agents of the United States Treasury makes it unusual internationally as usually "official" bodyguards are part of general police forces. A significant example is the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department of the Metropolitan Police, which is responsible for the security of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The United States Department of the Treasury is a Cabinet department, a treasury, of the United States government established by an Act of U.S. Congress in 1789 to manage the revenue of the United States government. ... The security, as distinct from the ceremonial bodyguards or military protection, of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom and of members of the British Royal Family is entrusted to the Metropolitan Police. ... Metropolitan Police redirects here. ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the head of state of the United Kingdom and in the British overseas territories. ...

In India NSG (National Security Guards), an organisation particularly trained in anti-terrorist activities, also provides Body Guards for the VIPs. The Organisation functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India. In 1984 Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her security guards, reportedly chosen as personal bodyguards. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In countries where the head of state is a military leader or dictator, the leader's bodyguards may also be part of an elite military unit. Such was the case with the former Iraqi Republican Guard, the Schutzstaffel in Nazi Germany, or the Praetorian Guard in the Roman Empire. A military unit is an organisation within an armed force. ... Iraqi President Saddam Hussein talks with elite Republican Guard officers in Baghdad on March 1, 2003. ... The   (German for Protective Squadron), abbreviated (Runic) or SS (Latin), was a large security and military organization of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) in Germany. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... The Praetorian Guard of Augustus - 1st century. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ...

Notable bodyguards

• Sempronius Densus - bodyguard of Piso Licinianus, deputy Roman emperor, who singlehandedly fought an entire company of soldiers in 69 AD.
• Dian Wei- bodyguard of the warlord Cao Cao. Died fighting off an army.
• Walter H. Thompson - bodyguard of Winston Churchill for 18 years in the period 1921-1945.
• Mykola Mel'nychenko, an agent assigned to provide communications protection for the Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma, publicly accused his principal of committing numerous crimes in 2000, causing an international scandal.
• Satwant Singh and Beant Singh - bodyguards who assassinated then PM Indira Gandhi
• Jim Grover - The head of Crucible Security.
• Albert Grajales- former Deputy Director Of Justice's SIB of Puerto Rico, President and Executive Director Of Puerto Rico Bodyguard Association.
• Manuel de Godoy - bodyguard of the Queen of Spain, made General, Minister and finally, Prince by Napoleon
• Avi Korein - Owner of Screen International Security Services in Los Angeles. The Israeli bouncer turned bodyguard rode the coattails of Bruce Willis during his rise to fame in the '80s, managing to establish his company as a major security provider to the stars in Hollywood. His company provides protection for some of the biggest names in Hollywood, to include Will Smith, Ozzy Osbourne, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt (before their infamous divorce), Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise.
• Michael Clarke Duncan - The Oscar-nominated actor worked as a bouncer in various Chicago nightclubs. Through working at the clubs, he was able to get a security job and ended up in Los Angeles. He took other security jobs while in Los Angeles while trying to get some acting work in commercials. Eventually he was cast in a walk-on role in Ice Cube's Friday . During this time, he continued to work as a bodyguard for celebrities like Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx and LL Cool J, all the while doing bit parts in television and films.
• Frank Alexander - The former bodyguard of Tupac Shakur. He has since retired and written a few books.
• Trevor Rees-Jones - A bodyguard of Dodi Al-Fayed, son of the Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed. Rees-Jones was the only survivor of the car crash which killed the driver, Fayed and Diana, Princess of Wales.
• Chris Boykin is Rob Dyrdek's bodyguard on the TV show "Rob and Big".
• Maurice "Big Moe" Brighthaupt - Bodyguard of Anna Nicole Smith, he tried to rescusitate her after she was found unconscious and not breathing in her hotel room. The former college basketball star and firefighter/paramedic worked for Smith from 2003 until her death in February 2007. Harper Entertainment has announced that it will publish a tell-all book about Anna Nicole Smith's controversial life and death, to be written by Brighthaupt; the book is said to offer "a candid look at Smith's ability to manipulate men, her depression after the death of her son, her drug abuse, bisexuality and relationship with female celebrities, and her feuds with fellow reality-TV stars."
• Cory Smith (aka - "Big Coco") - Former bodyguard for "Prince" Rogers Nelson.

