High End Security

Photography / D. Paul Graham

In these uncertain times where danger can be lurking around any corner, many cities are preparing for high-risk situations by offering executive protection to visitors that need a little extra sense of safety. Savannah is now one of those cities.

The phrase “Executive Protection” was first coined in the 1970’s by the United States Secret Service when they provided security for visiting foreign dignitaries. While this type of protection is usually provided by a private security company, police forces also need to be trained in how to protect a high-profile person and how to do ‘crowd control’ around a highly visible celebrity.

The Savannah Police Department was recently the recipient of such training by Executive Protection Specialist Will Bailey, a former Savannah police officer. Bailey served for 13 years on the Savannah Police Force and left in 2020 for a position at the Federal level and he realized that this type of specialized training is not usually provided to city police departments.

“I know that these skills are needed locally, and this type of workshop was not available when I was on the force, so I just wanted to give back by providing this specialized training,” said Bailey.

“If someone high-profile and recognizable like Tom Cruise comes to town, there needs to be a detail that is trained in how to not only protect the celebrity, but also how to do crowd control.” 

Bailey noted that while the majority of Executive Protection is on the ‘QT’ and usually provided by a private security company, when it comes to visiting politicians, it is the job of the local police force to provide a protection detail, and this is where the specialized training is put to good use.

Bailey pointed out that if a Congressperson, Senator, or other high-level politician comes to Savannah, their people would contact the police department beforehand and put together a security plan.“When it comes to private sector executive protection, the police department would only get involved if there was a potential for crowd control issues. Usually, high net worth individuals would just quietly slip into town and leave again without any fanfare.”

While Bailey has returned to his current position of providing security at the Federal level, it is his intention to eventually strike out on his own to create a private company that provides this type of specialized training to both the private and public sector.

“There are many variables in play with providing executive protection and I want to ensure that this type of specialized training is available to everyone who needs it,” concluded Bailey.

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