Lessons Learned from the Brian Thompson Assassination
VRP Group’s COO Ross Falisi Details Why Executives Should Consider this Event an Eye Opener and What it Takes to Adequately Protect High Profile Utility Personnel
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
Thanks for joining us, Ross! Can you tell our readers a bit more about yourself and your security background?
ROSS FALISI:
Thank you for having me, truly a pleasure being here. I started my career as a police officer in New York City. I spent about four years there and was honored to be selected to the elite NY State Police. I completed the balance of my public service there with a variety of assignments. I was on terminal leave when the 9-11 attacks happened. I, like everyone, grabbed my gear, including my canine, and spent the next few weeks at ground zero. When the mission turned into a recovery mission, I knew it was time for me to move on to an international position to do my part to defend our country. I turned my part-time job as a security contractor into a full-time job. I served as an operator, instructor, and consultant for US and foreign military and law enforcement communities. During this time, I shifted to work with and for former senior intelligence agency personnel from the OGA community. In 2008, VRP Group was formed. I was on the ground floor of the development and growth of the company. 17 years later, I sit in the COO seat and am exceptionally proud of the multi-faceted protective services we offer.
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
So, with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson came a flurry of media coverage as well as new and renewed concerns about what needs to be done from a security strategy perspective. Can you talk a bit more about that incident and the lessons learned?
ROSS FALISI:
Quite frankly, I’m surprised it took this long to happen. Far too often, companies and individuals take the, “it’s never going to happen here” approach. You can only roll the dice so many times before you are going to lose. This is done for several reasons, not the least of which is financial. Many companies look at security as an unnecessary expense and approach it from a smoke-and-mirrors point of view. By this, I mean that they take an approach of doing something that makes it look like we did something, but in fact, we did little to nothing. Let’s face the truth that the word security covers everything from the guy with a T-shirt at a concert to protecting the President of the United States. Positive outcomes require real investments into folks who have the experience and knowledge needed for an impactful security strategy.
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
What are the biggest misconceptions or mistakes that security professionals make when it comes to implementing high-profile person protection?
ROSS FALISI:
Of course, doing something is usually better than doing nothing, but putting the wrong people in critical positions can sometimes be more detrimental than helpful. Companies often outsource these tasks and when they do, they outsource them to the wrong people. I recently heard a story of a college student who got a security guard license to make money for school. During his second week on the job, he was the “lead officer” on a personal protection detail.
The other common practice is to hire off-duty law enforcement. In some states, it is legal to hire a law enforcement officer in their government uniform, use government equipment, etc., to work for you. This is probably the worst thing to do.
By law, their primary responsibility will never be to prioritize protecting the principal. If they are in that uniform, they must follow the protocols dictated by their law enforcement role and prioritize addressing the threat. The bottom line is to hire legitimate professionals and do your homework on who you are hiring. Whether you choose to have internal or external operatives, hire pros and train, train, train!
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
On the other side of the spectrum, what are some best practices that should be considered in high-profile person protection?
ROSS FALISI:
One thing I can talk about without jeopardizing operational security is a concept that CIA legend and best-selling author Ric Prado talks about in his book “Black Ops” which is making sure the operation has “invisible teeth.” For example, let’s say a principal has four Personal Protection Agents (PPA’s) protecting them. For those with bad intentions, all you have to do is get eight equally or better-trained bad guys and attack.
However, if you have four PPA’s with the Principal and four more PPA’s hidden in the crowd that only the team knows about, that is very hard to defeat. Those unknown operators blending in with the surroundings are an overwhelming force multiplier. This is just one of the concepts we employ when tasked with missions of this nature.
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
Protecting high-profile persons might make their lives more complicated and cumbersome. What are some good strategies for dealing with the pushback that might come from those folks who might view the protocols as obstacles more than solutions?
ROSS FALISI:
If you are a C-Suite person in a publicly traded company, your security is not your choice. Security for the C-Suite is security for the organization and its shareholders. C-suite executives have a fiduciary responsibility to take security seriously—no matter how cumbersome it may seem to be.
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
So, just like the utility organization itself, attacks on executives can come in the form of physical and cyber, with the threat landscape including domestic, foreign and even insider threats. Where do you prioritize efforts and what are key ways to make sure the protection is comprehensive.
ROSS FALISI:
This starts with a proper professional threat assessment. Only then can we begin to calculate and mitigate risks. The threat assessment is the foundation of everything moving forward. That being said, if this threat assessment is not done correctly, professionally and continually updated through intelligence gathering analysis, then everything after that is flawed, no matter what level of operational personnel you are deploying. When true professionals approach these situations, they always consider as many factors as possible, including how we protect and enhance the client’s reputation.
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
Wrapping up, what are some future trends or concerns you have relating to high-profile person protection? What is changing in this landscape that security professionals should be aware of?
ROSS FALISI:
Change costs money, and as I mentioned earlier, unless the people with the power to implement best practices actually change their mindset, we won’t see much progress. Companies have to take threats seriously and recognize that security is an essential part of their business if they want to see real safety improvements. That said, there are companies that do the right things—and you never hear about them. It’s like what a Coast Guard rescue swimmer once said: “I’ve never had to rescue a boater who was fully prepared for an emergency.” Similarly, you don’t hear about companies having major security problems when they truly take security issues seriously.
CURTIS MARQUARDT JR:
If our readers want to learn more about your company, can you tell them more about the services you provide and how they can best reach you?
ROSS FALISI:
VRP Group is an American, woman-owned small business in its 17th year, deeply embedded in the critical infrastructure sector. Our three specialized divisions are: Vertus, which handles training and consulting; Regius, providing protective and investigative services; and Praesidium, specializing in logistical support. We can be reached at (800) 795-6440 and our website is: vrpgroup.com. n