The Introduction to The Science of a Vehicle Ambush – Vehicle Ambush 101 For nearly half a century, ISDA’s founder, Tony Scotti, has been leading the way in understanding the “how” and “why” of vehicle ambushes. Since the mid-’70s, Tony has been conducting forensic analysis of vehicle attacks and distributing his findings to the Ep and Secure Transportation community. So, in June of 2020, the Omar Garcia Harfuch (OGH) vehicle ambush was not the first time Tony has gone through the painstaking process of accurately analyzing a lethal ambush targeting a high-profile, at-risk individual. However, the Omar García Harfuch “OGH” ambush is one of the first vehicle attacks that was videoed as it was happening.  Adding the Vehicle Dynamics Institute team to the testing process created unprecedented results in the data collected and the lessons learned.  Full show notes are available at SecurityDriver.Com Join the International Security Driver Association If you have an interest in going much deeper into this type of topic, I invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association’s website and consider joining the only organization dedicated to supporting the advancement of professional Security Drivers and other protection practitioners with data-driven research and other professional development tools. For more information on all member benefits, head over to https://isdacenter.org.

A tragic video has been circulating throughout various social media. It took place at Fort Tiuna in Caracas, Venezuela. The video is from a bodyguard training program. This terrible event brings to light a problem – which is the state of security driver training.  Read the full show notes from this episode at SecurityDriver.Com

This episode is a continuation of episode 206, where we continue to look into security driver salaries. While curating Security Driver job opportunities for our International Security Driver Association members, we data mined the salaries offered on LinkedIn and Employment Websites. Our goal was to get an idea of the Security Driver’s Pay Scale. One of the issues we had was the definition of a Security Driver. It seems that Security Driver can be used to define a person patrolling a parking lot while unarmed- to a person responsible for supplying safe and secure transportation for an executive- and everything in between.   We also noticed that not all job offers for a Security Driver are called Security Driver. Job offers looking for a person to supply Secure Transportation have a few titles. Here are some of the Job titles we found – Security Driver – Executive Chauffeur – Executive Protection Driver -Law enforcement chauffeur – Armed Security Executive Driver – Executive Protection Agent / Driver. Along with the different job titles, there is a substantial difference in the salaries offered. Full show notes and links are available here

This Sunday, May 29th, will be the 106th running of the Indy 500. So, we thought we would apply the Science of Driving to the Indy 500 and do a simple analysis of the track and the drivers. Hopefully, it will make watching the race more enjoyable.    Full show notes are available here

Meta released their 2021 SEC 14A filing recently. As our research shows, there is year over year increase in secure transportation spending. Unlike social media posts and comments, there are businesses willing and able to hire those who meet the required ESK - Experience, Skills, and Knowledge. Full show notes are available at SecurityDriver.Com.

This episode will cover Executive Vehicle Specifications, including H-Point, Vision Line Height, Cargo Room, and how these measurements affect the safety and security of the vehicle occupants. We’ll also touch on another safety topic, advanced driver assistance systems. As we have said many times, the executive vehicle is the instrument used by the Security Driving and Secure Transportation profession to earn a living. Many of our Association Members are responsible for the selection and eventual purchase of the executive vehicles. In the next few years, all vehicles, including Executive Vehicles, will be changing at an exponential rate. The Association will be researching those changes and their effect on Secure Transportation Professionals. Visit SecurityDriver.Com for the show notes and links mentioned in the episode.

When news about tires and how they affect the Security Driver and the Secure Transportation function comes into the Association’s network, our members and we feel that we need to make the community aware of this important news. So here are a few news items that have come out lately that we hope can assist you. The first news item that got our attention and was the catalyst for the episode. An article from Automotive Fleet shared a statistic from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) that mentions that 11,000 accidents are caused every year due to defective tires.  The one that caught our attention was from Autoweek Magazine – Why Do Run-Flat Tires Suck? Science, and Tradeoffs We respectfully disagree with them. The article talks about the Self-Supporting Run Flats System. These are not the type of Run-Flat that is used in most Security and Armored Vehicles. We are a big fan of Consumer Reports. We feel that they conduct the most accurate and unbiased analysis of vehicle and vehicle products. Their article – Why Tires Go Flat in Cold Weather is another news piece that got our attention. Electric Vehicles (EV’s) are here to stay; as we have mentioned in the past, it is not if – but when – Security Drivers and Secure Transportation Providers will be driving electric vehicles. But in the news recently, there has been a great deal of attention focused on a particular component of the EV that needs to be examined – tires.  Full show notes and links are available at securitydriver.com.

The question that many Security Drivers and Secure Transportation providers have heard – “Why do I need a Security Driver – Why can’t we use a chauffeur service?” Or – why can’t we use an Uber or Lyft car? A few years ago there was an article that appeared in Security Magazine, titled “What to Look for in Travel Security and Executive Protection Services.”  While the article may be old the content is still valid. The author concludes that while the Executive is traveling, having a security-trained driver is paramount to a successful executive protection program. As the author emphasizes in the article, the benefits of a security-trained driver extend well beyond their greater ability to utilize a vehicle’s performance capabilities, and we’ll add, particularly in unfamiliar locations far from home. The article goes on to say that there is no formal definition of “security-trained driver” that exists; there is no central governing body whose credentials you can trust to lead you to the right provider. A “Security-trained driver” could mean anything from a military veteran with 20+ years of relevant experience to a taxi driver who’s gone through a defensive driving program.  We respectfully disagree with that comment. Mention Links The origin of the 80% standard in the Science of Security Driving Chauffeur vs. Security Driver   Key Quotes "There has been a standard accepted by the corporate Kidnap and Ransom Insurance (K&R) and the High-Net-Worth (HNW) community for more than four decades. It is called the 80% standard." "A good chauffeur is concerned about not spilling the boss’s coffee and avoiding bumps. Generally, chauffeurs can handle routine emergencies if they happen slowly. This has nothing in common with the skills needed for a trained security driver. " Full Show notes are available at SecurityDriver.Com   Join the International Security Driver Association The International Security Driver Association (ISDA) is the only organization in the world dedicated to supporting the advancement of professional Security Drivers and other Secure Transportation providers. Learn more about who we are, what we do, who we do it for, and member benefits; visit ISDACenter.Org.

In today’s episode, we have three news stories to share – the driver of a Tesla charged with vehicular manslaughter, we’ll take a look at a few executive vehicle’s impressive skidpad tests and what that means for the security driver, and a new tech venture with Ford and ADT to combat thieves.  Full show notes and links click here

With all the inherent risks security drivers secure transportation service providers face on the road, there is probably none more so than road rage or aggressive driving. So, today we are talking all about road rage – what it is, how to avoid it, and some interesting statistics that show the impact of road rage.   Full Show notes and links

Hello, and welcome to our 200th episode of the EPST podcast. There are two topics for discussion in today’s episode, they are the future of secure transportation, and marketing the service of secure transportation, and determining your value.   For complete show notes and links click here

The number of carjacking incidents reported by the Department of Justice is about 49,000 per year.  In some locations in the U.S., the number of Carjackings is becoming an epidemic – it can happen to anyone anywhere and anytime.  In 2020, Chicago carjackings were up a staggering 134%, with 1,416 people being forcibly removed from their vehicles. This trend has continued in 2021, with Minneapolis seeing a 38% increase, Chicago up 44%, Washington, D.C. up 45%, and New York up a whopping 81%.  As a Secure Transportation Provider or Security Driver, it is your responsibility to know if Carjacking is a risk that needs to be mitigated. For full show notes and links click here

For this week’s episode we are revisiting a previous topic, tires and tire pressures, to answer a question we received, and we’ll introduce a new paradigm – the Dynamic Driving and the Human Driving Tasks.  Tires and Tire Pressures The reason we spend a lot of time talking about these subjects can be found in a comment made by a Bridgestone engineer – “Tire pressure affects every aspect of the tire, including the load-carrying capacity, tread contact patch shape—where the tire touches the road—and size and handling characteristics.”  Therefore optimizing tire pressure will increase the safety and security of the principal and is essential knowledge for the Security Driver and Executive Protection Practitioner. The Dynamic Driving Task and the Human Driving Task  In all our 48 years in the profession, we would have never thought or considered that the automotive engineering community would be required to define how humans and computers interact while driving a vehicle.  A human interacting with the vehicle computers, specifically the ADAS, is called the human driving task. Read full show notes with links

We have two topics to discuss in this episode - how the infrastructure bill will impact secure transportation. Also, we’ll share information on a somewhat related topic - the Lucid Air Electric Vehicle.   Full show notes and links are available here.

Welcome to episode 196 of the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation podcast.  I’m your host Larry Snow. The podcast is provided by the International Security Driver Association. Every week we share secure transportation and executive protection headlines, news, trends, and educational content for today’s practitioners. For this week's episode, we reach into the archives with the topic of the science of winter driving. I know, I know, it’s not winter yet,  but the days and nights are getting cooler, and winter will be here before you know it. So we felt it was the perfect opportunity to discuss winter driving and secure transportation. Let’s rewind to episode 156  - the science of winter driving. Click here for show notes

In today’s episode, we continue with the second installment of our Best Practices for Protective Driver Training Series. The topic for part two is benchmarking driving skills.  You can find part one here.   as serious practitioners have known for decades, statistics have indicated that the overwhelming majority of security incidents involving corporate executives – and high-profile individuals, including government and military, have occurred while the targeted individual was in or around their vehicle. Therefore, in the educated market of protective services, history and common sense dictate security practitioners address the incidents with the highest probability of occurrence, traveling by vehicle.  When considering the risk of travel by vehicle, the safety and security of vehicle occupants during this most dangerous period of time are literally in the hands of the skilled Security Driver. Click here for complete show notes

In this week's episode, we share information on a recent IIHS crash test, other OEM armored vehicles besides the Mercedes Guard Car, and the use of telematics devices for monitoring by insurance companies.   Click here for complete show notes

In this week’s episode, the topic is An Answer to Question - Why do I need secure transportation? – A Marketing Tool from the IRS. On-Page 136 of Joe Autera’s book “The Professional Guide to Planning, Managing, and Providing Secure Transportation is written as one of the better answers to the question - Why do I need secure transportation? A quote from the book “It has been said, time and time again, that there are only two things in life that are a certainty, death, and taxes. While no one enjoys paying taxes, virtually everyone would rather pay them than be confronted by the other. If the right conditions are met, the Security Driver is one of the few people on the face of the earth that can reduce the Principal’s risk of both! Naturally, this brings us to the other elements of the business case for having a Security Driver or Solo Practitioner supporting the Principal.” Understanding the business case for Secure Transportation starts with  gaining an understanding of  IRS Regulation Part 132(5), which dictates the conditions under which corporations and/or their executives may be eligible for tax deductions when secure ground transportation is provided.” Read full show notes here

In this week’s episode, the topic is Best Practices for Protective Driver Training.  This is the first in a series of podcasts that will cover Best Practices for Protective Driver Training. We have close to 50 years of experience conducting various driver training programs and services that had to withstand the scrutiny of a Corporate Security community, Corporate Legal, Human Resources, and Compliance departments. Along with Government and Military organizations, which are not bashful to tell you exactly what they think.  First and foremost, driving training is a science. When looking at driver training and the skills necessary to drive at the highest level, there has been a great deal of research done, money spent, and data collection that allows us to understand better how drivers make decisions in emergencies and how long it takes them to make the decisions that determine success or failure. The end result of all this research is the advancements that have been made in measuring driving skills and, therefore, survivability in an emergency scenario.  For the full show notes click here: https://securitydriver.com/10/192-best-practices-for-protective-driver-training/

In this week’s episode of the EPST podcast, we discuss certification in Executive Protection. The podcast is provided by the International Security Driver Association. Every week we share secure transportation and executive protection headlines, news, trends, and educational content for today’s practitioners.  Two topics of discussion that can dominate social media are certification and the state of training in the executive protection and secure transportation industry. In reality, certification and training are inseparable. There is a need for standardization in the EP profession.

This episode is part two on the vehicle attacks that have changed how Executive Protection and Secure Transportation practitioners work and train.  In episode 189, we covered Hans Martin Schleyer and Aldo Moro. In this week’s episode, we discuss John Butler and Alfred Herrhausen. 

In this week's episode, we share an update on Mohsen Fakhrizadeh's assassination. Also, there is a significant rental car shortage in high-demand areas which may impact secure transportation providers. We shared GM's news on winning a contract to develop and build purpose-built vehicles. Lastly, we shared the importance of headlights while driving in low light conditions.

In this week’s show, we share information on electric vehicle basics and another report on the armored vehicle market and why it is important. We also share lesser-known incidents and four new books authored by ISDA members.

Theft of Catalytic Converters Your vehicle has a precious metal container infused with a precious metal that is selling for about $28,000 per ounce right now; that’s 15-times the price of gold. The metal is Rhodium, and the container is your Catalytic converter. The National Insurance Crime Bureau recorded 2347 thefts of the emissions-cleaning devices in December 2020, up from 578 a year earlier. Thieves are after the precious metals in the Catalytic converter that change highly toxic pollutants in the exhaust into less harmful gases. The price of one of those metals, Rhodium, spiked as high as $30,000 per troy ounce (slightly heavier than a standard ounce) last year due to an existing shortage exacerbated by the pandemic. A single cat contains about $400 worth of Rhodium. Executive Vehicle and Low Profile Tires Many of the newer Executive Vehicles, including SUVs, come with Low Profile tires. There are advantages and disadvantages to low-profile tires. Low-profile tires are all about the tire’s Aspect Ratio. The Aspect Ratio of a tire is the ratio of the sidewall’s height to the tire’s cross-sectional width. If a tire has an aspect ratio of 60, the sidewall is 60% as high as the tire is wide.  The lower the Aspect Ratio, the shorter the sidewall. Generally, low-profile tires have an aspect ratio of 55 or less, though this can vary slightly. Car Hacking Danger Is Likely Closer Than You Think A recent article from Car and Driver magazine mentions that connected cars are great until they’re not. They mentioned that a recent Detroit Free Press article shows that vehicle hacks are more common and more dangerous than most people realize. According to the report from Upstream Security, there were at least 150 automotive cybersecurity incidents in 2019, a 94 percent year-over-year increase since 2016. This trend is unlikely to reverse any time soon with more communication methods built into new vehicles, including massive over-the-air update technologies. Join the ISDA! If you have an interest in going much deeper into these types of topics, I invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association’s website and consider joining the membership to gain access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA Knowledge Center. For more information on all of the member benefits head over to isdacenter.org.

Preliminary numbers for the 2021 Executive Vehicle & Secure Transportation Survey A little background if you are not familiar with the survey. The Survey is conducted every two years since 2013. Over the last eight years, the survey has covered various aspects of secure transportation. The goal of the survey is to examine trends and collect data to develop a broader perspective on the secure transportation profession. The 2021 survey is unique because it covers the span of time that the industry was dealing with the Pandemic. The final report will examine the differences in the metrics covering the eight-year time span, emphasizing the change from 2019 to 2021. Driving and Sunglasses Many security drivers drive in the sunrise and the sunset. Blinding glare from low sunlight or bright light reflecting off snow, puddles, other vehicles, or even your own hood can be potentially lethal. Glare is frequently cited as the cause of traffic accidents, but the right pair of sunglasses can prevent it. There is some confusion, though, about what sunglasses you should wear when driving. ISDA asked the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians for guidance. What it Takes to Make an Armored Car Our next topic comes from an interesting and informative article from the February issue of Motor Trend Magazine. The article titled “What it Takes to Make an Armored Car” covers the process used by armored vehicle manufacturers to produce an armored vehicle. It covers the subjects of Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, Payload, the types of armored material used, such as opaque and transparent armor. The article also covers what they call overlapping, a thin band that goes around the perimeter of the door or on the vehicle’s frame that prevents rounds from entering the vehicle within the seams of the door. And of course, they cover the cost of doing all that. Tom Cruise’s Stolen BMW X7 Our last topic this week is one that a few EP groups were chatting about. The theft of Tom Cruise’s BMW X7. It was outside Birmingham Grand Hotel while Tom Cruise was shooting for Mission Impossible 7. The vehicle was transportation for the actor Tom Cruise. It contained Mr. Cruise’s luggage when the vehicle was stolen. From all reports, he was not happy, and we would imagine that the transportation providers had some explaining to do. Not knowing the actual circumstances, it’s hard to place blame, but the ultimate responsibility lies with the driver and the company supplying Mr. Cruise with his transportation. What is of concern to Security Drivers and Secure Transportation providers is how the thieves stole the BMW.

Hydroplaning In the aftermath of Henri here in New England, I thought I'd lead off with the topic of  Hydroplaning and the role tires play. Hydroplaning happens when one or more tires are lifted from the road by a wedge of water that gets trapped in front of and under a tire as the vehicle drives through the water. Hydroplaning most frequently occurs during heavy rainstorms when water creates puddles on the highway. In addition to the accompanying splash and scaring the heck out of the driver, hydroplaning typically causes the steering wheel to jerk. In addition to hydroplaning, drivers need to be extra careful during heavy rains and tropical storms, be wary of potential deep standing water and other road hazards.  Mercedes' launches Pothole Speed Bump detection in select models Pothole damage costs U.S. drivers $3 billion per year, according to a study from the AAA.  Some of the more common damage is a flat tire, bent or damaged rims, suspension damage, steering damage, and even damage to the car's body. Potholes can even knock your car out of alignment.  Clearly, potholes are more than just a pain in the neck — they are a real safety hazard for drivers. According to Pothole.info, out of approximately 33,000 traffic fatalities each year, one-third involve poor road conditions. Now Mercedes-Benz is doing something to help alleviate both the dangers and the cost of damage caused by potholes.  Vehicle Crashes Remain Leading Employee Death Cause According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 38% of workplace fatalities are from vehicle accidents, and total motor-vehicle injury costs were estimated at $463.0 billion. Costs include wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, motor-vehicle property damage, and employer costs. Even though traffic volume decreased significantly in 2020, our roadways have been deadlier. Last year 42,060 people died in crash-related incidents—the highest in 13 years. These highway fatalities represent a 24 percent spike compared to 2019, which was the highest fatality rate in 96 years since 1924.  The fact is that the time an executive spends in their vehicle is without a doubt the highest risk period of their day. From a safety standpoint, this is borne out by the latest statistics on fatal vehicle crashes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  It is important express that a Security Driver is also trained to supply safe driving. At times the Principal may not understand the secure driving is also safe driving. A good security driver operating the vehicle proactively can prevent accidents. The safety and security of the vehicle occupants during this most dangerous period of time has been and is the responsibility of the security driver. Are You Zoning out Behind the Wheel? A great article on the Axiom website about the Safety Systems in Vehicles: as a Security Driver or supplier of Secure Transportation, you are aware of how many driving tasks are now automated — speed control, braking, lane-keeping, and even changing lanes. It seems never-ending. Carmakers keep adding more automated features in the name of safety. But now, the government wants to find out if assisted-driving technology itself is dangerous by making it too easy for people to misuse. The more sophisticated the assisted-driving system, the more complacent drivers can become, abdicating their own responsibility for operating the car. This can lead to avoidable crashes and dangerous incidents that undermine public confidence in automated driving. Even with the latest technology, drivers still need to watch where they're going and be prepared to take the wheel; fully autonomous vehicles are years from widespread deployment.

The Vehicle Ambush In Mexico In a post on LinkedIn, the author commented on a recent assassination of an individual while in a vehicle. It occurred in Mexico. The author mentions, “as noted in Gavin de Becker’s book, Just Two Seconds, 64% of attacks occur in and around the vehicle, and 77% of those succeed”. He also mentions the need for situational awareness. We’ll add the demand for Surveillance Detection and armored vehicles. A couple of thoughts come to mind. Data says 65% of attacks occur while in or near a vehicle. How much of your time do you spend on training that mitigates the massive risk of vehicle attacks? For close to 50 years, we have preached the need for surveillance detection, situation awareness, and armored vehicles. We are still talking about incidents resulting from a lack of surveillance detection, situational awareness, and armored vehicles. Armored Vehicle Market Looking at posts on LinkedIn, one could get the impression that the civilian armored car business is booming, and they would be correct. In fact, according to Bloomberg Business Magazine, the market for bulletproof vehicles is skyrocketing, and that demand for armored vehicles in the United States is higher than ever. Also, the Los Angeles Times reported the market for “bulletproof” vehicles is exploding. We need to keep in mind that the press will always use the phrase bulletproof. According to the armored vehicle manufacturer Armomax, the market value is at $15.96 billion. I would think that that number includes the military market. All this data is pre-pandemic. Driving in the Heat We have mentioned this subject often in the last few months, but with the heatwave still affecting many countries, we feel it is worth repeating. Distracted Driving We know that drinking and driving and texting and driving are dangerous. And are hazardous to your health and the health of those who share the road with you. But we need to add another scenario to the distracted while driving series, driving while marketing.

In this episode, the topics we cover are - The Mercedes Benz 2022 S Class Armored Vehicle Using Facebook as an example, we cover the dramatic increase in the number of dollars spent on Corporate Personal Security We discuss the ASIS white paper, How to Plant Seeds to Success in the Security Industry, which we feel is a must-read Plus other topics of interest. For those that would like to go deeper into our discussion topics, there are 12 informational links in the podcast show notes.

This week’s topic is the perception of speed in motorcades and training. Quick note, in the episode I’ll be only referencing Imperial system measurements, however, please visit the show notes at securitydriver.com/181 for the metric system references. The ISDA 2019 Executive Vehicle Survey results indicated a dramatic increase in the use of SUVs for Executive Transportation. The results also showed that there had been a significant increase in the use of two car scenarios for Secure Transportation services. If you couple the Survey results data with the number of motorcade incidents that have occurred, it points to a problem in the making. The following is an explanation of why a two-car scenario can create a risk to the principal and some suggestions on how to mitigate that risk. The risk starts with what scientists call “driver’s eye height.”

In today’s podcast episode, the topic is the Indy 500 by the Numbers. This coming Sunday, May 30th, will be the 105th running of the Indy 500, so we thought we would do a simple analysis of the track and the drivers; hopefully, it will make watching the race more enjoyable. Let’s take a look at track dimensions The Indy 500 oval track is 2.5 Miles or 4 Kilometers in length. The track consists of: Two long straightaways that are each 3,300 Feet or 1006.5 Meters in length Two short straightaways that are 660 Feet or 201 Meters long Four corners that are 1320 Feet long or 399 Meters Looking at those numbers an Indy 500 driver will spend 40% of their time in a turn. Read More here https://securitydriver.com/180

In today’s podcast episode, the topic is surveillance detection. The content for this episode is taken from an article authored by Tony Scotti which appeared in the May 1992 issue of Security Management Magazine. Throughout history, terrorists have appeared invincible. They plan their operations meticulously to ensure success, and, once implemented, they seldom fail to strike and kill their targets. If their attack is against an individual, terrorists gather information and intelligence through surveillance. To select a target, terrorists begin by picking a group of individuals. The information they collect during surveillance is used to narrow the field of candidates. When a target is finally chosen, surveillance continues. The reason terrorists succeed is that they never attack unless they have a well-organized plan, and their plan is supported by information and intelligence gathered through surveillance. Because of this factor, surveillance detection is the best way to protect unsuspecting executives from the harm planned by terrorists. The objective of surveillance is to gather information to develop a precise plan. The most important information terrorists gather from surveillance is a target’s daily schedule. Terrorists document what time their victims leave for work, what type of cars they drive, what routes they drive to work, what time they go to lunch, where they go for lunch, and where they go for leisure activity. The Terrorists’ objective is to know every step their target takes. To be successful, terrorists must take a victim by surprise. In the process of surveillance, however, terrorists often inadvertently give signals that they are organizing an attack. These signals are called pre-incident indicators.  The objective of surveillance detection is to read these signals and take action to prevent an incident. Pre-incident indicators, no matter how many or how often, must be detected and acted on. Unfortunately, many times they are ignored.   

The topic for this week's episode is the science of the lane change. If you have been to an Advanced Driving, EVOC, or Protective Driver Training Program, you have driven through a Lane Change exercise. It is a staple of most all driving programs. Over the years, feedback from former students indicates that the "Lane Change" exercise is one of the most important, if not the most important exercise, in a protective driving program. The comment we hear often is that the Lane Change instills life-saving skills. The old Scotti School and now VDI call it the Lane Change exercise, but it has different names depending on the training provider. Names like - Evasive Maneuver, Accident Avoidance, or Swerve to Avoid. No matter the exercise's name, they all have the same basic characteristics that are essential to all Protective Driving training programs. The purpose of the Lane Change is to simulate an unexpected event that can occur anytime, anyplace, and with a minimum amount of time to react. As the student approaches the exercise, they know they will need to make a decision. The Lane Change exercise is not unexpected; the driver knows that a decision needs to be made, so the exercise is not a complete surprise. Read More Here - > https://securitydriver.com/podcast

The topic for this week’s episode is a basic outline of the effects of the Vehicle Center of Gravity, Tires, and Run Flats on an Armored Vehicle.   For links and transcript go to https://securitydriver.com/177

The topic for this week’s episode is the basics of armored vehicles and their use in protective services. Since the Omar García Harfuch Ambush, we (ISDA) have received questions concerning the use of armored vehicles in protective services. For the first part of the podcast, I’ll share some of the 2019 Executive Vehicle & Secure Transportation Survey results where it pertains to armored vehicles.   In the second half of the episode, I share Armored Vehicle Basics. This is not meant to be the definitive guide to purchasing an armored vehicle. It is more to supply basic knowledge that can assist in the decision-making process. For links and transcript go to https://securitydriver.com/176

Every week we share secure transportation and executive protection knowledge, headlines, trends, and educational content. Today we are talking about the science of braking. Although most all Security Drivers realize that the higher the car's speed, the more distance required to stop, what is surprising to many drivers is how much extra distance it takes to stop a vehicle with just a small increase in speed. The braking distance increases four times each time the traveling speed doubles. This is because the work done in bringing a car to rest means removing all of its kinetic energy. So, for a fixed maximum braking force, the braking distance is proportional to the square of the velocity. Huh? Well, I did say the topic is the science of braking. Ok, let’s put this into practical terms. Read the show notes to episode 175 here -> https://securitydriver.com/175

In this week’s episode, the topic is Payload – one of the five vehicle characteristics that affect the principal and passengers’ safety and security.    This is a scenario that all Security Driver and Secure Transportation providers are familiar with; the Principal travels to a location and is met by a Security Driver. The Principal and two other executives will be transported in an SUV. Their luggage is stored in the rear of the vehicle. Depending on the number of passengers and the weight of the luggage, we now have a scenario where the driver is driving a vehicle with different operational characteristics than the one they arrived in. What created the change is the vehicle’s payload.  Show notes: https://securitydriver.com/174

In this week’s episode, we will cover a range of tire topics. Specifically tire pressure, the tire contact patch, and armored vehicles and tires. Anyone who has been to an old Scotti School or over the last 18 years to a VDI training program, knows the importance we place on tires. The ISDA is constantly monitoring the tire industry.  We spend the time and effort researching tires because no other vehicle component is susceptible to time and the environment as the tires. As a Security Driver, tires are the decision-making component of the vehicle. A decision that adds to the safety and security of your principal. Tire Pressure Basics Maintaining correct tire pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Proper tire inflation pressure allows Security Drivers and their passengers to experience tire (ride) comfort, durability, and performance designed to match their vehicles' needs. Every time you move the controls, you are shifting weight throughout the vehicle.  These shifts are all eventually felt at the tires.  The tires’ ability to bear that weight is dependent on the tire pressures. Tires don’t support the weight of your car. It is the air pressure inside the tire that supports the car. The tire is basically a rubber container that holds the air the car rides on. Setting the correct tire pressure is required for good handling, traction, and durability. For example, a tire that requires 32 psi but is inflated to 24 psi loses 10 percent of its handling capability. That is another way of saying that low tire pressures decreased the amount of force drivers can place on the vehicle's center of gravity and still maintain control. For the rest of the show-notes go to https://securitydriver.com/173

Today’s topic is Autonomous Vehicle levels and their effects to secure transportation. On various social media outlets, news reports – vehicle ads - some have touted driverless vehicles. They are going as far as to say that driverless vehicles will soon be here. Some in the security community have asked will Autonomous vehicles eliminate the security driver profession – no, not really. That is not to say that basic autonomous vehicles are here to stay. As a Security Driver or provider of Secure Transportation, your client or principal expects you to stay current and know the ever-increasing technologies available in executive vehicles. The various levels of Autonomous vehicles and their effect on the driving task are some of those pieces of knowledge you need to have. Click here for complete transcription and links - > https://securitydriver.com/172

In this week’s episode, we are talking about the Tiger Woods accident, Event Data Recorder (EDR), and Secure Transportation.  The February 23 Tiger Woods accident has created questions concerning the Event Data Recorder (EDR) and ownership of the data collected by the EDR.  The question of who owns the EDR arose when the L.A. County Sheriff got a search warrant to seize the automotive black box in Tiger Woods’ vehicle. The warrant was issued because a judge believed that there was probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed. Law enforcement sources said that the possible offense is misdemeanor reckless driving. To better understand how this affects Secure Transportation, we need to define the function of the EDR or Black Box.  What is the Black Box – EDR  Since the term "EDR" can be used to cover many different types of devices, we believe it is important to define the term for the purposes of this podcast. When we use the term EDR, we refer to a device installed in a vehicle to record technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period of time (seconds, not minutes) before, during, and after a crash. For instance, EDRs may record (1) pre-crash vehicle dynamics and system status, (2) driver inputs, (3) vehicle crash signature, (4) restraint usage/deployment status, and (5) post-crash data such as the activation of an automatic collision notification (ACN) system. EDRs are devices that record information related to an "event." In the context of this Podcast, the event is defined as a vehicle accident or violence.   EDRs have and can make a major impact on highway safety, assisting in real-world data collection to better define the auto safety problem, aid law enforcement, and understand the specific aspects of a crash. ISDA has written articles concerning Secure Transportation, Security Driving, and the EDR – one of the articles was called “Your Car Is Watching You" (https://securitydriver.com/01/your-car-is-watching-you/). The article is an explanation of an accident that occurred with the then Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts.   Go to show notes - https://securitydriver.com/171

In this episode, we are continuing with the results from the 2020 ISDA Training Survey. Just a quick recap from the previous episode. The purpose of the Survey was to supply those looking to enter the profession and those who want to expand their education with data that assist with the decision-making process. Also, to help those who provide training to determine the best methods of reaching their potential audience. The Survey was separated into five sections – GI Bill – Training Course Metrics – Financial - Motivation – Jobs after Training. The first Podcast covered the first three of the five topics. This Podcast episode covers what motivates students to attend a particular program and numbers concerning jobs after training. Training Motivation How did you hear about the training program(s) you attended? Word of mouth                                                            73.33% Advertising (print or digital)                                      30.67% Facebook groups or pages                                      10.67% LinkedIn groups or pages                                         10.00% What was the deciding factor(s) in selecting your training program(s)? The reputation of training provider 87.33%    Cost 33.33% Recommendation from graduates 32.67% Location 27.33% The promise of job placement 8.67%   What was your motivation to attend the training program(s)? Select all that apply Career advancement 58.67% The first step in entering the profession 41.33% Refresher Program 41.33% Sent by company 34.00% Other (please specify) 20.00% Jobs After Training We asked - If you were a part-time subcontractor before attending training, did you move to full-time Executive Protection after the training? (not including residential security)?  Yes     36.76% No       63.24% Also, we asked - Have any training providers kept in contact with you after the program(s)? Yes                     78.67% No                       21.33%   Show notes for this episode are available at SecurityDriver.Com/170 and check out some other content on the website. If you have an interest in going much deeper into these types of topics, I invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association’s website ISDACenter.Org and consider joining to get access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of executive protection and secure transportation-focused topics with resources, information, and metrics. For more information on all of the member benefits, head over to https://isdacenter.org.

Last year ISDA conducted an Executive Protection Security Driver Training Survey. The 2020 ISDA Training Survey Results Our goals were to determine the dollar value of the Executive Protection and Security Driving training market. To acquire metrics concerning what motivates potential students to attend one program over another- such as - How did they fund their training? - How many training programs have they attended during their career? - What was their motivation to participate in the training programs? We also wanted to determine what training subjects were covered and the average length of the training programs. We looked at the number of practitioners that use their GI Bill to attend training and how much GI Bill money goes to training providers. The purpose of the survey was to supply those looking to enter the profession and those who want to expand their education with data that assist with the decision-making process. Also, to help those who provide training to determine the best methods of reaching their potential audience. The survey is separated into five sections – GI Bill – Training Course Metrics – Financial  - Motivation, and Jobs after Training. This podcast will cover three of the five topics. Our next podcast will cover what motivates students to attend a particular program and numbers concerning jobs after training. Read More on SecurityDriver.Com

Driving in reverse is a valuable driving skill to have.   Backing up slowly can be a problem but backing up fast is hard and dangerous if not done correctly. With that said, it is by far one of the most valuable driving skills to have, and a Security Driver can acquire. Along with being hard to do, it is hard to teach and, if not taught correctly – dangerous. What makes it hard and hazardous is the definition of fast. How fast you can drive in reverse is limited to the vehicle's gearing; in most vehicles, you can drive as fast in reverse, or a little quicker, as you can in 1st gear. The maximum speed depends on the type of vehicle. Very few get above 25 MPH – 40KPH, and those reverse speeds are an exciting experience.   What creates excitement is that cars are designed to go forward. Automobile suspensions possess a quality known as "caster." Caster is the force that helps to straighten out the front wheels after turning a corner. Caster also gives the car stability while traveling forward. Unfortunately, this stabilizing forward force destabilizes the car while it's in reverse. Also, the difficulty is that while driving in reverse, the steering wheel will not center automatically. If you loosen your grip, it will stay in its last position. This is a characteristic of "vehicles in reverse," which creates an unstable vehicle.   The issue is that since the car becomes unstable while traveling backward, small changes in steering wheel movement cause significant changes in the way the car reacts to your inputs. Of course, the faster you go in reverse, the more complicated control becomes. There is nothing you can do about caster. You need to understand that it's there, live with it and learn to control it.   Also, adding to the excitement of driving in reverse is that the correct direction to move the wheel can be confusing. The problem is mainly perceptual. The proper way to move the wheel is quite simple: Move the top of the steering wheel in the direction you wish the car to move. It's no different from what you do while driving forward; it just feels different in reverse.   Read more

The Essence of Security Driving is Found in the Security Drivers Triangle. The driver's ability to avoid vehicle violence does not depend solely on their ability to control the vehicle. A driver is at the mercy of the environment and of the vehicle, they are driving. Driving, any form of driving, is a balance, and that balance is called the "driving system." The driving system is made up of three components: THE DRIVER, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. In our world, it is called the Security Drivers Triangle. If a triangle's failure causes an accident or a successful ambush, the driver, the vehicle, or the environment failed. The Driving System is taken from an age-old concept called "The Safety Triangle." The Safety Triangle is made up of three components:  THE MAN, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. It was initially used around the beginning of the industrial revolution when people started to interact with machines. The Safety Triangle was used as a tool to prevent industrial accidents – merely pointing out that when an accident occurs, it is caused by one of the components of the Safety Triangle failing. The automotive industry adopted the concept and called it the Driving System and used the idea to define accident causation. Five decades back, the Scotti School used the same model to describe Security Driving and Secure Transportation. Our model redefined the Triangle's corners to reflect the Security Driver and Secure Transportation profession's needs. Suppose there is a vehicle accident or a successful act of vehicle violence, one of three things failed. In that case, The Man – which is the Driver, the Machine – which is the Vehicle or the Environment – which in our model is not only weather, road conditions, etc. – it includes the security environment. Visit the show notes to read more on the Security Drivers Triangle available at SecurityDriver.Com/Podcast

There are two words that are often used in the automotive industry and protective driver training vernacular the words are handling and cornering. To get a better understanding of how the driver interacts with the vehicle requires understanding the difference between Handling and Cornering. While conducting a driver training program understanding this interaction is a must – when running a secure transportation operation, knowledge of this interaction adds to the principal’s safety and security. Read more on SecurityDriver.Com

Ensuring the passengers’ safety and security requires the driver to have the knowledge, skill, and experience to control the vehicle when confronted with an emergency. The emergency does not necessarily need to be a security scenario; it can often be an accident-producing situation.  As we have mentioned many times in the past, research and science define driving skill as the driver’s “ability” to use the vehicle’s “capability.” Former VDI or Scotti School students know that we were and are anal about training our students to maximize the vehicle’s capability. The more of the vehicle’s capability the security driver can use, the higher the probability that the driver will avoid an accident or other life-threatening scenario.  To pass the VDI course or be certified as an ISDA Security Driver, a driver must demonstrate they can use a minimum of 80% of the vehicle’s capability. The simple scientific fact is that every tenth of a percent that VDI can train the driver’s ability to use the vehicle’s capability is a lifesaving skill. But it is hard to conceptualize how a 1% increase in driver ability increases the principal and passengers’ safety and security; hence, an explanation is in order. Safety/Security and the Concept of G’S We need to explain the G forces’ effect on the Driver/ Principal/Vehicle safety and security. The best way to understand a specific vehicle’s safety dynamics is by understanding how G-forces affect the driver/vehicle’s capability to stay in control. Anytime the steering wheel is moved while the car is in motion, a lateral or sideways force is created. This force is pushing in the opposite direction the car is turning.  The term G’s is a measurement of the force acting on the car. It is this force that determines if the driver can stay in control of their vehicle. A tenth of a G can make the difference between avoiding a potential accident or vehicle attack scenario – or not. Scenario A – at a given speed, if the path of a 4,000 Lb/1814.4 Kg car is altered in a way that produces one G, that one G of force is equivalent to 4,000 Lb/1814.4 Kg of force pushing on the vehicle center of gravity (CG) pushing the vehicle away from its desired path. There is a simple equation that is used to determine the amount of force pushing on the vehicle. The amount of force pushing on the car is equal to the G’s times the vehicle’s weight.   Scenario B – At that same given speed in scenario A, if we turned the steering wheel of our 4,000 Lb/1814.4 Kg car in such a way that .7G was created, then we would have created 2,800 lbs./1270 Kg of force. We came to those numbers by multiply the vehicle weight times .7 G’s or 4,000/1814.4 Kg X .7 g’s = 2,800 lbs./1270 Kg.   If the car weighed 3,000 lbs/1361 Kg and the steering wheel was turned the same number of degrees at the same speed, and the vehicle took the same path, the equation would read 3,000 lbs/1361 Kg (the vehicle weight)  X .7 g’s or 2,100 lbs/953 Kg of force, and so forth.  Understand the lateral G-forces created in a turn are based upon both the vehicle’s speed, weight, and how much the steering wheel is moved or the degree, or sharpness, of the turn. The purpose of using G’s as a measuring tool G’s are used as a measurement of driving skills and method of testing vehicle capability. The purpose of using G’s instead of weight for a measuring tool is because saying that “there are 2,800 lbs./1270 Kg. of force being exerted on the car” does not tell us very much.   The 2,800 lbs./1270 Kg. of force number is meaningless unless the weight of the car is also known. For instance, if 3,000 lbs/1361 Kg of force is exerted on a 5,000 lb/2268Kg car, that’s no big problem.  However, if you take a corner in such a way that 3,000 lbs/1361 Kg. is being exerted on a 2,000 lb/907 Kg car, you’re in big trouble.  It’s far easier to say, “This vehicle is designed to absorb .7 Gs.” If we use a 5,000 lb/2268Kg car for this example, then .7 Gs means the vehicle can absorb 3,500 lbs/1588 Kg of force before becoming unstable. (5,000 lb/2268Kg x .7 g’s)  If we use our lightweight 2,000 lb/907 Kg car, then that .7 Gs is the equivalent of 1,400 lbs./635 Kg of force. (2,000 lb/907 Kg x .7 g’s)  G’S X WEIGHT OF CAR = HOW MUCH WEIGHT (FORCE) IS PUSHING ON THE CAR. Now to the original question  Why for decades have we been adamant about ensuring students reach 80% or more of the vehicle’s capability, and while conducting training, the instructors will spend an inordinate amount of time ensuring you can use every tenth of a G the vehicle offers? The answer – a tenth of a G could mean the difference between surviving or not surviving. Here is an example: Using the science of driving and applying metrics and equations that are familiar and often used in accident reconstruction technology, we can conceptualize the value of adding .1 G to the driver skill level. If the vehicle is traveling 40 MPH/64.4 KPH in a vehicle/driver combination that can handle at .85 G’s, and there was an object (barrier) that measures 10 Feet/3.1 Meters wide in front of the driver, they would need approximately 49 Feet/15 Meters of distance to clear the barrier. With all the parameters the same as above, such as vehicle position and speed (40 MPH/64.4 KPH) with a Vehicle/Driver combination that handled at .7 G’s, The driver would need approximately 55 Feet/17 Meters of distance to clear a barrier that 10 Feet/3.1 Meters. If traveling 40 MPH/64.4 KPH with a Vehicle/Driver combination that handled at .6 G’s, the driver would need approximately 59 Feet / 18 Meters distance to clear a barrier that is 10 Feet/3.1 meters. Same scenario traveling 40 MPH/64.4 KPH but now with a Vehicle/Driver combination that handled at .5 G’s the driver would need approximately 65 Feet/19.8 Meters distance to clear a 10 Feet/3.1 Meter barrier. With all the parameters the same as above, such as vehicle position and speed (40 MPH/64.4 KPH) but now with a Driver/Vehicle combination that can handle only .4 G’s, they would need approximately 72 Feet/ 22 Meters of distance to clear the same barrier. Every 10th of a G that you can use gives you more time and distance to drive out of the problem – this is why computers are needed to measure the driver’s ability to use the vehicle’s capability. These measurements can be computed using a radar gun and accurately measuring the vehicle’s path through individual exercises.  Understanding the concept of lateral acceleration is a must for a security driver.   Sign up for the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Magazine. It is one of the oldest Protective Services publications in the profession. EPST Magazine was first published in the mid-1980s. At that time, it was a quarterly newsletter read by the Protective Service community. EPST covers all facets of the protective services profession. Many of the articles are authored by ISDA members with an average of 18 years of experience. The Magazine is of value to all practitioners working or entering the protection profession – and it’s free. Sign Up for the Magazine

The topic for this week’s episode is Vehicle Dynamics and Passing. Passing the vehicle in front of you is one driving skill we often do but don’t give it much thought. Once you decide to pass a vehicle in an urban environment, realize, and remember that you and your car will be spending a good deal of time in the wrong lane. To give you an idea of how much time and distance, consider this scenario. If you are traveling at 50 mph or 80KPH and passing the average sedan or SUV going 40 mph or 64 KPH, you will need about 10 seconds and 736 feet or 225 Meters to complete the pass safely.  Essential points you can use to help in the decision-making process. Is the car you are about to pass aware of your presence? Sometimes it appears apparent that it is, but don’t assume the car in front of you is aware of your presence and that the driver will react rationally. Don’t assume the vehicle you’re passing has Blind Spot Detection System.  Are there side roads ahead that may hide a car about to turn into your path?  Even if you can’t see them, assume they’re there. How long is all this going to take?  Do you have enough time to pass and get back in your lane? Estimating whether or not the pass is safe requires quick thinking. You haven’t got much time.  Check your mirrors before you pass; it’s just good sense to check your mirrors before you make any move with your car. There are some critical issues A. The speed of the vehicle you are about to pass. B. The speed of your vehicle  The critical issue is the difference in speed between your vehicle and the vehicle you’re passing. For example, if you are traveling 60 mph or 96.6 KPH and the vehicle you are passing is 40 mph or 64 KPH, you will be in the opposite lane for 450 feet or 137 meters and 5.3 seconds. Keep your speed at 60 mph or 96.6 KPH and change the speed of the vehicle you’re passing to 30 mph or 48 KPH; you will be in the opposite lane for 300 feet or 91.5 Meters and 3.5 seconds. The bigger the speed differential between vehicles, the less distance and time you will be in the wrong lane. Even a speed differential of 10 mph or 16 KPH between the vehicle you are passing creates a significant difference in the amount of time you are in the opposite lane. C. When do you pull out to pass? Start to pass from a safe following distance. Do not speed up directly behind a vehicle and then turn out suddenly to pass. The closer you are to the vehicle in front of you, the more you will have to move the steering wheel to drive around it. Always keep in mind the fundamental laws of physics, “Combining high speeds with a lot of steering can be harmful to your health.”  But how far ahead is far enough? There are so many variables that it is hard to come up with absolute numbers. The distance to pull out depends on your speed, the speed of the vehicle you are passing, and the length of the vehicles involved. Also, the closer you are to the vehicle in front of you, the harder it is to see around them. You cannot safely pass unless you can see far enough ahead to be sure that you can get back in the lane before meeting any traffic coming from the opposite direction.  Many Security Drivers use SUVs as the Principal Vehicle. We need to talk about SUVs and passing. Due to their high center of gravity, you need to leave much more room between you and the car you are about to pass. You must start your pass sooner than you would if you were in a sedan. If the driver pulls up too close to the vehicle in front, the driver will need to make a sharper turn to pull around the vehicle. D. When do you pull in front of the vehicle once you have completed the pass? As you go by another vehicle, be sure there is plenty of distance between your vehicle’s right side and the left side of the other car.  You have not finished passing until you get back onto your side of the road or in the lane where you belong, leaving the vehicle you have just passed at a safe following distance behind you. Some guidelines For example, if the vehicle you are passing is traveling at 30 mph or 48 KPH, and you are traveling 60 mph, or 97 KPH, leave 60 feet or 18 Meters clear before returning to your side of the road (20 feet or 6 Meters for every ten mph of speed differential). A good rule of thumb is that you can usually be sure it is safe to return to the right side of the road when you can see the vehicle you have passed in your rearview mirror. When it comes to passing, there are some “never-dos.” Never pass on curves. Never pass at intersections. Never pass when crossing railroad tracks. Never pass at night when you can’t see far ahead of you. We mentioned that – “If the driver pulls up too close to the vehicle in front of them, they will need to make a sharper turn to pull around the vehicle they are passing. In an SUV, you need to leave yourself much room if you will attempt a pass.”  This scenario presents the driver with the difference between having sufficient time and distance to drive around an object, in this case, a moving vehicle in front of them, or not having the time and distance to make a smooth transition around the object. These two events are the difference between emergency maneuvering versus cornering which leads to the next discussion.  Emergency Maneuver vs. Cornering  Training to avoid an emergency is difficult for both the student to learn and the instructor to teach. When a driver is confronted with an emergency, the amount of turning, steering, and braking needed to get out of trouble are not predetermined; in fact, that’s why it’s called an emergency. When the driver is confronted with an emergency – it’s “Holy Stuff,” and then the driver goes to work. From a vehicle dynamics perspective, an emergency maneuver is different from driving through a corner. When driving through a corner, the energy applied to the vehicle’s center of gravity is being applied relatively slowly and smoothly. I know it does not seem slow from inside the vehicle, but from the vehicle dynamics point – it is. There is a big difference between energy applied to the vehicle going through a corner at speed and the energy applied to a vehicle during an emergency maneuver. In an emergency, a massive spike of energy is applied to the vehicle’s center of gravity. Again, the driver does not purposely put a high spike of energy on the vehicle. Consider that if they are moving at the rate of 40 MPH or 64 KPH and an obstacle is in their path 75 feet 23 Meters away, they are 1.25 seconds away from the obstacle. Since it is a surprise, the driver’s reaction time will eat up at least half a second. At that point, the driver has to apply enough energy to move the vehicle away from the obstacle and not too much energy that would cause the vehicle to go out of control and do all that in a couple of tenths of a second, in the blink of an eye. The event’s success will depend on the vehicle’s speed, how quick the steering wheel is moved, and the student/vehicle capability. Racing fans may consider the following blasphemy. But when the vehicle’s center of gravity gets hit with a large spike of energy, it does things that would challenge the best racer. The driver will need to perform an emergency maneuver with a vehicle that has about 75% less handling capability than the average race car. That is one hell of a dance. The skill needed to drive out of an emergency is not something you learn driving lines and apexes. It is a skill learned in the lane-change exercise. The exercise’s dimensions, the speed the students enter, and when the signal is given for the lane change all need to be synchronized. It is one of the most valuable skills taught when it’s all together and working. That’s it for this week, be sure to subscribe to the podcast, and if you’ve been listening for a while, we’d really appreciate it if you gave us a review. It would be great to hear from you and let us know how we are doing – good or bad, hopefully, more good than bad. Thanks so much for listening to this week’s episode. For more articles on secure transportation and executive protection, I invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association and become a member.  By becoming a member you’ll get access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.  For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org. You can reach me by email at [email protected].

