Book Reviews

rupert

I have just taken delivery of a number of security related books; over the next few weeks and months I will post a review on here of each of them which I hope some of you may find of interest.

I will also let you know where I got the books from and how much I paid for each one as in searching for them I found (at the extreme end) books with an RRP of £30.00 on sale for £3.50 to £75.00!

The first books I will be reviewing are:

Close Protection: The Softer Skills
Risk Management for Security Professionals
The New Bodyguard
Advanced Surveillance
Security Consulting

I hope you find the reviews of interest, Chris aka Rupert

rupert

Close Protection; The Softer Skills by Geoffrey Padgham MVO

I bought this book new online directly from Amazon for £11.70 plus P&P

On initial appearance the book was a little let down, small, thin at just 130 pages and quite basic in its format. Perhaps my initial disappointment was more to do with expectation, having met the author and knowing a little of his background and experience (30 years with the Met, 22 in Royalty Protection), and expecting a mine of information as a result, this book did not give or at least look to give me the information I was expecting.

The first few pages (24) are made up of an insight into the author; in more detail than his bio on the back cover, that of the illustrator and a few pages of thanks. Giving an impression that this book was going to shape into the author’s life’s work, it is not.

The book is written in a simple concise fashion and is not a technical work. It’s premise is the emphasis of what Mr Padgham calls the “softer skills” of CP; those being communication, listening, observation, organisation, teamwork etc etc; life learned skills against those “harder skills” taught and perceived to be the domain of the trained “bodyguard” firearms skills, martial arts, driving, first aid etc. Although he very much promotes “hard skills” in the right situation.

Someone on this forum once said that CP work was 99% planning and boredom with 1% “OH Shit”; after reading this book one is left with a complementary understanding. These softer skills are what 99% of the working day/life as a CP is about, the harder skills will account for just 1% if not less.

Using real life examples the author enforces this belief, as in the case of the attempted Assassination of Ronald Ragan in which 6 shots were fired by the assailant in just 1.8 seconds, how many secret service and police protection firearms were actually drawn in defence in that time or indeed fired?!

While this book is not a technical reference for CP training, it is if you take it on face value a very worthwhile addition to the book shelf of any UK based CP; indeed I would go so far as to suggest it become CPW’s recommended reading to all those Walt’s who join the forum wanting to be the World’s best Bodyguard with no idea of the real work seduced by perception of bombs, bullets and glory. This book tells it straight by emphasising the way you should work with no BS and should be considered as a reference for those seeking corporate work. It may be a book which states the obvious in many cases, but the obvious is often (too often) overlooked.

All in all a good read; much anticipation lead to disappointment on first flicking through but out came a solid reliable first hand account of what is really needed to operate within the UK market.

As a CP manual 3 out of 10
As a “Tell it like it is” insight into the often overlooked basic skills 11 out of 10

rupert

The next review will be Security Consulting by Charles A Sennewald, which I hope to have finished before the weekend.

I have also just picked up the following books and will add them to the pile:

The Politics of Crisis Management: Public Leadership Under Pressure by Brejen Boin (this in particular looks a good book for those liaising with NGO's, LE and other Orgs in more HE areas)

Vulnerability Assesment of Physical Protection Systems by Mary Lynn Garcia

Risk, Crisis and Security Management by Edward Borodzicz

oblivious

Rupert, I have tins of these books do we have a page with regards to book reviews wot a great idea

rupert

Risk, Crisis & Security Management by Edward P. Borodzicz
The author is a Professor of Risk and Crisis Management at Portsmouth University and is a Director of the Centre for Risk, Crisis and Security Management.
I had heard rave reviews about this book in the recent past and about its place on the book shelf of the aspiring security manager or consultant; to my mind the jury is still out. The book presents many interesting ideas and concepts, in particular that of the place of security management as a legitimate are of management and academia in its own right.
Clearly written prior to the existence of the sia one cannot help reading it and questioning some of its arguments as a result.
The book has a heavy leaning towards academia (without being a “heavy” read) and the study of risk and security as a concept, this is evident not only from its format but in its style also, written as an open ended debate into the area of security and risk.
It deals heavily with the academic theories behind risk and looks at it from an angle possibly overlooked by those who are not of an academic slant. While clearly of an academic nature I did find the book interesting, for me perhaps it highlighted the differences between academic and practical learning.
While learning in this style will no doubt prove a means of growth it does not provide the reader/learner with the tools to understand either the industry, market or how to actually do the job.
An interesting read, particularly from the point of view of understanding the history and theory of risk and its relation to life and industry, however the lack of up to date information on UK legislation (sia) which is and has been a key factor in recent years as well as a feeling of underlying misunderstanding of the “security” industry in general does take some of the shine off this book.
One of the first books of this type I have read, many of those covering the management elements of security and risk do so from this academic stance and I think it important that those of us working in this area acknowledge the number of academics working in this field also.
If you are looking for a reference book for working practices this is not the book for you; there are in truth maybe only one or two pages you might find of ongoing use. If you are looking for a book to develop academic learning, then do take a look, the author quotes 25 (!!) pages of references for his research. All that said, it has given me an idea of how others may see the concept of risk, which will undoubtedly be of use in marketing my services.

annie

I have a scary vision of you sitting in a dusty old room with a shabby wing backed chair, pipe and slippers a pair of glasses and a nice crushed velvet smoking jacket, taking the odd note and sipping an occasional glass of scotch whilst making mrs rupert stoke the open fire occasionally to keep you toasty.

Keep up the good work Rupert excellent reviews

Heno

I have a vision of a basement and the words "it puts the lotion on its skin" being repeated over and over......

Just kidding, great review, and thanks for taking the time and effort on this, well done that man!

Heno

oblivious

Hi Rupert,

I wish I had read the comments earlier in the day, however stay tuned I will add my thoughts to your review of the book tomorrow, initially I have to disagree with your findings, also you have used the words academic and academia to death so I will try not to repeat certain words too much, lol, only kidding.

A food for thought till then I believe the book is looking at the 3 areas hence these can also be called disciplines and they all have a significant bearing on each other.

I will write tomorrow, all being well.

annie

ooh fight in the library, fisticuffs at dawn on the dewy grass, that was a slap in the face with his gauntlet that was Rupert old bean...... prepare for war

Just let me call Setanta sport and see if we can get a pay per view deal on the big fight.............

In the red corner in a natty smoking jacket and slippers is the man with his head in a book......Itttttts Rupert

And the contender to the throne in the blue corner................obbbblivious who sounds a bit like a gladiator name so he must be wearing lycra

oblivious

Annie you have been sworn in as the official ref