Should politicians have personal security?
Politicians are very well known figures in the public sphere, which means they are always at risk of getting threats, and this is something that has come to the font of our minds with the awful events that have been reported in the news in recent years.
Although verbal and physical attacks on politicians aren’t something new, the current concerns date back to June 2016 when labour politician Jo Cox was attacked and killed and have become a bigger hot topic after the more recent attack of Conservative MP David Amess.
Security of some form is required
With the increase in knife crimes and death threats, politicians need to be cautious about their safety and there are various ways that they can be protected. One of the most obvious ways for politicians to protect themselves is by having security guards with them at all times, but this has many limitations.
In previous blog posts, we have talked about the limitations of bodyguards and how, although they are fully trained and provide a physical presence that acts as a deterrent, they can be costly and intrusive. Having a bodyguard to protect anyone 24 hours a day holds other challenges as well, whether it’s how long a single bodyguard should be with you, and where should they be while you sleep?
Other forms of personal protection
When at home, there are alternative and lower-cost ways for a politician to protect themselves such as high-tech security systems. CCTV, alarm systems and sensors are just a few tech-focused ways to protect a politician and his family while at home.
Unfortunately, the limitation with tech security products is summed up in the last 3 words of the last paragraph… “while at home”.
Alarms systems and cameras aren’t flexible enough to unplug and take with you.
It’s possible to use different technologies when on the move and then have security systems installed in other locations such as the workplace but this isn’t ideal and it can be a nightmare to manage.
One characteristic of anyone in high-profile politics is that they need to travel a lot and to be out and about. And there is another alternative way for the busy politician to protect themselves.
At K9 Protector, we provide fully-trained protection dogs that are present wherever their master (a politician) goes. Whether it’s travelling to work or walking through a park, a protection dog is trained to deal with any potential threats.
Protection dogs are unobtrusive, whether that’s at work, at home, or walking through a park and, unlike having a bodyguard, a protection dog can stay with you or in close proximity when sleeping or dealing with a highly confidential situation. There is also no need to worry about rotating shifts with bodyguard personnel as a protection dog can easily be by your side 24 hours a day.
Personal Security - Summary
Personal security is a type of security that ensures the safety and protection of an individual and, while we can all agree that politicians need some form of protection, the wider debate is more around areas such as what that protection would look like, how it would work and the cost.
While basic measures can be taken (and should be) to protect a home with an alarm system and cameras, we believe that the only, and best way to protect a high-profile politician is with a personal protection dog.
Politicians needing personal security
If you are a politician who feels threatened in any way, then make sure you visit our protection dogs for sale and read more about our personal protection services to understand how a protection dog can make a difference.
Contact us today by giving us a call on 01761 239 338. We would be happy to discuss how to protect a politician from personal attack and answer any questions you might have.