Hello, and welcome to episode 163 of the EPST podcast. I'm your host, Larry Snow. The topic for this week’s episode is the huge increase in carjackings. Statistically, driving the principal from point A to point B has been the highest risk the principal faces during their daily routine. A not so new risk needs to be added to that trip, and that is the dramatic increase, in fact, a staggering increase in carjackings in parts of the United States during the pandemic. If you are not familiar with the term, a carjacking is a violent, potentially fatal version of auto theft. Do a Google search for carjackings under the News tab you’ll see 3 New Year’s Day carjackings in St. Louis, another in Chicago, more in Oakland, and Washington D.C. According to ABC News, Minneapolis police report that carjackings there have shot up 537% this year. Carjacking calls to 911 in New Orleans are up 126%. Oakland police cite an increase of 38%. In Chicago, in all of 2019, there were 501 incidents of carjackings. So far that number has more than doubled to 1,125 this year, according to the latest Chicago police statistics. One of the reasons given for the increase – came from a criminal justice professor - "If we weren't in a pandemic and you saw a guy coming up to your car with a mask on, you probably would freak out and hit the gas pedal," he explained. "But nowadays, everyone's wearing masks. So, there's this anonymity part of the pandemic that I think many criminals are taking advantage of." Another reason there for the increase in carjackings is the impact of COVID on police departments across the country. Law enforcement has been hampered by the need to minimize officer’s exposure to COVID.  In a recent report from the Police Executive Research Forum, 1100 of the NYC Police Dept had positive COVID tests in December alone. Similarly, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross stated that “right now, the Police Department has an uptick in COVID-19.  229 of my 2,100 sworn officers are out. That’s going to greatly impact how we do business.” With all this in mind, we thought we’d dip into the podcast archives and replay for you an episode I did from August 16th, 2018. Some closing thoughts As a solo practitioner or security driver continue to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings, leave space between you and the vehicle in front of you while in traffic so that you can more easily make an escape, discuss a plan with your principal in the event you are carjacked. We have links to the 3 Seconds to Safety Booklet and additional material in the show notes available at SecurityDriver.Com/163

As 2020 comes to a welcome end, we reflect on the effects COVID-19 had and look into its impact on the profession. There is no doubt that Covid-19 has changed Secure Transportation; the question remains: for 2021, how long the changes will last, and will those changes be permanent. It is impossible to accurately predict the overall impact that the COVID crisis will have on the Protection industry, but as we move into 2021, these are some thoughts and metrics. Thoughts and Metrics As in any crisis, those who can adapt to the changes will survive, and those who can't - won't. The financial impact on the Secure Transportation profession is unmeasurable. Not only was Secure Transportation, but also the Pandemic had a profound effect on Executive Protection and Event Security. How long this will last and can all of us survive is a question that, at this time, is hard to answer. But there are some basic business concepts that we can use as a guideline. Adaptability was the keyword for any business to survive in 2020 against the economic fallout from COVID. EP and ST training providers had to adapt to online classrooms and webinars. In-person conferences and training became online virtual events. Zoom became a household name and a business need. You had to understand the technology and how to market an online event. Businesses needed to rely more heavily on social media for marketing and communicating to clients on safety policies. Those that supply Secure Transportation and own their vehicles may have to look for other revenue sources outside the security. Many have already done so. Something that you can do. Market that your cars have been sanitized.  We suggest creating a marketing program outlining your sanitation process. We recommend that you read Joe Autera/VDI article - Guidelines for Disinfecting and Sanitizing Executive Vehicles; a link is supplied in the show notes. When this is all over, and it will be, there will be a pent-up travel demand for corporate and high net worth, but they'll be a new paradigm as far as what is required from those who supply Secure Transportation; we suggest you get a head start. Inoculations and vehicle sanitization will be vital to the decision-makers. This also applies to sub-contractors that use rental vehicles while supplying Secure Transportation. Whether you are for or against vaccinations for COVID-19, we suggest you keep in mind that your personal beliefs are not what needs to be marketed. Talking to our corporate members in the future, those who subcontract Secure Transportation will require proof of vaccination and evidence of the vehicle's thorough cleansing.  These are not facts but predictions; insurance providers will require proof of vehicle sanitization, and those close to the principal, including the driver, will need to show proof of vaccination. Training The effect of Covid-19 on EP and Security Driver training is immeasurable; it is our opinion that the major training providers, those that have an established market base, and were successful before the Pandemic, will survive and will do well in 2021, and well beyond. We see a trend by those who conduct training to get into the online training market, which, Pandemic and no Pandemic, in our opinion, is the right business decision. Some metrics from our training survey, when the question was asked, "How did you hear about the training program you attended? 72% answered Word of Mouth (WOM), and 10% answered through Facebook or LinkedIn posts. Those training providers who had a strong word of mouth working for them before COVID-19 will still have word of mouth working for them when this all comes to an end. Look at those offering online training and understand that not all providers are created equal, this is not a criticism, but an observation backed by 45 plus years in the profession.  We suggest practitioners concentrate on soft skills.  We also suggest that practitioners take this time to learn more about the IRS regulations concerning Secure Transportation and get very familiar with the K&R insurance business. As far as Secure Transportation is concerned, those are the two primary drivers for high-end market corporations and high net worth people to use Secure Transportation.  We suggest that you concentrate your knowledge and learning experience on the business end and your profession. It'll be those who understand the concept of marketing in the post-pandemic environment that will have an advantage.  Another survey question asked, What was the deciding factor for you attending the training program? 85% answered the reputation of the training provider. So, those training providers with a strong client base and a good reputation before the Pandemic, in my opinion, should thrive in 2021. In 2020 the increase in those marketing EP and Security Driver training programs increased exponentially. We have no metrics to back this up. Our opinion is that they will not make it through 2021. But it is also our opinion more will take their place in 2021. Also, as we had mentioned many times in the past, those training providers who supply knowledge at no cost before attending their training program do well. They did well in 2020, working through the Pandemic, and they'll do well in 2021. Sharing knowledge was a powerful marketing tool during the Pandemic, and it will be in the future. The Future? History says that vehicle ambushes are not going away. Over the last six months of 2020, a series of vehicle attacks have gathered a considerable amount of news. Two of which were discussed in previous podcast episodes – 161 and 143. The statistic that has been around for decades is still in effect. 85% of all attacks against the principal occur in or near the vehicle. That statistic did not change in 2020, and it will not change in 2021 or anytime soon. All one needs to do is look at 2020. The attacks on Omar Garcia Harfuch and the Iranian nuclear scientist made international headlines. Vehicle attacks in Mexico are almost a daily occurrence. The truck hijacking of the Apple products in the UK did not make major headlines. However, it's still a problem for those who need to supply Secure Transportation. This is 100% certain – what will not go away in 2021 or the future is the IRS regulations and code concerning executive travel and Secure Transportation. As we have said many times, the IRS has created and still will have one of the best motivators for using your services. We cannot stress what we mentioned above understand the IRS code and, if applicable, use it in your marketing. The same is true concerning the kidnap and ransom insurance. K&R has been around for decades. It also will be around for the foreseeable future. Again, we suggest you understand it and use it to your advantage. In 2020 our membership, by volunteering their knowledge and skill through articles shared through our network, reached more than 50,000 Executive Protection and Secure Transportation professionals. Since the inception of ISDA, through our members, we have shared well over 400 pieces of knowledge to the community at no charge. ISDA is confident that our members will continue sharing their knowledge in 2021. That will bring us to the end of another episode of the EPST podcast. The last of our podcast episodes until 2021. I hope you’ll join us then. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. On behalf of myself, Tony Scotti, and our members, we wish you a safe and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. As David Cameron once said, "Christmas gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us."

The topic for this week’s episode is an outline of the assassination of Iranian Senior Nuclear Scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, dubbed the father of the Iranian nuclear program, held the rank of brigadier general in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to intelligence reports, he was responsible for Iran's development of nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles. On Friday, November 27th, 2020, at 2:15 PM, Fakhrizadeh was ambushed while traveling in an armored Nissan Teana on a rural road in Absard. In the past, we've conducted many forensic analyses on attacks similar to the attack on Fakhrizadeh.  But analyzing this ambush was a challenge. The open-source pictures and explanations and reported information on how the attack occurred did not match the data gathered from Google Map images. Reports on how, where, and who conducted the ambush varied from completely automated facial recognition satellite remote control machine gun mounted in a pickup truck with no attacker's present – to 12 attackers and a pick-up truck, motorcycle, two snipers plus 40 to 50 support personnel. We know for sure that the principal was in the middle vehicle of a three-car convoy. He was sitting in the back seat of the armored Nissan Teana sedan. The Nissan Teana is a vehicle used by officials of the Iranian defense ministry. His three-vehicle convoy consisted of a lead security car, the Principal's vehicle, and a follow vehicle. The convoy left the highway and turned onto Absard Rd., a two-lane road leading into the town of Absard. What is also known is that his security team was warned that there could be an attempt on his life; other reports mentioned that they were also notified that they were under surveillance. Many conflicting accounts came out of Iran concerning the assassination, but there are common elements to all of them when reviewing the reports.  

Understeer and Oversteer are terms used to explain vehicle characteristics, and they are important signals transmitted to you by the vehicle, it is how the vehicle communicates to you. It is the vehicle’s way of telling you what you should do next. In a nutshell, understeer and oversteer are the interrelationships of the front and rear ends of the car. If you drove around a corner or made an emergency maneuver that created 3200 lbs pushing on the CG of your vehicle – in the perfect world your tires would be pushing back 1600 lbs. front and rear. This would be called neutral steering, and it is a characteristic seldom found in vehicles. But what happens most often is that the vehicle will either oversteer or understeer. Understeer is the condition where the front tires lose adhesion while the rear tires remain in contact with the pavement. The car tends to travel straight ahead, even though you are turning the wheel. In an understeering condition turning the steering wheel more won’t work and will aggravate the scenario. To fix it, reduce speed, and reduce the amount of the steering wheel is turned. You can correct understeer by reducing throttle until the front tires regain adhesion. Oversteer is the condition where your rear tires lose adhesion while your front tires remain in contact with the pavement. The back end of your car tends to slide out. Turning the steering wheel more will make things worse. To fix oversteer reduce speed and turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the skid.

The topic for this week’s episode is Cold Weather and Tire Pressure, Understanding Tire Pressure Monitoring System I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Here we are in the beginning of December and only a few weeks until Christmas, the days are getting colder and the nights shorter. Colder weather can trigger a vehicle’s tire-pressure-monitoring system overnight, sending nervous drivers to dealers and service centers.   For example, about 20 customers visited a Chevrolet dealership because their tire-pressure-warning icons were illuminated. Here’s why a cold snap affects tire pressure and sets off the tire-pressure-monitoring system (TPMS) warning light.   What is TPMS?   At some point, almost everyone has seen the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light appear on the dashboard. Its purpose is to warn you that at least one or more tires is significantly under-inflated, possibly creating unsafe driving conditions. The tire pressure readings are provided by pressure-sensing transmitters mounted inside each tire and sent to a central computer (ECU) for display on the dashboard. Tire-pressure-monitoring systems have been required on new vehicles since 2007. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires the TPMS to display an alert when tire pressure drops 25 percent below the recommended psi. Click here for full show notes.  

This week, the topic is measuring a driver’s skill level. Starting in the mid-'70s, the Scotti School and now VDI clients wanted, actually demanded, that we supply them with an objective measurement of their employee's driving skill, to produce a professional security driver who has been scientifically measured to an objective and documented standard.  To meet that demand, we studied the research conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers, ISO  - International Organization for Standards, and NHTSA. Back in the 1970s, conducting research was not as easy as it is now. There was no Internet and Google.  Their research created an understanding of how drivers make decisions in emergencies and how long it takes them to make those decisions. We found that these organizations created minimum standards, based on the laws of physics, for measuring driving skill and, therefore, survivability in an emergency scenario. Also, we decided that to perform the duties of a professional security driver; the minimum standards were not sufficient. From studying their research, we found white papers and studies that indicated that the average driver, when confronted with an emergency, can only use 40% of the vehicle's capability before they relinquish control of the vehicle (give up).  Starting in 1976, the Scotti School spent a considerable amount of time, effort, and money to develop training programs (Executive Protection and Security Driving) that implemented the standards created by these institutions. Please keep in mind that this was before computers.  Our on-track testing showed that at the 40% mark, the vehicle becomes non-linear, which in turn creates driver anxiety (fear). We also found that once the driver was at the 40% usage of the vehicle, much more vehicle capacity was available for the driver to use. After a considerable amount of testing and evaluating, we decided that a good driver should be able to use a minimum of 80% of the vehicle's capability, in the three modes of vehicle operation, in a measured minimum amount of time and space, to be considered for employment as the CEO's driver—hence the 80% standard.  The 80% standard has withstood the test of time. Forty-five years ago, the goal was to create a standard and training system accepted by the K&R and Corporate community, and that was accomplished. Anyone who attended an old Scotti School or a Vehicle Dynamics Institute program knows that reaching the 80% standard is demanding.  How much of the vehicle do you use when driving the principal?  Read more

Welcome to the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Podcast brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Hello, and welcome to episode 157 of the EPST podcast. I'm your host, Larry Snow. This week, the topic is Vehicle Dynamics. Vehicle Dynamics are two words you often see mentioned in training curriculums, RFP's and on websites. There seems to be a misunderstanding of exactly what the phrase means and how vehicle dynamics affect security driving, secure transportation, and protective driver training. For example, many training programs include "vehicle dynamics exercises. In fact, Vehicle Dynamics is not just "an exercise"; it is the foundation of any driver training program. Especially a protective driver training program.  Whether driving down the highway, around corners or trying to navigate out of a potentially dangerous scenario, the vehicle driver combination must operate within the laws of physics and specifically within Sir Isaac Newton's three laws of motion.  Understanding vehicle dynamics creates the platform for a standard for one of the most important aspects of executive protection - secure transportation. It is ISDA’s opinion that many training providers take liberty with the phrase Vehicle Dynamics. This opinion is not a criticism but an observation. Vehicle Dynamics is a scientific and objective approach to Secure Transportation, Security Driving, and Training. If you’d like to learn more about vehicle dynamics and the science of driver training, we suggest that you review VDI's Joe Autera series “The Science of Driver Training” Part's One, Two, and Three.  These are the links:   Training – Part I http://vehicledynamics.com/the-science-of-driver-training/ Training – Part II http://vehicledynamics.com/the-science-of-driver-training-part-ii/ – Part III http://vehicledynamics.com/science-of-driver-training-part-iii/ ======================================= That will bring us to the end of another episode of the EPST podcast. I hope you will join us next week for another episode. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. If you haven’t done so already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcast app and if you’ve been listening for a while, let us know what you think by leaving us a review on Apple of Google. If you’ve enjoyed this week’s podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  Get access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.  For more information on all of the member benefits, head over to https://isdacenter.org.  

Hello, and welcome to episode 156 of the EPST podcast. I'm your host, Larry Snow. This week, the topic is Winter Driving. I know it's not winter yet, but the days and nights are getting cooler, and just a couple of weeks ago New England area had its first snow. Winter will be here before you know it, so we felt it was the perfect opportunity to discuss Winter driving and secure transportation. Other drivers may have the option not to drive in winter weather, but not driving in icy and snowy conditions is not a luxury that most security drivers have. No doubt, driving in winter conditions can be challenging for all, including the Security Driver.  An interesting metric from the ISDA Executive Vehicle & Secure Transportation Survey - Seventy percent of survey participants drive in winter conditions—this number aligns with the national (U.S.) average. These are some facts and statistics that support the dangers of driving in a winter environment. 17% of all vehicle crashes occur during winter conditions. (NHTSA, 2019)  There are about 156,000 crashes annually due to icy roads. (Carsurance.net, 2020)  Weather-related vehicle accidents kill more people annually than large-scale weather disasters. (The Weather Channel, 2018)  It takes up to 10 times longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement. (Geico Insurance, 2018)  Freeway speeds are reduced by 3% to 13% in light snow and 5% to 40% in heavy snow. (FHWA, 2019)  Each year, 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy, or icy pavement, and 15% happen during snowfall or sleet. (FHWA, 2019)    More than 116,000 Americans are injured, and over 1,300 are killed on snowy, slushy, or icy pavement every winter. (Safe Winter Roads, 2019)  Over 70% of the nation's roads are located in snowy regions, which receive more than five inches (or 13 cm) average snowfall annually. (FHWA, 2019) (Source: https://driving-tests.org/driving-statistics/)   Type of Vehicle Driving, any form of driving, including winter driving, is a balance. For decades we refer to that balance as the Security Driver Triangle. The triangle is made up of three components: THE DRIVER, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. When measuring driver capability, you cannot separate the vehicle from the driver; both contribute, along with the environment, to the driver and the principal's safety and security. A skilled security driver understands the effects that changes in the environment have on the vehicle driver combination. They work to anticipate vehicle behavior changes and are ready to maximize all of the vehicle's capability. They know that driving in winter conditions significantly decreases the vehicle's capability. The security driver understands various vehicles' characteristics and their limitations – any vehicle, including All Wheel Drive (AWD). There is a misconception of the capability of AWD and FWD in winter driving conditions. Most of the confusion comes from misinformation seen on T.V. Ads about AWD Vehicles. In one ad, the announcer talked about driving on "Black Ice,"  He mentioned that if you press the correct buttons or switches on the vehicle, you solve the problems created by driving on black ice. PURE BS – Keep in mind that black ice is defined as a road covered with ice – unless the vehicle he is selling can alter the laws of physics –driving on black ice is dangerous and a challenge. No matter what the T.V. ads show, no AWD or 4WD system will make up for a decrease in adhesion. When ice – snow – etc. creates less adhesion between the tire and the road, the vehicle's capability to go – stop – and turn is greatly diminished. A quick definition of AWD and FWD drive is in order. All-wheel drive refers to automatic four-wheel-drive systems where the vehicle selects two- or four-wheel drive based on road conditions. In slippery conditions, power is automatically directed to individual wheels with the best traction. This is especially helpful for getting out of snowed-in parking spots or tackling unplowed roads. However, drivers should keep in mind AWD does little to aid turning and braking on snow and ice.   The problem is that most 4WD/AWD drivers think they have a vehicle that can defy the laws of physics. No matter what vehicle the security driver is in, stopping on snow and ice will require up to 10 times the distance as stopping in normal conditions, and driving onto an off-ramp during black ice or wintry conditions will require a lot less speed than usual. The driver will have to anticipate that lower speed before they get to the off-ramp. The Science of Winter Driving If you are an ISDA certified driver or have attended an old Scotti School or Vehicle Dynamics Institute training program, you have been trained and measured to use 80% of the vehicle's capability. That means that you can apply 80% of the vehicle's weight pushing on the center of gravity of the vehicle either in a braking scenario - turning scenario, or a combination of braking and turning. But when driving from dry conditions to ice (Black Ice), the traction to maneuver your vehicle decreases by 65%, so you suddenly have gone from an 80% driver to a 15% driver. This means you can only use 15% of the car to go stop and turn, not a pleasant thought. Let's use the science of driving and work the numbers to illustrate the danger of driving on ice or inclement weather. Consider that you were driving a Suburban that handles at .85 G’s., which means it can absorb 85% of the vehicle's weight, pushing on the vehicle's center of gravity. So if you were driving a 6000 pounds Suburban that can handle at .85 G.S., under normal conditions, meaning no snow or ice, when you move the steering wheel, the vehicle is designed to absorb 5100 pounds (.85 times 6000) pushing on the center of gravity, and as an 80% driver you can apply 4000 pounds (.80 X 5100 lbs) to the Suburban center of gravity and life will be good – exciting but good. A Scenario Let's create a scenario where you are driving a 6000-pound Suburban that handles at .85G's, and you move from dry conditions to icy conditions.  Again, using the science of driving, the following explains why you and your principal's life is about to get exciting; who, we must keep in mind, pays you to drive him safely and securely. You are now driving a vehicle that has gone from being able to absorb .85 G's to accept only point .3GS or 30% of the weight of the vehicle; The .3 G's represents a 65% loss in your cars handling. So, now in a matter of tenths of seconds, you are driving a car that went from .85 G.S. know down to .3 g's, quick arithmetic tells us you can apply 1800 pounds to the center of gravity; once you get past that number, refer to the get exciting mentioned above. There is more bad news if you are an 80% driver - consider that you share that icy road with a substantial number of average drivers. The average driver, as we have talked about for decades, can use only 40 to 50% of the vehicles capability, which translates to that they can apply only 720 to 900 pounds on the Suburban's center of gravity before they slide off into the snow - hopefully not taking you with them. Consider this if you have attended a Scotti School or VDI training program in the last 10 to 15 years. Imagine that you cannot drive through the slalom course at a speed greater than 25 without losing control; that is the difference between driving on ice on drive pavement. Again, for those who have taken our training, we ask you to go back to the driver's equation. If the coefficient of friction between the tire and the road surface is low, you only have two options; you can decrease your speed and limit your steering. But, since you may have to use the steering to drive onto an off-ramp, your only real option is to lower your speed.   Summary No 4WD or AWD system will make up for the 65% decrease in traction. If there is less adhesion between the tire and the road, the vehicle's capability is greatly diminished.  But using some simple math, consider that when you were driving on icy roads, the coefficient of friction is very low, so having the capability to use 80% doesn't mean much because 80% of .1 is still a dangerous scenario. That's not to say that AWD is not useful in bad weather. It might be enough to get the vehicle up snow-covered hills and get the vehicle moving from a stop position where 2WD would not accomplish that. Although this has been said many times and many ways, stopping on snow and ice may require up to 10 times the distance as stopping in normal conditions.  You can't beat the laws of physics, so the only way you can survive driving in these conditions is to keep the speeds down.    ====================================== That will bring us to the end of another episode of the EPST podcast. I hope you will join us next week for another episode. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. If you haven’t done so already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcast app and if you’ve been listening for a while, let us know what you think by leaving us a review on Apple of Google. If you’ve enjoyed this week’s podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs—access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.   For more information on all of the member benefits, head over to https://isdacenter.org.

The topic of this week's episode is Decision Sight Distance or DSD for short. Decision Sight Distance plays an essential role for those that provide secure transportation. But understanding DSD is vital for anyone who drives an automobile. As a quick refresher for those unfamiliar with DSD, the Decision Sight Distance definition is the length of road surface drivers can see and have an acceptable reaction time. In the US, the organization that is responsible for designing our highways, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), have guidelines concerning "line of sight," and from those guidelines developed the all-important Decision Sight Distance (DSD) AASHTO defines DSD as the distance needed to recognize a problem and complete a maneuver safely and efficiently. And according to the scientists who have done an enormous amount of research on driver reaction time, the "average" driver needs 2.5 seconds to complete the "recognize a problem" part of the DSD. We have discussed decision-sight distance in past podcasts and articles, but now we would like to present a DSD visual representation. For our podcast listeners, we’ll do our best to describe the visualization. We'll use the Omar García Harfuch (OGH) scenario. Keep in mind that we are using the OGH scenario for illustration and demonstration purposes only. The attack occurred in the early morning. All the pictures used for this podcast are from Google Street View in daylight. The significant difference is that the OGH’s driver was looking at headlights crossing the intersection—more than likely assuming that the truck would take a left onto Ave Reforma. To establish a timeline, we looked at the video of the attack; we found that it took approximately 4 seconds for the truck to pull out across and block the intersection. So, from the first time the driver could have seen the truck's headlights to the time the truck stopped, blocking the intersection was four seconds. Keep in mind that all vehicle attacks or accidents are a time distance relationship - as the blocking vehicle pulled into the intersection, the question is how much time did OGH’s driver have to react? – the answer depends on the speed of the vehicle. If the driver was moving at: 20 MPH/32.2KPH the driver was 8.7 seconds from the Intersection 40 MPH/64.4 KPH the driver was 4.4 seconds from the Intersection 50 MPH/80 KPH the driver was 3.5 seconds from the Intersection 60 MPH/96.6 KPH the driver was 2.9 seconds from the intersection   To get a sense of how much distance the driver had to work with, we use landmarks on Paseo de la Reforma for reference points. The picture depicts the driver's eye view 100 Meters or 328 Feet away from the intersection. If you look at the top right-hand corner of the picture, you can make out a car stopped at the intersection. We estimated from our forensic analysis that the vehicle was traveling 65 kilometers per hour (or 40 MPH). From the 100 Meter mark at 65 KPH per hour 40 MPH, the Suburban vehicle was approximately 5 1/2 seconds from the intersection. They were closing in at the rate of 18 Meters Per Second (MPS) or 58.8 Feet Per Second (FPS). As they continued down the Paseo de la Reforma moving at 65 KPH per hour 40 MPH, 2.8 seconds later, the vehicle is at the 50 Meter – 164 Foot mark. The picture shows the driver's eye view at 50 meters – 164 feet from the intersection. You can see the car clearly now; hence the principal vehicle's driver could have also seen what was about to happen.   From the 50 Meter – 164 feet mark one second later, this picture is the driver's view. They are 32 Meters 105 feet from the intersection. Assuming that they may have decreased their speed. At this location on the road, if traveling at   20 MPH – 32.2 KPH they are 3.5 Seconds away from the intersection 30 MPH – 48.3 KPH they are 2.4 Seconds away from the intersection 40 MPH – 64.4 KPH they are 1.8 Seconds away from the intersection.   Secure Transportation Sight distance plays a vital role in supplying safe and secure transportation. It is a significant factor in determining if the event you drive into is winnable. During your route survey, know how far you can see and DO NOT DRIVE FASTER THAN YOU CAN SEE – Which means drive at a speed that will give you the time to react at the given sight distance.   As you are conducting a route survey, the question you need to ask yourself is – At the speed I am moving with the given sight distance, how much time do I have, and in that time frame, what can I do with this vehicle? No matter the scenario, accident, or vehicle violence, if you don't have enough sight distance at the speed you are moving, it is a no-win scenario. Your training must take this into account. ===================================== That’s it for this week, I hope you will join us next week for another episode of the EPST podcast. Show notes as well as the short visualization   for this episode are available at SecurityDriver.Com website. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcast app and if you’ve been listening for a while, let us know what you think by leaving us a review. If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.   For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org.

Hello, and welcome to episode 154 of the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation podcast, sponsored by the International Security Driver Association. I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of this week’s episode – we are getting back to the basics of the business of executive protection. The business of EP is so important but very often is overlooked as an afterthought. EP training providers teach hard skills, but very few focus on business and marketing. So, in today’s episode, we’ll be playing for you a snippet from the course Social Media Basics for Protection Professionals. The course was developed by yours truly. The 3-hour course comprises six parts with various topics: defining your brand, social media profiles, and opportunities to social media marketing, marketing funnels, advertising, social media tools, and metrics. Why did I create this course? It doesn’t matter if you are a subcontractor or a large security business; social media is an essential piece of your business marketing strategy. I created this basics course to help EP/Secure transportation providers/security companies be successful with their social media efforts by using it effectively. Social platforms help you connect with your customers, increase awareness about your brand, and boost leads and sales. Social media is one of the most significant marketing elements for establishing your brand. You and your business need to be having conversations on these channels. Now, your specific market may not be entirely on social platforms. Still, the people who you might hire, your competition, perhaps your future business opportunities are. Or you are looking to find your tribe, like-minded individuals who can support what you do, and vice versa. We all know word of mouth in this business has an enormous impact. Getting information out or from a trusted source about someone or something is really how the EP business runs. Using social media effectively is word of mouth on steroids, a considerable amplification. Of course, if word of mouth is about you and your company, and you’re not on social networks, you can’t control or defend what people are saying about you. This snippet is from Part one – Before you start on social media where I talk about the importance of defining your brand, market, and business goals. If you’d like more information on course availability, please contact me at [email protected]. The price for the course $299 – ISDA members receive a substantial discount.   That’s it for this week. I hope you will join us next week for another episode of the EPST podcast. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Google, and any podcast apps. ================== If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs—access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics. For more information on all of the member benefits, head over to https://isdacenter.org.

The topic of this week’s episode is Surviving Mob Attacks on Your Vehicle. It is well established in the protection community that the time an executive spends in their vehicle is, without a doubt, the highest risk period of their day. In recent months mob attacks on a vehicle have increased the risk of Executive Vehicle Travel.  Some suggestions and thoughts. Know the laws in your state regarding this issue. According to a fact check - When questioned, six law professors said that laws vary by state, but essentially the legal question is whether the use of force is justified as self-defense. Experts said such use of deadly force would be legal only if the driver feared for their life, and using the vehicle was proportionate to the amount of force being used against the driver. Comments from the legal authorities. "The fundamental point is that a moving motor vehicle is a deadly weapon. Therefore, all these questions are, at the bottom, about when you are authorized to use deadly force against another person," said Frank Bowman III of the University of Missouri. The question is whether the driver of the car reasonably thought he or she was about to be killed or suffer serious harm unless the car moved, said Vanderbilt University's Christopher Slobogin, and whether the driver was reasonable in thinking that anyone hit by the car "was threatening such harm or would not be seriously hurt by it."  The fact check article is available in the Podcasts post. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jun/03/facebook-posts/not-legal-hit-gas-and-plow-through-menacing-protes/ From the ACLU – State by State laws accurate as of 2017 https://www.aclu.org/issues/free-speech/rights-protesters/anti-protest-bills-around-country A Brief Legal Take Is Running Over Rioters Self-Defense or A Gray Legal Area? https://ehlinelaw.com/blog/striking-protesters-on-the-freeway Recommendations Have a plan for the course of action that you would take.  We (ISDA) suggest you have a plan of what you would do in this scenario. If you hire a contractor to supply Secure Transportation, ensure they have a plan. Real-time intelligence is probably your best tool - Keep in mind that the best way to avoid a mob attack is don't be there when it happens. Keep abreast of the demonstrations and protest in the area that you will be moving the principle through. If you find yourself coming to a complete stop on the highway due to a protest, do so from a distance that will keep you safe from the protesters. If you fear for your life, call 911 and tell that you fear for your life. Ensure that the driver knows what effect Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) will have on any decision they make to escape the issues.  The Problem With New Vehicles Joe Autera CEO of Vehicle Dynamics Institute, in response to an article discussing the subject of vehicle mob attacks, brought up the problems that you may face simply because of the vehicle you're driving; this is what Joe had to say.  If you were driving a newer vehicle and moving a principal, corporate, or high net worth, you would be driving in a vehicle equipped with ADAS and be cautious of the safety equipment.   If you're driving a later model vehicle equipped with collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, and/or pedestrian detection technology, it should be noted that those systems may prevent you from moving forward at any speed, even a crawl, through the smallest of crowds. https://www.motortrend.com/news/automatic-emergency-braking/ It's also worth noting that in a recent test, pedestrian detection systems were found to be very unreliable at speeds over 20 mph and were ineffective at night https://www.autoblog.com/2019/10/03/aaa-pedestrian-detection-systems-failures-nighttime/ If your vehicle allows those systems to be disengaged or deactivated, know how to do so and practice doing so repeatedly so that under stress, you can perform the necessary steps without having to think through them. If you can't find the information for your vehicle in the owner's manual, check out YouTube for videos showing how it can be done on the specific year, make, and vehicle model you drive. If your vehicle doesn't allow you to deactivate or disengage those systems, or if doing so is too cumbersome a process to perform quickly, or you find yourself struggling to do so when a crowd is surrounding your vehicle, your options may be limited to backing out of the crowd. Maintaining control of your vehicle while driving in reverse, particularly under stress, takes practice, which most people don't get enough of in everyday driving. Newer vehicles are also equipped with reverse speed limiters that, as the name implies, will limit how fast you can go in reverse. That speed varies on the year, make, and model of the vehicle, so you should take the time to familiarize yourself with your vehicle's characteristics. ISDA has been preaching for all security drivers to understand the new paradigm - in many emergency scenarios, being surrounded by a mob is one of them, the driver does not control the outcome of the event - the vehicles ADAS will be making the decisions. The time to determine what decisions the vehicles ADAS will make is not when the emergency is taking place. Over the past couple of podcast episodes, we have been discussing the effects of ADAS and security driving. We’ll leave links to the episodes in the show notes of this episode which can find by going to isdacenter.org/podcast. A couple of other important recommendations Not only check the laws of the state that you reside in but when traveling, check the laws of the state that you will be driving in; if you are using a secure transportation provider, ensure that they know what the laws are and that their policies align with your policies.  Also, ensure with the Secure Transportation provider that they have communications – a dash camera – and are attuned to the protest scenario in the area that you will be driving the principle through.  ======================================== That’s it for this week, I hope you will join us next week for another episode of the EPST podcast. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Google as well as any of the podcast apps as the show is widely distributed. If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics. For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org.

Hello, and welcome to episode 152 of the EPST podcast. I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of this week’s episode is Security Driving Algorithm and Training. For more than 45 years, we have been using the Security Driver’s Triangle to describe the threat associated with secure transportation. A Quick Refresher – The Security Driver Triangle Driving, any form of driving, is a balance, and that balance is called the “driving system.” The driving system consists of three components: THE DRIVER, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. If there is an accident or a successful ambush, it is caused by a failure of the Triangle, the driver, the vehicle, or the environment failed. You can learn more about the Triangle at the end of the article. The Vehicle Side of the Triangle is Changing With the advent of Electronic Stability Control (ESC), there is a significant change in the Triangle's Vehicle side. Those changes also flow over to the Driver portion of the Triangle. All Executive Vehicles are equipped with ESC; therefore, we need to examine the challenges that vehicles equipped with ESC create for Secure Transportation, Protective Driver Training, and the Security Driver, and it should go without saying. Still, students must be trained in vehicles that are equipped with ESC. If not, it is negative training. How the students’ skills are measured, the design of scenario-based driving exercises, plus a host of other training points change with ESC equipped vehicles. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Basics For those who have lost control of a car, we know that it’s that first twitch of the vehicle that tells us that we are about to have an exciting experience. That twitch is information the car is sending to us. For some, interpreting this information is second nature, and for others, it’s like trying to understand Swahili. That sinking feeling we get in our stomach is the car telling us that it’s not going where we want it to go, but it is going in a path that it wants to go. The value of ESC is that it interprets the information, in most cases, before the average driver (the crucial word is “average”) – or even the above-average driver can sense the problem. All executive vehicles are equipped with a computer that monitors the information the driver inputs to the vehicle. Once the ESC computer analyzes the driver’s inputs to the vehicle, it starts to set the car on the correct path before the “average driver” can figure out what’s going on. At the moment, the ESC takes over control of the vehicle – the driver and their passengers are at the mercy of the ESC computer Algorithm. When conducting Protective Driver Training, there is a crucial time in the algorithm where the ESC computer will control the vehicle. This transition is called “the switch,” and must be monitored and coached by the training providers. The Security Driving Algorithm As we mentioned, the ESC will take control from the driver at some point in a protective driving program. An algorithm within the ESC computer controls that take over point (the switch). At that moment, the vehicle's control is “switching” from a human to a computer. All in accordance with the algorithm. The definition of an algorithm is a formula or set of steps for solving a particular problem. The issue is the words “particular problem.” The algorithm design is to solve “problems” concerning safety, not necessarily security. More on this later. The Ambush Algorithm All accidents or security scenarios are an algorithm. A significant component of the security driver algorithm is familiar to all Scotti School and VDI students – it is the driver’s equation. LA = (V x V)/(Rx15), where LA is the amount of force exerted on the vehicle's center of gravity. V is the velocity of the vehicle (in MPH). R is the path the vehicle takes measure in feet. Electronic Stability Control accomplishes this by using the existing ABS and Traction Control computers, plus additional sensors called Yaw Sensors, to monitor what the car is doing after the driver tells it what to do. By measuring throttle position (V in the Driver’s Equation), steering wheel angle (R in the Driver’s Equation), and lateral acceleration (LA in the Driver’s Equation), which is (the amount of G’s pushing on the center of gravity of the vehicle) the computer compares the intended path of the vehicle to the path the car is actually taking. If it’s not doing what you want it to do or not in the best interest of the passengers’ safety, the ESC computer takes over. When ESC decides to handle the driving chores, it applies one of the front brakes, or in some systems, one of the front and/or rear brakes, to straighten the car and put it back on the path you wanted to go. The ESC algorithm takes control (the switch) when the driver and the vehicle go into what engineers refer to as the vehicle’s nonlinear range (NLR). The NLR is the point where the force on the center of gravity of the car increases exponentially with every small movement of the steering wheel or small inputs in speed; this is the point where the vehicle’s computer algorithm takes over control of the car – this is the switch point. The Switch Point The switch point, the switch from human to a computer controlling the vehicle, is becoming a science all unto itself. From the training perspective, this change from human to computer needs to be managed; training scenarios need to be designed to create the switch, and instructors need to know how to measure the driver’s response to the switch. The instructor must know when, wherein the exercise, and at what speed the switch will occur before the driver enters the exercise. The switch needs to be monitor, instructed, measured, and made into a teaching point. The Switch – Security Versus Safety When the computer takes over the vehicle, it’s not making decisions based on security; the computer makes decisions based on what the algorithm says the vehicle’s path should be. In a security scenario, the computer's path wants you to drive, and the path the driver will need to avoid a security incident may not be the same. The vehicle can supply the safety algorithm – but the driver’s mind and eye working with their skill, knowledge, and experience are the security algorithm. The question that the ESC algorithm cannot answer; is the switch due to a safety or a security event. The algorithm can’t make that decision. The individual holding on to the steering wheel has to control the security algorithm. Security Driver Triangle https://isdacenter.org/security-driver-triangle/ That’s it for this week. I hope you will join us next week for another episode of the EPST podcast. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Google, and any of the podcast apps as the show is widely distributed.   If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs—access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics. For more information on all of the member benefits, head over to https://isdacenter.org.

Hi everyone and welcome to episode 151 of the EPST podcast, I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of today’s episode is 2 Attacks that have changed the way we work and train. In the first edition, which the ISDA created back in 2014, is a description of the attacks that have changed the way we work and train. In the downloadable eBook, available for ISDA members, we covered the assassination of Aldo Moro, Hans Martin Schleyer, John Butler, and Alfred Herrhausen. 2020 brought us two events that has changed the way we work and conduct training.   https://isdacenter.org/ambush-ebook-2/   Those two events are the: Covid-19 Pandemic and Omar García Harfuch (OGH) Ambush Changes from the Omar García Harfuch (OGH) Ambush The OGH ambush was the 1st vehicle ambush where a forensic analysis and scenario testing could measure the effects of Electronic Stability Control “ESC” and “Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the outcome of an ambush.   A significant addition to the forensic analysis and testing came from the available information due to the surveillance cameras in the area of the OGH ambush and the amount of video that was available to the public. The OGH ambush is one of the first vehicle attacks that was videoed as it was happening The other significant contribution was the information and the accuracy that come from the advancements in Google Maps. The combination of the surveillance videos, Google Maps, and Google Street view created an overwhelming amount of accurate data.   A quick explanation of the use of forensic science and engineering principles to determine the cause of a vehicle ambush in the past. The analysis is used to identify the problem that causes an event. We measure maximum speed, the path the vehicle takes, vehicle performance, sight distance, and come up with the cause of the event followed by lessons learned. From the forensic analysis, we developed a hypothesis from which we created data points. Data is collected and analyzed. From the data collected, the Vehicle Dynamics Institute team conducted tests to determine the accuracy of the data - and from that data, we develop lessons learned, operational suggestions and follow it up with training points. While testing the hypothesis of these data points, ISDA and the Vehicle Dynamics Institute team produced information concerning operational procedures – training and personal safety and security that were of significant importance.  We feel we had to share some of the information with the community. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) At one time, when bad things happened, it was all up to the driver to control the executive vehicle. The person holding on to the steering wheel made all the decisions. The driver was the algorithm that determined the outcome of the event. Now computers control executive vehicles, and in an emergency scenario, accident, or vehicle violence, executive vehicles rely on the computer algorithm to control the vehicle.  The OGH Suburban was equipped with ESC – our test indicated that due to the ambush design, the driver could not have moved the vehicle either to the left or to the right. There were buildings and cars on the right, and on the left, there was a curb and trees. If the driver attempted to jump the curb, the ESC and other Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) would have prevented him from doing so. We need to examine the challenges that vehicles equipped with ESC (as most Executive Vehicles have ESC these days) create for protective driver training and security drivers. It should go without saying, but students must be trained in vehicles that are equipped with ESC. When conducting protective driver training, there is a crucial time in the ESC computer algorithm where the computer will take control of the vehicle; this transition is called the switch point and must be monitored and coached by training providers.  Driving exercises and scenarios need to be created; students need to be coached and tested on controlling the switch point. The change of human to a computer must be monitored, coached, and have exercises designed to create the change.  If you purchase protective driver training, we would suggest asking the training provider if they are using training vehicles equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC). If they are not using ESC vehicles in our humble opinion it is negative training. Braking Methodology Our forensic analysis determined that the OGH’s driver had sufficient time to stop the vehicle if the driver used the traditional method of braking an ABS vehicle, which means pressing the brake pedal as hard as possible and let the ABS computer do what it is designed to do – stop the vehicle with the ability for the driver to maintain steering control.   When we use threshold braking with a trained threshold braking driver, it took 70% longer to stop the vehicle.  If OGH’s driver attempted to threshold brake with an ABS-equipped vehicle, our analysis and testing showed the outcome would have been considerably different. Instead of stopping before they got to the truck that was blocking the road, they would have gone under the truck blocking the road.  The following can’t be stressed enough.  As a potential student or purchaser of protective driving training, we suggest you ensure that you or your employee is not attending a program that instructs students to threshold brake with an ABS vehicle.  Reversing  Our forensic analysis indicated that the driver attempted to back out of the Kill Zone. Vehicle Dynamics Institute team found that a two-second delay was caused due to the vehicle’s ADAS Transmission Control Module (TCM) system. If the driver does not follow the proper sequence before reversing, tests indicated that there could be as much as a 2 to 2 1/2 seconds delay before the car moves in reverse. This means that the driver would sit in the kill zone for up to 2 1/2 seconds before having the ability to back out. TCM definition - A transmission control module is an electronic mechanism that collects data and processes signals within your transmission to regulate the transmission’s gear shifting.  Also, once the vehicle does back out, most executive vehicles have reverse control devices that limit the speed that the vehicle can back up.  Recommendations Training providers need to determine if the student’s operational vehicle has a Transmission Control Module. If they do, they need to discuss the effects of the TCM on reversing. Those who train students working in a high-risk environment need to examine the reversing characteristics of the operational vehicles the student will be driving and the environment that they will be driving in. Security drivers need to know the characteristics of the vehicle while driving in reverse. Keep in mind that all new vehicles have speed limiters, preventing the vehicle from reversing quickly.  Runflats The Omar García Harfuch Suburban photo riddled with gunshots and sitting on four flat tires received a substantial amount of social media attention and criticism.  The ISDA and the Vehicle Dynamics Institute team devoted a considerable amount analysis and test time to examine the vehicle dynamic characteristics of an armored B6 Suburban with four flat tires equipped with run-flats and reversing out of the kill zone. To say that the testing was exciting would be an understatement. The complete data will be available in the final forensic report.  Our research in testing indicated that backing up with a vehicle with runflats creates a vehicle characteristic that needs to be addressed and trained. If an operational vehicle is equipped with run-flat tires, training programs need to consider an exercise, specifically a backing up exercise with one or more of the tires flat. We suggest caution when doing so. We found that it does not take much speed or steering wheel angle or steering wheel movement to put the car in an uncontrollable situation. Night Driving We address the issue of night driving and in last week’s podcast episode. If you have not done so, yet we suggest that you listen to the episode by going to https://securitydriver.com/09/episode-150-low-light-driving-conditions/.  --------------------   Changes from COVID – 19 It is ISDA’s opinion that COVID-19 has permanently changed the Secure Transportation profession. The security driver and the provider of secure transportation services will need to change how business is done. Whatever your feelings are concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, you cannot dismiss that the market has been affected by it. In some parts of the globe secure transportation and security driving were shut down and still is shut down.  Things to think about The vehicle itself is now a threat to the safety of the principal.   Those responsible for protecting their principal will need to raise the level of due diligence concerning the principal’s driver and the vehicle they are driving in. Anyone who rents a vehicle or uses a rideshare program needs caution; there are profound health implications. A recent study found that these vehicles are so bacteria-laden that normal driver actions such as rolling down windows, buckling seatbelts, and grasping door handles and steering wheels is a health hazard. We have a link to this article in the notes for this episode. If you know anyone who is renting vehicles, you can tell then they are entering a vehicle that has more germs than a toilet seat – that’s a pleasant thought.  https://www.netquote.com/health-insurance/health-insurance-articles/driving-with-germs There needs to be proof of documentation – when was the vehicle disinfected, what material was used to disinfect, and was the driver recently tested for COVID-19.  Training: If you attended or are sending company personnel to a training program, ensure that the training provider has a COVID-19 Plan. For an example, ISDA Member Joe Autera has an article on tools for training in the COVID age. From VDI – The Tools for Training in the “COVID Age” https://isdacenter.org/from-vdi-the-tools-for-training-in-the-covid-age/ The vehicle’s medical equipment needs to be expanded to include equipment specifically to deal with COVID. Article from ISDA member Carlton Smith COVID-19 and the Executive Protection/Secure Transportation Profession – Carlton D Smith https://isdacenter.org/covid-19-and-the-executive-protection-secure-transportation-profession-carlton-d-smith/ Lastly, we suggest you subscribe to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Newsletter - Behind the Wheel at Work https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/motorvehicle/ncmvs/newsletter/default.html  Additional Material on Secure Transportation and The Risks of COVID-19 https://isdacenter.org/secure-transportation-and-the-risks-of-covid-19/ Our Survey Results. Episode 146 – COVID-19 Survey Results _______________________________________ That’s all for this week’s episode, I hope you will join us next week for another episode of the EPST podcast. Show notes for this episode are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google, and other podcast apps like Overcast, which is my personal favorite. If you like listening to Audible books, Amazon now hosts podcasts on Audible. Just search for Executive Protection and you’ll find this and all of our past episodes there. If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.

Welcome to the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Podcast brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Hello and welcome to episode 150 of the EPST podcast, I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of today’s episode is low light driving conditions. EP practitioners attend low light shooting programs - but how many have attended a training program or are aware of the problems created by low light driving scenarios. Our, defined as the ISDA and Vehicle Dynamics Institute, forensic analysis of the recent Omar García Harfuch ambush indicated that low light conditions contributed to the outcome of the scenario. The ambush was conducted in a low light driving scenario, approximately 6:35 AM. ISDA and VDI recreated the OGH ambush in low light conditions and found that there is a significant difference in headlight distance from vehicle to vehicle - the same make and model can have headlight distance that also varies considerably. The ISDA and Vehicle Dynamics Institute found that the timing and the decision-making process in daylight are not the same as it is in low light driving conditions. With the standard time approaching us (that is putting our clocks back one hour), security drivers will find themselves spending more time driving in low light conditions, yet many are unaware of the special hazards night driving presents or don't know effective ways to deal with them. Statistics indicate that 60% of adults have driven while they were tired, and another 37% or 103 million people have fallen asleep at the wheel. When you consider that 90% of a driver's reaction depends on vision, and vision is severely limited at night, it is no surprise that the night driving accident rate is roughly three times that of daylight driving. The cause of the decreased vision varies. At night, the driver's normally wide field of vision is narrowed to the field of view illuminated by your headlights, the headlights of other vehicles, and fixed road lights. Depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision are compromised at dawn and after sundown.  Older drivers have difficulties seeing at night. A 50-year-old driver may need twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year old. Issues that are affected by age are night vision and peripheral vision. As mentioned previously, 90% of the decisions made while driving are based on what we see. According to an article that appeared in "Car and Travel," Triple A's magazine, at age 40 and above, a driver's sensitivity to glare increases dramatically, and it will take much longer to adapt to changes in light. We suggest that driver over the age of 40 check their night vision if over age 55 check their peripheral vision.  Adding to the problem, most drivers do not slow down significantly when driving at night, despite their reduced visibility. The reduced visibility can cause even the most cautious driver to overdrive their headlights. A scenario Its night, and you're driving with your low beam headlights on, which permit you to see about 150 feet or 46 meters ahead of you. If your speed is 40 MPH/64 KPH (approximately 60 FPS/18MPS.), you have 2.5 seconds' worth of vision ahead of you. If there were an emergency waiting for you just beyond your range of vision, you would have 2.5 seconds of reaction time. At 60 MPH/97KPH, you would have approximately 1.7 seconds of vision and reaction time. Having 2.5 seconds to react should be sufficient, exciting, but sufficient. When it gets down to 1.7 seconds, it will be all a matter of luck, and all this is assuming that your headlights are clean and working at maximum efficiency. Suppose you consider that theaverage high beam headlight range is about 350 Feet/107 Meters. If you are moving at 60 mph/97 KPH, you are covering about 90 feet per second/ 27 Meters per second. The average attentive person's reaction time is .75 to 1.50 seconds. A person's reaction distance at 60 mph/97 KPH would be somewhere between 67.5 feet/21meters/ and 135 feet;/41 meters/ add braking distance to that, and the total is over 300 feet/92 Meters. Put this all together, and on low beams, if something is in your path anywhere within up to 300 feet/92 Meters (the length of a football field), you can't stop in time to miss it. If you cannot steer around it, you're doomed; this is called "out-driving your headlights."  One of the most dangerous aspects of night driving is one that we can do little to control: blinding glare from oncoming headlights. An immense amount of research has been conducted into the problems of glare and night vision, and all these studies have reached the same startling conclusion: When your eyes are hit by a bright beam of light from an oncoming car, you can't see. This type of attack impairs a significant amount of your vision. We can be completely blinded for one or two full seconds. This means that at just 40MPH/65KPH, you will drive 120 Feet/37 Meters without being able to see anything clearly. Drivers can be affected by the oncoming glare of headlights as far as 3,000 Feet/914 Meters away. If you feel you won't be able to see after a car approaching you has passed, slow down, and try not to look directly at those headlights. Looking at the right side of the road is often effective. Bright color and high contrast make objects visible at night. That's why it's a good idea to have some reflecting tape somewhere in your car, especially if the car is a dark color. Fatigue Security drivers and executive protection practitioners have a history of working long hours - hence we cannot separate driving at night from driving while fatigued. Statistics indicate that 60% of adults have driven while they were tired, and another 37% or 103 million people have fallen asleep at the wheel. These staggering numbers are backed up by a report by NHTSA that 100,000 police-reported crashes are a result of driver fatigue Losing two hours of sleep has the same effect on driving as having three beers, and tired drivers are three times more likely to be in a car crash if they are fatigued. The National Sleep Foundation offers this advice: Get seven or more hours of sleep a night Don't drive if you've been awake for 16 hours or more Recommendations Adjust your speed to the range of your headlights. Understand the concept of overdriving your headlights and don't drive faster than you can see Good night visibility is more than just having a set of lights mounted on your vehicle. Equally important is the alignment of those lights. Ensure that your headlights are aligned properly. It's important as well to keep headlights clean. As much as half of a headlight's total output can be absorbed by dirt on the light's surface. Keeping headlights clean is especially important in winter when they're frequently covered with road dirt and encrusted with salt. Likewise, a clean windshield is vital for driving whether in day or night. Streaks and smears on windshields can produce extremely disorienting kaleidoscopic effects when lights shine on them at night. Ensure your windshield washers work, that your windshield wiper blades are clean and not old and worn out and that the windshield wiper fluid container is kept filled. Headlights cannot see around corners as they light only the path of travel that is dead ahead. When we do turn corners at night, we tend to follow the headlights around that corner. When you turn your car, scan the areas to the side and beyond the headlights. When backing up, only your backup lights are available, and on most vehicle models, they aren't much. There's not much more you can do but cope with this reality. Keep your eyes moving. Don't fall for the temptation of focusing on the middle of the lighted area in front of you. Search the edges of the lighted area. Look for other patches of light that could be cars. Look for them at hilltops, on curves, or at intersections. Protect your eyes from glare. Prolonged exposure to glare from sunlight during the day or headlights at night can temporarily ruin your night vision, while also leading to eyestrain and drowsiness. Wear good sunglasses on bright days and take them off as soon as the sun goes down. As a side note, this may seem like a pain in the ass, but you need to know night driving sight distance numbers that are the difference between a security driver and a driver.  Night driving training needs to be part of all protective driving programs you  cannot assume the bad things will happen during daylight All protective driving programs must have a low light component. That’s all for this week’s episode, I hope you will join us next week for another episode of the EPST podcast. If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics. For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org.