Sempronius Densus was a centurion in the Praetorian Guard in the first century. ... Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi Licinianus was deputy Roman Emperor from January 10 to January 15, 69. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100-200 soldiers. ... Dian Wei (? – 197) was a warrior during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... For other uses, see Cao Cao (disambiguation). ... Detective Inspector Walter H. Thompson (died 1979) was the bodyguard of Winston Churchill for eighteen years between 1921 and 1945, being recalled from retirement running two grocers shops by a telegram on 22 August 1939 reading Meet me Croydon airport 4. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier, and author. ... (Major) Mykola Melnychenko (Микола Мельниченко) was a bodyguard of the former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. ... Leonid Kuchma Leonid Danylovych Kuchma (Ukrainian: Леонід Данилович Кучма; born August 9, 1938) was the second President of Ukraine from July 19, 1994, to January 23, 2005. ... Satwant Singh (son of Tarlok Singh, of Agwan village in Gurdaspur District) and Beant Singh were bodyguards to the Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who on October 31, 1984 assassinated her at her residence. ... Beant Singh (Left) & Satwant Singh (Right) Beant Singh was one of the bodyguards to the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... J. Kelly McCann (pseudonym: Jim Grover) is the Senior Vice President of Kroll’s Security Services Group and heads it’s Protective Services & Training Group. ... Albert Grajales is a top jeet kune do certified instructor under SiGung, Ted Wong. ... Manuel de Godoy (May 12, 1767 – October 7, 1851), Duke of Alcudia, was a Spanish statesman. ... Avi Korein, 45, is a security specialist and owner of Screen International Security Services in Los Angeles. ... Screen International Security Services is a Los Angeles, California security firm providing security services to several big-name Hollywood actors, including Will Smith, Ozzy Osbourne, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise. ... Convenience store window poster featuring American actor Bruce Willis. ... Willard Christopher Will Smith, Jr. ... Ozzy redirects here. ... Angelina Jolie (born June 4, 1975) is an American film actress, a former fashion model and a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. ... Jennifer Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning American film and television actress. ... William Bradley Brad Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. ... Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is a Golden Globe Award-nominated American actress and former fashion model. ... Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... Michael Clarke Duncan (born December 10, 1957) is an Oscar-nominated African-American actor who has starred in a number of successful films. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... For other uses, see Bouncer (disambiguation). ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, City of the Big Shoulders, The 312, The City that Works. Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Ice Cube (born OShea Jackson on June 15, 1969) is an American rapper, actor and film director. ... Friday is a 1995 comedy film set in South Central (now South) Los Angeles, California, where star Ice Cube grew up, and directed by F. Gary Gray. ... Willard Christopher Will Smith, Jr. ... Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence (born April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany) is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. ... Jamie Foxx (born Eric Marlon Bishop on December 13, 1967) is an Academy Award-winning American actor, Grammy-nominated R&B singer, pianist, and comedian. ... James Todd Smith III (born January 14, 1968), better known as LL Cool J, is an American hip hop artist and actor. ... Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ... Trevor Rees-Jones (born 1968) is the former bodyguard for Dodi Al-Fayed and was badly injured in the car accident that killed his charge; Diana, Princess of Wales; and chauffeur Henri Paul. ... Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Moneim Fayed (Arabic: عماد الدين محمد عبد المنعم الفايد ) (April 15, 1955 – August 31, 1997), better known as Dodi Fayed, was the son of the Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed (Arabic: محمد الفايد), owner of the British department store Harrods, Fulham Football Club and the Hôtel Ritz Paris. ... Mohamed Abdel Moneim Fayed (Arabic: محمد الفايد ) (born January 27, 1929) is an Egyptian-born businessman. ... On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in the Pont de lAlma road tunnel in Paris, along with her lover Dodi Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul. ... Henri Paul (July 3, 1956 - August 31, 1997) was an employee of the Hôtel Ritz Paris and the chauffeur driving at the time of the automobile accident that killed him along with Diana, Princess of Wales, and her romantic interest Dodi Al-Fayed. ... Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana Frances Mountbatten-Windsor; née Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, eldest son and heir apparent of Elizabeth II. Her two sons, Princes William and Harry, are second and third, respectively, in line to the... Christopher Big Black Boykin (b. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Look up Rob and Big in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Vickie Lynn Marshall (November 28, 1967 – February 8, 2007), better known under the stage name of Anna Nicole Smith,[1] was an American model, actress and celebrity. ... Vickie Lynn Marshall (November 28, 1967 – February 8, 2007), better known under the stage name of Anna Nicole Smith,[1] was an American model, actress and celebrity. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Fictional bodyguards

