Is the Government a Good Metric for Comparison?

I read a lot of opinion pieces, and recently within the executive protection community there has been a lot of discussion about the trespassing incident at the White House.  Comments were made about the performance of the Secret Service and other local agencies in dealing with this event.  It got me to think, are we correct in comparing the level of our training and performance to that of the government, be it local, state or federal?

Let's examine a few examples:

If you ran your business' fiscal books the way the government ran its, would that have been a good option?  Of course not.  As a business, or as an individual, we cannot afford the level of debt (even if you factor in proportional expenses) that the government does.  Some may argue not even the government can afford it...but that's a different blog post.  Reality is that if we ran our finances the way the government does we will be bankrupt and living on the streets in no time.  We must exercise better practices to assure we are profitable and can operate within certain fiscal guidelines.

The Secret Service has a specific mission and a tremendous budget to complete it.  Most corporate security entities have to deal with a much more diverse set of threats, higher sensitivity to public perception (We can't get away with some of the stuff the USSS would), and a much smaller budget to complete it with.  This typically translates to a more innovative approach, creativity, and the development of truly multi-faceted professionals.  Leaders and team players are the only ones who can succeed, while in the government one can pretty much cruise in the shadows until retirement if he just doesn't mess up too much...and sometimes even if he did.

Training is another aspect that I believe the corporate dignitary and executive protection community has an advantage over the federal government.  It is true that the government has a larger budget and access to some excellent trainers.  But with that comes a tendency to get stuck in a rut, believe that what worked forever will continue to work, and training is based on accommodating the lowest common denominator.  In the private sector, since we all try to better ourselves and "one up" the competition, security professionals are more likely to seek advance training, develop new sets of skills, and stay sharp and current on threats and means to address them.  It is the responsibility of the foot soldier just as much as it is that of the manager.  We are always training and improving...or at least we should be.

Those are only a few examples of why I believe the private sector is developing and producing higher caliber people.  Of course exceptions apply and we also have our share of "wannabes" and slackers, and by sheer numbers alone probably much more than the government.  But those who shine through, progress in the industry, and truly make the profession their own, are much better at what they do compared to the average government official.

So keep growing as a person and as a professional.  You may not be on government retirement plan, but you are probably just as good if not better than most government officials out there!

Stay safe,
BK Blankchtein
Owner, Masada Tactical Protective Services
www.MasadaProtection.com