All vehicles have inherent characteristics that, if not understood and monitored, can decrease a vehicle’s performance and create a dangerous scenario for the principal. There are numbers that represent these vehicle characteristics; most can be found in the owner’s manual. The Security Driver does not need to understand the science behind these numbers, but they need to know how these numbers and changes in these numbers affect the principal and passengers’ safety and security. ----------------------------------- If you’ve enjoyed this EPST podcast episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.   For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org. The top five vehicle characteristics are: The vehicles maximum payload capacity The tires load rating. Tire pressure The vehicles Statics Stability Factor – SSF (difficult to find) Center of Gravity (difficult to find) The wrong combination of these five vehicle characteristics can and has proven to be a problem. The wrong combination is defined as: The vehicle’s payload at maximum or exceeded Low Tires Pressures Tire Load Rating has been exceeded High Vehicle Center of Gravity A Low Vehicle Static Stability Factor (SSF)  Definitions  Payload  The payload is defined as the combined, maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants, and optional equipment that the vehicle is designed to carry. The payload is an indication of how many passengers and cargo the vehicle can accept. That number is set by the vehicle manufacturer and is vital to passengers’ safety and security. You can also use Google to find the payload of your vehicle; as an example, if you want to find the payload of a Suburban, you would type in “Payload for Suburban,” This is an example of what you would get. Somewhere on the vehicle, there is a sticker that will supply the payload numbers; this is an example.  Or you can find the numbers in the vehicle’s manual. Improperly loaded vehicles or those that exceed the weight rating will have a dramatic effect on performance. Steering, maneuverability, braking, and acceleration are all affected. Most important, stopping distances are dramatically impacted.  The Tires Load Index and Load Carry Capacity The load index explicitly indicates how much weight a tire can carry. To find your tire’s carrying capacity, look for the load index number on its sidewall. The load index number indicates a tire’s carrying capacity when inflated to its maximum load sustaining pressure. It corresponds to another number in an index, which tells you how many pounds of weight the tire can carry. Recommended Reading How to Read Speed Rating, Load Index & Service Descriptions Load Range and Load Index Static Stability Factor and Center of Gravity – SSF, and CG  Another characteristic that can decrease vehicle performance and safety is the vehicle’s static stability factor (SSF). This is especially true in SUVs. Click here for more information. Tire Pressure Basics Maintaining correct tire pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Correct tire inflation pressure allows drivers to experience tire comfort, durability, and performance designed to match the needs of their vehicles. Proper tire inflation pressure also stabilizes the tire’s structure, blending the tire’s responsiveness, traction, and handling. Click here for more Information on Tire Basics Tire Pressure Monitoring System Almost everyone has seen the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light appear on the dashboard. It warns you that at least one or more tires are significantly under-inflated, possibly creating unsafe driving conditions. There are pressure-sensing transmitters mounted inside each tire and sent to a central computer (ECU), which display the tire pressure readings on the dashboard. The problem is that the warning light on the instrument panel does not come on until there is a 25-percent drop in tire pressure. By the time the warning light displays, you and the passengers are in a very unsafe vehicle. Click here to read more about TPMS.

The topic of today’s episode is LinkedIn Opportunities for Your Business. With over half a billion users, LinkedIn is the biggest opportunity to connect with not only your peers but potential employers and selling/marketing your products and services. The Setup – What’s in a Name The first order of business is to complete your profile as it offers several key branding and searchable elements. There is the availability to add an image at the top of your profile.   Add one that depicts you as an individual or your business. Profile image. So many profiles I’ve come across just have the ghost image. Avoid that if you can, granted OPSEC can be a legitimate concern, but by adding a face you literally are adding a face to your name and business. The image should represent who you are. Some suggest professional suit and tie, but if that isn’t you, the real you, why pretend?   I do recommend adding your real name as it adds authenticity to your brand. Again OPSEC comes in to play understandably, but even if you could do the first name, last name initial is better than a fictitious name like Hugh Erection (yes that is an actual name someone is using on LinkedIn, and incidentally, on Facebook). The Headline section is very important, don’t skip this part. The headline is a good opportunity to introduce yourself – who you are and what do you do. The Headline also helps with you being found in LinkedIn search. For example, adding in social media consultant, protective services professional in the Headline will help your profile being found in the search results when a person searches for those keyword phrases.   Another area in LinkedIn profiles that I’ve seen lacking information is the Contact Information. You can add phone numbers, email, and links to websites and other social media accounts. You can customize the links so that it’s memorable and brand-specific. Other information to add to your profile – summary, work history, schools, training, recommendations, and skills.  Don’t misinform or embellish. Run the option play An option, not a requirement, but one that I recommend, is to upgrade to LinkedIn Premium. Premium unlocks certain services that you can take advantage of such as LinkedIn Learning, which is an online education hub. As well as access to job and salary data and other features like who is looking at your profile. Making the Connection I would suggest that you be strategic – try not to get overwhelmed. Your focus should be on what companies may need your products and services. Follow the company, owners, founders, and employees. Connecting with peers on LinkedIn is really a given, but still, be strategic about your choices on whom to connect with. Ask yourself – will this person provide me with value to help me or my business grow and vice versa; what or who is it that we have in common? Is this a future networking opportunity? In other words, don’t connect with everybody – keep in mind your goals for your business. Finding Jobs, Comparative Analysis Finding jobs isn’t hard on LinkedIn – being qualified is the difficult part. Look at jobs you’re interested in – what are the requirements? How can you achieve those requirements? What training is necessary? From a service provider or products supplier look at these jobs as a way to determine what the company is lacking – compare your services to the company’s needs. LinkedIn Job search is among the best whether you are looking for a job or looking for your target market by looking at the qualifications and requirements for a job. For example, I searched for an executive protection specialist in the United States.   After clicking on the job position for Snap Inc. you can see more detail on the second page.  Look at the qualifications and requirements. Questions to ask yourself – is this job something my or my business qualify to provide these services? Do you fulfill what the job entails? Does anyone I know work there, how can I get more information on the company? Is there a high turnover? Can I position my company to fit their needs? What is the pay? With LinkedIn Premium you are provided with deeper analysis with information about other applicants who’ve applied for this position, the average tenure at this company, and hiring growth. Content Marketing I hope you’re getting the idea that LinkedIn is full of opportunities. An excellent way to draw attention to yourself (i.e. become known) and your company is by sharing information. Your content or other people’s content.  Whether it is video, images or the written word, content is the best way that I know of for your market to know, like and trust your brand. A trusted source of knowledge. On LinkedIn, there are several ways to share content. The most prevalent is the news feed of LinkedIn. Here you can post/share content – not content for content sake but strategic valuable information for your market. You can upload your videos or share videos from YouTube. If you’re uploading videos, they have to be less than 10 minutes in length. Preface your content with a sentence or two on why it is relevant to your target market. Add relevant hashtags as they are searchable. Late last year LinkedIn introduced the ability to upload documents to share in the news feed. So, this could be a checklist, a how-to, a giveaway or cheat sheet of some sort. LinkedIn articles are created on LinkedIn and can be shared to Twitter and Facebook.  Articles are great for long-form content, connections do get notified although that is based on the algorithm. Articles are also automatically added to the news feed. LinkedIn Live was announced last year. It gives you the ability to be live via video – aka live streaming directly on LinkedIn – both on mobile and desktop. Right now, Live is in early release to influencers to test and give feedback, but I’d suspect Live being fully released to all users by end of this year. Live streaming enables you to get real-time comments, it is also great for connecting with your audience, Q&A helps to fuel your content and marketing efforts, etc. Whatever content you are sharing or creating – remember your market and your goals. Advertising Advertising on LinkedIn – cost per click is expensive compared to Google and Facebook Ads – think dollars vs. cents. Our advertising on LinkedIn hasn’t been as successful as we had hoped, but that is just what our experience has been, not to discourage you. Ads will be seen on the feed and on the right sidebar on desktop, and the feed on mobile. Company Pages LinkedIn company pages recently had a makeover where it is more like a Facebook page.  You have branding opportunities here with the banner at the top, logo for the profile image, a brief headline section describing the business, and call to action buttons. Add information to the About and People section. You can add company updates here such as new training, services products, etc. I recommend that you visit other pages – competition or your target market. Follow the page to get notifications, take a look at their jobs, who works there that you may know. LinkedIn will let you know any connections who work at the company. Connect with the owners of the company and introduce yourself via messaging.

Welcome to the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Podcast brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Thank you for tuning in to episode 147  of the EPST podcast, I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of today’s episode is Security Driving Is a Statement of Skill, Not a Marketing Term. Security Driving and Executive Protection describe a profession, a job description that defines a skill set needed to save lives. It is our opinion that social media have twisted them into marketing terms with no regard for the skill sets that define the profession. In the present training environment, unsuspecting individuals are trained in skills that have no market value. Social media is filled with complaints – ranging from certification, standards, to pay scales and unethical behavior. For some in the industry, especially those just entering the business, there is a misconception of the definition of security driving – in particular, the job description of a security driver. Security driving is more than driving a vehicle. It requires the skill and knowledge to move a principal from point A to point B in a safe and secure manner and a variety of environments. In fact, security driving is more accurately called secure transportation, which encompasses in-depth knowledge and a measured level of skill to conduct route surveys, recognize and develop safe havens, create alternate-route plans, and develop emergency evacuation plans. Advanced first-aid skills are also essential. When looking at driving skills, there has been a great deal of research done, money spent, and data collected to better understand how drivers make decisions in emergencies. The end result of all this research is the advancements that have been made in measuring driving skill and, therefore, survivability in an emergency scenario. Simply put, you wouldn't allow a security professional to carry a gun without first measuring their ability to use it: so why would you let someone drive your principal if you don't measure their ability to do so? Defining Security Driving SkillThe automotive engineering community defines driving skills as the driver's "ability" to use the vehicle's "capability." The researchers express driving skill as the percentage of the vehicle's capability a driver can use before they are no longer controlling the vehicle; loss of control can be defined as; although the driver is holding onto the steering wheel, they along with your principal are a passenger.  From the Automotive Engineering Research - The NumbersIf a driver can use 40% of the vehicle's capability, researchers define him/her as a 40% driver; if they can use 60% of the vehicle's capability, they are a 60% driver. But, here is the bad news, studies have shown that the average driver can use only 40 % to 55 % of the vehicle's capability.  After 45 plus years of conducting protective driving programs, I would say that when looking at the "average driver," the 40 % to 55 % number is accurate and maybe optimistic. If you are responsible for the principal's safety and security, what is your assurance that the person driving the boss IS NOT an inexperienced or average driver? The Question – What does the research say is a Good (Security) Driver? A good driver (Security Driver) can use a minimum of 80% of the vehicle's emergency maneuvering capability and still maintain vehicle control. The original Scotti School – VDI and ISDA Certification require a Security Driver to use 80% of the vehicle.   The original Scotti School developed the 80% standard from engineering white papers published by the Society of Automotive Engineers and other testing organizations. Those papers defined average, and what the documents identified as "experienced" skill levels. We (Scotti School) found that neither average nor experienced skill levels were adequate for Security Driving.   If interested an article on the History of the 80% Standardhttps://isdacenter.org/the-science-of-security-driving-and-the-80-standard/.  To summarize - As a user of Secure Transportation services, whom do you want driving your principal, if you are paying for a Security Driver, they must be an 80% driver – you do not want an inexperienced (50%) driver or an average (60%) driver transporting your executives. All the above numbers are easily measured. A Security Driver's skill level can easily be measured with an inexpensive onboard computer and an instructor interpreting the data. The device that is commonly used is called a G-Meter. They are used by high-end training programs to measure the vehicle/driver level of performance. These devices range in price from $200 to $1200. But with the advent of the iPhone and Android devices, you can download an application that does the same thing. Thanks very much for listening to the latest EPST podcast. We’ll be back again next week with another episode of the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation podcast. Before I go one quick request, if you’ve been enjoying the podcast content can do us a favor and give a review of the podcast in Apple or Google? We’d appreciate it very much. Reviewing the podcast helps the podcast grow to reach more people interested in EP or Secure Transportation. Thanks, and take care. ====================== If you’re not yet a member of the ISDA we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics.   For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org.

In today’s episode we share the results of the COVID-19 survey that the ISDA conducted at the end of April, near the height of the Pandemic in the United States. The number of participants makes the survey statistically accurate for our association, but not for the general EP/Secure Transportation community.  The demographics of the ISDA are not similar to the profession in general; Hence we would estimate the data is not statistically accurate for the security professional. It is ISDA's opinion that COVID 19 has permanently changed the Secure Transportation profession. The security driver and the provider of secure transportation services will need to change how business is done. There is a significant change with vehicles – cleaning executive vehicles has taken on a significant role in the definition of secure transportation.  A while back, Vehicle Dynamics Institute’s Joe Autera put together guidelines for disinfecting the executive's vehicle.   These guidelines are to provide professional security drivers and other protection practitioners with best practices for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting executive vehicles in an effort to minimize the risk of exposure to contaminants for drivers and passengers. http://vehicledynamics.com/guidelines-for-cleaning-disinfecting-and-sanitizing-executive-vehicles/ Renting Vehicles - The 2019 Executive Vehicle Survey indicated that a majority of those that supply Secure Transportation Services to the corporate community use Rent – A – Vehicles. Recently, I have been told by those working in the entertainment sector of the profession that the clients are using rideshare.  Anyone who rents a vehicle or uses a rideshare program needs caution; there are serious health implications. A recent study found that these vehicles are bacteria-laden –normal driver actions such as rolling down windows, buckling seatbelts, and grasping door handles and steering wheels in these vehicles, can become a health hazard  If they are, you can tell then they are entering a vehicle that has more germs than a toilet seat – that's a pleasant thought.  https://www.netquote.com/health-insurance/health-insurance-articles/driving-with-germs Using rent-a-cars for the principal's vehicle creates a serious issue and problem for the principal's safety.  There needs to be proof of documentation That the vehicle has been clean and disinfected. Those responsible from the corporate side for the executive protection and safety cannot take the word of the subcontractor that the vehicle is safe for occupancy and that the driver has been vetted and is COVID free.  Training - If you attended or are sending company personnel to a training program, ensure that the training provider has a COID 19 Plan.  From VDI – The Tools for Training in the "COVID Age" https://isdacenter.org/from-vdi-the-tools-for-training-in-the-covid-age/ Thanks very much for tuning in to today’s podcast, we’ll be back again next week with another episode of the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation podcast. If you’ve enjoying the podcast can do us a favor and give a review of the podcast in Apple or Google? We’d appreciate it very much. Reviewing the podcast helps the podcast grow to reach more people interested in EP or Secure Transportation. If you’re not yet a member of the ISDA we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. The knowledge shared encompasses a wide range of EP and ST focused topics with resources, information, and metrics. For more information on all of the member benefits head over to https://isdacenter.org

We strongly suggest that anyone who attends a Security Driving training program is measured in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 135.   What is Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard? National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issues Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to implement laws from Congress. The FMVSS are regulations written in terms of minimum safety performance requirements for motor vehicles or items of motor vehicle equipment. These requirements are specified in such a manner that the public is protected against unreasonable risk of crashes occurring as a result of the design, construction, or performance of motor vehicles and is also protected against unreasonable risk of death or injury in the event crashes do occur. The purpose of the FMVSS 135 standard is to ensure safe braking performance under normal and emergency driving conditions. As a security driver, you must be able to perform at a much higher level than “minimum” (it is what you get paid to do).  Although most drivers realize that the higher the car’s speed, the more distance required to stop, what is surprising to many drivers is how much additional distance it takes to stop a vehicle with just a small increase in speed. The fact is that if you double your speed, you increase your stopping distance by a factor of four. If you increase your speed from 40 to 44 mph, speed has increased by 10%, but stopping distance has increased by 20%. If you increase your speed from 40 to 50 mph, speed has increased by 25%, but stopping distance has increased by 50%. The numbers listed above are not affected by the method of braking used. It makes no difference if a driver brakes with their left foot – threshold brakes – or uses a parachute to stop. If the speed is doubled, the stopping distance increases by a factor of four. The bottom line you cannot arbitrarily increase your speed, it’s literally deadly. As a side note – Do Not Threshold Brake with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) vehicle. With a vehicle equipped with ABS, press as hard as your foot can press and let the computer do its job.  Here is an example – While conducting a braking test to confirm our forensic analysis of Omar García Harfuch's Ambush, the VDI testing team came across an interesting piece of data. With a highly-skilled driver behind the wheel of the B6 Suburban - Highly skilled defined as years of experience working in high-risk environments and conducting protective driver training programs for the military and government – he drove through a breaking exercise designed to replicate the Omar Garcia Harfuch ambush. He first stopped the B6 Suburban using threshold breaking – we are repetitive but keeping mind the driver had years of experience breaking in this manner. Then he drove the same vehicle in the same scenario applying the ABS brakes without using threshold breaking. The data Using threshold breaking, it took the driver 160 feet or 48.3 meters to stop the vehicle. Without using a threshold braking just to applying the brakes as hard as possible, it required 94 feet or 28.4 meters to stop the vehicle; the difference in stopping distance is considerable. It took this experienced threshold ABS braking driver 70% longer to stop the vehicle using threshold breaking than it did without.          If the driver of Omar Garcia Harfuch's vehicle tried to use threshold braking, the ambush outcome would have been significantly different. Also, a significant component of braking to avoid an emergency is about where you look while the emergency is unfolding. Car manufacturers have been studying this phenomenon for a while. Simply stated – your hands go where your eyes look. As soon as the emergency presents itself, look for a place to put the vehicle. Look where you want the vehicle to go, and your hands will follow your eyes. Many times, the driver’s eyes fixate on the object they are trying to avoid, and the result is they drive into it. Summary When looking at an executive protection training program, consider that the chances of a student using the skills taught at a weapons program, it pales in comparison to the possibilities of using the skills taught in a protective driver training program.  Be careful about increasing speeds – for every 10% increase in speed, it is a 20% increase in stopping distance. As a student, ask your instructor – “What was my Rate of Deceleration,” and how does it compare to the Vehicles Rate of Deceleration and FMVSS 135. When confronted with an emergency, press the brake pedal as hard as possible. The sooner and harder the brake pedal is pressed, the more steering the driver will have available for driving out of the emergency. Look where you want to put the vehicle.

In today’s podcast we’ll be discussing Tires and Extreme Heat. We have discussed the effects of cold weather on tires many times, but with the hot summer weather upon us (aka “the Dog Days of Summer“), we thought it would be an excellent time to discuss the effect of extreme heat on tires and vehicle control. According to the national highway safety administration in 2017, there were 3.2 trillion miles put on tires in the US and 738 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in tire-related crashes. Many of these crashes are preventable through proper tire maintenance— including tire inflation, among other tire factors. Basic Tires To put it succinctly, the only connection between you and mother earth is your tires. Keep in mind that the tires don’t support the vehicle load. The pressurized air inside the tire supports the weight of the vehicle. The tire is just the container; this might sound obvious, but it is critical to understand. Heat and Tires Tire pressure will increase as the outside air temperature rises; tire pressure will go up approximately one pound for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Tire pressures are a vehicle characteristic that needs monitoring often. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System will warn the driver when the tire pressures are low but do not supply a warning when the pressure is too high. Excessive heat will over-inflate the tires. Over-inflated tires can lose traction because the shape of the tire becomes deformed by extreme air pressure, decreasing the tire’s footprint on the road, limiting traction and stability. The tires can be more prone to damage. An over-inflated tire is stiffer and can cause loss of control when they come in contact with common road hazards like potholes. Suggestions We suggest that you look at the Temperature letter on your tire. The temperature grades are an indication of a tire’s resistance to heat. Sustained high temperature (for example, driving long distances in hot weather), can cause a tire to deteriorate, leading to blowouts and tread separation. According to Tire Rack The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Temperature Grade indicates the extent to which heat is generated or dissipated by a tire. If the tire is unable to dissipate the heat effectively or if the tire is unable to resist the destructive effects of heat buildup, then its ability to run at high speeds is reduced. The temperature grade is given by measuring a loaded tire’s ability to operate at high speeds without failure by running an inflated test tire against a large diameter high-speed laboratory test wheel. Temperature Grades Speeds in MPH: Over 115 Between 100 to 115 Between 85 to 100 The speeds may seem excessive; however, these conducted tests are with a driver and no extra load. An SUV with 3 to 4 passengers and luggage, or in a security situation, armor, creates a much different test scenario. We strongly suggest always to have A-rated tires, plus daily evaluation of the tire pressures. The NHTSA has a simple tire checklist which you can download by going to https://isdacenter.org/tirechecklist

Welcome, everyone to the International Security Driver Association’s Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Podcast. After a two-year hiatus, the podcast is back! Every week we send secure transportation and executive protection, headlines, trends, educational content, and announcements from the International Security Driver Association and SecurityDriver.Com to our Podcast audience.  You can find notes for this episode over on https://securitydriver.com In today’s podcast we’ll be discussing Omar Garcia Harfuch ambush. During Tony Scotti’s 45 years and, for the past 18 years, Joe Autera of Vehicle Dynamics Institute, have conducted forensic analysis on countless vehicle attacks. As they have in the past, Joe and Tony are currently analyzing the Omar García Harfuch Ambush that took place in Mexico in June of 2020. International Security Driver Association members Mark Caldwell and Gerardo Corona have contributed invaluable data and metrics to ensure the accuracy of the upcoming Forensic Analysis. In the past, they have used forensic science and engineering principles to determine the cause of a vehicle ambush. The analysis is based on a rigorous, disciplined approach to identify the problem that causes the event. They test all scenarios for accuracy. They measure maximum speed, the path the vehicle takes, vehicle performance, sight distance, and come up with the cause of the event followed by lessons learned. An example of past analysis is the Cantu Ambush. Rodolfo Torre Cantu was a physician and politician running for governor of the Mexican State of Tamaulipas. While driving in a non-armored two-vehicle convoy he was ambushed and assassinated.   If you’d like to download for free the Cantu ambush go to https://isdacenter.org/cantuambush On June 26th at 6:35 AM, Mexico City Police Chief Omar García Harfuch was ambushed in his armored Suburban. The ambush occurred at the intersection of Monte Blanco and Av. Paseo de la Reforma. The attackers drove a large truck followed by a Suburban, out of AV. Monte Blanco and blocked the intersection as García Harfuch was driving on towards AV. Monte Blanco. As we share this information in the podcast, Joe Autera and the VDI team have recreated the Harfuch ambush scenario using one of their B6 Suburban’s. The analysis is underway, and the report is forthcoming in a future podcast. In the interim, we offer this quick outline of the attack followed by comments and opinions covering surveillance detection, armored vehicles, the driver, attack site and offer some suggestions. If you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to check out the International Security Driver Association.  The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Access to the encyclopedia of executive protection and secure transportation – The ISDA knowledge center. What ISDA Offers: An ongoing learning environment for members A platform for members to use the most powerful and proven marketing tool available – Word of Mouth Members have the opportunity to market their skills, and for those in the private sector, their services to over 20,000 security practitioners Real Advice from those with a history of success Resources and expertise to those who seek it from those who have it The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. For more information visit https://isdacenter.org

