The job of a bodyguard

A guard to stars and oligarchs. Personal bodyguards do not have insurance and are forbidden to ask for raises
By Andrey Kurtsev

On the occasion of the arrival in Russia of Whitney Houston, an American singer who played the leading role in “The Bodyguard,” Trud decided to learn just how our local Kevin Costners work.

The Head of the National Association of Bodyguards (NAST) in Russia, Aleksey Fonarev, says that the bodyguard profession is often not as dangerous as it is portrayed in action films. According to him, in many cases bodyguards do not so much as carry a weapon.

Today, it is very difficult to find a job as a bodyguard. In today’s job market, reputable companies employ only those who have experience working as a personal bodyguard – experience serving in the army or law enforcement agencies is no longer enough.
Risk pay

Bodyguards generally work for two days on, two days off, or three days on, three days off. Currently, bodyguards working in Moscow get paid between 40,000 to 60,000 rubles per month. Outside of the capital the figure is less.

If a personal security guard is in fact risking his life by working in a combat zone or for a client who is threatened by frequent attempts on his life, then the guard could count on having double the average salary. When traveling for work, bodyguards also get travel allowance.

Bodyguards are basically unable to revise their working conditions. It is not so easy to ask for a raise: the fierce competition on the job market does not allow for staff to dictate their terms of employment. If the client is constantly in danger, the bodyguard can certainly talk to the employer, but there are no guarantees that he will agree to pay extra.
Training

Several schools exist in Russia that specialize in training courses for bodyguards, which increase their qualifications. At first glance, they all seem to be similar, yet they significantly differ in their basic knowledge sources.

Many books have been written on the subject of personal security. But their content is basically the same; the way the author presents the material is the only way these books are distinguished.
More than protection

The guards often perform various tasks not related to security. Walking dogs or running errands are not uncommon jobs for a bodyguard.

Of course, these tasks are assigned at a time when the client is not in any danger – while at home or at a meeting.

Many clients choose to use their bodyguards as accountants. When going to a casino or a restaurant, for example, a client does not carry any money with him – after dinner, he simply gets up and walks away, letting his bodyguard, who is carrying a suitcase of money, pay. Such caprices are not uncommon for clients. People with money like feeling aristocratic.

Some employers use their bodyguards as couriers. When a client gives his bodyguard an apartment or a car as a gift, or helps enroll his child in a prestigious school, the bodyguard is almost inevitably asked later to perform a task outside of his job description. For example, he could be asked to deliver a suitcase to a certain location and not ask any questions. And how could he refuse? After all, the employer did so much for him!
The most patient

If a client is unhappy with the outer appearance or the cologne of his bodyguard, he could demand he “cleans himself up,” while allocating money for that purpose. In any case, an employee is not to make any requested changes with the use of their own finances. In one case, a client demanded his bodyguards wore only white shirts, for which he was willing to pay.

If a client prefers his bodyguards carry military-grade weapons, then these expenses are also his responsibility. If there is not a constant threat to one’s life, then weapons are not necessary. An unexpected attack could be deterred by a blunt weapon. New laws will come in force starting New Year’s, at which point the regulations will be clear. In the meantime, everything is not so bad. The percentage rate of deaths and injuries to bodyguards is low.
Forget about your rights

A union protecting the interests of its members does not exist for bodyguards in Russia. There are a few associations ready to help their colleagues.

“But it will not get to the point of strikes, as happened in Spain,” said Aleksey Fonarev.

Seven years ago, the Spanish Association of Bodyguards (ASES) held a strike in order to improve safety measures and working conditions for guards working in the Basque Country and Navarre, where thousands of politicians and public figures use private security guards for protection against Basque terrorists.

The strike was provoked by an incident that occurred in April in San Sebastian, where a deputy’s bodyguard was killed by the police. Police officers were pursuing criminals, but because they were dressed in civilian clothes, the bodyguard mistook them for terrorists, pulled out his gun and was shot.

In Israel, for example, about 80 bodyguards working for state officials formed a union and threatened to strike after learning that their employer was planning to cut their pay. This happened due to the fact that two weeks earlier their employer informed them that under new employment conditions they will each lose from $200 to $800 of their salary.

Of course, one could not say that a bodyguard is daily risking his life while protecting his client from terrorists or competitors. The pay is good, but if one is not satisfied with his salary, he should resign – there will always be someone else willing to take the job. Instead of increasing the pay rate to a bodyguard or a group of guards, it is much easier to hire some young men from, say, Ryazan, who will do the job for 50,000 rubles, or even for 25,000.
Personnel

Levels of employment for personal security guards:

I - International - Working with foreigners.
A - Average - Regional level guards.
B - Banking - Providing security to senior officials in the banking sector.
C - Commerce - Ensuring the personal safety of businessmen who own large companies in their country.
D - Dignitary - Providing safety to celebrities such as movie stars and music performers, as well as some of the wealthiest high-profile global individuals, such as: judges, lawyers and reporters.
E - Executives - Providing security to senior management of transnational corporations.
G - Government - Ensuring the personal safety of senior government officials.

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