Illustration of Japanese Imperial bodyguard Watanabe no Tsuna fighting a demon

• Atticus Kodiak - A professional bodyguard who acts as narrator and protagonist in a series of novels by Greg Rucka.
• Charles d'Artagnan - bodyguard of the French crown, perhaps the most famous such figure, along with his three comrades. He is based on Charles de Batz, a real-life officer from Gasconny.
• Bodyguard - former Japanese television series starring Reiko Takashima
• The Bodyguard - film about guarding a celebrity singer
• Bodyguards - UK television series
• Gogo Yubari, O-Ren Ishii's personal bodyguard in Kill Bill 1
• Kevin Nash as Diesel was Shawn Michaels' bodyguard.
• The Human Target - American comic book and television series
• In the Line of Fire - American film about guarding the President
• The Sentinel - American Film about guarding the President
• Usagi Yojimbo - Stan Sakai's anthropomorphic samurai based upon Miyamoto Musashi
• Yojimbo - Akira Kurosawa film
• Sheeva - The personal protector of Sindel
• Domovoi Butler - From The Artemis Fowl series
• MagnaGuard - General Grievous's bodyguards.
• Lord of War - The main character's brother protects him while he makes arms deals in war-torn countries
• Quentin Durward - literary Scottish hero, bodyguard of the king of France.
• Suki - A Japanese manga about a relationship between a teenaged girl and (unbeknownst to her) 32-year old bodyguard.
• Man on Fire - Denzel Washington plays the ferociously protective bodyguard of a young girl, played by Dakota Fanning.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Watanabe-no Tsuna )(Japan, Heian: 953-1025) He is one of the four legendary retainers of famous legendary Genji hero Minamoto no Yorimitsu a. ... Atticus Kodiak is the fictional protagonist of a series of novels written by Greg Rucka. ... Greg Rucka is an American writer of novels and comic books. ... Reiko Takashima (高島礼子 Takashima Reiko; born 25 July 1964 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese actress. ... For other uses, see The Bodyguard (disambiguation). ... Bodyguards is a British television series that focuses on the cases of a specialized bodyguard unit called the Close Protection Group in service of the UK government. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Gogo Yubari portrayed by Chiaki Kuriyama Gogo Yubari is a fictional character from the 2003 Quentin Tarantino film, Kill Bill Volume 1, played by Japanese actress Chiaki Kuriyama. ... Kill Bill is the fourth feature film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, and stars Uma Thurman. ... Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional wrestler and actor. ... Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965) is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Shawn Michaels. ... The Human Target is an American comic book character created by Len Wein and Carmine Infantino: a unique private detective and bodyguard named Christopher Chance who operates by impersonating his clients in order to eliminate threats to his principal, hence the idea of becoming a Human Target. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... In the Line of Fire is a 1993 film about a psychopath who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States. ... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... The Sentinel is a 2006 thriller film starring Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria, and Kim Basinger. ... Usagi Yojimbo book 11: Seasons Usagi Yojimbo (Literally Rabbit Bodyguard, Japanese kanji 兎用心棒 or phonetically うさぎようじんぼう usagi yōjinbō) is a comic book series created by Stan Sakai. ... Stan Sakai (born 1953) is a third-generation American of Japanese descent. ... An anthropomorphic character; a cat ascribed human characteristics. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ... It has been suggested that Timeline of Miyamoto Musashis life be merged into this article or section. ... Yōjimbō 用心棒 is a 1961 film by Akira Kurosawa, in which a ronin, portrayed by Toshiro Mifune, arrives at a small town with competing crime lords making their money from gambling, and convinces each crime lord to hire him as protection from the other. ... Akira Kurosawa , 23 March 1910—6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... Sheeva is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. ... Sindel (or Queen Sindel by title) is a video game character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. ... Domovoi Butler, usually referred to simply as Butler, is a fictional character in the Artemis Fowl series of books by Eoin Colfer. ... Artemis Fowl is a series of fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with IG-100 MagnaGuards. ... General Grievous is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. ... Lord of War is a 2005 film written and directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Nicolas Cage. ... Suki: A Like Story ), is a three volume manga by CLAMP. The title literally means I like, therefore I like. ... Manga )   (pl. ... Bold textBold textBold textBold text[[Media::This article is about the novel. ...

Other uses of the term

Minders

A minder is a bodyguard who protects the financial interests of the principal rather than their personal safety. A minder can be one of the following: A minder is someone who is assigned to watch over another person, especially when assigned by a government to control a foreign visitor. ...

See also

• List of protective services
• Security police, Persons who guard government property.
• Yojimbo, the Japanese word for bodyguard