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, December 18, 2018 ====================== In Vehicle News From Automotive Fleet 8 Auto Tech Trends to Watch in 2019 Manufacturers are adding increasingly cutting-edge technology options to their vehicles, and the coming year should bring additional options to enhance safety and integrate smartphones, according to the editors at Autotrader, who have released their list of the Best New Automotive Technology for 2019. "From surround-view cameras to steering avoidance, new technology features can give drivers a better look at what's around them or extra help to prevent collisions," said Tara Trompeter, managing editor for Autotrader. "Car buyers can find many of these technology options in every segment, from sub-compact cars to full-size SUVs, making it worth checking closely to see what's available across different models and brands." Autotrader's Best New Automotive Technology for 2019:   https://www.automotive-fleet.com/321115/8-auto-tech-trends-to-watch-in-2019 ====================== And from Consumer Reports 2019 Audi A8 Is a First-Class Cruiser in a Subtle Package CR's testers detail their first impressions of this new luxury sedan The 2019 Audi A8 has been redesigned to court sophisticated buyers in the ultra-luxury sedan segment, with a focus on extra creature comforts, including heated armrests, technology, and partially automated driving capabilities. Consumer Reports recently purchased their own A8 L and immediately began comparing it with other high-end models, such as the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the recently tested Lexus LS. This is an exclusive group, and any model looking to compete has a high bar to reach. These are consumer reports first impressions of this new model.  Overview The A8 is immensely satisfying to drive, with a smooth and responsive powertrain, an almost magic carpet ride, and an interior that’s as nice as a five-star hotel (and almost as roomy).  CR’s Take Despite sales numbers that show thousands of consumers migrating to SUVs, Audi’s new A8 is a clear indication that sedans still can have a rich appeal. This car encompasses everything luxury buyers crave, such as a cushy ride, excellent seats, and a tomb-quiet cabin. As Consumer Reports do with all of their test cars, they’ll be putting the A8 through a litany of more than 50 tests after they've driven it for an initial 2,000 miles. https://www.consumerreports.org/luxury-sedans/2019-audi-a8-first-drive-review/ ====================== In Driving News From Motor Authority Should you warm up your engine before driving? It's a generally held rule: Let your car warm up a bit before heading off to tackle the day. But is it really necessary? In a word? No. Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to explain why today's cars don't really need to be warmed up before driving. Basically, it comes down to the wonders of fuel injection. https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1105367_should-you-warm-up-your-engine-before-driving ====================== In Executive Protection News From the International Security Driver Association The ESK Career Success Triangle, Planning for a Career in Protective Services We have all talked about this; for many, finding a career path or advancing a career is the most challenging tasks they face. We have also talked at length and ad nauseam about training providers that will use your desire and passion to sell training that has no market value. No matter what is said by whom, to succeed in the Protective Services profession, you need to gain career capital by collecting marketable experience, skills, and knowledge (ESK). Instead of just talking about the career path to success, the International Security Driver Association (ISDA) and their members have created three documents outlining that path. The documents are – the ESK Triangle, the ISDA Roadmap (ISDA members only), and the ISDA Roadmap Checklist. The ISDA ESK Triangle The ISDA ESK Triangle represents the three critical elements needed to reach your goals – Experience – Skills, and Knowledge. To be successful at just about anything, you have to have all three corners of the triangle. If you’re missing any one of these, it will be harder to reach your goals. Those who do not succeed in their profession or do not achieve their goals fail because one of the pieces of the triangle was missing, was not marketable or was the wrong ESK for the intended goal.    http://securitydriver.com/12/isda-esk-triangle/ ====================== Lastly, just a quick reminder that the ISDA has put together its annual Holiday Gift Guide for the executive protection and secure transportation professional. In the gift guide, we include recommended books, gear, and tech. If you’re looking for last minute Christmas gifts visit our gift guide go to https://isdacenter.org/giftguide ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, December 3, 2018 ====================== In Vehicle News From Autoblog 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum Drivers' Notes Review The 2018 Ford Expedition is the fourth generation of Ford's full-size SUV offering. It replaced a model that traced its roots to the early 2000s, though it received several heavy refreshes along the way.  This new model is a huge leap forward in nearly every aspect. Yes, it's still a giant on the road, but it's lighter and more fuel efficient than before thanks to aluminum bodywork and an improved aerodynamics. It's powerful, too, thanks to Ford's 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6. In our tester's Platinum trim, it makes 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. Inside, the new Expedition looks and feels a lot like a higher trim Ford F-150. https://www.autoblog.com/2018/04/20/2018-ford-expedition-platinum-review-drivers-notes/ ====================== Also, from Autoblog External airbags on cars can reduce occupant injury by up to 40 percent We've heard about manufacturers developing external airbags in the past, but ZF, which is short for Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen, a global leader in driveline and chassis technology as well as active and passive safety technology, just presented some testing data and its strategy for the safety tech going forward. Through testing, ZF found that its external airbag could reduce the injury severity of an occupant by up to 40 percent.  Making the airbag deploy as intended will be the biggest challenge for external airbags like this one making it to the market. A vehicle must be able to detect when a crash is about to happen, then fire a split second beforehand. Some vehicles already offer predictive systems that prepare for an imminent impact, but an airbag going off is a lot more drastic than seatbelt tightening or suspension adjustments happening in real time. Nobody wants an airbag to go off when it isn't needed — there are many examples of this occurring in the past.  https://www.autoblog.com/2018/12/03/car-external-airbags-safety-crash-reduce-injuries/ ====================== In Driving News Bob Bondurant driving school reopens for business Working to honor all deposits during the closure and future classes As we reported in a previous podcast episode The Arizona racing school filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early October, the paperwork claiming a debt of somewhere between $1 and $10 million owed to between 50 and 99 creditors. In mid-November, the school closed suddenly, in the middle of classes, with instructors telling students to go home and everyone packing up belongings. Someone put a sign on the door saying "School is closed." Then, a week later, personnel were back at the school answering phones, and saying Bondurant was back. On November 28, the school and its new administrator, Timothy Shaffer, put out a statement confirming the re-opening.   https://www.autoblog.com/2018/12/03/bob-bondurant-driving-school-reopens/ ====================== In Terrorism News From CNN Terrorism deaths down in 2017, but far-right terrorism rising, report says Deaths from terrorism declined in 2017 for the third straight year, but far-right extremism was on the rise, according to a new report released Wednesday. The 2018 Global Terrorism Index found that deaths resulting from terrorism decreased 27% worldwide last year. Ninety-six of the 163 countries tracked by the index saw an improvement; 46 had declined. Sixty-seven countries had at least one death from terrorism in 2017 -- a drop from 2016's record high rate of 79 countries, according to the report.   Europe saw its deaths by terrorism drop by 75% in 2017, a number that Institute for Economics & Peace executive chairman Steve Killelea called "absolutely dramatic."   The report found that far-right terrorism was on the rise in Western Europe and the United States, calling it "a growing concern." "In the four years between 2013 and 2017, there were 66 deaths and 127 attacks caused in Western Europe and North America by far-right groups and individuals," the report stated.   https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/05/politics/global-terrorism-index-2018/index.html ====================== Lastly, just a quick reminder that the ISDA has put together its annual Holiday Gift Guide for the executive protection and secure transportation professional. In the gift guide, we include recommended books, gear, and tech. To visit our gift guide go to https://isdacenter.org/giftguide ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, December 3, 2018 ====================== In Security News From Reuters News U.S. consulate in Mexico attacked with grenade, no injuries Mexican authorities are investigating an apparent grenade attack on the U.S. consulate in the city of Guadalajara, officials said on Saturday, underscoring the security challenges facing Mexico’s new president. The attack took place early on Saturday morning, local media reported, ahead of the swearing-in of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador later in the day. No one was killed or injured in the attack and Mexican authorities are investigating the matter, according to a U.S. official in Mexico.   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-blast-idUSKCN1O101W ====================== In Executive Protection News From the International Protective Security Board Close Protection Conference The International Protective Security Board or IPSB for short, concluded their Close Protection Conference on Sunday. According to IPSB President Kristin Lenardson, there were over 370 protectors from all over the world in attendance. We had over 70 shooters at the Shooting Challenge and over 35 female protectors attend the first Women in Protection event. We had amazing presentations from industry experts, fantastic participation from attendees, and several successful days of education and networking, she said. In attendance at the conference were several ISDA members. If you would like to provide feedback or volunteer with the IPSB please reach out at [email protected]. Speaking of conferences the ISDA Executive Protection and Security Related Conference survey has concluded and we’ll be sharing the data with the community very soon. ====================== In Vehicle News From Driving.Ca Ford wants to use tech to predict where car crashes will happen American automaker Ford says it’s developed an algorithm that identifies where collisions are likely to happen within a city, allowing local authorities to act before an accident occurs. Usually, crash-prone problem areas can only be identified after an accident, but this new system hopes to get ahead of them before they become problem areas. The algorithm was created using data collected from 160 vans in London, U.K., which together traveled one million kilometers during a collective 15,000 days of vehicle use. That allowed Ford to collect some 500 million data points. The highly detailed parameters analyzed included the severity of braking and the application of hazard lights, which helped identify “near-misses” and where they frequently occurred. This data was then cross-referenced with existing accident reports. https://driving.ca/ford/auto-news/news/ford-wants-to-use-tech-to-predict-where-car-crashes-will-happen ======================  And from Motor Authority Cadillac Escalade gets Sport Edition treatment for 2019 Cadillac last Wednesday unveiled the 2019 Escalade Sport Edition at the 2018 Los Angeles auto show. The Sport Edition model represents the first special edition available for the current Escalade, which arrived for 2015, and you'll easily recognize it by its black exterior accents. Gloss black is used for the front grilles, window moldings, body side moldings, and the rear fascia. The Sport Edition also features a dark shade, referred to as Midnight Silver, on its standard 22-inch wheels.   https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1120152_cadillac-escalade-gets-sport-edition-treatment-for-2019 ====================== In Business of Executive Protection News Strategic Marketing Solutions Stagnant  Definition of Stagnant Not advancing or developing – showing no activity; stale For this podcast, I’m going to talk about Stagnant in the context of what I refer to as your digital platform – your website; and what I have seen as an over-reliance on social media.  Is your website active? Is your website just a brochure on the web? When was the last time you put up new content? Updated an image? Shared a new testimonial from a client? Perhaps your website is poorly designed by relying on a friend to save a couple of bucks to design your website. When was the last time you put information on your website that was useful for your clients and visitors?  As I have discussed in previous blog posts your website is the hub – the center of your business. You have a platform on the web so that potential clients and current customers can find you. With your website, you can control your brand – who you are, what you do, and what qualifies you to do it. Everything comes out of your controlled website and goes to the spokes – which are the social media networks.  https://larrysnow.me/stagnant/ ======================   Lastly, just a quick reminder that the ISDA has put together its annual Holiday Gift Guide for the executive protection and secure transportation professional. In the gift guide, we include recommended books, gear, and tech. To visit our gift guide go to https://isdacenter.org/giftguide ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Friday, November 30, 2018 ====================== In Terrorism News From the Daily Sun Security Minister warns No Deal Brexit could make it harder to keep terrorists and criminals out of UK Ben Wallace backed the PM's Brexit plan by suggesting a No Deal scenario would leave the country in a situation that 'isn't pretty'.  BRITAIN’S Security Minister warned MPs that a No Deal vote would make it harder to keep criminals and terrorists out of the UK. But speaking to law enforcement and security leaders he said leaving the EU without a deal would make it “hard to do our job” and the “alternative to this deal isn’t pretty”. He claimed the UK’s security was “bound up with Europe’s security” and the deal secured by the Prime Minister strikes the right balance to keep everyone safe. He said: “A mere 20-mile stretch of water cannot protect the UK from 21st-century terrorism, serious organized crime, and cyber attacks. These are threats that know no borders. We and our European partners need to tackle them together if we are to keep our citizens safe. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/7863732/security-minister-terrorists-no-deal/    ======================  And from NextGov FBI’s Counterterrorism Investigations Now Run on Amazon The FBI is using Amazon Web Services’ cloud services to process, host and analyzes both classified and unclassified counterterrorism data, an FBI official revealed Tuesday. The previously undisclosed partnership dates back nearly two years and began after the FBI reached a “data crisis,” according to FBI Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Christine Halvorsen, who made the announcement at AWS’ re: Invent conference in Las Vegas. https://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2018/11/fbis-counterterrorism-investigations-now-run-amazon/153133/ ====================== In Vehicle News From Automotive Fleet GM's Safety Tech Reduces Crashes by 43% General Motors vehicles equipped with automatic braking and forward collision warning saw 43% fewer police-reported front-to-rear crashes when compared to similar vehicles that aren't equipped with front crash prevention technology, according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In addition, GM vehicles equipped with those two safety features had 64% fewer front-to-rear crashes with injuries. The study also assessed forward collision technology separately. For vehicles equipped with forward collision warning only, the crash rate reductions were 17% for front-to-rear crashes and 30% for front-to-rear crashes with injuries. https://www.automotive-fleet.com/319316/gms-collision-reduction-tech-reduces-crashes-by-43 ======================  In Cyber Security News From the NYTimes Marriott Hacking Exposes Data of Up to 500 Million Guests The Marriott International hotel chain said on Friday that the database of its Starwood reservation system had been hacked and that the personal details of up to 500 million guests going as far back as 2014 has been compromised. The hotel group, which runs more than 6,700 properties around the world, was informed in September about an attempt to access the database, and an investigation this month revealed that unauthorized access had been made on or before Sept. 10, Marriott said in a statement. The investigation also found that an “unauthorized party had copied and encrypted information, and took steps toward removing it,” the statement said. The hotel chain said that personal details including names, addresses, dates of birth, passport numbers, email addresses and phone numbers for hundreds of millions of guests may have been compromised. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/business/marriott-data-breach.html ======================  And from NBC Today Dunkin' Donuts reveals Consumer Security Breach The coffee chain says hackers were after customers' information through its DD Perks program.  Dunkin’ Donuts has announced that it discovered a recent digital security breach in which hackers may have accessed the names and email addresses of customers signed up for the chain’s DD Perks mobile app, its primary rewards program. The alleged attack occurred in October. Customers' 16-digit DD Perks account numbers and QR codes for the program may have also been compromised. On Wednesday, the company released a statement explaining how “third-parties” acquired the information: “Although Dunkin’ did not experience a data security breach involving its internal systems, we’ve been informed that third-parties obtained usernames and passwords through other companies’ security breaches and used this information to log into some Dunkin’ DD Perks accounts.” The company added, “These individuals then used the usernames and passwords to try to break into various online accounts across the Internet. Our security vendor was successful in stopping most of these attempts, but it is possible that these third-parties may have succeeded in logging in to your DD Perks account if you used your DD Perks username and password for accounts unrelated to Dunkin’." https://www.today.com/food/dunkin-reveals-security-breach-here-s-what-it-may-mean-t144139 ====================== In Travel Security News From International SOS Travel Risk Map 2019 – Risk Outlook International SOS and Control Risks publish Travel Risk Map 2019 to help organizations better understand the risks in the markets where they operate and travel. The Travel Risk Map displays each country’s medical risk rating and travel security risk rating.  The result is a comprehensive overview of risks by destination. Highlighting to organizations the need for travel risk mitigation efforts. Understanding what the risks are at a destination and then taking appropriate precautions is the best way for an organization to support their people, enable business growth and deliver on Duty of Care.  Countries and regional travel security risks are rated ‘Extreme’, ‘High’, ‘Medium’, ‘Low’, or ‘Insignificant’. There are varying levels of travel security risks within countries. Mexico, Egypt, India, and Ukraine are examples of generally ‘Medium’ travel risk ratings, which have higher risk ratings in specific regions within that country. Countries are assigned a medical risk rating of ‘Low’, ‘Medium’, ‘High’, ’Very High’, or ‘Rapidly Developing Variable Risk’. The interactive map features drill-down capabilities to see specific zones within countries that have a higher travel security risk rating, and city/country search functionality. The interactive map is freely available to clients and media to embed in their websites and to share the information and educate travelers. https://www.internationalsos.com/risk-outlook ==================== Lastly, just a quick reminder that the ISDA has put together its annual Holiday Gift Guide for the executive protection and secure transportation professional. In the gift guide, we include recommended books, gear, and tech. To visit our gift guide go to https://isdacenter.org/giftguide ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, November 28, 2018 ====================== In Terrorism News From Insurance Business Magazine Chubb launches terrorism risk service for multinational businesses Chubb has announced the launch of a new service for multinational companies and large middle-market businesses. Chubb’s new Terrorism Risk Evaluation Services combines the company’s terrorism and political violence (PV) underwriting, risk engineering, global security, catastrophe modeling, and digital expertise.  Terrorism Risk Evaluation Services was developed after Chubb received feedback from corporate customers who wanted to better understand terrorism and PV exposures, the company said. Through the offering, Chubb aligns its expertise and data across a series of specialist areas. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/chubb-launches-terrorism-risk-service-for-multinational-businesses-117373.aspx   ====================== In Vehicle News From Engadget Lincoln's 2020 Aviator SUV kneels to greet its driver The Lincoln Motor Company is making its presence known at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, unveiling the latest iteration of its popular Aviator line of SUVs, along with its upgraded version dubbed the Grand Touring. https://www.engadget.com/2018/11/28/lincolns-2020-aviator-suv-kneels-to-greet-its-driver/ https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/28/2020-lincoln-aviator-crossover-400-horsepower-la-auto-show ====================== And from Autoblog GM Sales from Q1 to Q3 2018 compared to 2017 With GM closing a number of plants and killing off some of its vehicles as it restructures, Autoblog got curious about the sales figures for various models across its brands. Autoblog went to sales tracking website GoodCarBadCar and compiled GM vehicle sales figures in the US for Q1 through Q3 2018 There are 37 vehicles in total. I’ll mention a few of the more often used secure transportation vehicles Ranked 9th in sales with close to 80,000, the Chevrolet Tahoe is up 15% compared to 2017. Ranked 12 in sales with roughly 63,000, the GMC Acadia is down over 23% compared to 2017. Ranked 13th in sales with 49,000, the GMC Yukon is up close to 55% compared to 2017 numbers. Ranked 17th in sales with over 40,000, the Chevrolet Suburban is up 4% from 2017 numbers. And ranked 20th in sales with 26,000, the Cadillac Escalade is 67% compared to 2017. https://www.autoblog.com/photos/gm-vehicle-sales-q1-q3-2018/ ====================== In Security News From the DailyMail Taxpayers face a 6.3 million dollar security bill when Harry and Meghan move into their new cottage due to its 'exposed' location in Windsor Castle's grounds The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are renovating 19th-century Frogmore Cottage before moving there from Kensington Palace in the spring. Plans will already be being formulated about how to secure the cottage grounds, which in places are only separated from public roads by a six-foot wall. Former royal protection officer Ken Wharfe told The Mirror: 'The costs of building and security arrangements could balloon to $6.3 million in the first year. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6436247/Taxpayers-face-5MILLION-security-bill-Harry-Meghan-new-Windsor-cottage.html ====================== In Cyber Security News From ZDNet FBI dismantles gigantic ad fraud scheme operating across over one million IPs The FBI, Google, and 20 tech industry partners have collaborated to take down a giant cyber-criminal network involved in generating fake ad views and clicks that have been used to defraud ad networks and advertisers for the past four years and make millions in illicit revenue for the scheme's perpetrators. Besides a coordinated intervention to take down several of the criminal scheme's botnets, the US Department of Justice also announced a 13-count indictment against eight suspects believed to be behind this operation, three of whom are already under arrest and awaiting extradition to the US. https://www.zdnet.com/article/fbi-dismantles-gigantic-ad-fraud-scheme-operating-across-over-one-million-ips/ ==================== Lastly, just a quick reminder that we the ISDA has put together its annual Holiday Gift Guide for the executive protection and secure transportation professional. In the gift guide, we include recommended books, gear, and tech. To visit our gift guide go to https://isdacenter.org/giftguide ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, November 26, 2018 ====================== In Security News From NBC News Olympic swimmer Rowdy Gaines said scammers pretended to hold his daughter hostage Olympic swimmer Rowdy Gaines is issuing a warning after his family almost became victims of a virtual kidnapping scam when they received a disturbing phone call from a stranger saying his daughter was being held, hostage. The terrifying ordeal began Saturday when Gaines' daughter, Madison, received a phone call from a woman pretending to be with the "Colorado Police Department," the college student said in a lengthy Facebook Live video posted Monday. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/olympic-swimmer-rowdy-gaines-said-scammers-pretended-hold-his-daughter-n937296 ======================  In Vehicle News From Team O'Neil Rally School AWD vs 4WD The Real Difference All Wheel Drive and 4WD are distinctly different systems, meant for different purposes. With manufacturers marketing many different AWD systems on the market today, it's important to be savvy about what is true 4WD and what is really some flavor of all-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive means that the front and rear driveshafts are mechanically linked through a standard transfer case or locking differential, AWD systems vary greatly but all use some kind of center differential to divide drive between the front and rear axles. Can you drive it around a corner on pavement without a problem? If yes, then it is AWD. Here's more Wyatt from the Team O’Neil Rally School https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isDQ0hid5Vw ====================== In Cyber News From the International Security Driver Association It’s Cyber Monday If you’re not familiar with the term, Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States promoted by online retailers as a day for exceptional bargains. And speaking of bargains the ISDA has put together its annual Holiday Gift Guide for the executive protection and secure transportation professional. In the gift guide, we include recommended books, gear, and tech. To visit our gift guide go to https://isdacenter.org/giftguide ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.    Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, November 21, 2018   ====================== In Security News From Business Insider From hiding their mansions on Google Maps to building $500,000 panic rooms, rich people are sparing no expense to keep their lives private and secure In an age of constant connection, some of the ultrarich are reeling in the flashiness in the name of safety. "Privacy and safety are inextricably linked. There was a time when privacy concerns were primarily about financial loss, such as bank wire or credit-card fraud," Gary Howlin, the senior vice president at Gavin de Becker & Associates, which provides executive protection for wealthy people including clients in the Supreme Court and the CIA, told Business Insider. "Now, particularly with personal information readily available via the internet and social media sources, people are using what was once private information to learn where clients live — or information about their activities in order to seek personal encounters with them," Howlin said. https://www.thisisinsider.com/rich-people-spending-more-privacy-security-2018-11 ======================  In Cyber Security News From NextGov Newly Discovered Russian Hacking Tool Is Extra Sneaky Russian hackers have a newly discovered tool in their arsenal to access your computer. It's a piece of malicious software dubbed "Cannon" by researchers at Palo Alto Networks, who wrote about the hacking tool in a blog post on Tuesday. Once the malware is on your computer, it takes screenshots of your homepage and then uses your email account to send the images to the hackers—all without your knowledge. The Cannon software essentially becomes a spy camera living on your computer.   https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/11/newly-discovered-russian-hacking-tool-extra-sneaky/152956/ ==================== In Technology News From Government Technology Callyo’s i911 Gives Caller’s Location to First Responders The police tech startup’s website aims to skirt outdated infrastructure that doesn’t give public safety professionals accurate location data. The technology can use cell phone GPS to help locate the caller. Callyo, a startup that makes technology for public safety agencies, announced last month a free website where first responders can find accurate, real-time locations of 911 callers. According to the product website, Callyo’s i911.com will allow qualified first responders to create a free account and begin finding nearby calls for service within minutes, provided those calls come from mobile devices. By signing in and entering the mobile number of an emergency caller, an i911 user may be able to see the precise location of the caller’s device automatically, or they’ll have the option to send a text asking for the caller’s consent to share their exact whereabouts with emergency services. A news release said user data cannot be used for any non-emergency purpose, and only authorized first responders will have access to the user's location.   http://www.govtech.com/biz/Callyos-i911-Gives-Callers-Location-to-First-Responders.html ======================  Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great Thanksgiving. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, November 19, 2018 ====================== In Driving News From Axios Regulating the humans behind the wheel of autonomous vehicles The job of autonomous vehicle safety driver seems pretty easy: Get paid for sitting there while the car does all the work. But it's a challenging assignment and self-regulated by the companies testing AVs, so the rules are only beginning to emerge. Safety drivers are researchers' eyes and ears, chronicling every roadway encounter to make the technology better. But requiring drivers ‚Äî even specially trained ones ‚Äî to pay attention without actually driving is difficult, which is why many companies argue that full autonomy is the safest way to go. Last March, a pedestrian was struck and killed by an Uber-operated self-driving car in Tempe, Arizona. The human monitoring the vehicle was believed to be watching a television show on her phone. The accident prompted a review of procedures and expectations for human safety drivers. Without federal regulations for AVs — just general guidance — the U.S. Department of Transportation suggests states should be the ones to regulate safety drivers. For now, best practices are emerging from a handful of voluntary safety self-assessments submitted by companies to the DOT. Safety drivers typically work in pairs, one in the driver's seat monitoring the environment and the other riding shotgun with a laptop, monitoring the car's computing system and annotating the drive.   https://www.axios.com/autonomous-vehicles-safety-drivers-training-b1c8b0ed-a32f-4bfe-884d-81cc0d44c38a.html ========================= And from International Security Driver Association Facebook Page Recommendation As a Security Driver people expect you to know about cars. That is especially true at the high end of the profession. There is a great Facebook Page for those who enjoy cars and the science behind what makes them work. It is called Engineering Explained. The page has over 1.1 million followers. Some of the topics in the videos are best engines, engine components, driving and more. The page and YouTube channel by the same name (which has over 2 million subscribers) was created by Jason Fenske a mechanical engineer, who is interested in the evolution of technology in the automotive industry, and aspires to teach this technology to his viewers in a clear and concise manner. The website is howdoesacarwork.com https://www.facebook.com/EngineeringExplained/   ====================== In Security News From GovConWire Five Firms to Provide Security Support Services Under $4B Army Contract The U.S. Army has selected five companies to compete for orders under a potential six-year, $4B firm-fixed-price, multiple-award contract for the delivery of security support services. The service branch will assign work locations and funds with every order for work that would occur through Nov. 1, 2024, the Defense Department said Wednesday. The Army Contracting Command solicited for the contract’s services via a competitive process and attracted seven proposals. The five awarded firms include: Aegis Defense Services Janus Global Operations Reed International Sallyport Global Services Triple Canopy https://www.govconwire.com/2018/11/five-firms-to-provide-security-support-services-under-4b-contract/ ======================  And from NBC News Los Angeles  US Marshals Service Spending Millions on DeVos Security in Unusual Arrangement Education Secretary Betsy DeVos began receiving around-the-clock security from the U.S. Marshals Service days after being confirmed, an armed detail provided to no other cabinet member that could cost U.S. taxpayers $19.8 million through September of 2019, according to new figures provided by the Marshals Service to NBC News.    https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/politics/Betsy-DeVos-Security-Detail-Cost-500667191.html ==================== In Technology News From Officer.Com Smartphone Security Scanner 'Sees' Concealed Weapons and Explosives on a Person, Non-Invasively and in Real Time From a distance of up to 40 feet, security agents or law enforcement personnel can scan individuals in a crowd or an approaching person of interest simply by pointing their smartphone at them with the SWORD device attached. The urgent challenge for security personnel to noninvasively scan people in real time and in public to detect and “see” if they are carrying weapons or explosives without physically searching them will soon be solved with the launch of SWORD by Royal Holdings Technologies Corporation. Over 8,000 preorders for the SWORD device have already been received by Royal Holdings from corporate businesses in the United States.  https://www.officer.com/command-hq/technology/security-surveillance/press-release/21008197/royal-holdings-technologies-corp-smartphone-security-scanner-concealed-weapons-and-explosives-detection-noninvasively-in-real-time ====================== In Training News Protective / Evasive Driving Course - Miami, FL 12/7-9/2018 This world-class driving course is designed by and for executive protection agents and is also great for executive chauffeurs, security drivers and anyone wanting to gain knowledge and experience in evasive driving concepts, accident avoidance, and skid control - this course will increase your survivability and enhance your marketability in private sector protective services. For more information go to  https://www.lasorsa.com/training-schedule-registration/  ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Thursday, November 15, 2018 ====================== In Security News From NextGov Pentagon Researchers Test 'Worst-Case Scenario' Attack on U.S. Power Grid  Over 100 people gathered off the tip of Long Island this month to roleplay a cyber attack that takes out the U.S. electric grid for weeks on end. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency exercise, which took place from Nov. 1 to Nov. 7, was fictional, but it was designed to mimic all the hurdles and uncertainty of a real-world cyber attack that took out power across the nation for weeks on end–a scenario known as a “black start.” https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/11/pentagon-researchers-test-worst-case-scenario-attack-us-power-grid/152803/ ====================== In Technology News From GovTech Road Assessment App RoadBotics Raises $3.9M in Seed Funding RoadBotics, a company whose image-based app assesses road quality and damage, has raised $3.9 million in seed funding to continue expanding and improving, according to a news release Wednesday. RoadBotics uses a smartphone’s camera and deep learning-based image processing technology, the same system that moves autonomous vehicles, to collect and analyze roadway image data. When placed in a windshield with the app on and camera facing forward, a smartphone can collect image data and upload it to the RoadBotics platform, where deep-learning technology isolates the road from other parts of the image, assesses its condition and rates the surface. The rating is based on the presence, type and density of road surface features that pavement engineers would recognize during a visual inspection. The app then sends the results to an interactive online mapping platform called RoadWay. http://www.govtech.com/biz/Road-Assessment-App-RoadBotics-Raises-39M-in-Seed-Funding.html ====================== In Executive Protection News From Forbes The Challenge To Traditional Notions Of Leadership: Female Values The author of post, Katie Cooper, describes an incident that occurred on a Delta Airlines flight where a female doctor tried to assist a fellow passenger. Dr. Sanford was questioned by the flight attendants to prove that indeed she was a doctor. According to the author the Dr. didn’t seem to fit with the stereotype the flight attendants had on what a Dr. should look like. It made the author think of how many other professions are still predominantly white and male, and the recent criticism the BBC, in the UK, received for casting predominantly women in traditionally male roles, in its hugely successful drama ‘Bodyguard’. The author continues by saying that the traditional descriptors of the traits of a leader are those you might associate with a bodyguard: decisive, bold and courageous. However, this heroic, male-defined model is increasingly challenged and not necessarily what the close protection industry needs. Only 5.4% of bodyguards are female, and demand for their services outstrips supply - another example of outdated notions of occupational competence disrupting the supply chain? It was a female close protection officer who, with a certain quietude, led the Duchess of Sussex out of an overcrowded Fijian market earlier this month, on the British royal couple’s first official overseas tour, after the Duchess apparently expressed her discomfort at the unexpectedly large crowds. Meghan Markel’s female head of security has been praised for her calm, effective and distinctly unmacho response to the situation.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/katecooper/2018/11/14/the-challenge-to-traditional-notions-of-leadership-female-values/#44b735c27496 ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, November 13, 2018 ====================== In Security News From the Hollywood Reporter How Private Security Guards Protect Hollywood Kids at School In today's era of deadly school shootings, the recent massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue, explosive devices sent in the mail and the ever-invasive world of social media, parents in Hollywood are relying on private security to keep their kids safe on and offline — including in the classroom.  Top security firm Gavin de Becker and Associates (GDBA) has seen an increase in inquiries from schools and from clients with kids during the past year, because of recent shootings, threats and media coverage.   https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-private-security-guards-protect-hollywood-kids-at-school-1142479 ====================== And from Quartz The DEA and ICE are hiding surveillance cameras in streetlights The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have hidden an undisclosed number of covert surveillance cameras inside streetlights around the country, federal contracting documents reveal. According to government procurement data, the DEA has paid a Houston, Texas company called Cowboy Streetlight Concealments LLC roughly $22,000 since June 2018 for “video recording and reproducing equipment.” ICE paid out about $28,000 to Cowboy Streetlight Concealments over the same period of time. It’s unclear where the DEA and ICE streetlight cameras have been installed, or where the next deployments will take place. ICE offices in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio have provided funding for recent acquisitions from Cowboy Streetlight Concealments; the DEA’s most recent purchases were funded by the agency’s Office of Investigative Technology, which is located in Lorton, Virginia.  https://qz.com/1458475/the-dea-and-ice-are-hiding-surveillance-cameras-in-streetlights/ =====================  In Travel News From World Aware Keeping up your daily medication regime while traveling is integral to maintaining good health. Medication laws vary substantially worldwide, and it is important to know the best way to enter a new country with potentially regulated drugs and if they are allowable. Keep the following in mind when traveling: Thorough documentation may be necessary to clear customs. Not all medication may be available for refill. Advanced consultation with medical providers and research into your destination are necessary prior to embarking to ensure compliance and access to medicines that keep you well.     https://www.worldaware.com/resources/blog/traveling-internationally-medications ====================  In Driving News From i24 News Netanyahu's son sues former driver for taping scandalous remarks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son is suing his former driver over $270,000 ($1 million shekels) for recording remarks made outside of a Tel Aviv strip club that ignited scandal last January.On Sunday, Yair Netanyahu filed a suit with the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court against Roy Rosen, a former driver of the Prime Minister’s Residence, for defamation and violation of privacy, also claiming that the wiretapping was illegal. Yair Netanyahu came under fire after Israeli media made public a recording where he's heard asking for cash from a friend whose father, he suggests, has benefited enormously from Netanyahu's passing a multi-billion dollar gas deal through the Knesset. The exchange, where Yair says he needs the money to pay for a sex worker, reportedly took place in 2015 outside a Tel Aviv strip club in an armored, state-funded car, in the presence of a driver and a security detail, according to Israeli media outlet Hadashot.   https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/188451-181111-netanyahu-s-son-sues-former-driver-for-taping-scandalous-remarks  ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Friday, November 9, 2018 ======================  In Vehicle News From Autoblog Lincoln Aviator warning and alert sounds are played by an orchestra Lincoln used members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to create alert chimes for its new Aviator SUV. Luxury manufacturers are always looking for more ways to increase the level of ambiance, and Lincoln went so far as to contract some of the best musicians in the world to create a more comfortable atmosphere.  These chimes will represent warnings for things like an open fuel door, unbuckled seat belt, the lowering of the power liftgate and plenty more. It's not a bad day when leaving your headlights on or door open lead to a pleasant musical sound coming from your speakers. All the sounds seem appropriate for their particular functions and do sound more pleasing than the normal alerts. https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/05/lincoln-aviator-warning-sounds-orchestra-official/ ====================== In Security News On-air Personalities Getting Armed Security President Trump's relentless attacks on CNN have forced the network to take extreme measures -- offering armed security to on-air talent who have reason to fear for their safety.  CNN executives offered reporters and anchors who have been targets of President Trump around-the-clock protection. The logic is simple ... there are Trump fanatics who believe the President when he calls the media and certain reporters "the enemy of the people," and the fear is that they will take violent action.    http://www.tmz.com/2018/11/09/cnn-anchors-reporters-trump-don-lemon-jim-acosta-armed-security/   And from Business Insider Time is a CEO's most valuable resource — here are all the people the .01% hire to keep their households running smoothly For those who can afford to, hiring help — from assistants to nannies to chauffeurs — can make life a lot easier. Business Insider spoke with David Youdovin, the founder and CEO of Hire Society, a recruitment firm that helps high-net-worth individuals and families in New York City, the Hamptons, and Palm Beach, staff their homes and businesses.  Here a few positions from the list Chief of Staff with a salary range of $200,000 – to 500,000 Estate Manager with a Salary range: $150,000 - $300,000 Executive assistant with a Salary range: $90,000 - $200,000 Nanny with a salary range of 65,000 – 185,000 Chauffeur/Driver with a salary range of 80,000 – 100,000 And Executive Protection with a salary range of 90,000 – 125,000 https://www.pulse.ng/bi/finance/time-is-a-ceos-most-valuable-resource-here-are-all-the-people-the-01-hire-to-keep-their-households-running-smoothly-id9085245.html ==================== In Technology News From CBS news Philadelphia Archbishop Wood High School Becomes First Place In World To Install AI Security Camera Here’s CBS News reporter Alexa Hoff with the story https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/video/3974147-archbishop-wood-high-school-becomes-first-place-in-world-to-install-ai-security-camera/ ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available on the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, November 7, 2018  ======================  In Vehicle News From Wired.Com AUDI'S A8 SEDAN ROLLS WITH THE PUNCHES TO MAKE T-BONE CRASHES SAFER OF ALL THE things that can ruin a nice drive in your brand new luxury sedan, few are as reliably cringe-inducing as failing to notice a speed bump until your front wheels make first contact. The jarring thwack and screeching scrape give way to regret and embarrassment, often underscored by spilled coffee and peeved passengers. If you’re driving Audi’s new A8, though, you need no longer worry about such red-cheeked moments. Even if you don’t see the impending bump, one of the $84,000 sedan’s cameras will. In the space of 300 milliseconds, the car’s optional “Predictive Active Suspension” system uses electric actuators to essentially lift each wheel just as the obstacle arrives. The car itself stays level. Audi created this to smooth the annoying jolts that come with driving on roads that are rarely as smooth as anyone would like. The resulting glide-like ride quality is just one of the tricks enabled by the 24 sensors that Audi’s engineers built into the A8, including cameras, radars, and the first lidar laser scanner to make it into a production vehicle.   https://www.wired.com/story/audi-a8-active-safety-features/   ====================== And from Bloomberg News Rental Cars Are Making You Happier at the Airport When it comes to the travel trio of airports, airlines and rental cars, the latter is the clear consumer favorite these days, according to a customer survey by J.D. Power. Satisfaction with renting a car rose to an industry average of 830 points on the market-research firm’s 1,000-point rating system, a slight increase from 2017, the company said in a statement Wednesday. That was the highest mark ever reached in the survey’s 23-year history, J.D. Power said. The perceived value of the deal—better cars paired with rental costs that haven’t increased much in recent years—appears to be playing a large role in travelers’ improved mood at the airport, said Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s travel practice lead.   https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-07/rental-cars-are-making-you-happier-at-the-airport ====================== In Security News From the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism Far-Right Fatal Ideological Violence against Religious Institutions and Individuals in the United States: 1990-2018 Following the Oct. 27, 2018 shooting at a Jewish Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, START researchers compiled background information from the United States Extremist Crime Database (ECDB) on ideologically motivated, fatal far-right violence in the United States, generally, and far-right extremist homicides and plots related to religion and religious institutions, specifically.   https://www.start.umd.edu/pubs/START_ECDB_FarRightFatalIdeologicalViolenceAgainstReligiousTargets1990-2018_Oct2018.pdf ==================== In Technology News The Roadside Hero 9 in 1 Multi-Function Solar Powered Car Emergency Flashlight Tool with Window Breaker, Seat Belt Cutter, Compass & Flashlight for Travel and Emergencies The Roadside HERO™ will most likely become the best and most useful tool you've ever owned. Your flashlight collection is not complete without this solar powered multi-function survival flashlight with hammer, belt cutter, magnet, compass, and power bank. It can be used as a regular 3-mode 200 lumen standard flashlight, 10 LED bright white work light light, or red emergency SOS light. The unique tip has a belt cutter, hammer (for breaking glass in case of an emergency) and a magnet to mount the flashlight. The solar panel allows you to get endless power to its built in 2000mah 18650 battery. This flashlight also doubles as a power bank to charge your USB devices. This is the perfect item to keep in the car, home, and go bag. Features: Shockproof Main Light: 200 Lumen Flashlight (3W LED) (High, Low & Strobe) Side White 2835x10 (150 Lumens) (High, Low) Side Red 2835x10 620x625 wavelength (Fast Strobe, Slow Strobe) Emergency Hammer / Glass Breaker Belt / Rope Cutter Magnet for mounting Dual Charging Modes: 5W 50ma Solar Panel & 5V Micro USB (Power In) Compass 5V/1A USB Power Bank (Power Out) 2000mAH 18650 Internal Battery https://amzn.to/2qxXJjl ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the SecurityDriver.Com website. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, November 5, 2018 ====================== In Vehicle News From Motor Authority Jaguar Land Rover develops tech to combat motion sickness Future Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will help passengers avoid motion sickness as the brands announced on Wednesday that new research has helped engineers understand how to keep nausea at bay while traveling. The brands' motion-sickness research has helped create an algorithm to gauge the condition of passengers in the car. A "wellness score" takes many variables into account and provides a final determination to understand when passengers begin to feel sick.   https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1119708_jaguar-land-rover-develops-tech-to-combat-motion-sickness ====================== And from Consumer Reports How to Clear Up a Foggy Car Windshield Car windows can quickly steam up in winter when moisture in the warm cabin air creates condensation. To clear a foggy car windshield and/or windows, make sure your climate control system is in fresh-air mode (running it in recirculation mode will cause moisture to accumulate). And although it might seem counterintuitive, you should turn your car's air conditioning on. It will dehumidify the air, which will reduce the chances of a foggy car windshield. Plus setting it to a high temperature should keep the car toasty, too. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/how-to-clear-up-foggy-car-windshield-windows/ ====================== In Security News From the International Public Safety Association Assaults Against First Responders: InfoBrief This International Public Safety Association InfoBrief examines publicly available national data regarding assaults against law enforcement, firefighters, EMS providers and K9 officers. i It sheds light on the current national level reporting systems, recent legislative action to combat the issue and protect first responders, and concludes with a section about scene safety, situational awareness and de-escalation techniques. This InfoBrief does not discuss fatal assaults. While assaults against first responders are not new in the public safety profession, they are seemingly becoming more serious with each passing year. A quick web search will illustrate assaults against first responders that are nationally occurring.    https://www.joinipsa.org/resources/Publications/International%20Public%20Safety%20Association%20InfoBrief%20-%20Assaults%20Against%20First%20Responders%20-%20July%202018.pdf ==================== In Driving News From eDriving.Com Driver safety tips for the end of DST The end of Daylight Savings Time (DST) means drivers will soon be spending more time on the roads during hours of darkness. And, with National Safety Council research showing that the risk of a fatal crash is three times greater at night, it’s important for drivers to be aware of how to maintain their safety on the roads as DST comes to an end. Many drivers who are used to traveling home from work in the daylight can suddenly find themselves driving home in the dark. And while, initially, the mornings are lighter, before long many drivers will find themselves traveling in the dark both in the morning and the evening. For those who need to navigate rush hour traffic every day, this increase in darkness adds further risk to a situation that is already a potentially hazardous one. Research tells us that the number of recorded injury crashes increases in the weeks following the end of DST. There are many potential reasons for this including reduced visibility in the dark, the impact of darkness on driver alertness and the impact of darkness on depth perception and peripheral vision. https://www.edriving.com/three60/driver-safety-tips-for-the-end-of-dst/ ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, October 31st, 2018 ====================== In Vehicle News From SecurityDriver.Com Cold Weather and Tire Pressure Cold weather does more than bring out ice scrapers and antifreeze. It can trigger a vehicle’s tire-pressure-monitoring system overnight, sending nervous drivers to dealers and service centers. For example, about 20 customers visited a Chevrolet dealership because their tire-pressure-warning icons were illuminated. Here’s why a cold snap affects tire pressure and sets off the tire-pressure-monitoring system (TPMS) warning lamp. http://securitydriver.com/12/cold-weather-and-tire-pressure/ ====================== And from CNS News State Dept.: 60% of 'Mishaps' Involving U.S. Armored Vehicles Overseas Were Preventable Professional chauffeurs and other drivers of armored vehicles for overseas State Department personnel should undergo mandatory safe-driving training, the State Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) said in a newly released report. https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/state-dept-773-mishaps-involving-us-armored-vehicles-overseas-60-were ======================  In Security News From the NYU Dispatch The rising trends of personal security in the 21st century In today’s modern world, the issue of personal security can be a dividing one. With advances in technology, advanced security tactics are more accessible than ever. But how much security is too much security? Where is the line drawn? The reality is that in today’s highly technological accessible world, personal security has come to the forefront as an important issue, and even a necessity. And many of the people who are falling victim to breaches of personal security are high profile figures, such as TV and movie stars, sports personalities, political figures, wealthy individuals and business executives. https://wp.nyu.edu/dispatch/2018/10/27/the-rising-trends-of-personal-security-in-the-21st-century/ ====================  In Driving News Driving Overseas: Best Practices Report From OSAC With the rising costs of air travel and an increasing desire for independent, self-guided travel, many people consider self-driving while overseas. In many countries, U.S. drivers will experience a stark contrast to the customs, courtesies, and practices experienced on U.S. roads. In many parts of the world, the level of drivers’ education varies; therefore, people can simply buy a license or drive unlicensed. Corrupt officials and petty criminals also capitalize on roadways around the world by using minor, intentional accidents, irregular law enforcement, or manipulation of a foreigner’s inexperience and short stay to solicit bribes or to commit crimes.  Taking precautions and researching driving and security conditions before departure will allow OSAC constituents to evaluate the challenges and opportunities associated with self-driving and determine if it is an appropriate means of transportation. The report gives guidance and best practices on renting vehicles, emergency assistance, Highway lane use and courtesies, signage marking, law enforcement practices,  and crimes that target rental vehicles. https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=17945 ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, October 30th, 2018  ====================== In Vehicle News From The Truth About Cars Automakers Ready to Rock When New NHTSA Headlight Rules Arrive The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced earlier this month that it was willing to considering changing the rules that govern automobile headlights. Now in a comment period before its official review, the proposal would permit automakers to install and enable adaptive driving beam headlights on new cars sold in the United States. While some automakers are preparing themselves for the change, most have been ready for ages. For years, automakers have asked the NHTSA to modify headlight regulations to include an allowance for the adaptive illumination that’s already popular in other parts of the world.   https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/10/nhtsa-proposes-new-headlight-rules-automakers-ready-to-rock/ ====================== And from Digital Trends With benefits — and risks — software updates are coming to the car Are you ready to have your car regularly updated like your smartphone? Well, get ready because it’s happening. From dashboards to door locks, cars are about to become as changeable as your iPhone’s home screen. Automatic over-the-air updates have been happening for years on laptops, phones, even TVs. But in the automotive industry, it’s been relatively rare. Tesla was a significant exception.   Over-the-air updates can also be used to enable some remarkable improvements and changes in a vehicle, from making transmission adjustments to tweaking performance and fuel efficiency. They can even be used to adjust brake responsiveness. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/over-the-air-software-updates-cars-pros-cons/ ======================   In Terrorism News From the Pacific Standard A LOOK INTO THE EVIDENCE THAT 'LONE WOLF' TERRORISTS ARE A PACK Studies find that many of them connect with like-minded believers online and broadcast their ideology and intentions before they act. America is reeling as the country grapples with the homegrown terrorist acts and hate crimes of the last few weeks. First, Democratic politicians and donors and the network CNN received homemade pipe bombs in the mail. Then, last weekend, a gunman entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh, while people were gathered for a baby-naming ceremony. He killed 11 people and injured an additional six. The federal criminal complaint against him says he afterward told a SWAT team member he wanted "all Jews to die." Investigators are still collecting evidence in these cases, and it's possible that details will emerge that place the suspects within larger terror or hate networks. However, so far, what the public knows is that only one person has been charged with each crime. If the suspects turn out to be so-called "lone wolf" terrorists, they'll join many others. As David M. Perry argued in Pacific Standard earlier this year, a number of recent white supremacist lone-wolf killers have subscribed to related, hateful ideology. "They're reading the same websites, talking to each other, and killing the same targets," as Perry put it. "The lone wolves are actually a pack." The research bears him out. Although, by definition, lone-wolf terrorists don't belong to formal organizations, a few large recent studies have sought to find trends and commonalities between them. Here are some highlights on what we know about lone perpetrators of terror.  https://psmag.com/news/a-look-into-the-evidence-that-lone-wolf-terrorists-are-a-pack ==================== ISDA Product Spotlight CrashSafe 6-in-1 Car Safety Device From the product description CrashSafe's 6-in-1 features were designed to help you in unexpected incidents on the road. Use the built-in powerful LED torch or flashing red emergency beacon for nighttime emergencies. In case you're trapped due to flooding or fire use the seat belt cutter and window breaker to free yourself. CrashSafe is always within reach because it plugs into your cigarette lighter outlet and also doubles as a car phone charger and portable power bank. It also comes with a LED flashlight and a flashing red beacon.  It’s available on Amazon with a price of $49. https://amzn.to/2Jr3JTF ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.   ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, October 29th, 2018  ======================  In Vehicle News From MIT Technology Review Uber and Lyft are behind a sharp rise in US traffic deaths The rise of ride-sharing services has increased traffic deaths by 2% to 3% in the US since 2011, equivalent to as many as 1,100 mortalities a year, according to a new study from the University of Chicago and Rice University.   https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/612346/uber-and-lyft-are-behind-a-sharp-rise-in-us-traffic-deaths/ ====================== In Travel News From BBC News Lion Air crash: Boeing 737 plane crashes in sea off Jakarta A Lion Air Boeing 737 passenger plane with 189 people on board has crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Flight JT 610 was headed for Pangkal Pinang, in the Bangka Belitung Islands, when it lost contact. Rescuers have recovered some remains and there is no sign of survivors.  "The plane crashed into water about 30m to 40m deep," Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Yusuf Latif told AFP news agency. Rescuers have recovered bodies from the sea and families are being told to go to hospital to identify the dead. Items belonging to passengers have also been found in the water, including baby shoes, ID cards and luggage. Flight JT 610 took off from Jakarta at 06:20 local time on Monday morning (23:30 GMT on Sunday).   It was due to arrive at Depati Amir airport in Pangkal Pinang an hour later but 13 minutes into the flight, authorities lost contact with the plane. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46014463 ====================== In Driving News From MIT Technology Review Should a self-driving car kill the baby or the grandma? Depends on where you’re from The infamous “trolley problem” was put to millions of people in a global study, revealing how much ethics diverge across cultures. In 2014 researchers at the MIT Media Lab designed an experiment called Moral Machine. The idea was to create a game-like platform that would crowdsource people’s decisions on how self-driving cars should prioritize lives in different variations of the “trolley problem.” In the process, the data generated would provide insight into the collective ethical priorities of different cultures.  The researchers never predicted the experiment’s viral reception. Four years after the platform went live, millions of people in 233 countries and territories have logged 40 million decisions, making it one of the largest studies ever done on global moral preferences. A new paper published in Nature presents the analysis of that data and reveals how much cross-cultural ethics diverge on the basis of culture, economics, and geographic location.   https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612341/a-global-ethics-study-aims-to-help-ai-solve-the-self-driving-trolley-problem/ ======================  In Terrorism News From the Guardian MI5 to take over in fight against rise of UK rightwing extremism Security service to handle intelligence gathering then inform police to take action MI5 is to take the lead in combating extreme rightwing terrorism amid mounting fears that white supremacists are increasing their efforts to foment violent racial conflict on Britain’s streets, The Guardian has learned. The switch from the police – which has always previously taken responsibility for monitoring far-right extremism – to MI5 means that the ideology will now sit in the same portfolio as Islamist terrorism and Northern Ireland-related terrorism, which are both covered by the domestic security service. The decision also means that extreme rightwing activity will now be officially designated as posing a major threat to national security.   https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/28/mi5-lead-battle-against-uk-rightwing-extremists-police-action ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Friday, October 26th, 2018 ====================== In Vehicle News From Consumer Reports Vehicle Reliability Survey Consumer Reports just announced the results of its Annual Auto Survey based on data on reliability collected from the vehicles of over 500,000 Consumer Reports members. From this data, Consumer Reports can let shoppers know which vehicles are likely to have troublesome turbocharged engines, infuriating infotainment systems, and taxing transmissions, among other problems. Consumer Reports’ list is made up of 29 car manufacturers and points out each brand’s most unreliable and reliable vehicle. The survey reinforces our recommendation that consumers should avoid brand-new or redesigned models and wait a year or two until the automaker has had the chance to work out the kinks and headaches that often arise. The top 5 most unreliable vehicles are the Volvo S90 which suffered from display screen freezes; problems with the climate system and interior cabin rattles along with complaints about engine knocking or pinging, followed by the Cadillac ATS, Tesla Model x, Dodge Ram 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500 Heavy Duty. Looking at the reliability score of a few of the most common Executive Vehicles The 2019 Lexus LS has a score of 69, a road test score of 72 out of 100, with a reliability score of 3 out 5, and owner satisfaction of 4 out 5 The 2019 Genesis G90 has an overall score of 72, a road test score of 89 out of 100, with a reliability score of 2 out 5 with reported problems in the areas of body hardware and power equipment, and an owner satisfaction of 5 out 5. The 2019 Audi A8 does not have an overall score as of yet, however the reliability score is 3 out 5, and the owner satisfaction of 4 out 5. The 2019 Chevrolet Suburban has an overall score of 69, a road test score of 74 out of 100, a reliability score of 3 out 5, and owner satisfaction of 4 out 5. The 2019 Lincoln Navigator has an overall score of 60, a road test score of 65 out of 100, a reliability score of 3 out 5, with an owner satisfaction rate of 4 out 5. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars/ ====================== In Security News From CNN Investigators search Florida mail facility for clues to bombmaker The nationwide manhunt for the person or people who sent 10 potential bombs to critics of President Donald Trump and CNN's office in New York led authorities to a mail facility in South Florida on Thursday night. Several of the packages went through a US Postal facility in Opa-locka, Florida, two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation said. On Thursday night, the Miami-Dade County Police Department said it was assisting federal agents who were at the facility as part of the ongoing investigation. https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/26/politics/bombs-clinton-obama-waters-biden/index.html ====================== And from ISDA Member Bill Peeler, CEO, and owner of Peeler Group International Bombs and Bomb Threats – A Refresher As a professional you depend on our training and not your emotions. In the past couple of days, we have observed the location of at least nine explosive devices in the United States. As with any situation where aggressive behavior is displayed through terroristic acts or violent threats, emotions are charged. As my good friend, Dr. Richard Kobetz would say, “it’s an old bottle of wine with a new label”. To this end we adjust our methods of mitigation in these situations as required by contemporary times, having said this, we still look to historical protocols that have worked and we stick with them. So, to assist with focusing on what matters I thought I would provide a quick refresher as to what anyone should be aware of and what you should be doing on a daily basis. Bill’s article also includes a Bomb Threat Caller checklist and a Suspicious package checklist http://www.peelergroup.com/bombs-and-bomb-threats-a-refresher/ ====================== In Cyber Security News From Security Magazine Phishing Attacks up by 297 Percent in Q3 2018 A report illustrates how cybercriminals are increasingly targeting retailers and their customers through digital and social channels as retailers leverage new channels  for increased revenue opportunities "The Retail and eCommerce Threat Landscape Report (October 2018), notes a 297 percent rise in the number of false retailer websites designed to "phish" for customer credentials. In Q3 alone there was an average of 23 phishing sites per company, which is a significant increase from 2017, which averaged 5.9 phishing attacks per company. In addition, says the report, there was a 278 percent rise in stolen goods listed on black markets for resale. Even more: an average of 22.1 internal login pages or development servers exposed per retail company in 2018. When accessed this gives cybercriminals a portal into the retailer's internal network   Fake apps and social media profiles are on the rise with a 469 percent spike in suspicious applications and a 345 percent increase in fake social media profiles (respectively) in Q4 2017    https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/89512-phishing-attacks-up-by-297-percent-in-q3-2018 ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Thursday, October 25th, 2018 ====================== In Vehicle News From Ars Technica How driver-assist tech can result in a $5,000 fender-bender Cars with advanced driver-assistance technology are more expensive to repair than their less-autonomous counterparts, according to a study by AAA. What would have been relatively inexpensive bodywork due to a fender bender may end up costing two and a half times as much to repair, due to the location of cameras along with ultrasonic and radar sensors. "Advanced safety systems are much more common today, with many coming as standard equipment, even on base models,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “It’s critical that drivers understand what technology their vehicle has, how it performs and how much it could cost to repair should something happen." It's not just the parts, either. A rock hitting your windshield will require the camera used for adaptive cruise control to be recalibrated. And you'll likely have to pay more for the replacement windshield, as some manufacturers have more stringent standards for optical clarity. What would otherwise be a $500 windshield replacement can end up costing as much as $1,500. AAA has broken down some of the extra costs for cars with advanced driver-assist technology: Front radar sensors used with automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control systems: $900 to $1,300 Rear radar sensors used with blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert systems: $850 to $2,050 Front camera sensors used with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keeping systems (does not include the cost of a replacement windshield): $850 to $1,900 Front, side mirror, or rear camera sensors used with around-view systems: $500 to $1,100 Front or rear ultrasonic sensors used with parking assist systems: $500 to $1,300 https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/10/why-driver-assist-tech-can-lead-to-the-5000-fender-bender/ ====================== In Security News From Huffington Post How Investigators Will Work To Find Out Who’s Behind The Bomb Scare Pipe bombs were sent to several prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. From Washington to New York to Florida to Los Angeles, the authorities intercepted a wave of crudely built devices that were contained in manila envelopes. In the center of Manhattan, the Time Warner Center was evacuated because of a pipe bomb sent to CNN, which has its New York offices there. It was addressed to John Brennan, a critic of President Trump who served as Obama's CIA director. Pipe bombs were also intercepted in Florida and Los Angeles. The devices stashed in manila envelopes and mailed nationwide targeted top Democrats two weeks before the midterm elections. The bombs found this week were intended for at least seven officials, including Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). Law enforcement officials have also tracked down another suspicious package sent to former Vice President Joe Biden, and the FBI says additional packages may have been mailed to other locations. None of the bombs detonated and no one was injured.  The packages contained pipe bombs that appear to have been made with relatively rudimentary materials. Authorities have confirmed that a number of them contained explosive powder. There is no shortage of theories about who might be behind the plot. Instead of relying on conjecture, investigators will be looking for clear evidence to help them nail down a culprit, said David Chipman, a former ATF agent who worked on the 1993 World Trade Center attack and the Oklahoma City bombing and now serves as senior policy adviser at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. It’s not yet clear if the devices recovered this week will contain that sort of calling card, or whether the investigation will end up supporting claims that this was indeed a deliberate act of political terror against liberal political figures. Whatever authorities uncover, the plot is deeply concerning, said Chipman. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bomb-scare-investigation-evidence_us_5bd0af0fe4b055bc9487a922 ====================== In Terrorism News From Palm Beach Daily News Terrorism talk kicks off World Affairs Council season You have a better chance of being struck by lightning twice than being killed by a terrorist. That was what Georgia State University professor Mia Bloom informed a crowd of 115 people Tuesday at The Colony at the season-opening event for the World Affairs Council of Palm Beach. In her discussion, “Small Arms: Children in Terrorism,” Bloom covered a variety of topics, including the indoctrination of women and children, often called “cubs,” into terrorism; how the general population fetishizes terrorism; and and the motivations for recruiting women into terrorist groups. Her research on the last subject, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, with John Horgan will be published in their book, also called “Small Arms,” due out May 15. In addition to teaching communication and Middle East studies, Bloom monitors terrorist groups on social media and how they are recruiting people. Using her knowledge of Arabic, she has been able to create anonymous accounts and post on social media, she said. Bloom pointed out that 30 to 40 percent of ISIS messaging is positive, and that many women who end up getting involved are not in prison or involved in gangs. “Terrorists play on people’s altruistic tendencies,” she said. “People join because they think they’re going to help people.” Once these women see the real mission and realize this isn’t what they signed up for, they end up getting killed, she said. According to Bloom, the face of terrorism was male for a long time, but it has changed. Leftist organizations such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army were recruiting women as early as the 1970s, serving mainly as front-line activists. Nowadays, women can play roles in all levels of a terrorist organization, whether they’re logisticians, fundraisers or online recruiters.   https://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/20181025/terrorism-talk-kicks-off-world-affairs-council-season ====================== In Business of Executive Protection News From Strategic Marketing Solutions Cyfe – The All in One Business Dashboard Cyfe is an all in one dashboard for your business that connects to tens of different data connections. If you’re like me and you find yourself logging in and out of multiple websites, searching for at data, observing analytics, watching social media, maintaining your invoicing and your accounting software.  You have multiple tabs open trying to find all the data that you need on a daily basis. Well, I think you’ll be very happy with Cyfe.  Social media, finance, Emails, and even RSS feeds from your favorite reader. All in one place! No more having to have multiple tabs open. Logging in and out of several different websites a day. Cyfe can do it all for you! You’ll need to create an account, with the free account you get 2 dashboards with five widgets each.  However, with a free account, you won’t be able to access some of the data connections. After logging in you’ll see a blank area. The first step is to create a dashboard. The second step is to create your widgets for that dashboard. Cyfe widget categories are: Advertising Blogging Custom Email Monitoring Other Sales & Finance SEO Social Media Support Web Analytics There are over 80 widgets that you can put data into your dashboards. For instance, you can connect your favorite Email Management client such as Mailchimp. To set your data connection you will need to connect your Mail Management tool by giving Cyfe permission to access your Mail account. Note: Data connections will open a pop-up window, so be sure to accept pop-ups for Cyfe. Once connected you can select if you would want a specific mail campaign or list. Selecting list will show a chart with list growth. You can arrange the widget anywhere on your dashboard and have it be any size. For my testing a connected to AdSense, Mailchimp, Google Trends, Facebook Pages, and Stripe – combining 5 different websites that I would access on a weekly basis. You can position the widgets anywhere on the dashboard as well as minimize and expand the size. Now the other question you might have is, well this is great for me but how do I share the information and data with my team? You can export an entire dashboard or just an individual widget. You can export the data in various formats such as PDF or CSV. Another great feature is the ability to create public URLs of read-only dashboards that you can share with anyone. Cyfe also has the ability to schedule emails. This is a great feature when you’re emailing to clients with specific reports. This is one of those products that is a must for the protection professional.  It is a freemium pricing model.  With a free account you are limited to 5 widgets and one dashboard. The paid option is $19/mo. or $168/yr. https://larrysnow.me/cyfe-one-business-dashboard/ ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, October 24th, 2018  ======================  In Executive Protection News From New York Times Explosive Devices Found in Mail Sent to Hillary Clinton and Obama Two explosive devices were found in mail sent to the offices of former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Secret Service said Wednesday. The devices were similar to one found on Monday at the home of the billionaire philanthropist George Soros, two law enforcement officials said. In a statement, the Secret Service said it “has intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to Secret Service protectees,” who were identified as Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama. The device addressed to Mrs. Clinton in Westchester County was found late on Tuesday by a Secret Service technician who screens mail for her office, the statement said. The package addressed to Mr. Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington DC early on Wednesday. “The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such,” the statement said. “The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.” The statement said the agency had “initiated a full scope criminal investigation that will leverage all available federal, state, and local resources to determine the source of the packages and identify those responsible.”   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/nyregion/clinton-obama-explosive-device.html ====================== In Vehicle News From NextGov DHS Funds Tech That Lets Emergency Vehicles Talk to Nearby Cars Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics have no time to waste when responding to emergencies, and the Homeland Security Department wants to keep everyone safe as they speed to the scene. The department awarded a $1.1 million contract to a Chicago-based startup to flesh out cellular technology that automatically notifies drivers when they’re in the vicinity of police cars, firetrucks, and ambulances. The system, developed by HAAS Alert, could ultimately reduce the number of collisions involving emergency response vehicles, saving both lives and dollars. Vehicle collisions are one of the biggest dangers first responders face in the line of duty.   https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2018/10/dhs-funds-tech-lets-emergency-vehicles-talk-nearby-cars/152243/ ====================== In Business of Executive Protection News From Strategic Marketing Solutions Copy, Paste, and Hope is Not a Marketing Strategy People want to interact and communicate with you and your business on social media. They want to be inspired and know your story. With the amount of stuff being shared on social media networks you have to make a concerted effort to stand out from the minutia. Don’t just copy, paste and hope that someone clicks on what you are selling. Audiences, friends, colleagues, potential customers, and clients are all bombarded by this minutia and these posts are just simply scrolled by because the tweets and posts were uninteresting, boring, ho-hum. The messages didn’t tell them the why. Why should I buy your service/product; why should I take the training. Instead, it is simply blah. This is rampant everywhere on social media. Usually, businesses who copy, paste and hope get frustrated and give up, and are the biggest complainers and naysayers that social media marketing doesn’t work. Changing the Mindset Change the mindset and get out of the copy, paste and hope ditch. Ask yourself these questions before, after, and during your social media marketing efforts. What is my overall social media marketing strategy? What is my strategy for this particular network? Is it likes, leads. sales, customers, etc. What are my social media goals? Is this the right network to post this? Am I reaching the right market? Why should anyone care about this post? Is this post engaging, thoughtful and convey the why? What is the objective of this post? Does my post have a call to action – what do I want people to do? Why is this post important to my market, client, and customers? Does it provide value? Provide Context Our average focused attention span is 8 seconds, down 4 seconds from 14 years ago. To put that in perspective, our attention span is less than a gnat and a goldfish! What is it that holds our attention for those 8 seconds on a tweet, a post or a page? It is context. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary context is defined as the words that are used with a certain word or phrase and that help to explain its meaning. The image, video, or message in that post or tweet affects you in some way – emotionally or cognitively. You can relate or understand the message immediately. It clicks. For example, a Vine video about a dog doing crazy tricks grabs your attention because you love animals or you have a dog and want it to do those tricks or even simply because it is funny. Because of context, you are more apt to click the like button and share the message. Context is the story that adds relevancy to your message. Understand the medium Each social media network is very, very different even though they are starting to look and act the same. Images might work best on Facebook and Pinterest but to be successful you also have to understand the demographics in each medium. For instance, Pinterest users are primarily women who are interested in purchasing or wanting a particular product whereas Facebook is more for social interaction with friends, family, and colleagues. So the images could be completely different. Further Recommendations Focus on the end user that will see the post, not your own ego Give quality, insightful information away for free – and do it often. Stop selling and start telling your story. Be creative. Think beyond copy, paste and hope boredom.  https://larrysnow.me/copy-paste-hope-not-marketing-strategy/ ==================== In Recommended Reading for Protection Professionals Targeted Violence: A Statistical and Tactical Analysis of Assassinations, Contract Killings, and Kidnappings Authored by Glenn P. McGovern and written in 2011, Drawn from case examples of incidents from around the world, Targeted Violence: A Statistical and Tactical Analysis of Assassinations, Contract Killings, and Kidnappings is the most complete resource of information on the attack methodologies, tactics used, and groups responsible for targeted killings and kidnappings. The author, a former SWAT and JTTF team member—whose experience includes providing protection to diplomats, high-ranking military personnel, prosecutors, and organized crime informants—presents a wealth of global statistics on assassinations, contract killings, and kidnappings that have occurred from 1950 to the present. Leaving no stone unturned, the book breaks down the various incidents of targeted violence by region, country, month, day of the week, and time of day. It reports on likely locations for each type of attack, success rates, who is likely to initiate the attacks, and who they are most likely to target. The book’s easy-to-follow format allows readers, experienced or not in personal protective work, to determine the types of attacks known to have occurred in any region. This complete reference includes 35 case studies that examine attacks on motorcades and pedestrians dating back to 1973—highlighting the lessons to be learned from each example. It analyzes the modus operandi of individual assailants and groups in order to determine commonalities between targeted victims and why certain groups tend to target a specific type of individual. The text concludes with a chapter on victimology. Just like anyone, assassins and hit men fall into routines and can become creatures of habit. By studying and understanding the collection of historical information contained in these pages, security, military, and law enforcement professionals responsible for providing protection will be better prepared to identify potential threats and develop the tactics needed to thwart such attacks. About the Author Glenn McGovern, district attorney investigator, Special Deputy U.S. Marshal, police officer, deputy sheriff, law enforcement specialist, began his law enforcement career in 1986 as an eighteen-year-old member of the U.S. Air Force Security Police. It was here that he first began his studies of terrorism, tactical operations, and protective details. Europe, at the time, was on fire as groups such as the Sicilian mafia, November 17, Red Army Faction, Hizbollah, and many others were conducting their terrorist attacks. As a newly minted law enforcement member who was also assigned to a police unit that had a combat mission and was deployable worldwide, the study of the tactics used by these groups was mandatory. It was during this time that he had his first introduction to close personal protection operations, first with Soviet diplomats visiting under the SALT II treaties, then later in  Panama with the commanding general of all U.S. forces in South America. He was also involved in an unusual protective operation in that he was locked in with the protectee, which in this case was over $16 million in cash en route to the U.S. military installations in the Pacific. He later took a job with the Bureau of Investigation of one of the largest district attorney’s offices in California, where he remains to this day. Here he quickly became a member of the Special Operations Group tasked with protective operations for district attorney staff, primarily prosecutors, as well as victims and witnesses. It was as a member of this group that he became more involved in the nuances of protective work as well as the training of a protective team. In particular, providing protection to victims and witnesses involved an issue that most protective teams don’t generally have to deal with. At times, the witness being protected was a member of an organized prison gang. As a member of the gang, even on the “outs” that person was in a position to see the methods of operation, equipment, members of the team, and how they operate. As anyone who has worked organized crime, and gangs in particular, can attest, it doesn’t take much for a gang member to get back in the good graces of his or her gang, and as a result, bringing with him or her the inside knowledge of the protective operations of the DA’s office. While with the district attorney’s office, he was assigned full-time to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal conducting international terrorism investigations for a period of three years. In this assignment he conducted counterterrorism investigations into a variety of groups, including some that have carried out targeted killings. He also was able to attend training that included the construction and detonation of a 500 lb vehicle car bomb, as well as dealing with suicide bombers, which provided him unique insight into how these operations could be carried out. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the Union Institute in Ohio as ell as a certificate in crime and intelligence analysis from the California State University, Sacramento. He is the author of several articles dealing with intelligence and SWAT-related subjects as well as a bimonthly online publication of urban ambush case studies. He also speaks on the issue of protective operations, specifically the tactics employed in these types of attacks. https://amzn.to/2q8dVrl ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018 ====================== In Executive Protection News From Fox News Explosive device found at George Soros’ home: report An explosive device was found on Monday at the  New York home of billionaire George Soros. The Wall Street Journal, citing local law enforcement, reported that police received a phone call from the Bedford residence in Westchester County about a suspicious package. An employee that works at the home found the package and opened it, revealing what appeared to be an explosive device, according to a press release from the Bedford Police Department. The employee then placed the package in a wooded area until authorities arrived. The department told Fox News that a suspicious package was found in a mailbox. Police referred Fox News to the F.B.I's New York office, which did not confirm the report. Soros was not home at the time of the incident, according to the New York Times.   https://www.foxnews.com/us/explosive-device-found-at-george-soros-home-report ====================== In Travel Security News From Transportation Security Administration TSA releases roadmap for expanding biometrics technology The Transportation Security Administration today released its plan to expand the use of biometrics technology as part of its continued effort to enhance security and the traveler experience. The TSA Biometrics Roadmap for Aviation Security and the Passenger Experience will guide the agency’s biometric efforts to modernize aviation passenger identity verification in the coming years. “With the threat to aviation evolving every day, developing the next generation of security technology with our industry partners is critically important,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “By expanding our use of biometrics, TSA secures its position as a global leader in aviation security and advances global transportation security standards.”   https://www.tsa.gov/news/releases/2018/10/15/tsa-releases-roadmap-expanding-biometrics-technology ======================  In Business of Executive Protection News From International Security Driver Association For those looking for work – an article on Motivation Authored by ISDA Member Bill Peeler I wanted to take a moment and point out something for the new and old alike that are looking for work in the security industry. If you have properly prepared for your journey into this field you most likely have paid large sums of money for training, equipment, travel and all the best seller books available, this is your “investment” in addition to time. Now, if you are like me, we have a higher calling that we need to answer to, mine is called “Tina,” who will want to know what kind of return can be expected on your investment if any. Now, you are set – go-bag is packed, telephone is charged and your ready to leap to answer that call that will come in any day… ok so the call hasn’t come “yet” and you still need to put food on the table and don’t forget that “higher calling” you will need to answer to, so you fill your time with “outside” work to pay the bills. You realize that, “hey maybe that phone won’t ring on it’s own.” I need to strengthen my network and get out and bout so I can make some contacts.   http://securitydriver.com/11/for-those-looking-for-work-an-article-on-motivation-by-bill-peeler/ ====================  In Technology News From Strategic Marketing Solutions One Million Tweet Map – Big Data at Your Fingertips The One Million Tweet Map maps the last geo-localized tweets delivered by the twitter stream API. The Map data is updated in real-time – YES – IN REAL-TIME – and it keeps “only” the last one million tweets on a global scale. Each second, about fifty new tweets are added (and the fifty oldest tweets are removed to keep the same number of tweets on the map). Why not higher amounts? They are limited by the Twitter stream, but they could do much higher. To put it matter-of-factly – this map deals with big data effortlessly. This data is powered by Maptimize, a geographical clustering engine for online maps to display and analyze big geo-localized data. Features include: Clusters of tweets with numerical value Heat Map where you can pinpoint tweet hotbeds  Keyword filter Hashtag filter Time filter – from 5 minutes to 6 hours Trending filter in a geographical area View tweets in real time in a geographical area Map reset button How it Works Simply enter and set your filters in a particular geolocation and click on the clusters in that area to start diving into the tweets. You have the ability to zoom right down to a particular neighborhood or street. After you have found your tweets, click on the numbered circle. A window will pop up with those tweets. In the pop up you can see when the tweet was posted (time/date), who posted it, and the contents of the tweets including the ability to click on any links. The One Million Tweet Map can and should be used by Corporate Security, Law Enforcement, Brand Protection Officers, Private Investigations, Social Media Intelligence and Open Source Intelligence.  https://larrysnow.me/one-million-tweet-map-big-data-fingertips/ ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

