Bodyguard

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title: "Bodyguard" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["protective-service-occupations", "bodyguards", "law-enforcement-occupations", "military-personnel", "security-guards"] description: "Security person or persons assigned to protect an individual" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodyguard" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Security person or persons assigned to protect an individual ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Occupation"]

Field	Value
name	Bodyguard
image	President Ronald Reagan moments before he was shot in an assassination attempt 1981.jpg
caption	Bodyguards with President Ronald Reagan moments before he was shot and almost killed in late March 1981
official_names	Close protection officer, executive protection agent, personal protection specialist
type	Government employment or private employment
activity_sector	Law enforcement, government, military, security
related_occupation	Security guard, law enforcement officer, anti-terrorism specialist, intelligence officer
::

::callout[type=note]

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| name= Bodyguard | image= President Ronald Reagan moments before he was shot in an assassination attempt 1981.jpg | caption= Bodyguards with President Ronald Reagan moments before he was shot and almost killed in late March 1981 | official_names= Close protection officer, executive protection agent, personal protection specialist | type= Government employment or private employment | activity_sector= Law enforcement, government, military, security | competencies= | formation= | employment_field= | related_occupation= Security guard, law enforcement officer, anti-terrorism specialist, intelligence officer A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public officials, wealthy businesspeople, and celebrities, from harm. The personnel team that protects a VIP is often referred to as the VIP's security detail.

Most important public figures, such as heads of state, heads of government, and governors are protected by a team of bodyguards from a government agency, security forces, or police forces. Less-important public figures, or those with lower risk profiles, may be accompanied by a single bodyguard who doubles as a driver. Bodyguards have existed since ancient civilizations, with notable examples including the Roman Praetorian Guard, Persian Immortals, and the Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire. These roles have evolved into modern executive protection professionals, equipped with advanced technologies and training.

Roles

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Posse_Dilma_2010_5.jpg" caption="her inaugural ceremony]]."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Merkel_Bodyguards_2013.JPG" caption="[[Angela Merkel]], the [[Chancellor of Germany]], with her bodyguards."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Quanell_X_bodyguards.jpg" caption="[[Quanell X]] (center), the leader of the [[New Black Panther Party]], with his bodyguards."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Close_Protection_Unite_Croatian_MP_12.JPG" caption="A [[Croatia]]n close protection unit trains using [[sub-machine gun]]s and [[pistol]]s during a demonstration exercise."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Personenschuetzer.jpg" caption="A bodyguard wearing an earpiece for two-way radio, so he can receive instructions."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Portrait_of_the_Imperial_Bodyguard_Zhanyinbao.jpg" caption="Imperial Guard]] of the [[Qianlong Emperor]]."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Cossaks_Imperator_Bodyguard.jpg" caption="The [[Cossacks]] Imperator Bodyguard unit from the early 1900s."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Kuniyoshi_Imperial_Bodyguard_Fighting_with_a_Demon.jpg" caption="Illustration of Japanese Imperial bodyguard [[Watanabe no Tsuna]] fighting a demon."] ::

The work of a bodyguard consists mainly of planning routes, pre-searching rooms and buildings where the client will be visiting, researching the backgrounds of people that will have contact with the client, searching vehicles, and escorting the client on their day-to-day activities. In the event of an emergency, a bodyguard's priority will always be to evacuate their client, rather than engage with threats.

References

References

1. (2025-11-25). "Definition of BODYGUARD".
2. (April 4, 2011). "What's it like being a bodyguard?". [[BBC]].
3. Turk, Victoria. "How realistic is Bodyguard? A real Personal Protection Officer tells all".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::