Larry Snow with the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, October 22nd, 2018 ====================== In Driving News From Wired Magazine DRIVERS WILDLY OVERESTIMATE WHAT 'SEMIAUTONOMOUS' CARS CAN DO CARS ARE GETTING smarter and more capable. They're even starting to drive themselves, a little. And they're becoming a cause of concern for European and American safety agencies and groups. They're all for putting better tech on the road, but automakers are selling systems like Tesla’s Autopilot, or Nissan’s Pro Pilot Assist, with the implied promise that they’ll make driving easier and safer, and a new study is the latest to say that may not always be the case. More worryingly, drivers think these systems are far more capable than they really are. Euro NCAP, an independent European car safety assessment group (similar to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the US) has just released the results of its first round of tests of 10 new cars with driver-assistance technologies. It also published the results of a survey of over 1,500 car owners in seven countries, asking them what they believe these cars are capable of. “Seventy percent of people believe you can buy autonomous cars," says Matthew Avery, head of research at the UK’s Thatcham Research, a Euro NCAP member. Eleven percent said they’d be tempted to have a nap, read a paper, or watch a film while using one of the highway-assist features available today, even though every automaker peddling the tech requires drivers to pay attention to the road at all times. “It’s really worrying that consumers are believing the hype.” https://www.wired.com/story/semi-autonomous-systems-safety-research-euro-ncap-thatcham/  ====================== In Security News From Quartz Africa’s youngest billionaire has been found after kidnapping ordeal Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji who was kidnapped earlier this month was freed on Saturday (Oct. 20) after more than a week missing. Dar es Salaam Regional Police Chief Lazaro Mamboosa told reporters the young billionaire was dumped at a field near the exclusive Gymkhana sports club and they found him there in a healthy physical condition. The police said they “suspect the abductors are South Africans because they were communicating in one of the vernacular from that country.” The police had previously said two of the suspects were white men. After dumping the billionaire, the abductors apparently tried to burn the car but it was later recovered by the police and they discovered an AK-47 assault rifle, two pistols and several rounds of ammunition. Amid Dewji’s release, there are allegations that the abductors demanded ransom but it was not clear if the money was paid or the amount.   https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/africa%E2%80%99s-youngest-billionaire-has-been-found-after-kidnapping-ordeal/ar-BBOEtkb?li=BBnb7Kz ======================   ISDA Member Spotlight From International Security Driver Association Once a month, the ISDA turns the spotlight on a member working in the profession. October’s ISDA Member Spotlight is Jeff Saupp. Jeff Saupp has over 25 years of experience protecting persons and assets across a broad range of industries.  Mr. Saupp received his Corporate Protection Specialist certification from the Institute of Security & Technology (Upper Darby) in 1991 and soon after was employed to protect an Engineer with the Vitro Corp. and a Bodyguard/Driver for a nightclub owner in Philadelphia.   For more information and to connect with Jeff go to SecurityDriver.Com  http://securitydriver.com/10/isda-member-spotlight-jeff-saupp/   ==================== In Technology News Twilert – A Twitter Monitoring Tool Twilert sends you real-time email alerts when your brand names, keywords or hashtags are mentioned on Twitter. Using Twilert’s use of RSS, you can set up an If This, Then That (IFTTT) Applet to notify you or your team of specific tweets, hashtags, users, in a specific area. The use case for this would be while traveling or at a particular place for an extended period. For instance, attending a conference or a similar function. Using Twilert’s history of tweets matching your queries will allow you to monitor tweets over time of individuals for investigative purposes. How it works in three simple steps: Select search terms Choose what you want to search for, this could be a brand name, a keyword or a competitor’s Twitter handle – anything you like really! Filter results Use the Twilert search filters to narrow down results by language, user or geolocation. View the results in the live preview and experiment with filters until you are happy with the results. Receive alerts Once you have saved an alert, Twilert monitors Twitter for your search terms around the clock. When your search terms are mentioned, Twilert sends you an email alert in realtime or hourly, daily or weekly – however often you need to see them. Twilert Features Email alerts when a keyword, brand name or any other search specified by the user is found on Twitter Unlimited email alerts for all subscription plans Realtime alerts for Pro+ accounts- receive notification of tweets as they happen Easy to use advanced search filters – refine results by user, language, sentiment or combination search filters Stored and searchable tweet history Multiple users and email groups for Agency+ accounts How Twilert can be used for the Security Professional Using Twilert’s use of RSS, you can set up an If This, Then That (IFTTT) Applet to notify you or your team of specific tweets, hashtags, users, in a specific area. The use case for this would be while traveling or at a particular place for an extended period. For instance attending a conference or similar function. Using Twilert’s history of tweets matching your queries will allow you to monitor tweets over time of individuals for investigative purposes.  Pricing Twilert offers a  free 30-day trial followed by a basic, pro, agency or enterprise subscription plans at affordable rates. https://larrysnow.me/twilert-twitter-monitoring-tool/ ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, October 17th, 2018 ====================== In Terrorism News From Gov.Uk Over a thousand companies sign up for new counter-terrorism training course Over 1500 companies across the UK have signed up to an innovative training scheme that could help prevent terror attacks. Called ACT Awareness e-Learning, the training was developed in a ground-breaking partnership between Counter-Terrorism Policing and retail giant Marks & Spencer. It covers how to spot the signs of suspicious behavior and what to do if an attack should take place. Free to use, the course can be divided into short sections to suit business needs. However, it takes just 45 minutes in total to complete.    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-a-thousand-companies-sign-up-for-new-counter-terrorism-training-course ======================   In Security Driving News From SecurityDriver.Com Corporate Protective Driving: A View from the Field By ISDA Member Anthony Gibson In my role as a professional driver for a global company, it is my privileged responsibility (in conjunction with our Loss Prevention Department) to provide the safest and most dependable ground transportation for our senior management. Every detail of a principal’s itinerary (as it pertains to vehicle travel) is put into written form, and ample time is given for consultation and review. Route analysis is among the highest concerns, as is vehicle selection and maintenance. Occasionally, I will consult with a select group of individuals outside of our company with regards to route planning, location updates and the like. There is often good intelligence available, and it is our aim to make certain that every trip is without incident.    http://securitydriver.com/08/corporate-protective-driving-a-view-from-the-field/ ======================  In Business of Executive Protection News From MarketingProfs Word-of-Mouth: Why Chatter Matters for Your Brand [Infographic] No matter how many emails you send, how many Facebook ads you post, how high you rank in Google search results—all those marketing tactics pale in success when compared with word-of-mouth marketing. Word-of-mouth is effective in most industries. The graphic points out that half of all Americans rely on recommendations for restaurants, and they are 331% more likely to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations when planning a wedding than they are traditional advertising methods. Word-of-mouth impacts voting turnout, shopping habits, lifestyle choices, and more.  The following are some of the data points from the Infographic Word of Mouth is Impactful 50% of Americans would choose word of mouth if they had to pick one source of information Word of Mouth is Pervasive 83% of Americans have made a word of mouth recommendation Word of Mouth is Trustworthy Americans value word of mouth recommendations from friends and family 41% more than social media recommendations https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2018/39955/word-of-mouth-why-chatter-matters-for-your-brand-infographic ==================== And from SecurityDriver.Com Quick Analysis of Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Job Opportunities In the process of curating job opportunities for our members, we came across this interesting piece of data. In a 55-day time frame, ISDA posted 110 job opportunities. The metric that struck us was that 38% of the job opportunities were located in California. The numbers indicate that three states represent 54% of the jobs, and 68% were for various types of EP positions, and 19% for Security Drivers. EP and Secure Transportation job opportunities are like any other opportunities in any other profession; they are sensitive to geography.   http://securitydriver.com/05/quick-analyst-ep-job-opportunities/ ==================== EP/Security-Related Conference Survey Periodically the International Security Driver Association (ISDA) conducts surveys related to the Executive Protection/Secure Transportation profession and share the results to the EP/ST community. Our latest survey is about Security Conferences. We would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes of your time to complete the EP/Security-Related Conference Survey. If there are questions that we are not asking, please let us know. Click here to take the survey -> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F235VC5 ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 ====================== In Terrorism News From Reuters News The possibility of a chemical attack in the UK getting closer The possibility of a terrorist attack involving chemical or biological weapons is getting closer, Britain’s security minister and top counter-terrorism police officer warned on Tuesday. “I see plots where the only limit to the ambition of our adversaries is their imagination,” Ben Wallace told a security conference in London.    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-security/possibility-of-chemical-attack-in-uk-getting-closer-security-minister-idUSKCN1MJ1IW ================= And From Yahoo News FBI chief says threats from drones to U.S. 'steadily escalating' FBI director Christopher Wray told a U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday that the threat from drones "is steadily escalating" even as Congress gives agencies new tools to address threats. Wray told the Senate Homeland Security committee that the FBI assesses that "given their retail availability, lack of verified identification requirement to procure, general ease of use, and prior use overseas, (drones) will be used to facilitate an attack in the United States against a vulnerable target, such as a mass gathering."   https://www.yahoo.com/news/fbi-chief-says-threats-drones-u-steadily-escalating-154629883.html ====================== In Security News From Reuters News FRANCE ASKS GOOGLE TO PULL PHOTOS AFTER HELICOPTER JAILBREAK If you are responsible for the safety of clients or colleagues, it is worth checking to see what photos of key buildings are available online and factoring that into your risk management plan. France has asked Google to remove photos of prisons from the internet, including one from which a notorious criminal known as “the jailbreak king” escaped by helicopter this year. Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said she had written to the internet search engine to request the removal of sensitive photos, but no action had been taken.   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-prisons-google/france-asks-google-to-pull-photos-after-helicopter-jailbreak-idUSKCN1MJ15Q ======================   In Business of Executive Protection News From Strategic Marketing Solutions Tips to Start Using LinkedIn to Your Advantage LinkedIn is the largest professional network with over 560 million users worldwide. So, to help you get noticed, stand out from the ever-growing EP/Security crowd, and get that dream job here are a few to optimize your LinkedIn profile.     https://larrysnow.me/ ==================== In Technology News From NextGov IARPA Wants to Identify Criminals From Their Skin Cells The U.S. intelligence community is working to build technology to identify people based on markers they leave on the objects they touch. And this isn’t your run-of-the-mill fingerprint scanner. Every time you touch something, you leave behind skin cells packed with proteins that are as unique to you as your DNA. And it's those proteins the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity believes could lead to the next big breakthrough in forensic investigations.    https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2018/10/iarpa-wants-identify-criminals-their-skin-cells/151978/ ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Monday, October 15th, 2018 ========================= In Vehicle News From Auto Blog Ford tests technology that could render traffic lights obsolete Could traffic lights, the scourge of many a hurried driver, one day be a thing of the past? That's the thinking behind a trial Ford has been demonstrating as part of a government-funded program in southern England. It's based on vehicle-to-vehicle technology (V2V) and the concept of how pedestrians navigate through busy crowds without colliding with one another or coming to a full stop.   https://www.autoblog.com/2018/10/14/ford-v2v-technology-eliminate-traffic-lights/ ======================  In Security News From RT Hate preacher Choudary: Taxpayers to fund £2 million-a-year bill to secure his protection Anjem Choudary, the notorious Islamic State-supporting hate preacher, will require £2m a year of British taxpayers money to secure his protection and monitor his movements when he becomes eligible for release from prison on Wednesday. The paper reports that there will be 25 separate conditions to Choudary’s parole. https://www.rt.com/uk/441278-choudary-prison-release-cost/ ====================== In Cyber Security News From HelpNet Security Hackers steal Pentagon personnel’s PI and credit card data The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed on Friday that personal information and credit card data of some 30,000 U.S. military and civilian personnel have been compromised in a breach affecting a DoD’s third-party contractor. Apparently, no classified information was accessed by the attackers. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Joseph Buccino confirmed that they still don’t know the extent of the compromise and who the attackers are. But, he pointed out that “this was a breach of a single commercial vendor that provided service to a very small percentage of the total population” of DoD personnel. https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2018/10/15/pentagon-data-breach/ ======================  In Business of Executive Protection News From Strategic Marketing Solutions Social Media is Not New “Social media” is not new.  The act of communicating and interacting socially has been around for thousands of years – even before we were walking upright (think the artwork on cave walls).  What is unique with the social media in the 21st century is the immediacy of the shared content and the ability to reach thousands of people at once. This is due to in some part to the simple easy to use technology for sharing the information.    Today’s social media has changed the brand/consumer relationship.  There has been a paradigm shift from the brand pushing the content through traditional media – TV ads, billboards, newspapers, etc. I can remember not too long ago – maybe 10 or so, if a company ticked you off, let’s say – Delta Airlines – your typical mode of communication would be to write a letter complaining of your experience. Months would go by, and finally, you would get a generic form letter back from Delta apologizing about the poor experience.  Now with social networks like Facebook and Twitter, the consumer can communicate directly with the brand and – the big key – with the expectation of an immediate response. Consumers expect brands to be listening through social media networks. Brands have to work harder at capturing consumer’s attention and engaging with their customers.   https://larrysnow.me/social-media-is-not-new/ ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Friday, October 12th, 2018 ========================= In Vehicle News From the Verge Mercedes-Benz wants to make the 2020 S-Class partially autonomous Mercedes-Benz plans to debut its own semi-autonomous system on the refreshed S-Class sedan, due in the 2020 lineup, according to an Automotive News interview with the company’s head of research. The system will offer what the Society of Automotive Engineers refers to as “Level 3” autonomy, which means the car can drive itself in certain situations without any driver input, with the caveat that said driver needs to be ready to take over in case of an emergency. This kind of driver assistance package would be on par with what Audi built into the 2019 A8. Audi’s system — called Traffic Jam Pilot — handles starts, stops, turns, and more while allowing the driver to take their eyes off the road. It would be a step ahead of other current Level 2 systems, like Tesla’s Autopilot or GM’s Super Cruise. (Though, Tesla has promised Autopilot will soon become more robust after the company’s latest software update recently rolled out.) And it would mark a significant leap forward from Mercedes-Benz’s existing driver assistance package, Drive Pilot, which received some not-so-favorable reviews.   https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/11/17964818/mercedes-benz-2020-s-class-self-driving-autonomous-car-drive-pilot ====================== In Technology News From NextGov DHS Funds Airport Navigation App that Guides You from Check-in to Gate The Homeland Security Department is investing in technology that helps air travelers navigate airport security and gives federal agents a direct line of communication with passengers.  The agency’s Science and Technology Directorate awarded a nearly $120,000 contract to LocusLabs to adapt their airport navigation application for Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The smartphone app would give passengers real-time location information and guide them from curb to gate using Google Maps-style directions. It would also let agencies immediately get in touch with everyone at the airport.     https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2018/10/dhs-funds-airport-navigation-app-guides-you-check-gate/151963/   ======================   And from the Verge Google Translate can now visually translate 13 more languages Starting this week, the Google Translate app will be capable of visually translating 13 new languages by using the camera on your smartphone, according to a report from VentureBeat.  In 2015, Google added the visual translation feature to the Translate app with the support of 27 different languages. It allows users to translate dinner menus and signs in real time, making communicating abroad much easier. This week’s announcement adds Punjabi, Bengali, Vietnamese, Thai, Gujarati, Kannada, Nepali, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, putting the total number of supported languages close to 50.    https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/11/17965536/google-translate-visual-translation-13-languages-new ==================== In Executive Protection News From BBC News Mohammed Dewji: Africa's 'youngest billionaire' abducted in Tanzania Mohammed Dewji, 43, was abducted outside a swanky hotel gym where he was going for his routine morning workout. Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident and two of the abductors were believed to be foreign nationals, police added. The motive for Mr. Dewji's abduction is still unclear. Who is Mohammed Dewji? Financial magazine Forbes puts his wealth at $1.5bn and has described him as Tanzania's only billionaire. In a 2017 report, it said Mr. Dewji was Africa's youngest billionaire. Dewji is also a major sponsor of one of Tanzania's biggest football teams, Simba. Dewji, locally known as Mo, is credited with turning his family business from a wholesale and retail enterprise into a pan-African conglomerate, reports the BBC's Athuman Mtulya from Dar es Salaam.  His company, MeTL, has interests in textile manufacturing, flour milling, beverages, and edible oils in at least six African states. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-45821361 ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.    Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, October 10th, 2018   ========================= In Vehicle News From the International Security Driver Association Armoring Small Vehicles  In the past armoring lightweight vehicles were not something that was recommended. BUT in Mexico and other locations around the world armoring, smaller vehicles is a reality of the security environment.  Whether armoring a large or small vehicle the basic theory of armored vehicles does not change. The armored vehicle must protect the occupants from the threat, maintain some level of performance and be able to be maintained and function in the environment they will be operating in. All armored vehicles must have the capability of absorbing the initial attack and have the ability to escape.   https://isdacenter.org/armoring-small-vehicles-2/ ==================== And from Business Insider Chipmaker Nvidia to supply computer for Volvo's upcoming vehicles  Graphics chipmaker Nvidia Corp said on Wednesday that Swedish automaker Volvo would begin using its artificial intelligence computer to deliver low-level autonomous features in all its next-generation vehicles. The deal, announced during a developers' conference in Munich, underscores the importance of computing power even for partially autonomous systems, which are not designed for full self-driving but offer drivers assistance, such as lane keeping or emergency braking.   https://www.businessinsider.com/r-chipmaker-nvidia-to-supply-computer-for-volvos-upcoming-vehicles-2018-10 ====================== In Technology News From the Verge Dropbox will now scan your images for text Dropbox is building automatic text recognition into its service so that you can search your documents even if they’re saved as images like JPEGs or PNGs. Text will also be recognized in PDF files if they contain scans or photographs of your document. You’ll need to have one of Dropbox’s premium accounts to take advantage of the new feature.   https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/10/17958782/dropbox-optical-character-text-recognition-scan ====================== In Cyber Security News From Fox News Facebook friend request hoax goes viral: Don't fall for these messages At first glance, it appears like a friend is trying to warn you about your Facebook account potentially being hacked — but it's actually a hoax. Facebook users who are receiving these friendly reminders are being urged to resist heeding the advice.  Messages that have circulated on the social media platform in recent days have all been worded similarly to this: "Hi....I actually got another friend request from you which I ignored so you may want to check your account. Hold your finger on the message until the forward button appears...then hit forward and all the people you want to forward too....I had to do the people individually. PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT A NEW friendship FROM ME AT THIS TIME."   https://www.foxnews.com/tech/facebook-friend-request-hoax-goes-viral-dont-fall-for-these-messages ==================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. Thanks for listening to the ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Tuesday, October 9th, 2018  ====================== In Driving News From AutoWeek Your car is not necessarily listening to you, but it's definitely paying attention Did you ever have the feeling you were being watched? Or at least listened to? If you drive a modern General Motors vehicle, you may be correct (as long as you opted in). According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, GM recently conducted a three-month study of customers' radio listening habits using vehicles equipped with an in-car Wi-Fi system. The goal? To ascertain if there is a relationship between what drivers listen to and what they buy. Why? To increase the effectiveness of targeted radio advertising, of course. The study, implemented last year, observed the behavior of 90,000 Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC drivers who agreed to participate in the Los Angeles and Chicago metro areas.   https://autoweek.com/article/technology/your-cars-radio-may-be-listening-you ========================= In Cyber Security News From CNET Google shutting down Google+ after exposing data of up to 500,000 users But the search giant didn't disclose the vulnerability because it reportedly feared regulatory scrutiny. A vulnerability in the Google+ social network exposed the personal data of up to 500,000 people using the site between 2015 and March 2018, the search giant said Monday. Google said it found no evidence of data misuse. Still, as part of the response to the incident, Google plans to shut down the social network permanently.    https://www.cnet.com/news/google-reportedly-exposed-data-of-hundreds-of-thousands-of-google-users/   ==================== and from ABC News The recent string of celebrity home burglaries linked to social media posts Celebrities no longer seem to be just objects of fame and fortune -- but also targets of burglary. A recent pattern of celebrity burglaries has left police digging for answers and looking over surveillance videos for clues of possible suspects. "Initially, it was believed that the homes were being burglarized at random. Detectives learned, however, that this wasn't the case. The victims' homes had been selected based on social media posting, touring or travel schedules of the owners."     https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/recent-string-celebrity-home-burglaries-linked-social-media/story?id=58230153 ====================== In Vehicle News From The Motor Report Mercedes to automatically pick the safest route Future Mercedes models will use crime data to recommend safe places to park, cross-referencing police statistics with available parking spaces to help keep customers out of harm’s way. An app currently under development for future Mercedes models in the US could reduce motorists’ likelihood to encounter vandalism, assault and other crimes in dodgy areas. Mercedes software developer Markus Ehmann says "we can select a parking spot and analyze how much crime has happened in that area over the last weeks”.   https://www.themotorreport.com.au/car-article/motor-news/mercedes-to-automatically-pick-safest-route-119597.html ====================== In Training News From Torque News Bondurant Driving School Files for Bankruptcy One of the best known driving schools in the country, the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The school which teaches everyone from teens to corporate bigwigs about high-performance driving says it is trying to reorganize. The school, which advertises itself as the “Official Racing School of Dodge SRT,” has a huge facility in Chandler, Arizona. The Bondurant School released a statement on its webpage.   “In a difficult yet important step towards becoming a stronger company, Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Inc. filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona on October 2, 2018. We will continue operating and serving our students and corporate groups as usual while we develop new business relationships to ensure the vitality of the Company in the future.” School Remains Open During Re-organization.   ======================   Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments    ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Friday, October 5th, 2018   ====================== In Driving News From NPR Transportation Department Looks To Clear The Road For Cars Without Steering Wheels The Department of Transportation has announced new federal voluntary guidance on the development and use of automated vehicles — with the goal of "removing unnecessary barriers" to innovation. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said Thursday that the department's 80-page "Automated Vehicles 3.0" guidance "supports the safe, reliable and cost-effective integration of automation into our country's surface transportation systems."   https://www.npr.org/2018/10/05/654690893/transportation-department-looks-to-clear-the-road-for-cars-without-steering-whee   ====================== In Cyber Security News From NextGov China Used Tiny Chips to Infiltrate the U.S. Supply Chain Tiny surveillance microchips, produced by Chinese company SuperMicro, were placed inside hardware within data centers used by Apple, Amazon and other large U.S. tech companies, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. The chips were allegedly used to gather information like trade secrets and intellectual property. According to the report, 30 U.S. companies were affected, but no consumer data was stolen.   https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/10/report-china-uses-tiny-chips-infiltrate-us-supply-chain/151804/   ====================== In Vehicle News From the Drive Armored Stretched Rolls-Royce Cullinan Limousine  The German tuning company Klassen has taken a standard Rolls-Royce Cullinan and stretched it to limousine lengths while also covering it in military-grade body armor. On top of that, it costs approximately $2 million—about $1.7 million more than the original asking price. In the vehicle's listing, Klassen explains that armored limos don't get much tougher than this, saying that its Cullinans "are armored to the highest levels of ballistic protection."   http://www.thedrive.com/news/23988/this-armored-and-stretched-rolls-royce-cullinan-limousine-costs-a-cool-2-million ====================== and from Australian Business Traveler British Airways streamlines connections with chauffeur drive transfers British Airways is ramping up efforts at its London Heathrow T5 hub to help passengers make their connecting flights. This includes expanding a trial of the 'premium transfer service' which sees premium passengers at risk of missing their onward connection being whisked across the tarmac be in a chauffeur-driven 'executive car' where to transfer them to their next flight.  More vehicles are being added to the fleet, which is on tap for passengers in first class and business class (both international Club World and regional Club Europe), as well as Gold and Silver members of BA's Executive Club frequent flyer program.   https://www.ausbt.com.au/british-airways-streamlines-connections-with-chauffeur-drive-transfers ====================== In Terrorism News From the New York Times The Trump administration vowed to fight “radical Islamist” militants, as well as Iran, as part of a multifront campaign to eliminate the terrorist threat to the United States, according a long-delayed counterterrorism strategy released on Thursday by the White House.  Administration officials promoted the strategy, the first released since 2011, as a new approach to fighting terrorism in a “landscape more fluid and complex than ever.” It embraced, however, many of the principles adopted and refined by both the Bush and Obama administrations.   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/us/politics/trump-counterterrorism-strategy.html ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Thursday, October 4th, 2018  ====================== In Security News From CNN Kim Kardashian's insurance company is suing her former bodyguard for $6 million over Paris robbery The insurance company that paid Kim Kardashian West after she was robbed of millions of dollars' worth of jewelry in Paris two years ago is suing her former bodyguard. American International Group, also known as AIG, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Delaware against Pascal Duvier and his company Protect Security seeking $6.1 million, court documents show. The insurance company claims Duvier and the security firm "negligently, carelessly, and/or recklessly performed their protection, security, monitoring, inspection, and/or surveying of" Kardashian West and the private apartment where she was staying for Paris Fashion Week in October 2016, according to the complaint.   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/04/entertainment/kim-kardashian-former-bodyguard-lawsuit/index.html ================== and from CNN Betsy DeVos' security detail estimated to cost $1 million more in 2019 The security detail for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is projected to cost $7.74 million for the 2019 fiscal year, according to US Marshals Service spokeswoman Nikki Credic-Barrett. That would be about $1 million more than this year. The Marshals Service gave no reason for the cost increase and CNN has asked the service for an explanation. Politico first reported the projected cost of her detail.   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/03/politics/betsy-devos-security-detail-costs-2019-marshals-service/index.html =================== and from WDRB News Police boost security at Capitol amid tension over Kavanaugh The impassioned fight over Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court has led to heightened security at the Capitol, with some senators using police escorts to shield them from protesters eager to confront them. Capitol police have arrested dozens of people in recent days for unlawfully demonstrating in Senate office buildings. Police have stepped up their presence in Capitol hallways, in some cases blocking news reporters and the public from approaching lawmakers. http://www.wdrb.com/story/39224788/police-boost-security-at-capitol-amid-tension-over-kavanaugh   ====================== In Technology News From TechCrunch Despite objection, Congress passes bill that lets U.S. authorities shoot down private drones U.S. authorities will soon have the authority to shoot down private drones if they are considered a threat — a move decried by civil liberties and rights groups. The Senate passed the FAA Reauthorization Act on Wednesday, months after an earlier House vote in April. The bill renews funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) until 2023, and includes several provisions designed to modernize U.S aviation rule — from making commercial flights more comfortable for passengers to including new provisions to act against privately owned drones.   https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/04/despite-objection-congress-passes-bill-that-lets-homeland-security-shoot-down-private-drones/ ======================  In Driving News From the International Security Driver Association Reaction Time   While driving if confronted with an emergency scenario, the driver’s reaction time can be the difference between success and failure. Although it is an important part of driving, and driver training reaction time is not easy to demonstrate. But there are exercises that can show the effect of reaction time on the decision-making process. There are many factors that can affect the driver’s reaction time, but before we talk about them, let's find out just what reaction time is. Reaction time is the sum of the time needed for: The brain to receive information from the senses. The senses we're referring to also include sensations of motion and related "seat of the pants" sensations. Making decisions on what to do next. Many times, this is a reflexive reaction that carries a potential for danger with it, such as immediately smashing down on the brake pedal when we feel the car begin to skid. Transmission of the messages from the brain to the muscles needed to react and move the controls. The muscles to respond. https://isdacenter.org/collection-educational-information-resources/ ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, October 3, 2018 ====================== In Terrorism News France Cracks Down on Iran’s Terrorism France took on Tuesday a number of measures against Iran, after officially accusing the country’s intelligence ministry of standing behind a June plot to attack an exiled opposition group’s rally outside Paris. The French government seized the assets of Iran’s intelligence services and Iranian diplomat Assadollah Asadi and deputy minister and director general of intelligence Saeid Hashemi Moghadam. France had warned Tehran to expect a robust response after Asadi was arrested in Germany suspected of involvement in a plot to bomb the meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The French measures revealed that Paris is certain about Iran’s involvement in the plot.  “Behind all this was a long, meticulous and detailed investigation by our (intelligence) services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without any doubt, that responsibility fell on the Iranian intelligence ministry,” a French diplomatic source said, according to Reuters.    ====================== In Driving News From the International Security Driver Association Line of Sight and Emergency Driving We have all had the experience of driving on a major highway and running into stop and go traffic, the first thought you have is that there must be an accident just over the hill or around the bend. But when you get to the top of the hill or around the bend the traffic starts to flow, and there is no accident – what caused the slowdown. Two things traffic volume and “line of sight." The line of Sight or Sight Distance is defined as the length of road surface a driver can see and have an acceptable reaction time. The people that are responsible for designing our highways, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), have guidelines concerning “line of sight”, and from those guidelines developed the all-important Decision Sight Distance (DSD)   https://isdacenter.org/collection-educational-information-resources/ ======================  In Cyber Security News From CNET Google tested this security app with activists in Venezuela. Now you can use it too   On Wednesday, Jigsaw, a tech incubator owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, announced it's releasing this app to the world. The app takes on DNS (Domain Name System) manipulation, one of the most common techniques used for political manipulation and spreading malware. Intra creates an encrypted connection between your phone and DNS servers, which makes it much harder for governments and hackers to intercept that traffic.   https://www.cnet.com/news/google-tested-out-this-security-app-with-activists-in-venezuela-now-you-can-use-it-too/#ftag=CAD-09-10aai5b ====================== In Technology News From MIT Technology Review Baidu is testing neural networks that can match job seekers to jobs  The Chinese company’s technology identifies candidates whose skills meet employers’ needs. The news: In a recent paper, Baidu researchers showed how their neural net can work out from their résumés which skills job seekers possess, and spot what skills certain job postings are asking for. The software then pairs up the best matches. How it works: The model, called the Person-Job Fit Neural Network, learns which words and phrases in job listings correspond with skills a candidate might have. For example, “product development procedure” and “documenting” are terms that often signal a need for program management experience. The algorithm uses its database to learn whether someone’s job history indicates the relevant experience for the role. These candidates are then flagged as a potential match for the vacancy. Basically, the AI replaces the role of a headhunter.   https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/612229/baidu-is-testing-neural-networks-that-can-match-job-seekers-to-jobs/ ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today 

The ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, October 2, 2018   ====================== In Vehicle News From Consumer Reports 2019 Audi Q8 SUV Combines Coupe Styling With Loads of Technology The all-new Audi Q8 SUV takes the platform of its larger, three-row Q7 big brother, streamlines it, and cuts the seating capacity to just five passengers. Audi is hoping to capitalize on the booming luxury SUV market by adding another choice to its luxury SUV lineup. The German automaker says this SUV also represents a newer, evolved design look for the interior and exterior that is careful to maintain Audi's core design character. The automaker has just released more details about this upcoming model. Pricing starts at $67,400 and goes to $76,550 for the Prestige trim level.   https://www.consumerreports.org/suvs/2019-audi-q8-preview/ ====================== In Driving News From Quartz That sign telling you how fast you’re driving may be spying on you The next time you drive past one of those road signs with a digital readout showing how fast you’re going, don’t simply assume it’s there to remind you not to speed. It may actually be capturing your license plate data. According to recently released US federal contracting data, the Drug Enforcement Administration will be expanding the footprint of its nationwide surveillance network with the purchase of “multiple” trailer-mounted speed displays “to be retrofitted as mobile LPR [License Plate Reader] platforms.” The DEA is buying them from RU2 Systems Inc., a private Mesa, Arizona company.   https://qz.com/1400791/that-road-sign-telling-you-how-fast-youre-driving-may-be-part-of-a-us-government-surveillance-network/ ====================== In Security News From Reuters Belgium to sue Google for not blurring images of defense sites The Belgian defense ministry will sue Google for not complying with its requests to blur satellite images of sensitive military sites, a ministry spokeswoman said on Friday. Citing national security, the ministry said it had requested that sites such as air bases and nuclear power stations be obscured on Google’s satellite mapping services.  Google said it had been working with Belgium for more than two years to respond to issues flagged by the defense ministry. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belgium-google/belgium-to-sue-google-for-not-blurring-images-of-defense-sites-idUSKCN1M8148 ====================== In the Business of Executive Protection News From Harvard Business Review When to Stick with Something — and When to Quit Perseverance has received lots of support in recent years from a variety of schools of research. One is from psychologists studying grit. They have found the capacity to stick to a task — particular when faced with difficulties – is a crucial factor in explaining the success of everyone from kids in the national spelling bee to recruits at West Point to Ivy league undergraduates. However, there’s a large body of work showing that perseverance may have a harmful downside. Not giving up can mean people persist even when they have nothing to gain. In one study, people working on an online platform were given a very boring task. The researchers found those who said they were very persistent continued to do the task despite the fact it was boring and there was little to be gained in terms of monetary reward. So while it might be valuable to persist with worthwhile and rewarding tasks, people who don’t quit often continue with worthless tasks that are both uninteresting and unrewarding, ultimately wasting their time and talents.   https://hbr.org/2018/09/when-to-stick-with-something-and-when-to-quit ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today  

ISDA Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, October 1, 2018 ====================== In Terrorism News ‘Terrorism Close Calls’ Docuseries Gets October Premiere on Netflix Netflix has acquired the 10-episode docuseries “Terrorism Close Calls,” the company announced on Tuesday. The series from Big Media explores thwarted terror plots, featuring interviews with agents involved in disrupting them as well as leading national and international authorities on counterterrorism, intelligence, and law enforcement. It is set to premiere on Friday, Oct. 26. https://www.thewrap.com/terrorism-close-calls-docuseries-gets-october-premiere-netflix/ ====================== In Driving News From the International Security Driver Association Executive Drive Time Consider that if an executive drove to and from the office that time would be unproductive. What does that time cost the shareholders, and if the company supplies a Security Driver what is their Return on Investment (ROI)? The answer to that question starts with - How much time is the Executive in a vehicle? A study done by Texas A&M titled the Annual Urban Mobility Report, answered that question for us. https://isdacenter.org/roi-security-driver/ ====================== In Cyber Security News From the Security Ledger Massive Facebook Breach Affects 90 Million Accounts  Facebook forced a reset of more than 50 million user accounts on Thursday and would force another 40 million account resets in the coming days, citing a major breach of the site’s security that allowed unknown attackers to take over people’s accounts. The company said its own engineering team discovered the flaw, which involved the site’s “View As” feature, which allows users to see how security settings affect that information about them is publicly available. Facebook said it is working with law enforcement to investigate the problem. The breach would be the largest incident of account compromise in the company’s history and comes as Facebook is continuing to respond to the misuse of its platform in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election.    https://securityledger.com/2018/09/massive-facebook-breach-affects-90-million-accounts/ ====================== In the Business of Executive Protection News The Security Executive Council – Constant Learning The Security Executive Council (SEC) is the leading research and advisory firm that specializes in corporate security risk mitigation solutions. They help security executives to be successful. Their subject matters experts and staff work as a team to blend their many areas of expertise together. This result is a “collective knowledge” that encompasses security risk, mitigation strategies, organizational experience and the importance of corporate culture. Taking a holistic view ensures engagements are fine-tuned to the particular organization we are working with. The ISDA Team subscribes to the SEC newsletter and recommend that our listeners do as well. On their website, they have an extensive archive library of articles and research. Such as, “Are You Where You Want to Be in Your Security Career?” and “14 Effective Solutions for Creating Successful Security Programs “. These are just two articles out of hundreds available. For more information about the SEC go to securityexecutivecouncil.com https://www.securityexecutivecouncil.com ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.  ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, September 28th, 2018     ====================== In Terrorism News From the BBC News Netherlands police arrests foil 'major terrorist attack' Police in the Netherlands have arrested seven men over an alleged plot to carry out what they describe as a major terrorist attack involving guns and explosives. Police say the men were trying to source AK47s, hand grenades and bomb materials to carry out their attack. The men, aged between 21 and 34, were arrested on Thursday. The seven men were arrested in the central city of Arnhem and southern municipality of Weert on Thursday afternoon by anti-terrorism teams from the country's Special Interventions Service (DSI).     https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45673221 ====================== In Vehicle News From Consumer Reports New Tire Ratings Reveal Top Tires It’s hard to overstate the importance of tires in keeping passengers safe and delivering performance. That’s why so many consumers in colder climates spend the time and expense to swap winter/snow tires twice a year to ensure that their 2-ton vehicles have the best grip possible.   These do-it-all tires offer unique tread designs and enhanced rubber compounds that increase traction across a broad range of temperatures. They’re different from typical all-season tires mainly because they provide better traction in the snow. For this reason, they have the same mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewall as winter/snow tires. In our latest testing, CR evaluated five all-weather models: the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady, Michelin CrossClimate +, Nokian WRG4, Toyo Celsius, and Vredestein Quatrac 5. From this fresh category, the Michelin CrossClimate + shined as a top performer thanks to its uncompromising grip.    https://www.consumerreports.org/tires/new-tire-ratings-reveal-top-tires/   =================== And speaking of the importance of tires in keeping passengers safe Joe Autera, CEO of Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute explains about the Tire Contact Patch All vehicles are supported by a cushion of air contained in four flexible rubber tires.  If you could place a car on a glass floor and look at it from below, you would see four patches of rubber, most folks are surprised at the size of these four patches, depending on the vehicle – each patch is a little smaller than a hand.  These are the only points of contact between the vehicle and the road.  Each of these four small patches of rubber is known as the “contact patch”. It is these four patches that create the traction which makes the vehicle – go – stop and turn. It is these four patches that send the feedback back to the driver, and it is these four patches the driver has to manage. Consider them to be a source of information needed to control the vehicle. How Much Rubber Do You Have?   http://vehicledynamics.com/the-tire-contact-patch/ ====================== In Cyber Security News From 360 Total Security 25 Google Play apps are discovered to cryptojack more than 120,000 users Google clearly stated in the Google Play Store developer rules updated on July 27 this year that it is forbidden to upload any cryptocurrency mining application to Google Play. However, the latest survey results still indicate that some developers have found the way to upload to the app store page using hiding the true purpose in apps.  In these years, due to the significant increase in cryptocurrency prices, malicious encryption mining activities have shown a rising trend on a global scale. The mobile device users have also been attacked seriously, especially the users of mainstream mobile operating systems.   https://blog.360totalsecurity.com/en/25-google-play-apps-are-discovered-to-cryptojack-more-than-120000-users/ ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments.   ======================   This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, September 27th, 2018 This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. ======================  In Terrorism News From the Wall Street Journal State Department Records Drop in Global Terror in 2017 in Annual Report The State Department reported a drop in terrorist attacks around the world in 2017 in an annual report released earlier this month, a decline that was largely driven by the rout of Islamic State in Iraq. The report said Afghanistan and Iraq, countries that remain in turmoil after nearly two decades of U.S. invasion and occupation, remained at the top of the list for attacks and deaths linked to terrorism. The State Department recorded the highest numbers of terrorism-linked deaths world-wide in Afghanistan, where a growing Taliban-led insurgency is fighting the U.S.-backed government. The total number of deaths rose to 4,672 there, a slight increase from the previous year.   https://www.wsj.com/articles/state-department-records-drop-in-global-terror-in-2017-in-annual-report-1537393613 ====================== In Vehicle News From ZD Net How automakers are tackling connected vehicle vulnerability management A car was once simply a way to go from A to B and whether or not you purchased a cheap runaround or a luxury model, they all simply had one purpose: travel. However, our vehicles are now becoming smarter. Rear-view cameras, GPS-based map assistants, mobile apps, self-driving features and always-on connectivity are becoming common, such as through Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto. Vehicle connectivity provides a new channel for the collection of data, a valuable commodity for automakers and technology vendors. However, this conduit requires Internet access -- and this, in turn, has created a channel in which attacks can be performed. https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-automakers-are-tackling-the-connected-vehicle-cyberthreat-landscape/ ====================== In Cyber Technology News From Mashable Facebook allows advertisers to sell you stuff based on your shadow profile  So, you've restricted the information advertisers can see on your Facebook profile, but you're still getting served near-perfect ads? It could be down to your shadow profile.   https://mashable.com/article/facebook-advertisers-shadow-profile/ ====================== In Technology News From Naked Security by Sophos Firefox Monitor starts tracking breached email addresses After a summer of testing, Mozilla has formally launched Firefox Monitor, a privacy-engineered website that hooks up to Troy Hunt’s Have I Been Pwned? (HIBP) breach notification database. The site – which despite the Firefox tag is open to anyone – can be used either to check an email address against known breaches or to register for breach notification should that address be detected in future breaches logged by HIBP.   https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2018/09/27/firefox-monitor-starts-tracking-breached-email-addresses/  ======================  Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ====================== Thanks for listening to the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody. This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast for Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. ======================   In Driving News From USA Today Most drivers don't understand limitations of car safety systems, AAA study finds Most drivers don't understand the limitations of advanced safety technology installed on new vehicles, according to a new study by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The study indicates that drivers overestimate the capabilities of features such as blind-spot monitoring systems, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.   https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2018/09/26/aaa-car-safety-study/1412956002/ ====================== In Vehicle News From the Chicago Sun Times Why you’ll be using a fingerprint to start your car soon With many key fobs vulnerable to hacking unless they are, say, wrapped with aluminum foil, security experts say carmakers will soon require fingerprinting. Fingerprints are required to cash checks at the bank. Fingerprints are used to access mobile phones. Cars are next. Not just to open the door, but to start the engine.  https://chicago.suntimes.com/autos/synaptics-godfrey-cheng-fingerprint-car-start-technology-driver-identification/ ======================  In Cyber Technology News From 9 to 5 Mac Apple removes conspiracy sites & other fake news from ‘Siri Suggested Websites’ in Safari A new report from BuzzFeed News highlights how the “Siri Suggested Websites” feature in Safari can surface “debunked conspiracies, shock videos, and false information.” Essentially, when users would type things such as “QAnon” or “Pizzagate” into the Safari search bar, the browser would suggest related “low-quality information.” The Siri Suggested Websites feature in Safari surfaces content from websites such as YouTube and Wikipedia based on the search term being typed into the search bar.   https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/25/siri-suggested-websites-conspiracy-theories/ ================ And from Next Gov Google Introduces Data Privacy Framework Ahead of Senate Hearing Google has a lot of thoughts regarding privacy, so the company on Monday released a framework detailing its ideas about data protection. The tech giant released the document ahead of an upcoming Senate hearing where Google will face questions, CNET reports. The suggestions in the framework focus on giving users control over how their personal information is used as well as holding organizations accountable for compliance.   https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/09/google-introduces-data-privacy-framework-ahead-senate-hearing/151553/ ====================== In Training News From the LaSorsa & Associates and Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute Leading Security Training Providers Teaming Up to Provide Exceptional Value LaSorsa & Associates, an industry leader in executive protection training, recently announced that they will be partnering with Tony Scotti's Vehicle Dynamics Institute (VDI), the global leader in specialized driver training, to provide those who matter the most - their students and clients - even greater training value from their standardized and custom executive protection training courses. With this strategic alliance, clients and students of each of these leading edge training providers stand to reap the benefits. Beginning with the upcoming LaSorsa & Associates nine day Executive Protection Program, which kicks off on October 20 in Miami, FL, VDI shall provide their highly acclaimed three day Protective/Evasive Driving course as the driver training component of this comprehensive course. Along with the certificates, LaSorsa & Associates awards for the various components of the course, students who complete the Protective/Evasive Driving component will be presented with a separate certificate of completion from VDI, further enhancing the value this course offers to students. Professional practitioners as well as up-and-comers and newcomers to the profession will also benefit from the fact that Joe LaSorsa and his team of professional instructors and practitioners will be collaborating with the team at Tony Scotti's Vehicle Dynamics on the continuing evolution of VDI's current EP-related such as their Best Practices for the Solo Practitioner and Surveillance Detection Tactics and Techniques courses. Additionally, clients with specific training needs will benefit from the opportunity to have the VDI and LSA teams collaborate on the design, development, and delivery of custom training solutions that meet their particular goals and objectives. For more information on LaSorsa & Associates nine-day, comprehensive Executive Protection Training program, as well as other training opportunities they offer, visit www.lasorsa.com For additional information on courses offered by Tony Scotti's Vehicle Dynamics Institute, to include dates for when their Protective/Evasive Driving training will be offered in conjunction with LaSorsa & Associates courses, visit www.vehicledynamics.com  ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, September 25th, 2018 This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. ====================== In Vehicle News From NBC News Trump's new limo cost $1.5M and comes with a fridge full of his blood type When President Donald Trump rolls up to the United Nations to speak to the Security Council today he’ll have an unprecedented level of security of his own. On Sunday, the Secret Service flew into New York City with the newest in a long series of specially designed presidential limousines. Like its predecessor, which came into service during Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration, the new limo goes by the nickname, The Beast. And considering it weighs in at somewhere near 20,000 pounds, that’s clearly appropriate. Intended to look like a stretched version of a Cadillac XT6 sedan, it’s one of a dozen that make up a contract initially estimated at $15.8 million and designed to help the Commander-in-Chief survive virtually every possible form of attack from a terrorist or assassin. And, even if injured, the Beast has an extensive range of medical supplies on board, including a refrigerator full of the president’s own blood type.   https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/trump-s-new-limo-cost-16m-comes-fridge-his-blood-n912841 ====================== In Terrorism News From Forbes Saudi Arabia Accused Of Turning A Blind Eye To International Terrorism Financing By Global Watchdog Saudi Arabia has been strongly criticized for its failure to tackle money laundering and international terrorism financing in a new report which will make uncomfortable reading for the authorities in Riyadh. A report published on September 24 by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – an intergovernmental body based in Paris – said “Saudi Arabia is not effectively investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in larger scale or professional [money laundering] activity” and is “not effectively confiscating the proceeds of crime”.   https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominicdudley/2018/09/25/saudi-arabia-accused-of-turning-a-blind-eye-to-international-terrorism-financing-by-global-watchdog/#102318196763  ======================  In Technology News The World's First All Bluetooth Smart TPMS FOBO Tire is an advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) using the latest Bluetooth 4.0 that works directly with your Android and iOS device. It also comes with an intelligent In-Car monitoring unit that works on its own or simultaneously with your smartphone. So that you will still get an alert in the absence of a smartphone. Comes with 4 wireless tire sensors and 1 wireless In-Car unit. It monitors round-the-clock to ensure your tires stay properly inflated, even when your car ignition is switched off. FOBO Tire Plus does not need an external power source and it is wireless. It comes with batteries included which last up to two years and are easily replaceable.    https://my-fobo.com/product/fobotire ====================== In Driving News From Medical Xpress Sleep deprived people more likely to have car crashes A new study in SLEEP indicates that people who have slept for fewer than seven of the past 24 hours have higher odds of being involved in and responsible for car crashes. The risk is greatest for drivers who have slept fewer than four hours. An estimated seven percent of all motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. and 16 percent of fatal crashes involve driver drowsiness.   https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-09-deprived-people-car.html ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, September 24th, 2018 This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  ====================== In Vehicle News From Autoblog Audi might bring back historic Horch name as Maybach rival It looks like Mercedes-Benz isn't the only German manufacturer to reach far back into history for a nameplate. Audi is reportedly bringing back Horch for its high-end vehicles. Horch, an early 20th-century luxury carmaker, was one of the four brands that originally formed Auto Union in 1932, together with Audi, DKW and Wanderer. The union of four carmakers chose a four-ring logo to stand for their joint venture, and the famous logo survives to this day on Audis. But Horch was always a higher-class product than Audis, and as an equal of Mercedes-Maybach the name should serve it well.  https://www.autoblog.com/2018/09/24/audi-horch-name-maybach-rival/ ====================== In Cyber Security News  From Nextgov A second alleged conspirator is currently in a Romanian prison awaiting extradition. A Romanian national has pleaded guilty for her role in hacking more than 125 surveillance cameras in the D.C. metro area ahead of the 2017 inauguration of President Donald Trump. Eveline Cismaru, 28, was charged with hacking into 126 computers connected to cameras installed and used by the Metropolitan Police Department and locking them down with ransomware, a type of malware used to extort targets by crippling IT systems until the hackers are paid.    https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/09/romanian-woman-pleads-guilty-hacking-dc-cameras-ahead-trump-inauguration/151463/ ============ and from Conde Nast Traveler Delta to Launch First Biometric Terminal in the U.S. at World's Busiest Airport The airline today announced plans to launch the first entirely biometric terminal in the U.S. "late" this year, at Atlanta's Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport's Terminal F. Passengers flying direct out of the country to an international destination on Delta, Aeromexico, Air France-KLM, or Virgin Atlantic Airways will soon be able to move from curb to gate with nothing but their face as identification. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/delta-to-launch-first-biometric-terminal-in-the-us ====================== In Security News From Bitcoin Exchange Known South African Entrepreneur was Kidnapped for 50 Bitcoin (BTC) Ransom Cape Town businessman, Liyaqat Parker, has returned home after two months in captivity.  The founder of the Food prop Group, also known for other business interests, had been kidnapped at gunpoint by a gang of five men at his company’s basement parking lot in July. The exact details relating to Parker’s kidnapping ordeal are still shrouded in mystery. Naturally, the man’s family has asked for respect and privacy during this time – refusing to respond to media inquiries or divulge sensitive information regarding Parker’s disappearance.  https://bitcoinexchangeguide.com/known-south-african-entrepreneur-was-kidnapped-for-50-bitcoin-btc-ransom/  ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================   This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, September 21st, 2018 This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  ====================== In Vehicle News From CNET 2019 Lincoln Nautilus first drive review The Lincoln Motor Company is reinventing itself. After a generation of MK-thises and MK-thats that struggled to differentiate themselves from high-trim Fords, we got the one-two punch of Continental and redesigned Navigator. These aren't just a return of proper nameplates, either. Instead, Lincoln finally has some compelling luxury vehicles that don't just feel like upscale Fords.      https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2019-lincoln-nautilus-fwd-preview/ ====================== In Cyber Security News From CNBC Google says apps may scan Gmail accounts if they get user consent Google has given a preview of what to expect at a congressional hearing next week when the privacy of internet users takes center stage. In a letter to three U.S. senators that became public on Thursday, Google defended how and when it lets app developers at other companies scan and share the contents of Gmail accounts, saying that it continuously vets the developers who have that level of access.   https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/google-says-apps-may-scan-gmail-accounts-if-they-get-n911546 ====================== In Security News From ASIS ASIS has opened the application process for the new Associate Protection Professional certification ASIS has opened the application for those interested in taking part in the beta test for the new Associate Protection Professional or APP for short. Those applying for the new certification's beta test have been offered a discount because they'll need to wait 2-3 months for their results. During that time, ASIS will evaluate the performance of the exam and set a passing score. This new certification program was developed as part of ASIS's Career Pathing Initiative. It is intended to be the first rung on a security management professional's career ladder. The exam will test professional's knowledge of these four domains: Security Fundamentals, Business Operations, Risk Management, and Response Management. As with ASIS's other certification programs, you will need a combination of education and/or experience to take the exam (1-4 years of experience in the security management field). The Certification Handbook has all the information on eligibility requirements, how to apply, fees, and recommended readings.   https://www.asisonline.org/certification/associate-protection-professional-app/ ====================== Recommend Reading The Trusted Advisor From International Security Driver Association If there is only one business book you read, this is it. The book outlines the steps necessary to create a lasting relationship with clients. In today’s fast-paced networked economy, professionals must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one’s discipline is not enough, assert world-renowned professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. To demonstrate the paramount importance of trust, the authors use anecdotes, experiences, and examples — successes and mistakes, their own and others’ — to great effect. The result is an immensely readable book that will be welcomed by the inexperienced advisor and the most seasoned expert alike. http://amzn.to/14EJOLb ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================   This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, September 20th, 2018   In Vehicle News The Computer Chip in Your Butt A while back, an article in Racecar Engineering Magazine discussed the effects of “self-aligning torque” on the driving task. Self-Aligning Torque is the amount of effort or force needed to move the steering wheel. It is measured in pounds and is the vehicle’s way of communicating to the driver that everything is cool, no worries, or that in a few tenths of seconds, you and the principal will be experiencing a lot of excitement.   https://isdacenter.org/the-computer-chip-in-your-butt/   ==========  And from Autoblog Cadillac to expand V-Series but discontinue CTS-V and ATS-V Cadillac said Tuesday it will expand its V-Series performance sub-brand with the arrival of the CT6-V sedan in 2019 (formerly known as the CT6 V-Sport), with plans to add high-performance variants across its portfolio. The flipside to that expansion is the sunsetting of its two existing V-Series performance cars, the ATS-V (both coupe and convertible) and CTS-V sedan. Two new unspecified sedans will slot below the CT6 in Cadillac's lineup, a spokesman said. The CT6-V will arrive next spring. It will feature Cadillac's new "Blackwing" V8, a twin-turbo engine that displaces 4.2 liters and produces an estimated 550 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, sending it through GM's new 10-speed automatic transmission to drive all four wheels.   https://www.autoblog.com/2018/09/19/cadillac-expand-v-series-discontinue-cts-v-ats-v/   ======================   In Cyber Security News  From Tech Crunch State Department confirms data breach exposed employee data The State Department has confirmed a data breach affecting an unknown number of employees. A spokesperson told TechCrunch that the breach affected “less than 1 percent” of unclassified employee inboxes. “We have not detected activity of concern in the Department’s classified email system.” “We determined that certain employee personally identifiable information may have been exposed and those employees were notified,” the spokesperson said.    https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/18/state-department-confirms-data-breach-exposing-employee-data/ ======================   In the Business of Executive Protection News From Security Marketing Solutions Do You Have a Stagnant Digital Platform? Is your website active? Is your website just a brochure on the web? When was the last time you put up new content? Updated an image? Shared a new testimonial from a client? Perhaps your website is poorly designed by relying on a friend to save a couple of bucks to design your website. When was the last time you put information on your website that is useful for your clients and visitors? Does that describe your website? As I have discussed in previous blog posts your website is the hub – the center of your business. You have a platform on the web so that potential clients and current customers can find you. With your website, you can control your brand – who you are, what you do, and what qualifies you to do it. Everything comes out of your controlled website and goes to the spokes – which are the social media networks.  https://larrysnow.me/stagnant/  ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, September 18th, 2018     In Vehicle News From the International Security Driver Association In a previous podcast, we discussed a question taken from the ISDA 2017 Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey. DO YOU USE RENTAL VEHICLES WHILE SUPPLYING PROTECTIVE OR SECURE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES? In the report, approximately 62% of participants use rental vehicles. As a follow up to the question the survey also asked: IF YOU DO RENT VEHICLES, WHICH VEHICLE TYPE IS TYPICALLY CHOSEN? It should be no surprise that the vehicle most often rented was an SUV. This reinforces the need to have a driver who understands the differences between the driving characteristics of sedans and SUVs. It's also important that the driver recognizes the vehicle's warning systems. As an example, if an emergency comes up and the car is supplying the driver a warning signal; i.e. seat vibrating - buzzer, you don't want it to be the first time this driver has heard or seen this signal. The time wasted determining what the problem is can and will be dangerous for both the driver and the passengers. Keep in mind that at 40 MPH - 65 KPH the vehicle is moving 60 Feet Per second or 18 Meters per second - at 60 MPH - 97 KPH the vehicle is moving 90 Feet per second or 27 Meters per second  RENTED VEHICLE TYPE PERCENTAGE SUV - 74.2% Sedan - 17.8% Armored - 4.3% Limousine - 3.7% ====================== In Cyber Security News  From Engadget North Koreans have been hiding their identities to evade sanctions The US Department of the Treasury recently warned IT companies and individuals that individuals from North Korea are using fake online information in order to win employment for technology projects. These individuals often hide behind businesses that are nominally Chinese owned, but often are completely controlled and managed by North Koreans. https://www.engadget.com/2018/09/17/north-korea-hiding-online-identities-evade-us-un-sanctions/ ======================   In Executive Protection News From the International Security Driver Association The Science of Walking or Driving the Principal – Time and Distance An attack on the principal is a time, distance relationship. Moving the principal, driving or walking is managing time and distance. If there is an attack on the principal (AOP), driving or walking, any delay in the decision-making process will equate to less time and distance. No matter what level of skill the practitioners possesses if there is not enough time and distance to use the skill, bad things will happen.   https://isdacenter.org/science-walking-driving-principal-time-distance/ ====================== In Technology News FEMA postpones mobile ‘Presidential Alert’ test to October 3rd FEMA announced recently that it would be conducting a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). Both were initially scheduled to take place on September 20th, but FEMA said today that the WEA test has been postponed until October 3rd. The delay is due to severe weather stemming from Hurricane Florence and ongoing response efforts.   https://www.engadget.com/2018/09/17/fema-postpones-mobile-emergency-alert-test/ ======================  Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, September 17th, 2018   In Vehicle News From the International Security Driver Association The First Attack on an Armored Vehicle in a Convoy? One of the first “vehicle assassinations” was that of Tsar Alexander II in Russia. He was one of the first victims of an assassination in an armored vehicle. The vehicle happened to be an armored horse-drawn carriage, a gift from Napoleon III of France. As he was known to do every Sunday, the Tsar drove in a three sleigh protection team to review the military unit called the Life Guards. He took the same route every Sunday. His security team consisted of the Tsar’s two-horse sleigh. Behind Alexander came two more sleighs filled with Cossack security officials. On 13 March 1881 as they were crossing a bridge a terrorist stepped forward and tossed a bomb under the legs of the Tsar’s horses. One Cossack was mortally wounded, as was a passing delivery boy. The windows of the royal sleigh were shattered, and the floor of the sleigh was smashed. The Tsar was dazed but survived it all with only a small cut on his hand. Colonel Dvoretsky, district chief of police, rushed up and urged the Tsar to get into his sleigh. At this point we can see that history hasn’t changed much; there are still principals who won’t listen to their security chiefs. The Tsar ignored his recommendation and wandered over to look at the site of the explosion. Alexander turned and began walking toward another carriage. He passed near a man leaning on an iron railing holding a parcel – another terrorist. The second terrorist turned and hurled his parcel at the Tsar’s feet. There was a second roar, another cloud of blue smoke; this time the street was littered with the wounded and dying. The Tsar crouched in a pool of his blood. The Tsar was driven swiftly to the palace, his sleigh leaving a trail of blood behind. By the time medical aid could be sum­moned, it was too late. To sum it all up they went the same route every Sunday, the principal survived the initial attack, got out of his armored vehicle, ignored the recommendations of his security and got blown up. This could have been the first attack on a “motorcade” and the theory that works today would have worked then – cover the principal and leave the kill zone. https://isdacenter.org/first-attack-armored-vehicle-convoy/  ======= And from Salon  , critics say Consumer advocates are attacking a bill heading for a vote soon in the U.S. Senate that would clear legal obstacles for the deployment of driverless cars — a proposal that, critics say, lacks safeguards needed to protect the public and largely would let vehicle manufacturers regulate themselves. The measure, which is being pushed by auto and tech industry lobbyists, is called the AV START Act, standing for “American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies.”   https://www.salon.com/2018/09/15/safety-would-take-a-back-seat-if-senate-passes-bill-on-driverless-cars-critics-say_partner/   ======================   In Cyber Security News  From Gizmodo.Com Top European Court Rules UK Mass Surveillance Regime Violates Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled this week that the United Kingdom government’s surveillance regime violated human rights laws.   https://gizmodo.com/top-european-court-rules-uk-mass-surveillance-regime-vi-1829029877   ======================   In Terrorism News From the Department of Homeland Security National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin Since 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has used this Bulletin to highlight the continuing terror threat to the U.S. Homeland. The United States is engaged in a generational fight against terrorists who seek to attack the American people, our country, and our way of life. An informed vigilant and engaged public remains one of our greatest assets to identify potential terrorists and prevent attacks. https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/ntas_18_0914_0001 ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ======================     This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today  

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, September 13th, 2018   In Driving News From the International Security Driver Association The Science of Security Driving As we (ISDA) have posted in the past, researchers define driving skill as the driver’s “ability” to use the vehicle’s “capability.” The researchers express driving skill as the percentage of the vehicle a driver can use before losing control of the vehicle. If a driver can use 50% of the vehicle, they define him/her as a 50% driver, if they can use 80% of the vehicle, they are an 80% driver. The same research also has found that the average driver can only use 40% of the vehicle’s capability. Using 80% or above of the vehicle’s capability would more than likely only happen during an emergency (accident or ambush). But what percentage of the vehicle does a Security Driver use while maneuvering through the day to day mundane chore of moving the boss from Point A to Point B, such as driving up to an intersection and slowing down – stopping at a red light – driving on an off ramp or around a corner? To answer that question, ISDA conducted an experiment, using a G-Meter, measuring how much of the vehicle’s capability is used during normal driving routine, one absent of an emergency. What we found interesting was how little of the vehicle’s braking and cornering capacity result during the daily driving routine. https://isdacenter.org/science-of-security-driving/ ======================   In Executive Protection News  From the Aerial Information Systems Corporation A White Paper - Addressing Drone Threats & Countermeasures for Executive Protection Professionals From the introduction The use of drones is on the rise and so is the misuse of drones. While there is some hype around drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), they are here to stay. We are witnessing the early evolution of a new tool that will affect many aspects of society, from agriculture to emergency services to home delivery. And as with any tool, it’s not if, but when the tool gets used in a reckless or malicious manner. From a security perspective, drones have the potential to nullify many of the protective measures long relied upon to deter and stop ground-based threats. Walls, vehicle barriers, and officers currently offer limited resistance to even a poorly skilled drone operator with a desire to attack or conduct surveillance against a target. Since World War II, the western private sector has largely not faced a serious threat from the air. The notable exception being 9/11, which was unfathomable to most people on 9/10. Who would fly an airliner into a building? Answer: the same type of people who would fly an explosive-laden drone. So, security professionals need to start considering the sky again as a potential avenue of attack.  https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57104448c6fc0815c959f2e9/t/5abafc4d8a922dcb2e5aa7fb/1522203725586/ ======================   In Terrorism News From Reuters Iran ordered to pay $104.7 million over 1996 truck bomb attack: U.S. judge A federal judge in Washington, D.C. on Monday ordered Iran to pay $104.7 million to victims of a June 1996 truck bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. military personnel, though it is unclear when and how the plaintiffs might collect. Chief Judge Beryl Howell entered a default judgment against Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which did not defend against claims over their alleged roles in the attack, which sheared off the front of the Khobar Towers complex.    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-court-decision/iran-ordered-to-pay-104-7-million-over-1996-truck-bomb-attack-u-s-judge-idUSKCN1LQ2HW ======================   In the Business of Executive Protection News From Security Marketing Solutions Building Relationships on Twitter If I were to walk up to you at a conference, business or social function and state, “Hey my company offers celebrity protection services, call me”, hand you a business card and walk away, what would you think? Probably that I’m nuts, rude, and you’d promptly throw away the business card in the nearest trash barrel. The exact above scenario is being played out on Twitter every day.  Tweets that do nothing but state “Hey you by my stuff” or “Hey you buy my services.”  Time and again I see personal protection businesses send out tweet after tweet to various businesses and individuals whom they don’t know, have no relationship with and share that they offer executive protection services and to call, Skype, direct message etc with the hope that someone will say yes.  I call them cold calling tweets. Tweets that are so annoyingly rude and no better than a telemarketer on the phone.  This attempt at marketing on social media just doesn’t work and will get you blocked and unfollowed in a heartbeat. It defeats the purpose of social media. We’re supposed to be building relationships. https://larrysnow.me/building-relationships-twitter/ ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News Podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, September 12th, 2018   In Business of Executive Protection News From the International Security Driver Association Exposing Your Client to IRS Audits and Tax Penalties Is Not a Good Career Move If a provider supplies “Secure Transportation” They Must Be In Compliance With The IRS Code That defines Secure Transportation. There are many secure transportation providers that use those two words as a marketing tool, BUT if a supplier does not comply with the IRS code, they expose their client to financial risk. If the Secure Transportation supplied does not meet the IRS Code, the cost of that transportation is considered a perk to the executive. As a perk, the executive will be required to pay tax on the amount of the service. If the executive or their company believe that the service provided is as advertised (Secure Transportation) but, in fact, it does not meet the IRS Code, specifically in the code that defines Security Driver, then the executive unknowingly is personally responsible for the taxes on the amount of that service. If this scenario continues over a period, the executive is personally responsible for the tax on the service, the interest, and penalties, which can be a considerably large sum of money, not to mention one pissed off executive. The ISDA would suggest reading  Vehicle Dynamics Institute CEO Joe Autera’s article “Perk or Prerequisite: the Security Driver from a Business Perspective” to find more info about the code. Also consider that if the company has a K&R policy, they also have a requirement of Secure Transportation. Also, not all protection markets may be affected by the IRS code. So we will tell you what Joe Autera and Tony Scotti tell the clients – “We are not tax accountants and lawyers.” If you offer these services, we would strongly suggest you have someone with knowledge of the tax codes give you an opinion concerning your compliance to the tax code. Other Related Article from Cornell University - An explanation of IRS Code from Cornell University https://isdacenter.org/exposing-client-irs-audits-tax-penalties-not-good-career-move/ ======================   In Terrorism News  From The Drive USAF Trying To Find Weapon Used In Mystery Attacks On US Diplomats As Evidence Points To Russia The U.S. government reportedly has intelligence that indicates Russia is behind a spate of bizarre attacks on American diplomats in Cuba and China. At the same time, American officials are trying to recreate the weapon the attackers might have used with help from the U.S. Air Force. If the Russian connection is true, the incidents would represent a significant escalation in the Kremlin’s already aggressive policies toward the United States, but it would also be in line with a growing number of brazen Russian acts against their opponents overseas, including the attempted assassination of a former intelligence agent in the United Kingdom.    http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/23523/usaf-trying-to-find-weapon-used-in-mystery-attacks-on-us-diplomats-as-evidence-points-to-russia ======================   In Vehicle News From Auto News Lexus dumps side mirrors for sleek digital camera on next ES Lexus is dropping traditional side mirrors for sleek digital cameras in what it calls an industry-first move to improve safety, visibility and cabin solitude. The technology will debut in the redesigned ES sedan that goes on sale in October.  The camera-based system initially will be available only in Japan as the country streamlines regulations to allow for mirrorless vehicles.    http://www.autonews.com/article/20180912/OEM04/180919888/lexus-dumps-side-mirrors-for-sleek-digital-camera-on-next-es ======================   In Technology News From Defense One The Military Now Has Tooth Mics For Invisible, Hands-Free Radio Calls Next time you pass someone on the street who appears to be talking to themselves, they may literally have voices inside their head…and be a highly trained soldier on a dangerous mission. The Pentagon has inked a roughly $10 million contract with a California company to provide secure communication gear that’s essentially invisible. Dubbed the Molar Mic, it’s a small device that clips to your back teeth. The device is both microphone and “speaker,”  allowing the wearer to transmit without any conspicuous external microphone and receive with no visible headset or earpiece. Incoming sound is transmitted through the wearer’s bone matter in the jaw and skull to the auditory nerves; outgoing sound is sent to a radio transmitter on the neck, and sent to another radio unit that can be concealed on the operator. From there, the signal can be sent anywhere.    https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2018/09/military-now-has-tooth-mics-invisible-hands-free-radio-calls/151145/   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today 

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, September 11th, 2018 In remembrance of 9/11 today, this podcast episode is focusing on 9/11 and terrorism-related news articles.   From USA Today On the anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks, terrorists readying to attack again: 9/11 commissioners By Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton It might be tempting to think we have turned the tide on terrorism. After all, the Islamic State is on the run in Iraq and Syria, and terrorist attacks are on the decline globally for the third consecutive year. But that would be a grave mistake. Violent extremists are regrouping and will strike again. The 9/11 Commission recommended three core goals for U.S. policy: Attack terrorists and their organizations, protect against and prepare for attacks, and prevent the continued growth of Islamist terrorism. The United States has effectively carried out the first two elements of this strategy but made little headway on the third. Until we do, the scourge of terrorism will continue to plague us. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/09/11/september-11-attacks-anniversary-terrorism-memorial-new-strategy-column/1212208002/   =======    And from the Pew Research Center By John Gramlich Defending against terrorism has remained a top policy priority for Americans since 9/11 Over the course of more than 15 years and three presidential administrations, Americans have consistently said that defending the nation against terrorism should be a top policy priority for the White House and Congress, according to Pew Research Center surveys conducted since shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In January of this year, 73% of U.S. adults said defending the country against future terrorist attacks should be a top priority for President Donald Trump and Congress – making this one of the most frequently cited priorities, along with improving the educational system (72%) and strengthening the nation’s economy (71%).     http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/09/11/defending-against-terrorism-has-remained-a-top-policy-priority-for-americans-since-9-11/   =======   And from CBS News FBI Director Christopher Wray: "Terrorism today moves at the speed of social media" The FBI has made a lot of changes in its structure and mindset in the 17 years since Sept. 11, 2001. Christopher Wray took the reins of the bureau just over a year ago. He and the men and women who keep Americans safe from terrorism have been busier than ever. The Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the FBI and other federal, state and local agencies, receives about 15,000 tips a year. That's roughly 40 per day or two an hour. In an interview with CBS News co-host, Norah O'Donnell spoke to Wray about why he believes the FBI is far better prepared to counter terror threats than it was in 2001. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christopher-wray-fbi-director-911-120-terrorism-related-arrests-in-past-year/  ======= And as I wrap this special 9/11 podcast episode I’d like to relay my 9/11 story. It is amazing that it has been 17 years. It still feels like yesterday. We all remember 9/11. I have a permanent daily reminder – a tattoo of two hands clasping with numbers 9-11-01 above. We all have stories of where we were on that fateful day. For me I was on the 25th floor of One World Financial Center which was and is diagonally south of the towers. When the first plane hit it sounded like a dumpster was dropped from a garbage truck – kind of metal and tin meets asphalt. I looked out the window and saw papers flying by. Coworkers were saying a small plane had struck one of the towers. A look of fear was on their faces. I immediately took the elevator down to the lobby and went outside to get a better view, I called my wife who was working for the same firm but on the 5th floor. Told her what happened. She remained in the building. As I was looking up bodies started falling. It was horrible to see. As I looked away a dark shadow came across the sky with a loud roar. The second plane had it the other tower. People started running south screaming “another plane,” “we’re under attack!” Some were thinking that it was a missile. I continued to head south to South End Ave – our firm’s rally point for contingency was there. I was having a difficult time finding my wife after the second plane communication lines were jammed. After about 20 minutes of walking back and forth frantically asking coworkers, we found each other back at the rally point. Some time had passed without getting any clear direction on what to do. There was no plan for this. We weren’t exactly sure where to go. We were slowly watching the twin towers burn. A police officer came by to our group and told us to move north; we never thought that the towers would come down. We moved north at a leisurely pace; my wife was frantically trying to contact our family on the cell phone to no avail. Right at the north cove marina and the winter garden she finally got through. We let them know we were fine and walking north. Her dad told us that there were other planes unaccounted for. At that moment the first tower began to fall. I screamed out “Oh, fuck! Run!” That was the last words her dad heard for hours. We ran. People were getting trampled. Some were jumping in the Hudson River, others jumping into ferry and fire boats that had made their way along Hudson. At that moment self-preservation took over, and I forgot about everything and everyone and ran. We turned the corner just in time. We made it safely passed the plumes of smoke, debris, and dust. Others did not. We were ushered through a construction gate by a man in a security jacket and finally back onto West St and headed north while fighter jets flew overhead – people ducking thinking jets would crash into other buildings. We continued walking north for about 30 to 45 minutes stopping along the way to catch our breath and try to soak in all of what happened. When the second tower fell, we were far enough away that no smoke or debris could reach us. Our walking ended when we arrived at the NYC Sanitation garage on West St. near West 14 St.  Other stranglers entered the garage covered in ash and debris. They offered the use of their bathroom, and we watched the TV they had. Our first opportunity to hear and see about the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. We sat there glued to the TV for a couple of hours making sure it was safe to venture out and making plans on how to get back home. We eventually made it back to Staten Island around 6 pm to watch CNN non-stop for several days.  I’d like to end this podcast with a moment of silence in honor of the heroes and victims of September 11, 2001. ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, September 10th, 2018  In Executive Protection News From SecurityDriver.Com In case you missed it - Does Security Driving have anything to do with Executive Protection? This question was asked while Tony Scotti was observing an EP Training program. The time frame was about five years back. During a break, a group of students approached him and asked the question “What does driving have to do with Executive Protection?”. At the time Tony could understand why they would ask the question, they are paying a considerable amount of money to attend an EP training program, and Security Driving or Secure Transportation was hardly mentioned. This, not a criticism, it is an observation. Tony’s thoughts on the subject are skewed by human bias. The bias comes from his years in the profession and the market segment he worked with and in. His career has been mostly corporate, military, government, and law enforcement. He does not understand the private security (Those that market and supply protective services to the corporate community), and entertainment market – He has little or no experience working with that segment of the profession. This is not a criticism; it is a statement of fact. His reaction to the question was – Wow. He wanted to know what others thought, maybe it’s him. So, at that time, he posted the question on LinkedIn, Facebook Groups, and the ISDA Network. Altogether, there were more than 150 comments, written by practitioners from the various segments of the profession, and varying degrees of experience.   The following are some of the responses to the question: “I suspect the reason for the question is that those asking it has limited experience and far less analytical ability.” “I can’t imagine that any “professional” protection agent would ask that question. It is undeniably yes!” “If asked that question I would have the same reaction as you, “wow.” Followed closely by, “really?” Security driving is inextricably linked to the protective envelope.” “Forget attacks; advanced driving skills are essential for safe traveling by road. Road accidents remain a serious threat for EP.” “I think that most protectors just don’t know what they don’t know if they have never received “valid” driving instruction.” http://securitydriver.com/02/does-security-driving-have-anything-to-do-with-executive-protection/   ======================   In Cyber Security News  From Venture Beat Apple yanks top Mac app a month after learning it sends user info to China   Three researchers, including former NSA staffer Patrick Wardle, Thomas Reed of Malwarebytes, and “privacy fighter” @privacyis1st, said in a blog post today that they reported Adware Doctor last month for sending a user’s Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and App Store browsing histories alongside lists of the Mac’s apps and running processes to a server in China. Despite receiving confirmation that Apple received the report, the $5 app remained in the App Store — where it was ranked the number one paid app across all Mac utilities.     https://venturebeat.com/2018/09/07/apple-yanks-top-mac-app-a-month-after-learning-it-sends-user-info-to-china/ ======================   In Security News From Security Magazine U.S. Hotels to Arm Staff with Panic Buttons and Safety Training The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the major hotel brands in membership announced the 5-Star Promise, a pledge to provide hotel employees across the U.S. with employee safety devices (ESDs) and commit to enhanced policies, trainings and resources that together are aimed at enhancing hotel safety, including preventing and responding to sexual harassment and assault.    https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/89395-us-hotels-to-arm-staff-with-panic-buttons-and-safety-training   ======================   In Training News LaSorsa & Associates, an industry leader in executive protection training, recently announced that they will be partnering with Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute (VDI), the global leader in specialized driver training, to provide those who matter the most – their students and clients – even greater training value from their standardized and custom executive protection training courses. With this strategic alliance, clients and students of each of these leading-edge training providers stand to reap the benefits. Beginning with the upcoming LaSorsa & Associates nine-day Executive Protection Program, which kicks off on October 20 in Miami, FL, VDI shall provide their highly acclaimed three-day Protective/Evasive Driving course as the driver training component of this comprehensive course. Along with the certificates, LaSorsa & Associates awards for the various components of the course, students who complete the Protective/Evasive Driving component will be presented with a separate certificate of completion from VDI, further enhancing the value this course offers to students. For more information go to https://www.lasorsa.com/executive-protection-training/   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. Thanks for listening to the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News podcast. ======================   This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, September 7th, 2018   In Vehicle News From the Drive BMW Building High-Tech Driving Simulation Center in Munich The BMW Group has started work on a new $116 million Driving Simulation Center in Munich that will help with the company's testing and development of autonomous driving technology. The new facility will "bring the road into the lab” and is located in Munich’s Milbertshofen district. The new build will cover a total of 123,000 square feet and will be equipped with 14 simulators and labs. The facility is expected to be completed in 2020. The Driving Simulation Center will allow virtual testing of advanced driving assistance systems, and innovative display and control concepts to move autonomous tech forward. At the heart of the center are two innovative driving simulators. One is a high-dynamic simulator creating movements up to 1.0 G-force. It will be used to test new systems and functions by replicating evading maneuvers, full braking, and hard acceleration.   Read More ======================    In Cyber Security News  From the Next Web Hackers hijack 380,000 customers’ data from British Airways’ site Hackers have stolen the data of 380,000 customers including names, addresses, phone number, and payment information from the British Airways website. However, the compromised data didn’t include passport or travel details. The airline said that the data was stolen from its website and mobile app between August 21 and September 5.    Read More ======================   In Terrorism News From Marsh Insurance Broking and Risk Management 2018 Terrorism Risk Insurance Report Although the number of incidents and casualties declined in 2017, terrorism remains a persistent and significant threat to businesses, governments, and individuals. Terrorist attacks rank among the top 10 risks for global businesses in terms of likelihood, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2018, produced in partnership with Marsh & McLennan Companies. Geopolitical concerns also rank high, with weapons of mass destruction identified as the top risk in terms of impact. And the past several years have demonstrated that these risks are rapidly evolving. Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, September 5th, 2018   In Executive Protection News NBC News Scott Pruitt's $3.5 million, 24/7 security detail not justified, says EPA watchdog Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's use of around-the-clock security detail that cost taxpayers more than $3.5 million was not justified and was more than twice as expensive as his predecessor's, according to a new report by the Environmental Protection Agency's Inspector General. Pruitt resigned from the EPA effective July 6 after facing a barrage of investigations and audits. The inspector general found the decision to assign a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week security detail to protect Pruitt was made by the Trump transition team before the administrator even started the job. The decision was supposed to be re-evaluated two weeks after Pruitt arrived but the IG says that never happened. It also cost 110 percent more than the security protection given to Pruitt's predecessor, Gina McCarthy, during a similar time period.   Read More ======================   In Terrorism News Terrorist wannabes plotted self-driving car bomb attack Two wannabe ISIS terrorists planned an attack involving a self-driving car — because they didn’t want to blow themselves up, British prosecutors said Tuesday. Farhad Salah and Andy Star were busted in England in December for allegedly plotting the car-bomb attack, the Telegraph reported.     Read More ======= And from Homeland Security MCCAUL RELEASES SEPTEMBER TERROR THREAT SNAPSHOT House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) today released September’s Terror Threat Snapshot, a monthly assessment of the Committee’s continuing effort to highlight the growing threat America, the West, and the world face from ISIS and other Islamist terrorists.    Read More   ======================   In Vehicle News From Auto Remarketing Consumer satisfaction with vehicle technology on rise, says J.D. Power tech study According to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study, released Wednesday, overall satisfaction with new-vehicle technology among owners of luxury vehicles averages 766 (on a 1,000-point scale), while satisfaction among owners of mass-market vehicles is 765. This is a 16-point and 15-point improvement, respectively, from last year.     Interestingly, J.D. Power found that owners may find the systems to be more of a problem than a benefit. In fact, 23 percent of owners said that their lane-keeping/centering system is annoying or bothersome.   Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments.  As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, Spreaker, and Stitcher. ======================  This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

The Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, August 31st, 2018    In Security News Business Insider Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans  The United States' top spy catcher said Chinese espionage agencies are using fake LinkedIn accounts to try to recruit Americans with access to government and commercial secrets, and the company should shut them down. Read More ======= And Man charged with threatening to kill Boston Globe employees had 20 guns in the home A California man who prosecutors say threatened to shoot Boston Globe employees in a series of phone calls this month had 20 guns seized by law enforcement during a search of his home, officials said. Robert Chain, 68, of Encino California, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday. A Los Angeles judge has since set bond at $50,000 for Chain, The Associated Press reported. It's not clear whether the guns found in Chain's home were acquired legally.   Read More   ======================   In Driving News  US traffic deaths fell slightly in first half of year The number of people killed on U.S. roads fell slightly in the first half of 2018, but a top safety organization says it's likely that there will be little change in the number of deaths from 2017 by the end of the year.   Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. The ISDA Membership ISDA Members represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession. The membership can be defined as a group of practitioners from different disciplines within the profession and with years of experience coming together to assist ISDA Members. Read more about our members Here is a collection of Books, and Articles authored by ISDA Members. Learn More about the ISDA Advantage and Become a Member Today

Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, August 29th, 2018   In Security News From US News and Huffington Post Gaming Tournament Shooting Highlights Security or Lack of It A shooting in Florida that left three dead, including the shooter, prompted calls from gamers for more security at esports tournaments. A champion gamer's decision to open fire Sunday afternoon during a video competition — killing two people and wounding nine others before killing himself — has prompted calls from gamers for more security at esports tournaments.    It's unclear what kind of security was at the event, which was held at a game bar inside a waterfront mall.  Orlando-based law firm Morgan & Morgan announced that it is filing a negligence lawsuit on behalf of multiple survivors of Sunday’s shooting in Jacksonville, Florida.   US News Huffington Post   ======================   In Cyber Security News From Business Insider If you have a Yahoo account, your emails have probably been scanned to figure out what you buy — and they may have been read by employees of the company If you've got a Yahoo.com or an AOL.com email address, your emails have probably been scanned to figure out what you might buy.   Read More   ======================   In Terrorism News   From Small Wars Journal The Future of Terrorism: The Practitioners’ View By James Howcroft Director of the Program on Terrorism and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall Center The 9/11 Commission identified “lack of imagination” within the counter-terrorism community as a key reason for the failure to stop the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001.  The failure to realize that airplanes themselves could be used as weapons contributed to the fact that the plot was not detected, and appropriate counter-measures were not taken.  It is therefore important for counter-terrorism professionals to try to think from the terrorists’ perspective and to consider possible ways they might adapt and innovate in the future.  The Program on Terrorism and Security Studies (PTSS) at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Germany, brings together counter-terrorism professionals and practitioners from around the world for a month twice a year to study contemporary terrorism and the tools and strategies needed to combat it.  The 68 participants from 48 countries who attended the PTSS in July 2018 were tasked to use their informed imagination and to think of plausible ways that terrorism might evolve within the next ten years.  Participants were asked to provide their assessments in three main areas: motivations, tactics / weapons / technology and likely targets.  Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast. 

Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, August 28th, 2018 In Security News From Security Today Hotels Defying Do Not Disturb Signs Caesars Entertainment, one of the world’s largest casino companies, is ruffling customers’ feathers with newly minted security procedures in the wake of the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Caesars began the rollout of these new policies in February 2018, mandating a visual search of a room by security personnel if hotel staff have not had access to the room in over 24 hours.  Even if guests put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign on their door, security will enter the room to perform the search. Read more    ======================    In Vehicle News From Autoblog Rolls-Royce microbots could be working on your engine in no time Rolls-Royce and Harvard University are teaming up to create microbots for engine maintenance on aircrafts. SWARM robots will enter the engine with the help of a snake robot and inspect the engine from the inside without removing parts of the engine. Would you let microbots work on your car? Read More   ======================   In Business of Executive Protection News From Quartz and Google.Com Google Search now helps veterans to find jobs The current extremely low rate of unemployment for US veterans is disguising some unpleasant truths.   Part of the problem, according to veterans, it that it’s often not that obvious where they should send their resumes. Emblematic of the disconnect they feel between their old and new life is the very language the military uses to describe jobs. Veterans arrive in their new civilian lives with a code to describe what they did in uniform. For instance, the army and marines use a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) code. These strings of letters and numbers tell other insiders exactly what they did every day, but what does “MOS 0369” mean to a bank recruiter or tech startup?  For military service personnel, transitioning to civilian life can be very difficult. Many people begin their job searches on Google, so Google started with Search to help those who have served and their families. Quartz article  Grow with Google Veterans Commitment   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past podcast episodes and leave comments. As a reminder, the podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast.

Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, August 27th, 2018 In Executive Protection News From MSN.Com Tech companies are spending millions to secure and transport their top execs Although this may appear to be a new phenomenon, it is only new to the tech world. Actually, corporations have been spending money for decades to keep their executives secure while in transit. In fact, in most all cases safety in transit is mostly determined by the IRS and K&R insurance. The job market also reflects the growing amount of money being spent on protecting executives. The following data is taken from a previous podcast episode: In a 55-day time frame, the ISDA curated and shared 110 job opportunities. The metric that struck us was that 38% of the job opportunities were located in California. The numbers indicated that three states represent 54% of the jobs, and 68% were for various types of EP positions, and 19% for Security Drivers. EP and Secure Transportation job opportunities are like any other opportunities in any other profession; they are sensitive to geography. They are not hard to find - the issue is that there is an enormous skill gap between what the corporations want for skill knowledge and experience - and what is available. http://securitydrivernews.libsyn.com/the-executive-protection-skills-gap   Read More   ======   And from BBC news A BBC TV series on protecting Bodyguard is a British television drama series, produced for the BBC. The six-part series stars Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes you may recognize Madden as Rob Stark from the Game of Thrones.  Set in and around the corridors of power, Bodyguard tells the fictional story of David Budd, a heroic but volatile war veteran now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service. When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful Home Secretary Julia Montague, whose politics stand for everything he despises, Budd finds himself torn between his duty and beliefs. Responsible for her safety, is he actually her biggest threat? But just how realistic is this story? How true-to-life is what we seen on screen?   Read More   ======================   In Vehicle News Kalashnikov launches a Tesla-rivalling electric car Kalashnikov, the Russian manufacturing giant best known for its AK47 assault rifle, has unveiled the CV-1, a retro-styled 295bhp electric car that it claimed offers Tesla-rivalling performance. The prototype CV-1 was launched at the Army 2018 International Military Technical Forum in Kubinka, Russia. The car’s styling is based on that of the 1970s Izh 2125 Combi. Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments.  As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast.

Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Saturday, August 24th, 2018   In Vehicle News The issue of what happens to the data your principal’s vehicle generates is becoming a serious problem. The concern over the potential monetization of your executive vehicles' data, including personally identifiable data about your principal— is a controversial and growing topic. To mitigate the problem, a newly-formed alliance, the Global Alliance for Vehicle Data Access (GAVDA) is a diverse group of global stakeholders and thought leaders united by a common goal of maintaining control by motor vehicle owners over personal and vehicle-generated data have asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for a public hearing to help clarify who will control access to vehicle data.    This is an issue that ISDA will be monitoring.  https://gavda.org/   And from Car and Driver G-Wagon Revamp Over the years we have had a lot of experience with the G Wagon and found it to be an impressive vehicle for use in high-risk areas. In our (ISDA) opinion one of the best and most reliable SUV’s for Secure Transportation has not changed much since 1979. Well, that’s no longer correct. In 2018 you could walk into a Mercedes dealer and buy a brand-new G-Class that had the same dimensions, suspension design and as the first G-Wagon that debuted 39 years ago.  Walking into the Mercedes Dealer in 2019, and you can buy a completely revamped G-Wagon.   https://www.caranddriver.com/news/2019-mercedes-benz-g-class-revealed-full-info-on-the-all-new-g-news   ======================   In Driver News Using the vehicle  Studies have shown that while cornering (or making an emergency maneuver), the average driver can use only 40 % to 55 % of the car's capability. This does not mean they lose control, it means they can no longer put the vehicle where they want to put the vehicle. After 40 plus years of conducting driver training programs, Tony Scotti would say that number is accurate and may be optimistic.  What can you expect to experience as you drive through a corner at increasing speeds and increasing use of the vehicle's capability.  The question, what percentage of using the vehicle is? Good Passable Minimum  The research is done by engineers. They will never use the expression “bad driver.” They express usage of the vehicles as: If a driver can use 80 percent of the vehicle, he is a good driver. If a driver can use 60 percent of the vehicle, he is an average driver. If a driver can use 30 percent of the vehicle, he is an inexperienced driver (who should consider walking).   If you are using 60% of the vehicle's capability: It will require constant attention, you can probably carry on a conversation, but you have to be paying attention to the road, and keeping your eyes focused on what’s in front of you.  The handling characteristics of the vehicle become evident.   If you are using 70% of the vehicle's capability: Your attention needs to be very high.  If you are an above average driver the fun factor has gone up. The fun factor may be increasing for you, but the fun factor is definitely decreasing for your passengers,   80% of the vehicle capability:  80% and above requires complete attention to the driving task. This is difficult and requires skill that comes from training, if you can accomplish this you are above average. You need to be ready for bad things to happen. Those handling characteristics that became evident at 60% will be slapping you in the face – you will have to use every bit of your skill to maintain control, and the fun factor is decreasing at a rapid rate.   90% of the vehicle capability:  This will be too fast for anyone but a trained driver with a lot of experience. Small movements of the controls will create a loss of control. By this time fun is not the operative word. Even if the passengers are belted in the force will be so high that they will have a hard time moving their hands and arms. Small amounts of debris or imperfections in the road surface become real hazards. The question the passengers had about your sanity has been answered.  100 % of the vehicle capability:    This would be driving at a speed that allows for no error and no unknown irregularity in the course or conditions. The vehicle will more than likely be sliding sideways.  If sanity is intact, apprehension is present.       ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments.  As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody.

Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, August 23rd, 2018    In Driver News  From Government Technology Gainesville, Fla., Greenlights Countdown App for Traffic Signals Motorists in Gainesville, Fla., can now watch the traffic signal they are sitting at countdown from red to green. Most of the city’s signals are part of a connected network that uses real-time information, predictive algorithms and other technology to send information to drivers via the Enlighten mobile app. Read More ======================   In Technology News High-Speed Fiber and Drones Power Live-Streaming Accident App The city of Wilson, N.C., needed only a small boost to get its public safety drone program flying even higher. The city began leveraging unmanned aerial systems (UAS) a little over a year ago, sending out drones to capture video footage of accident scenes. A $10,000 grant from smart cities accelerator US Ignite enabled development of a new live-streaming app.  Read More   ======================   In Business of Executive Protection From Security Marketing Solutions  Top 10 SEO Tips For Your Business Website OK so you’ve got a great looking website, triple checked it for typos, verified the content, added your contact/sales form, danced a jig, and you are now idling by the computer and your smartphone waiting for sales to come pouring in. Well, it isn’t that easy. There are over 200 million websites across the globe and thousands of new ones being created daily. Developing a website is one thing, but how do you make it stand out and get those eyeballs looking and people buying your products. One of the most important steps you can do is to optimize your website for search engines. Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short is a buzzword that you’ve probably heard of over the last few years. Here are our Top Ten Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips to help your business website move up in the rankings. Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.   

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018   In Driver News  Night Driving  Some security drivers spend a considerable amount of time driving in darkness. There are special hazards that night driving presents and effective ways to deal with them. The major difference between day and night driving is the accident rate.  When you consider that 90% of a driver’s reaction depends on vision, and vision is severely limited at night, it is no surprise that the night driving accident rate is roughly three times that of daylight driving. The cause of the decreased vision varies.  At night, the driver’s normally wide field of vision is narrowed to the field of view illuminated by your headlights, the headlights of other vehicles and fixed road lights. Depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision are compromised after sundown. Older drivers have even greater difficulties seeing at night. A 50-year-old driver may need twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year old. Read More ======================   In Technology News From CNET Phone case claims to detect weapons and explosives from 40 feet There are plenty of iPhone cases and adapters which add functionality to your phone, ranging from battery cases to 360-degree cameras, thermal imaging, wireless charging, and even a stun gun. But how about a case that can scan people for hidden weapons? That's exactly what Royal Holdings, a Los Angeles-based startup focused on real-time intelligence and threat detection, and run by former intelligence contractor Barry Oberholzer, aims to do with its SWORD smartphone attachment.   We at the ISDA would like to your feedback – do you see this technology being useful as an executive protection professional? How effective do you think this technology would be? Is it something you’d be interested in purchasing? Let us know in the comments.  Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, August 20th, 2018   In Vehicle News From Fox News Automated car safety systems have saved many lives Electronic blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping systems do help to prevent crashes, according to new studies from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Based on the data, a total of 85,000 crashes would have been prevented if every car on the road had a lane-keeping system in 2015.    Read More   ========   And from Motor Trend California Tells Uber To Cease Autonomous Tests In San Francisco Uber yesterday formally launched its test fleet of autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, and so far, the program is already off to a rough start. For starters, one vehicle was caught on camera running a red light and California is ordering Uber to cease the test program until it obtains a permit.   Read More    ==========   In Cyber Security News From Business Insider Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter could face fines if they fail to take down terrorist content within minutes The EU is planning to crack down on tech companies like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter by imposing fines if they don't remove terrorist material from their platforms quickly enough. The EU Commissioner for Security Julian King told the Financial Times that in draft regulation due to be published next month, the EU will take a harder line with tech companies.  Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, August 17th, 2018   In Vehicle News From SecurityDriver.Com Security Driving and Electronic Stability Control Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a computer that takes over control of the vehicle when the vehicle’s path is not what the driver intended it to be. For those of us who have lost control of a car, we know that it’s that first twitch of the car that tells us that we are about to have an exciting experience. That twitch is information the car is sending to us. For some, interpreting this information is second nature, and for others, it’s like trying to understand Swahili. That sinking feeling we get in our stomach is the car telling us that it’s not going where we want it to go, but it is going on a path that it wants to go. The value of ESC is that it interprets the information, in most cases, before the average driver or even the above average driver can sense the problem. Once the ESC computer reads the information it starts to set the car on the correct path before we can figure out what’s going on.    Read More   ====================== In Driver News From Automotive News Consumer apprehension grows over autonomous tech, study says Increasing awareness of self-driving vehicles is fueling apprehension about the safety of the technology, a new survey reveals. Nearly half of the 1,250 consumers surveyed said they would never buy a Level 5 (or fully autonomous) vehicle, according to a Cox Automotive consumer attitudes study released Thursday. That’s up from 30 percent of the 2,264 people polled two years ago.   Read More   ======= And from ISDACenter.Org A white paper - The Return on Investment of a Security Driver When viewed through the lens of corporate governance, providing an appropriately trained executive driver may just be elevated from something that is an attractive perk to a prerequisite for decreasing risk. Consider that if an executive drove to and from the office that time would be unproductive. What does that time cost the shareholders and if the company supplies a security driver what is their return on investment or ROI for short? The security driver from a business perspective, the cost of executive behind the wheel is a free white paper available at the ISDACenter.Org website. Download   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this podcast are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the podcast is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News podcast. Have a great weekend everybody.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, August 16th, 2018  In Driving News From SecurityDriver.Com Three Seconds To Safety – Surge of Carjacking There has been a surge of carjacking throughout the US and in other countries. In ISDA’s opinion, the number of carjackings may vary from year to year, but it is not a new phenomenon, they have been and always will be a problem. The threat of carjackings is an issue that you may want to bring to the attention of those you protect.    The Three Seconds to Safety booklet is available for free on iBooks and on SecurityDriver.Com Read More   ===========   Autonomous Vehicle Levels It seems that every news agency and certainly every auto-enthusiast magazine and blog are discussing autonomous vehicles and the technology that goes into making vehicles self-driving.  What isn’t really discussed or understood is that there are different levels of self-driving. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, there are 6 levels of automation.  Level 0  - is full manual mode. The driver is in full control of the vehicle and performs all driving tasks. Level 1 – Driver Assistance. The vehicle is controlled by the driver, but some driving assist features may be included in the vehicle design. GM’s adaptive cruise control would be an example of Level 1. Level 2 – Partial Automation. The vehicle has combined automated functions, like acceleration and steering, but the driver must remain engaged with the driving task and monitor the environment at all times. Examples of level 2 include helping vehicles to stay in lanes and self-parking features. Level 3 -  Conditional Automation. The driver is a necessity, but is not required to monitor the environment, The driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times with notice. Level 3 vehicles are capable of managing on a freeway journey, excluding on- and off-ramps and city driving. Feature example is Tesla’s Auto Pilot. Level 4 – High Automation. The vehicle is capable of performing all driving functions under certain conditions. The driver may have the option to control the vehicle. A Level 4 vehicle is capable of completing an entire journey without driver intervention, even operating without a driver at all, but the vehicle does have some constraints. As an example, a Level 4 vehicle may be confined to a certain geographical area (i.e. geofenced), or it could be prohibited from operating beyond a certain speed. A Level 4 vehicle likely still maintains driver controls like a steering wheel and pedals for those instances in which a human may be required to assume control. There are no Level 4 production vehicles available to consumers. Level 5 – Full automation. The vehicle is capable of performing all driving functions under all conditions. The driver may have the option to control the vehicle. A Level 5 vehicle is capable of complete hands-off, driverless operation under all circumstances. A Level 5 autonomous vehicle is unconstrained geographically and theoretically able to travel at all speeds in safety, thanks to advanced software and vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-environment communications. Although there is a big push to get to level 5, manufacturers have some way go to just to create a level 5 - Ford states by 2021 they will have produced a level 5 vehicle, Honda says by 2020, but it will be years and perhaps decades before getting level 5 to consumers. A lot has to happen along the way. Such as vehicle to vehicle communications, the vehicle to road and satellite communications and all the infrastructure that goes into making it all work.   ======================   Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments.  As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ======================  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.    

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, August 14th, 2018   In Terrorism News From the Standard Car plows into pedestrians at Parliament leaving several injured Counter-terror police are investigating after a car plowed into people and crashed into security barriers outside the House of Parliament. Witnesses described hearing screams as a silver car drove "at speed" close to the railings outside Parliament in Westminster on Tuesday morning.   Read More   ======================   In Vehicle News From Consumer Reports The Race to Protect Car Sensors from Their Biggest Foes: Dirt and Weather The same grime, snow, and ice that dirty your car’s windows can render its advanced safety and driver-assist systems useless simply by covering up sensors and cameras. That's why a number of companies are racing to develop ways to let the sensors clean themselves.   Read More   ======================   In Driver News At least 22 people are dead after a huge motorway bridge collapse in Italy At least 22 people have been killed after a motorway bridge collapsed in the northern Italian city of Genoa. One person has been pulled out alive from the rubble under the bridge and is being transported to a hospital by helicopter, Italian news agency ANSA reports. At least 10 vehicles were involved in the collapse, according to ANSA.  Italy's deputy minister officially confirmed the death of 22 people in the disaster, news agency Reuters reports.   Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, August 13th, 2018   In Vehicle News From Design Taxi Tesla Might Open-Source Its Car Security Software For Use By Competitors CEO of Tesla Elon Musk has announced his intention to make Tesla’s car security software open-source for use by rivals in future. Yesterday, Musk tweeted, “Great Q&A @defcon last night. Thanks for helping make Tesla & SpaceX more secure! Planning to open-source Tesla vehicle security software for free use by other car makers. Extremely important to a safe self-driving future for all.”    Read More   =====   and from SecurityDriver.Com Tire Safety Drivers in the United States put more than 2,969 billion miles on their tires. There are nearly 11,000 tire-related crashes, and almost 200 people will die in those crashes. Many of these crashes can be prevented through proper tire maintenance—including tire inflation and rotation—and understanding tire labels, tire aging, and recalls and complaints. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has put together a few statistics. Only 19% of consumers properly check and inflate their tires. Vehicles made after 2007 have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that will alert drivers when tire pressure is significantly low - about 25%below where it should be for safe operation. 1 in 4 cars has at least one tire that is significantly under-inflated. Be sure to check your tires regularly for other wear and tear, like cuts and abrasions. Under-inflated tires lower gas mileage by 0.3% for every 1 pound per square inch (psi) drop in pressure.  Most vehicles should have a tire rotation done every 5,000-8,000 miles Tires lose about 1 psi of pressure each month, so be sure to check your tires monthly. Keeping your tires properly inflated can save you up to 11 cents per gallon.   Read More ======================   In Executive Protection News From Bloomberg How a Chauffeur Could Bring Down Argentina’s Political Elite A chauffeur’s notes could send dozens of Argentina’s political and business elites to prison. On Aug. 1, Argentine newspaper La Nacion published an investigation that detailed alleged bribes from business executives to officials in the former governments of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her late husband, Nestor Kirchner. Evidence in the eight notebooks, kept from 2005 to 2015 by the chauffeur of a former government official, have led to the arrests of more than a dozen men. And Kirchner could be next.    Read More ===== and from News India National Geographic to air documentary on "The President's Bodyguard" Leading satellite network National Geographic on Sunday announced an exclusive documentary on one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army, The President's Bodyguard.  The President's Bodyguard is the oldest surviving mounted unit and is one of the senior most regiments of the Indian Army. The primary role of the President's Bodyguard is to escort and protect the President of India. The regiment, which has 245 years old legacy, and is made up of almost 200 soldiers, represents supreme and selfless service. It is equipped as a mounted unit, with horses for ceremonies at the presidential palace and military vehicles for use in combat. The personnel of the regiment are also trained as paratroopers and nominally are expected to lead in airborne assaults in the role of pathfinders. The first bodyguard to be raised in India was by Governor-General Warren Hastings in September 1773 when European troops, already recruited into the East India Company's service as infantry, were earmarked for the role.   Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, August 9th, 2018   In Security News From Politico TV networks boost security for reporters at Trump rallies Notebooks, mics, cameras, hairspray — those are all things TV reporters are used to having with them at political rallies. Now, in the age of President Donald Trump, they’ve added another: security guards. The networks are employing them, according to reporters, at Trump’s high-octane political rallies, where the media often serves as the No. 1 rhetorical punching bag.    Read More     ===   and from The Drive Homeland Security Secretary to Visit North Dakota Amid Drone Smuggling Concerns Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is scheduled to visit the U.S.-Canada border in North Dakota on Thursday to garner a deeper understanding of the security threats posed by drone-centric drug smuggling, according to The Washington Examiner.  “During this trip, Secretary Nielsen will address the Department’s concerns regarding the threats from small unmanned aerial systems and reiterate that the Department is actively seeking new legal authority from Congress to protect and defend Americans against these types of airborne threats,” said the DHS in a statement.   Read More   ======================   In Vehicle News From Motor Authority You'll soon be able to compare safety of electronic driver aids across vehicles Most major automakers offer electronic driver aids these days, some of which like Tesla's Autopilot can control the steering of a car. However, the performance levels of driver aids vary across brands and road conditions, in some cases dramatically.    Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, August 8th, 2018   In Cyber Security News From Bloomberg Environment News Utilities Prepare for Increased Cyberattacks on the Electric Grid More electric utilities and energy companies are turning to cybersecurity vendors for protection against attempted attacks, a growing threat highlighted by the recent disclosure of Russian hacking into their communications networks last year.  The U.S. utility sector faces millions of attempted cyber intrusions a day. Duke Energy, one of the largest power companies in the nation serving 7.6 million customers reported more than 650 million attempted cyber attacks in 2017 alone. While a cyber attack hasn’t successfully shut down the U.S. power grid, the threat is real. Read More ======================   In Security News From Reuters News Apparent attack in Venezuela highlights risk of drone strikes Wherever the investigation leads, Maduro’s allegations raised the specter of unmanned aerial vehicles being used by militant groups or others to launch bombing, chemical or biological attacks, a tactic that has long worried security experts.   Militant groups such as Islamic State have used drones to carry out attacks by dropping grenades or crashing into infrastructure.   Read More     ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, August 7th, 2018   In Security News From Security Today SIA Announces RISE Scholarship Opportunity for Young Security Professionals $30,000 in RISE Scholarships available to help in reaching professional development and educational goals. Applications are now being accepted for scholarships offered through the Security Industry Association (SIA) RISE program. The SIA RISE Scholarship – available to SIA RISE program participants who are employees of SIA member companies or SIA student members – provides recipients with funds for professional development. Funds awarded from the scholarship pool can be used to expand professional knowledge in the areas of human resources, information technology, marketing/sales, project management, security engineering and risk management.    Read More   ======   and from the Independent Nicolas Maduro assassination attempt: Six arrested for failed drone attack on Venezuelan president Authorities in Venezuela have arrested six people suspected of using explosives-laden drones in a failed bid to assassinate president Nicolas Maduro, in what one witness described as a terrifying attack that shook her apartment building.    Read More   ====== And from Bloomberg News ‘Peace’ Brings More Murder and Cocaine to Colombia’s Rebel Zones The 2016 deal with FARC guerrillas won a Nobel prize, but life is hell for locals as competing drug armies have taken over. In the far north of the Colombian Andes, where for decades Marxist rebels controlled cocaine production and battled the army, a widely-praised 2016 peace accord was supposed to change everything. It has — for the worse.   Read More   ======================    In Cyber Security News From Business Insider Pentagon bans fitness trackers from war zones A new Pentagon order says military troops and other defense personnel on certain sensitive bases and war zone areas won't be allowed to use fitness tracker or cell phone applications that can reveal their location.    Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Saturday, August 4th, 2018   In Vehicle News From Digital Trends Inkas upgrades armor and stitching for Mercedes AMG G63-based limo The 2018 Inkas Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG armored limousine has B7-rated ballistic protection, the highest feasible level for a civilian-grade ride. Armoring for the new model is upgraded from the previous limo’s B6 rating, which could withstand armor-piercing rounds, but not when fired from a super-high-velocity sniper’s rifle. The 2018 Inkas G63 AMG starts with advanced B7-level body armor, ballistic glass, and infrared and thermal cameras for perimeter surveillance. You can use the cameras to record video to upload to a secure cloud server. Higher level armoring and addition defensive and offensive features are available.   Read More ==========   And from Consumer Reports Luxury Cars With the Most Comfortable Ride, and Some Less Expensive Contenders Consumer Reports testers find the smoothest rides from test-track and commuting experiences Luxury cars are expected to be a cut above in comfort, convenience, and performance. Among the defining attributes is a refined ride that isolates passengers from unpleasant bumps and vibrations. Consumer Reports testers found that the usual high-end luxury suspects (think BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class) still have the smoothest rides. But several midsized luxury sedans made the list and without the six-figure prices. Read More ======================   In Cyber Security News FBI Releases Article on Securing the Internet of Things Cyber actors use internet of things devices as proxies for anonymity and pursuit of malicious cyber activities Cyber actors actively search for and compromise vulnerable Internet of Things (IoT) devices for use as proxies or intermediaries for Internet requests to route malicious traffic for cyber-attacks and computer network exploitation. IoT devices sometimes referred to as “smart” devices, are devices that communicate with the Internet to send or receive data. Examples of targeted IoT devices include: routers, wireless radios links, time clocks, audio/video streaming devices, Raspberry Pis, IP cameras, DVRs, satellite antenna equipment, smart garage door openers, and network attached storage devices. Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, August 2nd, 2018   In Vehicle News NHTSA Issues Recall Notice for 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG G65 From Motor Authority The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Mercedes-Benz USA have issued a recall notice for the 2017 Mercedes-AMG G65. The software that limits the vehicle speed when in reverse isn't correctly calibrated.  Read More   ===== And speaking of backing up an article from ISDA Center website on Backing Up Safely Many accidents happen while the car is in reverse. More often than not, these result in fender benders, not dramatic accidents, but nonetheless annoying and expensive.   Read More   ======================   In Terrorism News From the National Consortium for the study of terrorism and responses to terrorism or START for short Terrorist violence decreases worldwide in 2017, but remains historically high With 10,900 terrorist attacks killing more than 26,400 people in 2017, the numbers of terrorist attacks and deaths worldwide have declined for the third consecutive year, according to new data released today by the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). A background report provides an overview of the new 2017 data in START’s Global Terrorism Database, which now includes information on more than 180,000 terrorist attacks that have occurred worldwide since 1970. The data is made available to the public and can be downloaded at www.start.umd.edu/gtd.   Read More ====================== In Security News Security chief leaves Facebook The chief security officer of Facebook, Alex Stamos, announced in a Facebook post that his last day with the company will be August 17th. The tech giant will not name a new chief security officer to take Stamos' position, although the announcement comes a day after Facebook said it discovered more malicious actors using the platform to manipulate U.S. political discussion, The Verge reports. Instead, Facebook moved a number of security engineers into the company's different divisions. Stamos will join the Stanford faculty in the fall where he will teach classes on cybersecurity.  ======================  Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on all variations of Apple and Google Play podcast apps and Spotify. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, July 31st, 2018   In Executive Protection News SURVEY TO ANALYZE TRENDS IN EXECUTIVE PROTECTION Security Management magazine, with partner Groundwork, has commissioned a survey to examine current trends and challenges in executive protection planning and practice. Specifically, the research will be used to: Offer a perspective on the current state of industry practice today Identify common challenges and key success factors Establish the context around the priority of C-suite protection Begin to define best practices on how to capitalize on current trends and identify emerging risks  Read More ======================   In Travel Security News From The Hill Thousands of Americans stand to be denied passports due to unpaid taxes  Hundreds of thousands of Americans stand to be denied new or renewed passports under a 2015 law requiring the IRS and State Department to deny passports to Americans with more than $51,000 in overdue tax debt.   Read More   ======================    In Cyber Security News From NextGov Identity Theft Protection Service Accidentally Exposes Identities LifeLock, an identity protection service offered by Symantec, was recently "unlocked." A website bug exposed millions of email addresses belonging to customers. Anyone on a web browser could change a number in the URL used to unsubscribe from LifeLock's emails, and it would enable them to collect the email addresses.   Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ======================  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

The purpose of today's flash briefing is to give a better understanding of what social media is, why it is important for your executive protection business, and to walk you through a very important self-assessment stage.  In future podcasts will be continuing with this series on using social media effectively for your executive protection business. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, July 27th, 2018   In Executive Protection News From CNBC Facebook approves $10 million a year for Zuckerberg family security Facebook approved a $10 million annual pre-tax allowance to amplify security for CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his family. That is roughly $27,000 per day.  The allowance, announced in an SEC filing on Thursday, increases Facebook's security spend on Zuckerberg from $7.3 million last year and $4.9 million in 2016.   Read More ======================   In Cyber Security News From Gizmodo Amazon's Face Recognition Misidentifies 28 Members of Congress as Suspected Criminals Amazon’s controversial face recognition software, called Rekognition, misidentified more than two dozen members of Congress as people arrested for crimes. The false identifications were made when the ACLU of Northern California tasked Rekognition with matching photos of all 535 members of Congress against 25,000 publicly available mugshot photos.    Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, July 26th, 2018   In Vehicle News From Consumer Reports Shoppers Want Car Tech that Helps Them Drive Better, Survey Shows Car shoppers want advanced safety features that keep them from getting into a crash, but they're less enthusiastic about technology that drives for them, a new Consumer Reports car safety survey shows.   Read More ======================    In Terrorism News Chinese man sets off explosive outside US embassy A 26-year-old Chinese man set off a small explosive outside the US embassy in Beijing Thursday, sending smoke into the air and injuring his hand before security officials rushed to the scene and took him into custody, police said.    Read More ===== And from The Telegraph Greece wildfires: Death toll hits 80 as anti-terror unit launches an investigation   The death toll from a fire which ripped through a Greek coastal town stood at 80 on Wednesday as frantic relatives tried to track down people missing from the inferno and coroners began the grim task of identifying bodies. The Greek anti-terrorist service was investigating suggestions that the blaze - one of several throughout the Attica region - was started deliberately, criminals out to ransack abandoned homes a security source said. Arson is often thought to be behind some fires in a crude attempt to clear forest land for building.  Read More   ======================   In Security News From USA Today A Package Labeled 'Anne Thrax' Was Sent to Rep. Maxine Waters' LA Office Police responded to a suspicious package delivered to Rep. Maxine Waters’ district office in South Los Angeles Tuesday, that was addressed to “Anne Thrax,” according to local authorities.    Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, July 25th, 2018   In Vehicle News UK motor insurers vote to pool terrorism vehicle risk Motor insurers writing business in the UK have voted to mutualize risks for terrorist attacks where vehicles are used to kill or injure.     Read More   ======================    In Driving News Who is driving your principal? A question that the ISDA asks quite frequently. A website called Who is Driving You keeps track of all reported incidents of Uber and Lyft drivers.   The result is a series of incidents involving “ridesharing” passengers being harmed and criminal offenders behind the wheel. Uber and Lyft capture a good percentage of the corporate market, especially with corporate travel programs. Read More   =====  And from the ISDA The Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey has been conducted every two years since 2013. Practitioners who participated in the survey represent the Corporate, High Net Worth, and Private Security community. 37% of the participants are from the corporate community, 23% are from Private Security, and 21% are from High Net Worth. The average years of experience of the participants are approximately 15 years.  The Survey covers all aspects of secure transportation. The goal of the survey is to examine trends and collect data that develop a broader perspective of the secure transportation profession. One of the questions that were asked of the participants was ON AVERAGE, WHAT ARE THE TOTAL MILES/ KILOMETERS DRIVEN PER DAY IN THE PRINCIPAL’S VEHICLE?  The results - 46.1% of the participants drive 10 to 50 miles or kilometers per day, and 34.3% drive 51 to 100 miles or kilometers per day. That is a significant distance per day. It is higher than the average individual. According to AAA, the average driver in the US drives 37 miles (60 kilometers) per day.  These are significant numbers as they equate to time spent in the vehicle with the principal and what amounts to the return on investment (ROI) for a secure transportation. It all centers on how many miles are driven per day and how many hours or minutes the executive is in the vehicle. 70.4% of all executives are driving between 10 to 51 miles or kilometers. Consider that if an executive drove to and from the office that time would be unproductive. What does that time cost the shareholders, and if the company supplies a Security Driver what is their Return on Investment (ROI)?  MILES DRIVEN                                    PERCENTAGE Less than 10 miles/kilometers                       7.4% 10-50 miles/kilometers                                  46.1% 51-100 miles/kilometers                                34.3% More than 150 miles/kilometers                   12.3% Less than 10 miles/kilometers                       7.4%   Purchase the full report ======================   In Terrorism News From ITPro UK Government accidentally leaks counter-terrorism tools via Trello Hundreds of sensitive documents also revealed thanks to poor security settings Details about the inner workings of the UK government have been accidentally leaked online, thanks to an unsecured use of a web-based project management tool, it is claimed.    Read More     ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ======================  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, July 24th, 2018   In Vehicle News From Chauffeur Magazine Rolls-Royce chooses chauffeurs over semi-autonomous technology, for now Rolls-Royce believes that their customers want the driver to drive the vehicle. According to a the article, Rolls-Royce is less interested in semi-autonomous tech because its vehicles are already driven by autonomous technology: professional chauffeurs!    Read More   ======================    In Driving News From Auto Rental Hiring Drivers as Contractors in California? Be Careful. In the Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court opinion issued April 30, the California Supreme Court clarified the standard for determining whether California workers should be classified as independent contractors or employees. The ruling establishes a much stricter standard and thus forces a variety of fleet types — from trucking, car rental, vocational, and last-mile delivery, as well as companies in the “gig” economy such as Uber and Lyft — to alter fundamental business practices to comply.   Read More   ======================   In Terrorism News From the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Counter Terrorism Guide – The Methods and Tactics of Global Terrorism The United States National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) is pleased to present the International Terrorism Guide Website, a ready reference guide for law enforcement, intelligence, military and security personnel, contingency planners, or citizens concerned about international terrorist threats.  Read More   ======================   In Executive Protection News Surveillance Detection, The Art of Prevention, a book by Laura Clark and William Algaier As much as we would all like to believe that our government and law enforcement agencies can protect us from crime and terrorism, our safety is not completely assured. Certainly, we cannot take the law into our own hands, but we can use legal preventative measures to protect ourselves, our families, our businesses, and our assets. Surveillance detection (SD) is a technique that has been around for a long time and is now being revitalized and implemented worldwide for the war against terror.  Read More    ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, July 23rd, 2018   In Vehicle News From Motor Authority Michelin wants to replace oil with wood in tires Wooden tires don't have the best ring to them, but Michelin firmly believes they'll be a reality in 2020.  The French tire maker told Motoring in a report published this month of its plans to introduce wood into tires, and it's all about moving away from oil. Cyrille Roget, Michelin's worldwide director of scientific and innovation communication, said the plan is to create more sustainable tires in the future, and experiments with wood waste have provided a solution. The tire maker will incorporate elastomers from wood chips to replace a tire's oil content. Today, 80 percent of materials found in tires come from oil. In the future, that percentage will drop to 20 percent by 2048, Michelin believes. And rubber will also be included, which Roget said is also sustainable.   Read More   =====  And from Car and Driver Pirelli Is Launching Smart Tires That Can Monitor Wear and Load Pirelli is among the first tire manufacturers to introduce a truly “smart” tire, which it calls Connesso (Italian for “connected”) for the aftermarket version and Cyber Tire for the variant it’s selling to automakers. The system delivers a richer well of data than the industry-standard tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which transmits real-time readings to the car’s CAN bus and displays tire pressures and sometimes temperatures on your dash. Pirelli’s smart tire certainly can do that, but instead of mounting pressure sensors to each wheel’s air valve, it embeds a combination sensor in each tire’s inner wall that measures pressure, temperature, and vertical load. That’s only the start.      Read More   ======================   In Security News Toronto shooting: Deadly attack in Greektown district A gunman has opened fire on a busy avenue in Toronto, killing a young woman and injuring 13 other people, one of them critically, police say.  The victim critically injured in the Canadian city's Greektown district is a girl of eight or nine, they add.   Read More ======================   In Information Security News From Shredit.Com 2018 State of the Industry Information Security The following is from the introduction of the report Every year, Shred-it’s State of the Industry Report aims to help businesses understand the risks they face in a world dominated by technology. The report draws on the detailed findings from the annual Shred-it Security Tracker, an in-depth targeted research study conducted on behalf of Shred-it by Ipsos. Now in its eighth year, the 2018 Security Tracker study provides global insight on information security policies and procedures among Small Business Owners (SBOs) and C-Suite Executives (C-Suites) in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments.  As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, July 20th, 2018   In Security News From NextGov Get Ready to Legally 3D-Print a Gun  if you own a 3D printer, soon you'll be able to print something a little more dangerous than your average trinket. Defense Distributed recently won the right to publish blueprints of firearms online, which would allow anyone with access to a 3D printer to download, print and assemble a gun, according to a press release from the Second Amendment Foundation.   Read More   ======================    In Vehicle News From ISDA Center Tire Pressure Basics Maintaining correct tire pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Correct tire inflation pressure allows drivers to experience tire comfort, durability, and performance designed to match the needs of their vehicles. Tire deflection (the tread and sidewall flexing where the tread comes into contact with the road) will remain as originally designed and excessive sidewall flexing and tread squirm will be avoided. Heat buildup will be managed and rolling resistance will be appropriate. Proper tire inflation pressure also stabilizes the tire’s structure, blending the tire’s responsiveness, traction, and handling.    Read More ======================   In the Business of Executive Protection News Planning for your Success, the ESK Career Success Triangle   The ISDA ESK Triangle represents the three critical elements needed to reach your goals – Experience – Skills, and Knowledge. To be successful at just about anything, you have to have all three corners of the triangle. If you’re missing any one of these, it will be harder to reach your goals. Those who do not succeed in their profession or do not achieve their goals fail because one of the pieces of the triangle was missing, was not marketable or was the wrong ESK for the intended goal. Read More   ======================  Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, July 19th, 2018   In Executive Protection News From the Washington Post Mother of Brazilian soccer star rescued from kidnappers Police in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul said Tuesday that the mother of a famous soccer star was rescued from kidnappers. Read More ===== And from the FBI Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks This report, a practical guide on assessing and managing the threat of targeted violence, contains concrete strategies to help communities prevent these types of incidents. Read More ======================   In Security News Macron security official in police visor filmed beating protester France’s public prosecutor has opened a preliminary inquiry after one of President Emmanuel Macron’s top security officers was filmed hitting and stamping on a young man at the edge of a Paris demonstration while illegally dressed as a police officer. Read More  ===== And from the FBI Allentown Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Threats Against the President, Law Enforcement Glen Joseph, 48, of Allentown, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl on Monday, July 16, 2018.   Read More  ======================   Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, July 18th, 2018   In Security News From BBC News Las Vegas shooting: Mandalay Bay hotel owner sues 1,000 victims The owner of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas has filed a lawsuit against more than 1,000 victims of a mass shooting that killed 58 people in 2017. The MGM Resorts International's lawsuit does not seek money and appears to be a judicial bid to avoid liability and dismiss claims against it.  It says the security company it hired was certified by the Department of Homeland Security and was therefore protected from liability under a 2002 federal act. MGM argues that this protection extends to the hotel giant, as it hired the security firm.    Read More   And from THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR SPECTATOR SPORT SAFETY AND SECURITY also known as NSC4 has created a set of Best Practices Guides for 2018.  The NCS4 provides (free download) to the best practice guidebooks in order to assist those responsible for safety and security at sporting events. The NCS4 encourages venue and event operators, as well as governing bodies (sport leagues, associations, and federations) to adopt these important practices.   Read More   ======================    In Travel Security News From Professional Security Magazine A Traveler’s Safety Guide Security threats to business travelers keep emerging in new locations, as businesses expand into developing markets, and accommodation options multiply. But according to a new guide from the United States-based ACTE Global (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) and medical and security emergency response company International SOS, many corporate travel programs are unprepared to address their safety challenges.    Read More   ======================    ISDA Member Spotlight Once a month, ISDA turns the spotlight on a member working in the profession. ISDA Member Spotlight for the month of July is Michael Smith Read More     ======================   Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, July 17th, 2018   In Security News Allied Universal Acquires U.S. Security Associates Read More from the press release   ====  Ex-Apple Engineer Pleads Not Guilty to Trade Secret Theft From Bloomberg A former Apple Inc. engineer charged with stealing self-driving car secrets for a Chinese startup pleaded not guilty in federal court in San Jose, California. Zhang Xiaolang entered the plea through his lawyer Monday. He was arrested just before boarding a flight to China on charges that he downloaded proprietary files while preparing to leave the iPhone maker and go to work for Guangzhou-based Xiaopeng Motors, also known as Xmotors.   Read More   ======================   In Travel Security News From the US Dept of State Level 2 Travel advisory for Mexico Exercise increased caution in Mexico due to crime. Some areas have increased risk. Violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread.  Read More   ======================    In Terrorism News EU Law Enforcement and Google Take on Terrorist Propaganda in Latest EUROPOL Referral Action Days On 9 and 10 July 2018, Europol’s Internet Referral Unit (EU IRU) organized the tenth joint Referral Action Days with colleagues from specialized units from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. This time the campaign was focused on different platforms belonging to Google and was attended by representatives of the company. Read More   ======================   Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ======================  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, July 16th, 2018   In Vehicle News From the Telegraph The UK introduces new road signs to detect and warn drivers using mobile phones at the wheel The UK’s first road signs which will electronically detect and warn drivers who are using mobile phones have been introduced. These signs can detect when signals are being transmitted by a mobile telephone inside a car, and then flashes a symbol of a mobile phone with a line through it to remind drivers not to use their handsets while behind the wheel. Read More   ======================   In Cybersecurity News From Security Intelligence Anubis Strikes Again: Mobile Malware Continues to Plague Users in Official App Stores IBM X-Force mobile malware researchers have observed several developers actively uploading Android malware downloaders to the Google Play Store.   Read More   ======================   In Security News From Security Today Secret Service Issues Guide to Identify Threats for Schools In an effort to cut down on the amount of on-campus violence schools have seen in the past few years, the U.S. Secret Service has released a new "actionable" guide to prevent U.S. school attacks. The Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center has researched school attacks for nearly 20 years. Lina Alathari who led the team that created the guide told CBS This Morning that the guide takes schools through a step-by-step guide that allows them to set up a threat assessment program that can help administration intervene before school shootings happen.   Read More    ==== And Largest Hospital System in New York Arms Guards to Prevent Mass Casualty Attacks Qualified security guards at North Shore University Hospitals will now be armed amid shooting incidents in New York. Security guards who quality will now be carrying guns within the largest hospital system in New York. The big change in security protocol comes amid concerns over recent mass shootings.   Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, July 11th, 2018   In Cybersecurity News From Bleeping Computer Hacker Steals Military Docs Because Someone Didn’t Change a Default FTP Password A hacker is selling sensitive military documents on online hacking forums, a security firm has discovered. Some of the sensitive documents put up for sale include maintenance course books for servicing MQ-9 Reaper drones, and various training manuals describing comment deployment tactics for an improvised explosive device (IED), an M1 ABRAMS tank operation manual, a crewman training and survival manual, and a document detailing tank platoon tactics.   Read More   ======================    In Terrorism News Zee News India Indian security agents infiltrate terror group and bust plans to bomb Delhi The Indian security agencies successfully thwarted a terror attack by the Islamic State in New Delhi through a high-scale counter-intelligence operation. The Indian officials reportedly infiltrated into the closed ring of the Islamic State and busted its plans to attack Delhi, as per a report in the Indian Express.   Read More   ======================   In Security News Additional Marine Security Guards Arrive in Haiti To Protect Embassy A squad-sized detachment of extra Marine security guards has arrived at the U.S. embassy in Haiti as the impoverished Caribbean nation is racked by riots over high fuel prices, a U.S. official confirmed.   Read More ====  And from Atlanta Fox News Atlanta app allows users to hire own police officers An Atlanta company has created an app that will make police officers as well as unarmed guards available for hire. Costs per hour range from $19 to $60 – the higher amount pays for high-level executive protection.   Uber for Bodyguards - really. What could possibly go wrong Read More   ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, July 10th, 2018   In Vehicle News   From Autoblog Top ten Cars that are driven the most in the US, or more specifically trucks For the overwhelming majority of Americans, driving is as much a part of the fabric of daily life as brushing your teeth or combing your hair. In fact, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average American logs over 13,000 miles behind the wheel each year. For source data, Carvana examined 2015 model year vehicles across 1,638,427 transactions from January 1, 2018 to May 23, 2018 to find out which vehicles were sold with the highest mileage.   Read More   ======================   In Terrorism News From US News The University of Arkansas is searching for patterns in U.S. terrorism as part of a federally-funded research. The university's Terrorism Research Center has begun the American Terrorism Study, a three-year project funded by a $716,000 National Institute of Justice grant. The study includes about 575 U.S. terrorism-related occurrences or planned occurrences that were never carried out, in addition to about 4,300 "precursor events," the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.   Read More      ======================   In Driving News From Bloomberg Trump’s Personal Driver for 25 Years Sues for Unpaid Overtime Donald Trump’s personal driver for more than 25 years says the billionaire real estate developer didn’t pay him overtime and raised his salary only twice in 15 years, clawing back the second raise by cutting off his health benefits. Noel Cintron sued the Trump Organization for about 3,300 hours of overtime that he says he worked in the past six years. He’s not allowed to sue for overtime prior to that due to the statute of limitations. Read More      ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ======================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, July 9th, 2018     In Vehicle News From Automotive News Editor in Chief Keith Crain Federal government must act In Keith’s Column, he writes It is painfully obvious that we -- and the U.S. government -- should not continue to allow car companies to use our streets and highways as if they are a private proving grounds intended solely for their use. The use of public highways for unproven technology is foolhardy and reckless.    Read More    ======================    In Cybersecurity News From Business Insider Google says it's not reading your Gmail, except when it does... Google was hauled over the coals this week after The Wall Street Journal reported that it had given hundreds of app makers access to millions of inboxes belonging to Gmail users.  The Journal reported that users who signed up for "email-based services" like "shopping price comparisons" and "automated travel-itinerary planners" were most at risk of having their private messages read.   Read More   ==== And from ZDNet Fitness app Polar exposed locations of spies and military personnel A popular fitness app that tracks the activity data on millions of users has inadvertently revealed the locations of personnel working at military bases and intelligence services.   Read More ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments.   As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ======================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, July 3rd, 2018.   In Executive Protection News From ISDACenter.Org The Executive Protection Skills Gap A Skills Gap is defined as the difference between what the market wants and what is available for skill. This is a common problem in all industries. In an attempt to get a better understanding of the Skills Gap that exists in the Executive Protection/Secure Transportation profession, ISDA researched the job market. Our goal was to determine the skills, education, and training, and experience that are the most sought after by the Executive Protection job market.   Read More  ==== And speaking of a college education – In a recent press release from AS Solution on announcing tuition-free Executive Protection training for qualified candidates, Christian West, founder, and CEO of AS Solution recommends that you “Spend your G.I. bill on university degrees and whatever else you’re interested in, but not on transitional training for residential and executive protection. We’ve got your back on that.”   Read More    ======================   In Terrorism News From Business Insider An Iranian diplomat was arrested in a plot to blow up a massive 'freedom' event attended by Rudy Giuliani  An Iranian diplomat, along with five others have been arrested over a plot to blow up an event of an exiled Iranian opposition group. Read More   ==== And from Fox News July 4 terror plot thwarted in Cleveland, suspect pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda, FBI says A man who pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda sought to kill members of the military and conducted reconnaissance in downtown Cleveland for a planned attack on July 4 -- but the Independence Day plot was foiled after a months-long investigation, federal officials said Monday.   Read More   ======================  Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ======================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing. Please note there will be no podcast for tomorrow as it is Independence Day in the US.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, July 2nd, 2018.   In Security News From ASIS Foundation Connecting Research in Security to Practice Report (CRISP) on Sports Team Travel Security From the Executive Summary of the White Paper: Sports Team Travel Security (STTS) provides visible and behind-the-scenes mobile security to traveling athletic teams participating in all levels of competitive sports, from amateur and collegiate teams in practice or competition to pro sports participating in major events such as the Olympic Games, World Cups, and Super Bowls. This report reviews and summarizes the existing STTS literature to meet five objectives: Read More   == From Security Magazine 2018 Security Leadership Issue: The Rising Role of Women in Security Diane Ritchey had the pleasure of speaking with nine female executives who are succeeding in security leadership roles:   Included in the article are the backgrounds of how they achieved their successes and gave career advice. Read More   ===   From Education Dive More school districts turn to online security services to monitor threats The Orange County school district in Hillsborough, N.C. is the latest district to sign on with a new online security service designed to identify online threats to schools and students, WFMY News reports. The service, provided by Social Sentinel, will cost the school district about $10,000, a year but will look for keywords in social media that may pose a threat to students in the district. The service will conduct nationwide monitoring of social media activity related to the school district and identify the Orange County Sheriff’s Department about potential threats to student safety with the goal of prevention.    Read More ======================   In Business of Executive Protection News In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) From ISDACenter.Org It’s Not Easy Being Security How a corporate security team can develop a brand and change perceptions and mindset of employees, customers, clients, and visitors. It’s a hard job, employees think that you are only slowing them down in their daily routines – fire alarm, evacuation, and shelter in place drills. Let’s face it – your job is telling people what they can and cannot do. Asking for volunteers for fire wardens and searchers is sometimes like pulling teeth. Sometimes you are looked at being an annoyance – (I can’t open this door without security and they take forever!).  Some may think you are a drain on the company bottom line.  Read More    ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available in Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, June 29th, 2018. In Technology News From the Verge Google Maps may be getting Waze’s best feature: incident reporting Waze’s incident reporting feature looks to be coming to Google Maps, as some users have spotted on their Android apps. The feature shows road work, the time an accident was reported, and whether a user is confident a slowdown is still active.     Read More   ================================   In Security News From Bloomberg Jarrod Ramos who opened fire at a Maryland newspaper office Thursday, killing five and injuring two others, police say he had a long, acrimonious history with the newspaper, including a lawsuit and years of harassment of its journalists on Twitter.   Read More   ======================   In Cybersecurity News From ZDNet A massive cache of law enforcement personnel data has leaked A data breach at a federally funded active shooter training center has exposed the personal data of thousands of US law enforcement officials, ZDNet has learned.   The cache of data contained identifiable information on local and state police officers, and federal agents, who sought out or underwent active shooter response training in the past few years. The backend database powers the website of Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training -- known as ALERRT -- at Texas State University. Read More   ========================   In Business of Executive Protection News From ISDACenter.Org Whether EP Provider or Trainer, You Are a Business If you are relatively new or have been in the profession for some time; whether you are a sole practitioner looking for the next job; a security provider looking for the next customer or client; or a trainer looking for the next student… YOU OR YOUR COMPANY ARE A BUSINESS!   Read More ==   The ISDA Summer Reading List With Summer officially in full swing, and with the July 4th holiday right around the corner, what better time to get started with your Summer reading. The ISDA has put together a list of books authored by ISDA members. Learn from Executive Protection professionals as they share their knowledge – from conducting an advance and advanced agent planning guide to business and leadership tips and techniques. Read More   ============================ Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available in Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices.   ============================ This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, June 28th, 2018.    In Vehicle News From the International Security Driver Association Tire Pressure Monitoring System At some point, almost everyone has seen the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light to appear on the dashboard. Its purpose is to warn you that at least one or more tires is significantly under-inflated, possibly creating unsafe driving conditions. The tire pressure readings are provided by pressure-sensing transmitters mounted inside each tire and sent to a central computer (ECU) for display on the dashboard. The problem is that the warning light on the instrument panel does not come on until there is a 25-percent drop in tire pressure. By the time the warning light is displayed, you and the passengers are in a very unsafe vehicle. Read More    ===  And from Government Fleet REV Group Launches Ambulance with Ballistic Protection  REV Group, a manufacturer of specialty vehicles, has launched the REV Guardian, the first ambulance with built-in ballistic protection. The Guardian is a fully functioning ambulance wrapped in Level IIIA ballistic protection. This provides the same protection as commonly-issued ballistic vests and helmets. The standard vehicle package contains three pillars of protection: run-flat tire inserts, ballistic glass, and a full envelope of Level IIIA ballistic Kevlar throughout the ambulance.   Read More    ================================   In Driving News From the Center of Disease Control Tips for Driving in the Heat Winter isn’t the only season that can take a toll on driving safety. It is important to keep workers safe on the road during summer, too. Extreme heat can damage your company’s fleet vehicles and put workers at risk of a breakdown. Workers who drive as part of their job may be sharing the roads with fatigued or impaired travelers on their way to or returning from vacation. Many workers are themselves travelers, and some may be driving a company vehicle approved for personal use. Read More  === And from NJ1015.Com TAKING ALLERGY MEDS? YOU MAY BE GUILTY OF DRUGGED DRIVING When the sneezing and itchy eyes just won't quit, many of us are willing to pop any pill for seasonal allergies so we can get rid of the symptoms and get on with the rest of our day. And drugged driving — even when legal medications are involved — can be considered by law enforcement the same as driving under the influence of alcohol, the center noted in a news release.    Read More    ====================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices.   ===============================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, June 27th, 2018.    In Vehicle News From Autoblog Armored car production hits new record in Mexico thanks to rising crime Historic levels of violent crime in Mexico have sparked a record increase in the country's car-armoring business, with an industry group predicting a double-digit jump in the number of vehicles bulletproofed this year.   Read More    ================================   In Technology News From Engadget US Senate passes Bill to shield the public from false emergency alerts The US Senate has just passed the Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (ALERT) bill with unanimous approval. Senator Brian Schatz first introduced the ALERT Act in the wake of a false emergency warning, which in January incorrectly warned a ballistic missile was on target for Hawaii. If passed, ALERT will grant federal representatives greater authority with respect to cautioning the public against false emergency threats. Read More    ======================   In Security News From VentureBeat.Com AI Guardsman uses computer vision to spot shoplifters Japanese telecom company NTT East teamed up with tech startup Earth Eyes to create AI Guardsman, a machine learning system that attempts to catch crooks in the act. Relying on open source technology developed by Carnegie Mellon University, it scans live video streams from cameras in convenience stores and supermarkets, tracking every customer inside. When it detects suspicious activity — for example, when a would-be thief starts looking for blind spots or begins nervously checking their surroundings — the system sends an alert to a store clerk’s smartphone with the person’s mugshot and location. Read More      ============================   In Terrorism News   First ever UN High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States to open in New York The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres will today convene the first United Nations High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States at UN Headquarters under the theme “Strengthening international cooperation to combat the evolving threat of terrorism.” The 2-day Conference will provide an opportunity for the UN and Member States to forge new partnerships to address the complex and transnational threat of terrorism. Read More   =============================== Links to all news stories mentioned in this news briefing are available at the archive website securitydrivernews.libsyn.com. You can also listen to past news briefings and leave comments. As a reminder, the news briefing is available on Apple and Google Play podcast apps, Spotify, and Amazon Echo devices. =============================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, June 26th, 2018.     In Vehicle News  From AutoWise.Com The Most Reliable SUVs in America (and the Worst, too)   The well-known research firm of JDPower surveyed owners of three-year-old vehicles that were purchased new. Their premise was to help predict the reliability of all current models. In their Dependability Ratings, they determine their overall rankings of the Most Reliable SUVs through four categories.   Read More   ================================   In Driving News As a Security Driver, you need to be cautious about the medication you take - over the counter or prescription. Medications have both intended and unintended effects on your body, and these effects change based on the other medications that you’re taking and the foods that you eat. Not only does that affect how you feel, many of these effects can also impact your ability to safely drive. For example, and rather surprisingly, Ibuprofen, a common over-the-counter medication, you may have difficulty concentrating, maintaining control of the vehicle, and trouble seeing to name a few. To know the driving effects of the medications you are taking go to roadwiserx.com     ======================   In Security News In case you missed it (ICYMI) The 2013 ASIS Career Opportunities in Security Informational Report   Information from a number of security specialties has been compiled to give the reader a better idea of the prerequisites for entering management-track supervisory and non-supervisory positions in those specialties. In addition to the entry-level data, there is information concerning the duties of mid-level management and non-management personnel in those specialties. Interestingly, Executive Protection falls under the Other category along with Counter-Terrorism, Security Consulting, and Security Education.  Download Informational Brochure == From Dailywire.Com Homeland Security Official Warned With Decapitated Animal On His Porch According to an official who is familiar with recent threats directed against the Department of Homeland Security, the department determined that there is now a “heightened threat against DHS employees.” The official said roughly two dozen threats have been made in the last few days. One specific example: a senior DHS official living in the Washington, D.C. area found a burnt and decapitated animal on his front porch.   Read More   ===============================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, June 25th, 2018.     In Security News From Washington Post Zimbabwe’s president narrowly escapes apparent assassination attempt Zimbabwe’s election campaign season took a worrying turn Saturday afternoon when a crude bombing at a speech delivered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa appeared to be an attempt on his life. At least one person was killed, and 153 people were hurt, 10 critically. Read More    === From USA Today Orlando is first U.S. airport to scan faces of all international travelers Orlando International Airport will become the first U.S. airport to process all arriving and departing passengers with facial-recognition equipment, officials announced last Thursday.  The verification process, where a camera scans the traveler’s face to compare it to Department of Homeland Security travel databases, takes less than 2 seconds and has a 99 percent match rate, according to CBP. Read More      === From FBI.Gov FBI Releases Study of Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters   From the report’s introduction: In 2017 there were 30 separate active shootings in the United States, the largest number ever recorded by the FBI during a one-year period. With so many attacks occurring, it can become easy to believe that nothing can stop an active shooter determined to commit violence. There is cause for hope because there is something that can be done.  By articulating the concrete, observable pre-attack behaviors of many active shooters, the FBI hopes to make these warning signs more visible and easily identifiable. This information is intended to be used not only by law enforcement officials, mental health care practitioners, and threat assessment professionals but also by parents, friends, teachers, employers and anyone who suspects that a person is moving towards violence. Read More =======================   In Technology News From VentureBeat Google is introducing a new feature to Google Earth, one that lets users measure exact distances between two or more points. In the new Google Earth web app, which is available on Chrome only, you’ll see an easy-to-access measure tool down the left-hand side. In a nutshell, it lets you measure the distance between point A and B, or the area or perimeter between multiple points. Read More   =======================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

In Terrorism News From The Guardian Number of terrorism-related arrests in UK reaches record level The number of terrorism-related arrests in Britain hit a record high after a series of attacks around the country last year, official figures show.  In the year ending 31 March, 441 people were held on suspicion of terrorism-related activity, the highest number of arrests in a year since data collection started in 2001, and an increase of 17% on the 378 in the previous year.  The Home Office said the rise was partly due to a number of arrests made following attacks in London and Manchester last year. The number of terror-related arrests in Britain since the 9/11 attacks in 2001 has passed the 4,000 mark, standing at 4,182 at the end of March.   Read More =========================   In Vehicle News From HyperDrive Korean Cars Beat Porsche in Quality Ranking Genesis, Kia and Hyundai brands topping Porsche and taking the top three spots in J.D. Power’s closely watched annual study of new-car quality. Genesis, Hyundai Motor Co.’s luxury line, ranked No. 1 with 68 problems reported per 100 vehicles, and Kia and Hyundai trailed closely behind. The trio have displaced longtime Japanese leaders Toyota and Honda. Both are below average in the 2018 Initial Quality Study, which is based on consumer surveys after 90 days of ownership.   BMW was 11th, Cadillac tied in 12th, and Mercedes Benz in 14th. Read More   ======================   In Executive Protection News From The Intercept EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is back in the news Pruitt has now spent more than $4.6 million from public coffers on security, according to documents obtained by The Intercept and Documented under the Freedom of Information Act. The amount represents a $1.1 million increase from Pruitt’s total security costs as released in another disclosure just a month ago.  Read More ======================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, June 20th, 2018.     In Terrorism News From CounterExtremism.Com The Counter Extremism Project Extremism is a global problem. CEP’s Areas of Operation map includes comprehensive reports detailing the history of extremist movements, major terror attacks, and counter-extremism measures country by country. You can click on a country to learn more about the phenomena of radicalization and foreign fighters, extremism and terrorist movements, and domestic and international counter-extremism initiatives. Read More =======================   In Cybersecurity news From the Hacker News Email Phishers Using A Simple Way to Bypass MS Office 365 Protection Security researchers have been warning about a simple technique that cyber criminals and email scammers are using in the wild to bypass most AI-powered phishing detection mechanisms implemented by widely used email services and web security scanners.    Essentially, the ZeroFont attack makes it possible to display one message to the anti-phishing filters and another to the end user. Read More   ======================   Business of Executive Protection News From The Verge Instagram reportedly launching ‘IGTV’ video hub for online creators later today According to multiple reports, Instagram is launching a new video venture later today: a new hub for longer-form content that’s designed to compete with videos from YouTube creators. TechCrunch reports that the hub will be named “IGTV” and will be part of the Instagram app’s Explore tab. The videos will be vertically orientated, full-screen, up to 4K resolution, and as long as 60 minutes (instead of the current limit of 60 seconds). If you are on Instagram considering following the ISDA @isdacenter. Read More   ===========================   From ISDACenter.Org ISDA Member Spotlight Zachary Rugen has been in the security industry for nearly a decade. He began his career in nightclubs & bars in 2009, and currently consults/manages security staffs for multiple venues. In 2014, Mr. Rugen transitioned into domestic and international protective services, security consulting, and events management. Representing multiple Fortune 500 companies in various forms of protective services. Enhancing his understanding of the importance of customer relations between security personnel and their clients.      For more information and to connect with Mr. Rugen go to securitydriver.com/articles.   ========================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, June 19th, 2018.       ==   In Vehicle News From ISDACenter.Org Do You Use Rented Vehicles While Supplying Protective or Secure Transportation Services? That is a question the ISDA asked in our 2017 Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey. In the report, approximately 62% of participants use rental vehicles, which requires the need to ensure that the driver is familiar with the car. Also, companies need to consider having a policy on what type of vehicle is rented when traveling. Also renting vehicles should be approached with caution. The follow-up question we asked in the survey was if you do rent vehicles, which vehicle type is typically chosen? The vehicle most often rented was an SUV. This reinforces the need to have a driver who understands the differences between the driving characteristics of sedans and SUVs. It's also important that the driver recognizes the vehicle's warning systems. As an example, if an emergency comes up and the car is supplying the driver a warning, you don't want it to be the first time this driver has heard this signal. The time wasted determining what the problem is can and will be dangerous for both the driver and the passengers. For more details on the report and get your copy go to store.isdacenter.org. For more information on renting vehicles, ISDA member Joe Autera CEO of VDI authored a white paper entitled Rental Vehicles and Secure Transportation; Best Practices for a Less-Than-Perfect Solution    Joe has supplied a downloadable checklist for inspecting and preparing rental vehicles for secure transportation use.  The paper and checklist is available at http://vehicledynamics.com/rental-vehicles-and-secure-transportation-best-practices-for-a-less-than-perfect-solution/   ==   In Security News From the University of Denver Private Security Research Project The Private Security Monitor is an independent research project dedicated to promoting knowledge of and transparency in global private military and security services. The Private Security Monitor's web portal provides an annotated guide to regulation, data and analysis of private military and security services. It is a one-stop source for public information on the worldwide use of these services and thus a resource for governments, policy-makers, activists, journalists, and researchers.   For more information on the project go to http://psm.du.edu/   ==   In Cybersecurity news From Politico Ex-CIA Engineer Charged With Massive Leak To Wikileaks “A former CIA computer engineer has been indicted on charges he masterminded what appears to be the largest leak of classified information in the spy agency’s history. Joshua Schulte, 29, was charged in a new grand jury indictment with providing WikiLeaks with a massive trove of U.S. government hacking tools that the online publisher posted in March 2017, the Justice Department announced on Monday. Schulte was previously facing child pornography charges in federal court in New York, but the indictment broadens the case to accuse him of illegally gathering classified information, damaging CIA computers, lying to investigators and numerous other offenses. In January, attorneys involved in the child porn case revealed in court that Schulte was the target of a major investigation into WikiLeaks’ release of a CIA collection known as “Vault 7.” Read More ==   The Guardian: Fears Mount Over WhatsApp's Role In Spreading Fake News “Abijeet Nath and Nilotpal Das were driving back from a visit to a waterfall in the Indian province of Assam earlier this month when they stopped in a village to ask for directions. The two men were pulled out of their car and beaten to death by a mob who accused them of stealing children. “The villagers got suspicious of the strangers as for the last three or four days messages were going around on WhatsApp, as well as through word of mouth, about child lifters roaming the area,” Mukesh Agrawal, a local police officer said.  Read More ======================= This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, June 18th, 2018 ===== In Vehicle News From CNN Money Audi CEO Rupert Stadler has been arrested in Germany as part of an investigation into emissions cheating. Munich prosecutors said in a statement Monday that Stadler had been detained because of concerns over potential evidence tampering.   Read More === And from Digital Trends Ford will auction off this Mustang inspired by RAF fighters from WWII Ford is debuting a special 700-horsepower Mustang GT at the upcoming Goodwod Festival of Speed on July 12, where world champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. will take the car for a spin. The themed one-of-a-kind muscle car pays tribute to RAF fighter pilots with a camouflage-inspired livery reminiscent of the British aircraft that flew during World War II.   Read More ================    In Cybersecurity news From Mac Rumors Apple today announced that, starting later this year with iOS 12, iPhones will automatically share precise location data with first responders during 911 calls in the United States, helping to reduce emergency response times.   Read More  == And from Digital Trends Amazon, Microsoft, Uber donate to oppose the California Consumer Privacy Act Amazon, Microsoft, and Uber have made large contributions to a group attempting to prevent a privacy act from becoming law in California. As per state disclosure records, the three tech giants join a number of other well-known companies, including Facebook, Google, AT&T, and Verizon, which are all working against the proposed California Consumer Privacy Act by donating to the Committee to Protect California Jobs.   Read More ==  And from Quartz Media A US court rejected Google Translate as a means of providing consent to a cop Omar Cruz-Zamora, a Mexican native in the US on a legal visa, was stopped by a police officer in Kansas last September. Cruz-Zamora doesn’t speak English, so the police officer decided to use Google Translate as a way to get consent to search his vehicle.   Read More  ======================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing. 

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, June 15th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From Business Insider China wants to track every driver by putting RFID chips on car windshields Beginning next year, China will require all new registered cars to have an RFID chip installed on windshields which will help study and manage traffic, pollution, and public security, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Under the program, both a car's license plate and its paint color will be recorded. Card readers placed along roads will detect the RFID chips and pass information back to the Ministry of Public Security.   Read More   =========================   In Cybersecurity news From CNN.Com US warns of North Korea cyber campaign, days after historic summit The US Department of Homeland Security said that it has identified malicious cyber activity by the North Korean government, according to a new report released on Thursday, just days after the historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Read More   =========================   In Terrorism News From LADBIBLE.Com ISIS Threatens To Attack Russian World Cup Stadiums With Drone Bombs An ISIS propaganda video has been released in which the terrorist group claims that they will attack the FIFA World Cup in Russia with drone bombs. Read More    ========== And from WTMJ Milwaukee News Cudahy woman's arrest highlights growing ISIS presence on social media. Read More   ===========================  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing. Have a great weekend everybody.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, June 14th, 2018. =================== In Security News From BBC News Egypt safer than US and UK - Gallup poll Egypt has been ranked the safest country in Africa and higher than both the UK and US, according to a new global poll. The annual Gallup Global Law and Order asked if people felt safe walking at night and whether they had been victims of crime.  Its questions revolved around confidence in local police, safety at night, cases of theft and whether participants or a family member had been mugged or assaulted within the past 12 months. Read More ====  And from the Detroit Free Press Detroit's rebound brings surge in downtown security jobs Detroit's rebound has brought a surge in new artisanal restaurants, renovated office space and $2,000-per-month loft apartments in the past five years. It also has spawned hundreds of new employment opportunities in private security to watch over those businesses and their employees and patrons.   Read More ======================= In Cybersecurity news From the New York Times Apple to Close iPhone Security Hole That Police Use to Crack Devices Apple has long positioned the iPhone as a secure device that only its owner can open. That has led to battles with law enforcement officials who want to get information off them, including a well-publicized showdown with the F.B.I. in 2016 after Apple refused to help open the locked iPhone of a mass killer. Read More   =======================  In Terrorism News Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Announces the Launch of the "Countering Terrorists Exploitation of Social Media and the Internet" Training Last week, the Department of Homeland Security’s hosted U.S. Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Task Force and the United Kingdom’s Home Office provided a demonstration of a new online educational training course, “Countering Terrorists Exploitation of Social Media and the Internet,” to members of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT).   Read More =============================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, June 13th, 2018.   Mexican politician who vowed to crack down on crime shot dead while posing for selfie with fan  A Mexican congressional candidate who vowed to crack down on organized crime was shot dead after a person asked him for picture, CNN reported. Fernando Purón had just finished an election debate on Friday night when he was approached by a woman holding a selfie stick who asked him to take a photo with her.  Surveillance footage obtained by the Vanguardia showed the 43-year-old politician falling to the ground after being shot in the head by a man who snuck up behind him. Read More =============== From ISDACenter.Org The Science of a Two Vehicle Scenario The ISDA 2015 and preliminary data from the 2017 Executive/Security Vehicle Survey indicate a dramatic increase in the use of SUVs for Executive Transportation. The 2015 Survey also indicated that there had been a significant increase in the use of two car scenarios for Secure Transportation. If you couple the Survey data with the number of motorcade incidents that have occurred it points to a problem in the making. The following is an explanation of why a two car scenario can create a risk to the principal and some suggestions on how to mitigate that risk. The risk starts with what scientists call “driver’s eye height.” Read More ===================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, June 12th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From the BBC News Car insurers warn on 'autonomous' vehicles The motor insurance industry is warning carmakers against the use of the word "autonomous" in their marketing. A report for the Association of British Insurers says the way some advanced vehicles are described can convince motorists that they have self-driving cars when that is not the case.   Read More   ===== And from AAA Foundation Worn Tires Decrease Handling on Wet Roads Up to 33% According to a recent study from AAA, on wet roads, worn tires with a tread depth of 4/32 inch have an average increased stopping distance of 87 feet for a passenger car and 86 feet for a light truck when compared with new tires. The research explores performance differences on wet pavement between the worn tires and new all-season tires when driving at 60 mph.  Read More ==================  In Cybersecurity news Chinese hackers stole 614GB of undersea warfare data from U.S. Navy contractor Hackers linked to the Chinese government reportedly stole 614 gigabytes of highly sensitive data from a U.S. Navy contractor, including plans related to a supersonic anti-ship missile meant to be usable by 2020 and other details about undersea warfare. Read More  ====== And from PoliceOne.Com Feds arrest 74 in global email scam crackdown Federal authorities have announced a major coordinated law enforcement effort to disrupt international business e-mail compromise schemes. Authorities, including the FBI and Department of Justice, announced on Monday that arrests have been made in connection to business e-mail compromise schemes designed to intercept and hijack wire transfers from businesses and individuals. Operation WireWire, which also included the Department of Homeland Security, involved a six-month sweep that culminated in over two weeks of intense law enforcement activity, leading to 74 arrests in the U.S. and overseas. Read More   ======================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing. Have a great weekend everybody.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, June 11th, 2018.  From International Security Driver Association Security Driving Is a Statement of Skill, Not a Marketing Term First and foremost – WHAT IS NOT SECURITY DRIVING – a security driver IS NOT a person who attended an EP Training program and has a driver’s license. That does not define a Security Driver at best they are an EP Person with a driver’s license. Simply put, you wouldn’t allow a security professional to carry a gun without first measuring their ability to use it: so why would you let someone drive your principal if you don’t measure their ability to do so? Read More    ======================  In Technology News From USA Today New phone case turns iPhone 8 Plus, Google's Pixel 2 XL into a weapon-scanning device We've seen smartphone cases that add style, extra battery life or even a taser. This new case from Los Angeles-based Royal Holdings looks to add a different type of feature: the ability to detect bombs, knives, and guns.   Read More  === And speaking of phones are a few apps that the ISDA recommends for your smartphone All of the apps mentioned are available for both Android and iPhone   Read More ==================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, June 8th, 2018.   In Executive Protection/Security News Where Private Security Outnumbers The Police Research conducted by the Guardian has found that half of the planet's population lives in countries where there are more private security workers than police officers. India and South Africa have glaring disparities while in the U.S., there are over 1.1 million private security guards compared to 666,000 police officers. Things are far more even in Germany, though private security still has a slight edge over the Polizei by a margin of 2,000.   Read More    =====================   In Terrorism news MCCAUL RELEASES JUNE TERROR THREAT SNAPSHOT Washington, D.C. – House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) today released June’s Terror Threat Snapshot, a monthly assessment of the Committee’s continuing effort to highlight the growing threat America, the West, and the world face from ISIS and other Islamist terrorists.   Read More   =====================   And from SecurityDriver.Com The International Security Driver Association YouTube channel was created in April 2016 to continue our mission of sharing knowledge. Our channel features video playlists that consist of: Case Studies – the “Ambush playlist” featuring 11 vehicle attacks Security Driving ISDA members Armored Vehicle Sampling of upcoming online learning programs To be notified when a new video is added, we suggest you subscribe to the ISDA YouTube channel by going to youtube.com/isdacenterorg and click the bell to be notified when a new video is added to the channel.    =========================   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing. Have a great weekend everybody.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, June 7th, 2018.   In Business of Executive Protection News From VentureBeat.Com LinkedIn now shows your commute times for prospective jobs Today, LinkedIn is rolling out a new feature that tells prospective candidates what their commute time would be for a specific role before they even apply. Read More     ======================= In Cyber Security News From BBC News Ransomware hits Atlanta police dashcam footage Years of video evidence gathered by police has been lost thanks to a ransomware attack on Atlanta in the US. Most of the lost evidence involves dashcam recordings, said Atlanta police chief Erika Shields in a local newspaper interview. The footage was "lost and cannot be recovered", said Ms Shields.   The hackers behind the infection, known as SamSam, encrypted key data and demanded $51,000 of bitcoins to unlock it. Atlanta said it had not paid the ransom. Read More  ====== And from NextGov.Com Mozilla Introduces DNS Privacy to Firefox From NextGov.Com Mozilla announced in a blog post on Friday that it would be introducing a new feature that could help preserve user privacy no matter where they browse.   Read More ==================== In Terrorism news Prince George gets more security after ISIS threat Two weeks ago a supporter of the Islamic state group, ISIS, went on trial in London. Husnain Rashid, a former mosque teacher in northwest England, was accused of encouraging attacks on Prince George. The threat on the boy’s life has resulted in more security for him at school and elsewhere. Last week, the ISIS supporter admitted his charges. Read More    =========  From Gizmodo.Com Homeland Security Wants New Powers to Surveil and Destroy Drones in U.S. Airspace The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is asking Congress to pass new legislation that would expand the agency’s power to surveil, research, and attack drones in U.S. airspace. Hayley Chang, DHS deputy general counsel, testified yesterday that there are a number of things that DHS “can’t do currently” because of outdated laws that have the potential to jeopardize America’s national security. Drone attacks haven’t yet posed a terrorist threat to the United States, but Republican Committee Chairman Ron Johnson noted during yesterday’s hearing that “suspicious” drone flights have increased in recent years. There were reportedly just eight incidents drone flights considered “suspicious” or in sensitive areas during 2013. That number skyrocketed to roughly 1,752 incidents in 2016. Read More   ======================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From Wired Magazine The Dawn of Mobile Convenience Stores A startup called Cargo is making it easier than ever for anyone who makes money driving their car to also make money running a convenience store. Read More     ====================== In Cyber Security News From the NY Times Facebook Gave Data Access to Chinese Firm Flagged by U.S. Intelligence Facebook has data-sharing partnerships with at least four Chinese electronics companies, including a manufacturing giant that has a close relationship with China’s government, the social media company said on Tuesday. Read More     =======================   In Terrorism news From Fox News Israeli Security services foiled an alleged terror plot against Netanyahu Israeli security service Shin Bet announced Tuesday the arrest of three Palestinians that were part of an alleged terror cell planning to attack Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Read More    ==== And from Washington Times Bill wants to help protect cities from vehicular terrorism Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday will take on a chilling and chillingly effective new tactic from terror groups such as Islamic State — the use of trucks and cars as weapons of mass destruction on the streets of cities across Europe and North America. Read More   ===================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, June 5th, 2018.  In Vehicle News From Newsweek VLADIMIR PUTIN'S NEW BULLETPROOF LIMO FLEET COST $192 MILLION AND RUSSIA WANTS TO SELL HUNDREDS OF THEM Russian President Vladimir Putin used his inauguration to unveil his long-awaited, armored limousine—the first of its kind in post-Soviet times.  The car is one of a fleet that cost $192 million to develop, which has been in production since 2012, and manufacturers hope to launch an entire brand off the publicity around it. Read More   ===================== In Cyber Security News A federal study found signs that surveillance devices for intercepting cellphone calls and texts were operating near the White House and other sensitive locations in the Washington area last year. Read More ==================== In Executive Protection news The June 2018 Edition of Security Magazine has an excellent article titled - Travel Security and Executive Protection. The article interviews International Security Driver Association (ISDA), member Greg Threatt.  The author of the article, Sarah Ludwig, poses the question – What are the components and challenges of a successful travel security program? Interesting to note that the article brings up the importance of Cyber Security. Cybersecurity is a reoccurring theme in this podcast because the ISDA definitely see a convergence of physical security with cybersecurity. It is our belief that EP jobs of the near future will require cybersecurity knowledge. Read More ========================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, June 4th, 2018.    In Driving News From Business Insider Judge finds Apple Watch wearer guilty of distracted driving It's probably a bad idea to check your Apple Watch while driving. That's the lesson from a Canadian judge who found a woman guilty of distracted driving for looking at her Apple Watch while stopped at a traffic light. He rejected her claim that she was only checking the time.   Read More    ========================   In Vehicle News IndyCar driver Scott Dixon drove on a version of the Indianapolis municipal police department’s challenge course, which included elements such as an evasive maneuvering, threshold braking, backing serpentine and a forward serpentine. It was like a course IMPD trains recruits on but scaled down to fit in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum parking lot.    Read More  ============= And speaking of IndyCar Mark Reuss, an executive for General Motors was driving the pace car at Sunday's Verizon IndyCar Series race when it crashed. Read More =======================   In Cyber Security News  The next 9/11 will be a cyber attack, security expert warns A cyber attack of devastating proportions is not a matter of if, but when, numerous security experts believe. And the scale of it, one information security specialist said this week, will be such that it will have its own name — like Pearl Harbor or 9/11. Read More   ==========================   From the International Security Driver Association Quick Analysis of EP/Secure Transportation Job Opportunities In the process of curating job opportunities for our members, we came across this interesting piece of data. In a 55-day time frame, the ISDA curated and shared 110 job opportunities. The metric that struck us was that 38% of the job opportunities were located in California. The numbers indicated that three states represent 54% of the jobs, and 68% were for various types of EP positions, and 19% for Security Drivers. EP and Secure Transportation job opportunities are like any other opportunities in any other profession; they are sensitive to geography. Read More     ============================= This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, June 1st, 2018.   From ISDACenter.Org We continue with our Lesser Known Incidents series with the kidnapping of Kevyn Wynn In July 1993, Steve Wynn of the Wynn Resorts and Casinos received a call; a voice politely uttered a chilling statement: “Mr. Wynn, we have your daughter.” His 26-year-old daughter, Kevyn, had been kidnapped from her townhouse in a luxury gated community. Her kidnappers demanded a ransom reported between $2 million and $2.5 million. The kidnappers taped Ms. Wynn’s eyes shut, put sunglasses on her, and forced her to undress. They then took pictures of her in her underwear and threatened to release the pictures to the public if she or her father went to the police. Ms. Wynn was then permitted to dress and the defendants tied her up, placed her in her car, and drove her to the McCarran International Airport. She was released unharmed two hours later after her father paid a $1.45 million ransom in $100 bills. The kidnappers were eventually apprehended, one of them was caught the day after the kidnapping when he walked into a Ferrari dealer and wanted to buy a $200,000 Ferrari with cash.   =======================  In Vehicle News From Digital Journal Wearable technology contributes to distracted driving A new study shows how the increase in availability of wearable technology is contributing to distracted driving when drivers do not take precautions to deactivate or to remove the wearable device. Read More    ====================== In Terrorism News The international treaty on counter-terrorism comes into effect in Turkey The Additional Protocol of the first international treaty on foreign terrorists, which was signed in the Latvian capital Riga in 2015, was put into force in Turkey on June 1. Read More   ===================== In Cyber Security News From NextGov.Com White House: Federal Agencies Remain Highly Vulnerable to Data Breaches Three Years After OPM Many federal agencies don’t know how hackers are targeting them, can’t tell when hackers steal large amounts of their data and aren’t efficiently spending the cybersecurity money they have, according to a report and action plan released last week. Read More    ===================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, May 31st, 2018.     In Vehicle News From CNBC Trump reportedly said he wants to ban German luxury carmakers in the US President Donald Trump is preparing to block German luxury carmakers from the U.S. market, according to an exclusive report by a leading German business magazine. Read More   == From RT.Com Uber adds panic button for passengers in case of sexual assault by driver Ride-hailing company Uber has added a panic alarm to their app in the United States so that riders have a quick way to contact 911 if they are attacked by the driver. The company announced plans to introduce the feature nationwide last month. A number of Uber drivers have faced accusations of sex crimes for years.   Read More    ======================== In Terrorism News From Breitbart.Com France Risking British Security by ‘Blocking’ Access to Terror Data After Brexit Sources claim the French are frustrating Britain’s offer to remain part of a European Union (EU) security agreement that helped identify terrorists involved in Islamic State attacks on Paris, despite France recently encouraging the British to join.   Read More  ========================= In Business of Executive Protection News From Recode.Com It’s that time of year again when Mary Meeker unloads her highly anticipated internet trends report for the Code Conference crowd in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. This year, the Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner released 294 slides in rapid succession, covering everything from smartphone behavior in the U.S. to tech company competition in China. Read More   ====================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Although most drivers realize that the higher the car’s speed, the more distance required to stop. What is surprising to many drivers is how much additional distance it takes to stop a vehicle with just a small increase in speed. The fact is that if you double your speed you increase your stopping distance by a factor of four. Read More

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, May 29th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From USA Today Tesla, Uber crashes spotlight automatic emergency braking. Here's what it won't do. From the article: One of the most common semi-autonomous driving features added to cars these days is automatic emergency braking.  What can it do — and what shouldn't a driver expect it to handle? Using a combination of radar and cameras that scan the road ahead, automatic emergency braking, or AEB for short, is designed to automatically initiate braking when it senses an obstacle and, in some cases and scenarios, will bring the car to a full stop.  The key phrase being: in some cases and some scenarios. Read More   ========================= In Technology News From Digital Trends A.I. scans social media to predict when protests will turn violent From the article: With all the hostility on social media, it may sound oxymoronic to say that social media platforms could curb violence. But studies have shown it could help fight wildlife poaching, and now new research from a new study out of the University of Southern California (USC) suggests social media may help avoid violence between humans as well.   Read More ==  And from the New York Times F.B.I.’s Urgent Request: Reboot Your Router to Stop Russia-Linked Malware Hoping to thwart a sophisticated malware system linked to Russia that has infected hundreds of thousands of internet routers, the F.B.I. has made an urgent request to anybody with one of the devices: Turn it off, and then turn it back on. Read More   ========================  In Terrorism News From BBC News Liege shooting: Two police officers and civilian dead in Belgium From the article A man has shot dead two female police officers and a civilian in the eastern Belgian city of Liège. The gunman also took a female cleaner hostage at a school before being killed by police. Two other police officers were also injured.  The man's motive is not yet clear but the incident is being treated as terrorism. Read More ==   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, May 25th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From the Huffington Post Man Discovers Handgun Impaled In Front Bumper Of Car This brings new meaning to the term “gunning your engine.” A driver on Interstate 5 in Washington state’s South Puget Sound area discovered something shocking when he stopped for gas: a handgun lodged barrel-first in the front bumper. The driver was heading down the freeway when a black object came flying through the air and hit his Honda, according to a tweet from state trooper Guy Gill, a spokesman for that district. There didn’t seem to be serious damage, so the driver thought nothing of it and drove another 18 miles before stopping for gas, Gill said.   And from Autoblog 2020 Chevy Suburban spy shots reveal a shocking suspension situation Hot on the heels of the announcement that the Suburban RST will get the engine it should have had in the first place – the 6.2-liter V8 – we have spy shots of the next Suburban and a glimpse of a major change underneath. Read More  ==   In Technology News From Ars Technica Amazon confirms that Echo device secretly shared user’s private audio Amazon confirmed an Echo owner's privacy-sensitive allegation on Thursday, after Seattle CBS affiliate KIRO-7 reported that an Echo device in Oregon sent private audio to someone on a user's contact list without permission. Read More ==   In Terrorism News From the Daily Mail Fifteen are injured - three critically - after a bomb attack on an Indian restaurant near Toronto At least 15 people have been injured, and three are in critical condition, after two suspects detonated a bomb in a restaurant near Toronto, Canada, police said. The explosion took place just after 10.30pm local time at an Indian restaurant in Mississauga, some 20 miles from Toronto, Ontario. Read More  ==   Monday, May 28th, is Memorial Day here in the United States, where Americans pause to remember the fallen and honor the sacrifice of members of the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy. And as such, there will be no Podcast.  So as you start to plan your weekend with parties and BBQs, please take a moment to remember those who gave their lives protecting our freedom.  Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.  Have a great Memorial Day Weekend everybody.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, May 24th, 2018. In Vehicle News From DigitalTrends.Com BMW racing to patch 14 security vulnerabilities found in its cars Chinese researchers discovered 14 vulnerabilities on the onboard computers of a number of BMW vehicles, leading the automaker to begin issuing security patches over-the-air and through dealer networks. These flaws affect the infotainment unit, telematics controls, and the wireless communications systems on BMW’s i Series, X1 sDrive, 5 Series, and 7 Series models dating as far back as 2012. Four of the discovered vulnerabilities require hackers to have physical USB access to the car, while six of the vulnerabilities can be exploited remotely. The last four vulnerabilities require physical access to the car’s computer. Read More  =========================== In Technology News Schools are spending billions on high-tech security. But are students any safer? From NBCNews.Com With each new school shooting the routine of death and grief grows numbingly familiar, and so does the inescapable question: Is there any way for schools to stop them? School districts trying to avoid becoming next on the list are urgently chasing answers, with an increasing number staking their hopes on high-tech security systems originally developed for the military, police and private industry. Read More   ==   From DigitalTrends.Com Uber shutters self-driving project in Arizona two months after fatal accident Uber is ending its self-driving program in Arizona, focusing its efforts instead on existing operations in Pittsburgh and San Francisco, where the company has its headquarters. Read More    ============================= In Business of Executive Protection News From Lexology.Com Tomorrow, May 25, Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will go into effect, imposing new obligations on companies that market to, track, or handle the personal data of Europeans—whether or not those companies are in Europe.  For any company doing business in the EU (and any company that might have EU personal data in its databases), the GDPR is one of the most significant regulatory changes of the past several years.  Even companies that are not directly subject to the GDPR are likely to be asked to represent that they are GDPR compliant when acting as a vendor to organizations to which the regulations do apply. Read More   ========================== This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018.   In Vehicle News From AutomotiveNews.Com Tesla slammed over 'deceptive' Autopilot name in a letter to U.S. regulators Two U.S. consumer advocacy groups urged the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday to investigate what they called Tesla Inc.'s "deceptive and misleading" use of the name Autopilot for its assisted-driving technology.  The Center for Auto Safety and Consumer Watchdog, both nonprofit groups, sent a letter to the FTC saying that consumers could be misled into thinking, based on Tesla's marketing and advertising, that Autopilot makes a Tesla vehicle self-driving. But in the letter, the groups said that a series of ads and press releases from Tesla as well as statements by CEO Elon Musk "mislead and deceive customers into believing that Autopilot is safer and more capable than it is known to be."   Read More == In Terrorism News From SecurityMagazine.Com 6 Links Between Social Media and Violence You Haven’t Thought About In March, the European Commission demanded that tech firms remove terrorist posts within one hour of their appearance. Similar calls have come from corporations and commentators, alike. These forms of pressure are important but focused only on the problem of social media serving as a tool for spreading violent ideas and propaganda. Disturbingly, social media use itself may be predisposing individuals to commit terrorism, shootings and other forms of violence by impacting user behavior and well-being.  The article offers insights from threat assessment professionals and researchers to help identify ways in which social media may be linked to violence. Read More == In Executive Protection News From SecurityDriver.Com From the Lesser Known Incidents Series – the Harvey Weinstein Kidnapping From the Newspaper article at the time In 1993 Harvey Weinstein, the chief executive of the largest U.S. manufacturer of tuxedos was recovered unharmed from a 12-day stay in a 14-foot hole. An employee of Weinstein’s firm – arrested after Weinstein’s recovery Monday, was responsible for the kidnapping.  Weinstein, founder, and head of Lord West Inc., was reported in good condition despite his ordeal and was released from a hospital after a three-hour checkup.    Read More     From BusinessInsider.Com The U.S. warns its citizens in China after embassy worker suffers brain injury from possible 'sonic attack' The US State Department says an employee working in China suffered "subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure" that later led to a diagnosis of "mild traumatic brain injury" — resulting in a warning to all US citizens in the country. Read More   == In Technology News Whenever we come across an app or piece of technology that is related to security we’ll share it in the podcast. The free iOS app EasySet is a Physical Security Assessment Toolset & Real-Time Report Generator. Using the EasySet app and web interface, you can survey the physical security of a facility and generate PDF report.  If you’ve tried or use EasySet let us know in the comments. Read More   ==  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018.   In Vehicle News From AutoNews.Com Fear of autonomous cars rises after high-profile fatalities, AAA survey finds Consumer trust in self-driving cars has plummeted following high-profile roadway fatalities, with almost three-quarters of Americans now saying they are too afraid to ride in an autonomous vehicle, according to a new survey.   The survey by AAA shows faith in autonomous vehicles has been shaken by two March incidents: A pedestrian in Arizona struck and killed by an Uber self-driving car and a fatality involving a Tesla Model X operating in semiautonomous Autopilot mode. The fear factor reported by 73 percent of those polled last month was up 10 points from late 2017 and nearly erased gains from the 78 percent afraid of automated cars early last year. Read More      == In Travel Security News From American Express Global Business Travel Traveler 360° Report: Insights from Corporate Travelers from Across the Globe The newly published report, “Traveler 360°,” involving business travelers from across the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, India and Singapore, offers a global perspective of the unique needs and concerns business travelers have. For more information and to download a free copy of the report go to amexglobalbusinesstravel.com.   ==   In Executive Protection news In case you missed it the History, Trends, Forecast Market Intelligence Group, or HTFMI for short, released the Global Personal Security Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 last December. The report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. The report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Personal Security Services industry.  The cost of the report is $3300 for a single user or $6600 for enterprise level. Read More    == About the International Security Driver Association This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, May 21st, 2018.    In Executive Protection News From CBS News Nannies Now Being Trained in Counter-Terrorism For more than a century, Britain's Norland College has been training professional nannies. But now, in addition to childcare, students are learning about terrorism, security, and how to avoid high-risk situations. Here’s the report from CBS News   From SecurityDriver.Com Lesser Known Incidents – The Kidnapping of Cindy Crawford One of the features of the ISDA Knowledge Center is a section titled “Lesser Known Incidents” – There are many unknown or not widely known incidents. Some of the incidents were hardly noticed. There are a significant number of security events that fly under the radar. In June 1996, Cindy Crawford was kidnapped as she left the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris by an imposter posing as her Chauffeur. Read More    ================  In Cyber Security News From PCMagazine.Com TeenSafe Leaks Thousands of Kids' Email Addresses and Passwords From the article TeenSafe advertises itself as a service allowing parents to monitor what their children are doing on smartphones in order to keep them safe. It does this through the use of an iOS or Android app, which allows parents to view the texts, call logs, web history, and location of a phone. The problem is, TeenSafe didn't secure its servers or the data it stored properly. Read More   ===================== In Business of Protection news From NextGov.Com Google Is Turning Up the Pressure On Sites To Adopt HTTPS Making sure a website is secure and using HTTPS before conducting any sensitive activity, such as entering in personal information like a Social Security number, is an important part of staying safe online. For Google Chrome users, that is indicated by a green lock symbol in the upper left corner. HTTPS encrypts the data from and to the website.  Chrome plans to use a bright red icon and a warning in the URL bar saying "Not Secure" to indicate a website's HTTP status and to warn users to be wary. Right now the indication is gray in color. Google will make the switch to use these indicators by October. If your website is not HTTPS already I strongly suggest you do so before a big red Not Secure sign is displayed when people visit your website. Read More    ================= This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, May 18th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From Consumer Reports.Com Who Owns the Data Your Car Collects? Some information gathered can improve driving performance and safety, but it could also result in an invasion of your privacy   The questions of who owns the data and what can be done with it have brought the privacy debate into the modern car cockpit. Much of the information coming from connected cars can produce safety benefits. But it has value for other purposes as well. There are more than 200 data points in cars today, with at least 140 viable business uses.   So far, neither Congress nor the DOT has instituted any new legal requirements for most car data. Many car companies say they are being proactive about consumer privacy, but advocates are concerned about the prospect of an industry policing itself. Read More   == In Executive Protection News From Facebook News Facebook’s first content moderation report finds terrorism posts up 73 percent this year Facebook took enforcement action on 1.9 million posts related to terrorism by Al Qaeda and ISIS in the first quarter of this year, the company said, up from 1.1 million posts in the last quarter of 2018. The increased enforcement, which typically results in posts being removed and accounts being suspended or banned from Facebook, resulted from improvements in machine learning that allowed the company to find more terrorism-related photos, whether they were newly uploaded or had been on Facebook for longer. Facebook made the data available as part of its first-ever Community Standards Enforcement Report, which documents content moderation actions taken by the company between October and March.   Read More  In Cyber Security News From DHS.Gov Homeland Security unveils new cybersecurity strategy amid threats The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday unveiled a new national strategy for addressing the growing number of cybersecurity risks as it works to assess them and reduce vulnerabilities. “The cyber threat landscape is shifting in real-time, and we have reached a historic turning point,” said Secretary Nielsen. “Digital security is now converging with personal and physical security, and it is clear that our cyber adversaries can now threaten the very fabric of our republic itself. That is why DHS is rethinking its approach by adopting a more comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In an age of brand-name breaches, we must think beyond the defense of specific assets—and confront systemic risks that affect everyone from tech giants to homeowners. Our strategy outlines how DHS will leverage its unique capabilities on the digital battlefield to defend American networks and get ahead of emerging cyber threats.” Read More    Lastly, the Yanny or Laurel Debate For a little TGIF levity, the Yanny or Laurel audio clip that has taken the internet by storm. A short audio clip is completely puzzling the world and pitting friend against friend in the online debate. What is the voice saying – is it Yanny or is it Laurel? Some people think they hear the word "Laurel" while others are convinced it says "Yanny." It's the most perplexing phenomenon since the great the dress debate of 2015. Here’s the audio clip So what did you hear? Laurel or Yanny? Let us know by posting a comment over on securitydrivernews.libsyn.com.  == This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing. Have a great weekend everybody.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Thursday, May 17th, 2018.   In Vehicle News From VentureBeat.Com DigiLens raises $25 million from Germany’s Continental for its automotive holographic display The deal will give Continental an 18 percent stake in DigiLens. The two companies are now jointly developing “a waveguide head-up display” (HUD) for cars. The waveguide technology also has potential for aviation and motorcycle helmets, the companies said in a press release.   Read More   From DigitalTrends.Com Automakers are embracing virtual reality with help from gaming company Unity Technologies. Unity has quietly worked with major automakers to develop virtual reality tools, new human-machine interfaces, and more under its Unity Automotive division.   Read More == In Business of Executive Protection News From VentureBeat.Com LinkedIn to roll out 1-click apply, ‘How you Match’ feature for job seekers To make it easier for users to assess how qualified they are for a job, LinkedIn today announced that it is launching a “How you Match” feature, as well as the option to apply for jobs with just one click. Both features will be rolled out to users globally this month. Read More   From SecurityDriver.Com Training – Certification and Experience Two topics of discussions that dominate social media, both in the U.S. and abroad are certification and the state of training in the protection industry. In reality, the two subjects cannot be separated. In ISDA’s honest opinion – The job market wants, and will support, a certification that meets standards set by respected industry and government organizations. Those who supply job opportunities welcome a certification that withstands the scrutiny of the corporate, legal, and insurance community. Nonetheless, there are still global job markets in the protection business where certification, insurance risk, and liability are not major concerns. Read More   == This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, May 16th, 2018.   In Security News From WBALTV.Com More Maryland communities hiring private security guards While there are 16,000 sworn police officers in Maryland, there are nearly double that number of private security guards, and there are 740 active security agencies in Maryland. Their job is to be a visible deterrent to de-escalate and to intervene if the police need their help. There are 28,000 licensed and certified security guards in the state of Maryland, which is an increase of 5,000 since 2013. Maryland State Police process as many as 900 applications a month. Read More   From NextGov.Com The Defense Security Service plans to shift to a risk-based approach, but needs to reach out to stakeholders, GAO says. The Pentagon agency responsible for vetting contractors that handle classified information isn’t keeping up with the threat, according to an auditor’s report released Monday. The Defense Security Service, or DSS, is responsible for vetting the security of over 12,000 contractor facilities, but could only accomplish about 60 percent of its workload during the 2016 fiscal year, according to the Government Accountability Office report.   Read More   In Driving News From PoliceDriver.Com Passing Safety Passing the vehicle in front of you is one of those things we often do but don’t give much thought. On an urban road, that slow driver in front of you may be problematic – BUT – once the decision has been made to pass a vehicle in an urban environment, realize and remember that you and your car are going to be spending a good deal of time in the wrong lane. To give you an idea of how much time and distance, if you are traveling at 50 mph and passing someone going 40 mph, you will need about 10 seconds and 736 feet to safely complete the pass. Read More   ====================  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Understanding how, when, and where an attacker is likely to conduct surveillance as well as how to plan, manage and conduct effective surveillance detection operations is an essential tool for security providers.  If all or part of your duties requires providing personal protection, the ISDA suggests reading Carlos Marighella's book "The Mini-Manual of the Urban Guerrilla".

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Monday, May 14th, 2018.   In Vehicle News A report from the New York Times found that dozens of people have been poisoned by carbon monoxide after failing to shut off the keyless ignition on their vehicles. Since 2006 at least 28 people have died and 45 others have suffered injuries from the gas after they thought they had turned off their vehicles, the Times found. The report highlights the efforts by some groups to push for new regulations from automakers to combat the problem. Keyless ignition allows drivers to start their cars with the press of a button while an electronic key fob remains in their pocket or purse. The technology first entered the American market in the early 2000s. In 2015, a class action lawsuit claimed there had been 13 carbon monoxide-related deaths linked to keyless ignition cars. A judge dismissed the suit in September 2016. The Times report, published Sunday, indicates the problem may be more widespread than previously thought. The Society of Automotive Engineers, a leading standards group for the auto industry, seven years ago called for requiring automakers to include warning signals — such as a series of beeps — to alert drivers if their cars were left on, according to the Times report. Read More ======================= In Terrorism News Investigators working to understand why a 20-year-old French citizen born in the Russian republic of Chechnya went on a stabbing rampage in central Paris detained the dead suspect’s parents and a friend Sunday, French officials said. Read More Family of suicide bombers attacks 3 churches in Indonesia, killing 7, police say Here’s the report from CNN.Com ===================== In Technology News From the Guardian.Com SpotMini: headless robotic dog to go on sale in 2019 Former Google robotics outfit Boston Dynamics, famed for its advanced humanoid and canine automatons, has announced that it will begin sale of its headless robotic SpotMini next year. Read More      This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association and is published daily between 12 noon and 1 PM ET. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs.  For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing Have a great weekend everybody and happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome moms out there. May your day be filled with love, joy and laughter.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Friday, May 11th, 2018.  ===== In Vehicle News Dodge is expanding its police vehicle lineup, adding a new Pursuit version of its Dodge Durango SUV. The 2018 Dodge Durango Pursuit is powered by a 5.7L Hemi V-8, coupled with a full-time, active all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. This is the same powertrain combination most commonly deployed in the Dodge Charger Pursuit. The Durango Pursuit's 5.7L Hemi V-8 features Fuel Saver Technology and delivers 360 horsepower (360) and 390 pound-feet of torque. Read More ==== In Executive Protection News Mark Zuckerberg says 99% of ISIS and al-Qaeda-related terror content gets removed from Facebook before anyone reports it, but Sarah Frier explains why that's far from the reality Read More  ==== In Business of Executive Protection News From Harvard Business Review Tips for Reading the Room Before a Meeting or Presentation The article begins with - In every conversation at work, there’s the explicit discussion happening — the words being spoken out loud — and the tacit one. To be successful in most organizations, it’s important to understand the underlying conversations and reactions that people in the room are having. But if you aren’t picking up on those subtle cues, how can you learn to do so? What signals should you be looking for? And what can you do to influence the unspoken dynamics? Some of the tips from the article are: Observation - The best way to read a room is to pay close attention to people — and not just what they’re saying. Upon entering a meeting, a quick scan of the individuals, noting who’s next to whom, who’s smiling, who’s not, who’s standing, who’s sitting, and how much space is between people. Control How much you talk - You can’t observe if you’re spending most of your time talking. You need to listen - Whether you’re in a room with a large group of people, a small group, or you’re speaking with a colleague one-on-one, taking frequent pauses “to really think about what the other person is saying. Read More   From Social Media Examiner LinkedIn Layout Changes and Feature Updates The first change is your profile photo placement has shifted to the left-hand side which gives more space to the background image. This allows you to really think about using that background image as a branding element The second change is that there is now more space in the introduction section of your profile. The expanded space now shows links to your websites and other social media profile links. (by the way, this is how it used to be originally on LinkedIn) In the media section, you can now feature up to 6 pieces of media like PDFs, Slideshare presentations, blog posts, checklists, etc. The media section is a great way to communicate your message, brand, and knowledge. And the last update is the ability to add native video to your company pages. A native video is uploading a recorded video either on your smartphone or desktop to your company page in this instance or the LinkedIn news feed which has been an option for a few months now. Read More == This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association and is published daily between 12 noon and 1 PM ET. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing Have a great weekend everybody and happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome moms out there. May your day be filled with love, joy, and laughter.

In Vehicle News From the Drive.Com Cadillac Is Ending Production of the ATS Sedan Cadillac has confirmed that production is ending for the ATS Sedan and production of the ATS Coupe will continue into 2019. Production of the ATS Sedan is ending due to extensive plant upgrades, expansion and re-tooling to prepare for the next generation of Cadillac sedans. Cadillac’s future sedan portfolio will consist of three sedans, positioned in different segments and clearly differentiated by size and price. The CT6 will continue as the brand’s prestige sedan and will play also the lead role as a new technology platform for Cadillac, as evidenced by the debut of Super Cruise semi-autonomous technology in the 2018 CT6. Read More   From CNN Money.Com Rolls-Royce reveals its first SUV The British ultra-luxury automaker's first SUV can plow through 21 inches of water, drive right through deep snow and cross shifting desert sands while passengers ride in ultra comfort. As expected of Rolls-Royce, which is still based in England but owned by Germany's BMW, the Cullinan takes passenger comfort to extremes. An optional glass partition separates the occupants' seats from the cargo compartment. The most extraordinary thing about the Cullinan, which is named after the world's largest diamond, is the amount of attention paid to actual off-road usability. With an average price, including options, of around $400,000. Read More == In Executive Protection News In Case you missed it Stratfor Launches Threat Lens 2.0 To Expand Corporate Insight Into Global Security Trends In April Stratfor announced the launch of Threat Lens 2.0 to dramatically expand the global situational awareness of corporate security teams charged with ensuring the security of people, assets and other interests around the world.  Read More   From the Orange County Register Anaheim to expand the use of private security in parks After what Anaheim officials say was a successful pilot project, the city will extend a contract that puts private security in parks during peak times and when parks are closed at night. The city first hired Lyons Security Services in January, when the county began efforts to clear the large homeless encampment along the Santa Ana River Trail. On Tuesday, the City Council voted to spend nearly $150,000 to renew the contract with Lyons through May 2019, with the option to extend it up to four additional years. Officials haven’t specifically said which parks the security officers visit or when, but a city report noted stops include Boysen, La Palma, Maxwell and several other parks. Read More  ===   In Technology News From DigitalTrends.Com Ohio governor says you ‘have to take risks’ as state welcomes driverless cars Many questions may still be unanswered over the fatality of an Arizona pedestrian after being hit by one of Uber’s self-driving cars in March, which the ISDA is putting together a whitepaper on and will be released in the coming weeks, but Ohio Governor John Kasich issued an executive order making it the latest state to allow the testing of such vehicles on its public roads. Kasich gave the go-ahead for trials of autonomous vehicles on the state’s roads on Wednesday, May 9. Other states that allow self-driving cars on their streets include California, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Michigan Read More 10 Drone Programs Get Federal OK To Break The Rules From NextGov.Com Ten public-private partnerships from across the nation have been chosen to test the use of unmanned aerial vehicles—commonly known as drones—in potentially useful ways that are currently illegal under federal law without a waiver. The 10 pilot programs use-cases range from Mosquito control to border security, airport surveillance to testing delivery options such as delivering defibrillators and other life-saving devices during emergencies and agricultural monitoring.  Read More  This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association and is published daily between 12 noon and 1 PM ET. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org.  

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Wednesday, May 9th, 2018.   In travel safety News Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Managua, Nicaragua (May 8, 2018) Event:  Civil unrest throughout Nicaragua continues to affect U.S. Embassy operations and hours.  The Embassy is aware of demonstrations planned for May 9, 2018 in Managua with advertised start times of 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.  However, recent days’ events have shown that locations, routes, times, sizes, and possible violence of demonstrations are all unpredictable. Read More   == In Executive Protection News Vermont Legislature passes ‘domestic terrorism’ bill MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont Legislature has passed a bill that would make it a crime if anyone takes “substantial steps” to threaten to kill or kidnap groups of people. The Rutland Herald reports the bill given final approval Monday came in response to an alleged plot to commit a school shooting at Fair Haven Union High School by a former student. Read More ==   The American rapper Carbi B's security allegedly attacked an autograph seeker following the 2018 Met Gala Police confirmed that a verbal dispute took place around 2:15 a.m. on Tuesday after a fan approached the rapper for an autograph outside of the Mark Hotel in New York. According to the magazine, a physical altercation then took place between the fan and three members of Cardi B's security and her fiance.  the suspects fled the scene before the authorities arrived and that the fan was then taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital with minor injuries. Read More == Brevard School Board says no to arming staff with guns, yes to hiring 'security specialists' The Brevard County School Board on Tuesday decided to postpone implementing Sheriff Wayne Ivey's controversial proposal to arm school staff and instead opted to hire full-time armed "security specialists." Here’s Caroline Glenn of Florida Today with the report Read More == In Vehicle News From BBC News BMW recalls 300,000 cars that risk stalling completely BMW is extending a UK recall of its cars after the BBC's Watchdog found that vehicles could cut out completely while they are being driven. It is recalling 312,000 vehicles: the BMW 1 Series, the 3 Series, the Z4 and its X1 petrol and diesel models made between March 2007 and August 2011. BMW initially recalled 36,410 petrol cars last year over safety issues. It said it now recognized there may have been similar problems in cars not covered by the first recall. The German carmaker initially recalled cars in the UK after Narayan Gurung, who was traveling with his wife on Christmas Day in 2016, died when their Ford Fiesta crashed into a tree to avoid a broken-down BMW in Guildford, Surrey. The BMW had suffered an electrical fault, causing its brake lights to fail and resulting in the vehicle stalling on a dark road. An investigation by Watchdog has found that the fault could affect a wider number of cars. Read More   == This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association and is published daily between 12 noon and 1 PM ET. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing

Larry Snow with the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection News for Tuesday, May 8th, 2018.  In travel and security tips New TSA Security Procedures   With the summer travel season on the horizon, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it has completed the rollout of enhanced screening procedures for carry-on baggage as part of a greater effort to raise the baseline for aviation security. The stronger security measures, which began last summer, require travelers to place all personal electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening in standard lanes. In addition to screening personal electronic devices separately, including laptops, tablets, e-readers, and handheld game consoles, TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate other items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine. Travelers are encouraged to organize their carry-on bags and keep them uncluttered to ease the screening process and keep the lines moving. Read More    == In Executive Protection Tips The Misconception of Security Driving and Secure Transportation Security Driving and Executive Protection describe a profession, a job description that defines a skill set needed to save lives. It is our opinion that social media have twisted them into marketing terms with no regard for the skill sets that define the profession. In the present training environment, unsuspecting individuals are trained in skills that have no market value. Social media is filled with complaints – ranging from certification, standards, to pay scales and unethical behavior. For some in the industry, especially those just entering the business, there is a misconception of the definition of security driving – in particular, the job description of a security driver. Security driving is more than driving a vehicle. It requires the skill and knowledge to move a principal from point A to point B in a safe and secure manner and a variety of environments. In fact, security driving is more accurately called secure transportation, which encompasses in-depth knowledge and a measured level of skill to conduct route surveys, recognize and develop safe havens, create alternate-route plans, and develop emergency evacuation plans. Advanced first-aid skills are also essential. Read More   ==  In Vehicle Tips Recommended App for your Vehicle Maintenance Car Minder manages all your car maintenance needs from logging repairs to tracking fuel economy. As a handy feature, Car Minder Plus also lets you save data for multiple cars, and it tracks them individually. When you store service history, the app will cross-verify it with the service warnings so that anything that looks like a potential problem is brought to your notice, immediately. Keep track of oil changes, tire rotations, and other maintenance tasks for all your cars. You can find it on the iTunes App Store. If you have an app that you’d recommend send us the info at [email protected]. == As a reminder, this news flash briefing is also available on Apple iTunes and the Google Play Store. You are able to listen to the podcast on your Amazon echo devices, and also on the Apple Podcasts app on iOS devices, iTunes for Mac and PC, and the Google Play Store on Android devices. With the larger availability, we are expanding our content to include ISDA Member news and content and upcoming training opportunities provided by our members. If you are an ISDA member and would like to submit your content for the podcast, please contact us at [email protected]. This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association and is published daily between 12 noon and 1 PM ET. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing

In Vehicle News From the Autoblog: 2019 Chevy Suburban RST Performance Package finally adds the big engine When Chevy introduced the RST trim level on the Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs, the Suburban was a little left-out when it came to the good stuff. Specifically, it wasn't available with the 6.2-liter V8 that could be added to the Tahoe RST. But that's been fixed this year with the 2019 Chevy Suburban RST Performance Package.   The ISDA will be bringing a full review of the 2019 Suburban and its handling characteristics. Read More   From Wired.Com FANCY NEW SUSPENSION COULD MAKE CAR RIDES A LOT SMOOTHER  ClearMotion, a Boston-based MIT spinoff company, is developing what it’s calling a proactive suspension system, which goes a step further than the active suspension found on high-end cars. Those systems use hydraulics or electromagnetic fluids to soften or tauten the ride. ClearMotion uses small actuators that lift the wheel clean over bumps, describing other systems as playing defense, whereas it plays offense. That code works sort of like noise-canceling headphones, canceling out holes and bumps with a movement in the opposite direction: Accelerometers at each wheel sense an impact, then software triggers an electric motor to pump in hydraulic fluid to push or pull the wheel up or down. Read More    In Business of Protection Tips  Social media is a driving force when used effectively for all types of business including security and executive protection services. You’ve identified your goals, found your market, you are sharing and creating valuable content for potential customers, marketing your products and services. You’re interacting with comments and monitoring what is being said about the industry and your business. All of this takes time, money and energy. Do those likes and comments translate to new business? If so, how much business? Enough to live on or support your family? If not? Why not? When was the last time you took a hard look at your efforts on social media and assess what is and is not working to help grow your security business? Hard look means looking past vanity metrics such as likes, and start looking at reach, engagement, and shares with tools that are freely available. Read More This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

Automotive News reports Cadillac’s next all-new vehicle -- the XT6  -- is taking shape and taking to the road for testing. Spy photos indicate the luxury Crossover Utility Vehicle will have a north-south engine and rear-wheel-drive configuration. It’s possibly based on the lightweight architecture of Cadillac’s flagship CT6 sedan.   Speaking of Cadillac from Fox News reports CT6 sedans featuring the company’s new Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system are heading to showrooms now, offering the promise of hands-off and feet-off freeway driving. The system lets the car to steer itself within a lane and not run into any cars in front of it while you try to relax and enjoy the ride.     In Technology news from Engadget and Defense One Criminals used a drone swarm to disrupt an FBI hostage rescue The FBI's Joe Mazel told a crowd at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Xponential conference this week about a particularly organized gang that used drones to interfere with a hostage situation last winter. As Defense One reports, a swarm of small drones descended on an FBI hostage team, performing "high-speed low passes" in an effort "to flush them" from their position. "We were then blind," Mazel added. Surveillance is a big part of it. Criminals have taken to watching police stations to identify witnesses and other friends of the law, as well as casing out facilities to find security holes they may be able to exploit in a robbery. A group in Australia uses drones to watch port authority staff. If they get too close to one of the gang's contraband-filled shipping containers, a fire or theft report is called in to redirect attention. Border scouts and drug mule drones continue to be a problem, too. Just a few months ago, Chinese law enforcement said they'd shut down a smartphone smuggling ring that was responsible for illegally transporting nearly $80 million in handsets.   Vehicle Safety Tips From Automotive Fleet 12 Tips for driving at dawn and dusk Sunrise and sunset are two of the most dangerous times to be behind the wheel because a lighter sky prevents a driver's eyes from adjusting to the dark roadway, which makes it more challenging to see pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles.    In ISDA News Based on popular demand and requests ISDA is expanding the availability of the Alexa flash briefings podcast to Apple iTunes and the Google Play Store. So not only will you be able to listen to the podcast on your Amazon echo devices, but also on the Apple Podcasts app on iOS devices, iTunes for Mac and PC, and the Google Play Store on Android devices.   With the larger availability, we are expanding our content to include ISDA Member news and content and upcoming training opportunities provided by our members.  If you are an ISDA member and would like to submit your content for the podcast, please contact us at [email protected]. We are one month into the briefings and the metrics are encouraging. The Podcasts have been listened to in over 30 countries, and we have not pushed out to our entire network. View this as another method of marketing your services.   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA membership, articles related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing have a great weekend everybody, and may the force be with you.   

In Executive Protection News Diane Ritchey, Editor in Chief of Security Magazine, Security Talks stresses the importance of investigative skills for Executive Protection Success. For info and to read the article go to SecurityMagazine.Com.   In Vehicle Safety Tips Safelite stresses the importance of regularly replacing Wiper blades and gives examples how to tell if your blades are worn.   In Business of Executive Protection Tips Is your security business ready for the EU General Protection Data Regulation?  The new European Union general data protection regulation (EU GDPR) has a direct impact on marketing practices, including email marketing. If your business is based in the EU or you process and collect personal data from EU citizens, the General Data Protection Regulation affects you. The GDPR says you must obtain freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent. You also must clearly explain how you plan to use their personal data. There will be penalties for noncompliance. For a small company the penalties may not be worthy of mention, but for larger companies, the penalties will be significant. Click here more information on the GDPR   This flash briefing is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The International Security Driver Association serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA go to isdacenter.org.

This podcast is brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The International Security Driver Association serves its members by supporting an international forum of protection professionals who share their knowledge and experience for the education and benefit of the membership. ISDA represents all aspects of the Executive Protection profession from all parts of the Globe. ISDA serves members who are either inexperienced or experienced practitioners.  Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, new to the profession, honing your expertise, or an established security executive, ISDA offers its Members benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. For more information about the ISDA go to isdacenter.org.   From the Tennesean.Com Nashville Police Attempt to Seize Control of Private Event Security and Get Sued Taxpayers are increasingly on the hook for millions in overtime, pension costs. Two private security firms are seeking an injunction to stop the Metro Nashville Police Department from enforcing a new policy that forbids off-duty police officers from moonlighting as private security guards. The legal filing on Wednesday by Nashville attorney Gary Blackburn is the latest development in a lawsuit filed last week that claims Nashville police methodically pushed out private security companies in a bid to achieve a monopoly on securing the city's many special events.  ================ From the Washington Post EPA chief Scott Pruitt head of security resigns amid scrutiny. As mentioned in a previous flash briefing, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, has been in some hot water regarding his ethics issues. He reportedly wanted his motorcade to flash its lights and sirens to speed up trips to restaurants and airport and that Eric Weese, the former head of Pruitt’s protective detail, said he unsuccessfully tried to curb the behavior. He was replaced by Pasquale Perrotta, a former Secret Service agent who operates a private security company. Well, yesterday, May 1, Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta, announced his retirement from the agency. Perrotta faces congressional scrutiny for his role in Pruitt’s security arrangements, which have been more extensive than those of previous EPA administrators. He initially had planned to step down this summer but accelerated his retirement, officials said. Perrotta is slated to meet with investigators at the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee tomorrow Wednesday, May 3rd.  ====================  From ABC News.Com All newly manufactured vehicles to be sold in the U.S. are required as of yesterday May 1st, to have backup cameras equipped as a standard feature.  More than 200 people are killed and over 12,000 more are injured each year due to “backover” crashes, according to the Department of Transportation. Of those killed, more than half are children under 5 years old or adults 70 and older. Rearview cameras have already been found to reduce backup-related crashes by 17 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. ===============  From the Telegraph.co.uk Johnny Depp sued by former bodyguards for unpaid wages Two of Johnny Depp's former bodyguards have reportedly taken the actor to court, accusing him of failing to pay their wages and claiming they “were forced to protect Depp from himself”. Eugene Arreola, a former detective with the Los Angeles police department, and Miguel Sanchez state that they worked for Depp for several years for a firm called Premier Group International.    They describe a "toxic and dangerous working environment", claiming that Depp's head of security accidentally shot himself in the leg “while playing with his weapon in a small control room on Johnny Depp’s property.”  They claim that they were used by Depp as babysitters, stating: "Plaintiffs found themselves in situations that required more than what a bodyguard would be expected to do,” including being “constantly used as drivers, driving back and forth at Depp’s or his family’s beckoning.”    Mr. Arreola and Mr. Sanchez are seeking unpaid overtime, wages, meal and rest break compensation and penalties as well as legal fees plus damages.   ================ For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com. Thanks for listening to the Security Driver and Executive Protection News flash briefing.

If you enjoy reading and are involved in the profession, ISDA Member Tom Taylor supplies you with a great reading and learning experience. Tom has authored a series of novels based on the EP profession. Tom takes the day to day tasks of a protection team and turns them into a page-turning work of fiction, that can be easily used as executive protection handbooks. We (ISDA) are a bit prejudice, but in our minds, Tom’s novels are better than many EP books. If Tom’s name sounds familiar, he is the coauthor of the best-selling and must-read book - Just 2 Seconds - Using Time and Distance to Defeat Assassins.The essential guide for protectors of at-risk people includes a 400-page compendium of attacks and near-attacks. Just 2 Seconds is used by protectors in 37 countries. Here are Tom’s other novels that may interest you: Chance Governs All Stop Gaps Last Came Anarchy Connect with Tom on LinkedIn   For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.

What is social media? Social media put plainly and simply is public conversations within established networks. These networks are made up of your friends, peers, colleagues, clients and potential clients. These networks or channels have various names such as Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, LinkedIn etc. Each is unique and useful in varying degrees to executive protection and security businesses.   Social media is different from traditional forms of print media in that you are not directly pushing your products and services, but rather engaging with your customers and clients by sharing your expertise, knowledge, and experience and establishing yourself as a subject matter expert. As a result, people will be more willing to use your products and services and trust other businesses you recommend. Another way to think of social media is word of mouth marketing on steroids. Think of social media as customer cultivation. It is the only way to truly grow and prosper as a company. With social media, you are listening to customers’ needs and making sure you create viable solutions. Social media can and should be thought of as an extension of your brand. In other words, you are branding yourself and your company through social media channels. If you don’t define what your brand is, others will define it for you. If you don’t establish your brand perceptions will be inaccurate – rightly or wrongly. Customers and clients will draw their own conclusions. Think about the impact on your business if you don’t control your own brand! Social media when used effectively show your credibility to current and potential clients and employers and creates a definition of your business and brand. For example, if you are new to the EP industry and just graduated from a top-tier training facility and looking for employment. The first thing a recruiter or job interviewer does when they receive your résumé is looking for information about you on the internet. Recruiters will get as much information on you as possible. They will look at your Facebook page and if there are compromising pictures, derogatory status updates about your work, friends or family it doesn’t matter what is on your résumé. On the other hand, if you are managing your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn accounts effectively personally and professionally chances are your resume will slide up to the top of the list. Simply put, social media is important because it allows you to manage your brand, communicate directly with your customers and clients, and establish yourself as a subject matter expert and put yourself ahead of your competition. Here’s what you need to know about social media – plain and simple. Social media is a tool – a means to an end. The end being whatever goals you set to achieve using social media. Listen. Yeah, yeah I know, every so-called social media “expert” says listen, but what does that mean? What it means is find out where your potential clients are hanging their virtual hats and what are they saying/talking about as it relates to your services and products. Act. Use social media to converse, interact with potential customers, colleagues, and clients. Share your expertise, knowledge, skills; market your services and products in a meaningful way. Build relationships with like-minded individuals. You don’t have to use every social media network ever known. If you find in Step 2 that potential clients are hanging out and chatting with LinkedIn and Facebook groups, then don’t also focus your energy on Twitter and YouTube. However, your brand should be listed, posted, represented etc. in as many networks as possible, but what isn’t possible is for you to divide your time and develop meaningful relationships in every social network. Fish where the fish are and monitor the other networks for potential “nibbles.” Grow in the social media space at your own pace. You will not become socially known to others in your niche overnight. Don’t be discouraged that only a few friends and family members engage with you initially. Becoming “known” in your niche takes time. Don’t be suckered into following everyone that follows you. Be strategic in your relationship building. You have to curate your brand and nurture relationships; share what makes you, you and the connections will come. Don’t get worked up over the number of followers, likes, circles, etc. You need a website. A website is a place where you can call home for your business. It has to reflect and communicate your brand. Have content that explains who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and most importantly, why you are different than your competitors.  The design is important but there is no need to be too over the top. Make your website practical and useful for visitors.

Since the inception of the ISDA Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey in 2013, our data has shown the primary mode of secure transportation has been an SUV. And the most commonly used SUV is the Suburban which has always been on the top of the list, although in 2017 the Cadillac Escalade with its increased cargo and payload capacity, two features necessary for executive vehicles, took 2nd place. The 2017 survey results, which you can get a copy of from the ISDA Store at store.isdacenter.org, did not have the Lincoln Navigator in the top five vehicles. We conduct the survey at two-year intervals and we are convinced that the Lincoln Navigator will be competing with the Escalade and Suburban for the top Executive and Secure Transportation vehicle (US). The logic behind our belief is that the 2018 Navigator has raised the bar in Secure Transportation. For those that use older Navigators as a guide, we can say without hesitation that the 2018 Navigator is much better than the former versions of Lincoln Navigators. In our opinion the L Black Label 4x4 is not just the largest, most opulent, and most powerful Lincoln ever; it is the epitome of what an Executive SUV should be, but it does not come cheap. With only a few options the Navigator L Black Label 4x4 cost $101,765 MSRP, and as a measure of their success, Lincoln can’t build them quick enough because they didn’t think the demand would be as high as it is. Sales are up 65%, and the Navigator inching closer to its main competitor the Cadillac Escalade.  If you are an owner of an Escalade and are in the market for another SUV, Cadillac will offer you a $10,000 discount if you stay with the Escalade. One of the survey questions we ask is, “what are the features you look for in an executive vehicle?” Always at the top of the list is interior design and load capacity, and this is where the Navigator beats out many of its competitors. The interior of the Navigator is fitting for any executive, with a lot of room for passenger and luggage. Storage is abundant but cleverly hidden so as not to look like a soccer mom minivan. There’s plenty of leg room for second-row passengers while the third row is surprisingly roomy. Comfort is also a key decision point, an uncomfortable principal and passengers won’t work out well for the security driver, and again this is where the Navigator excels. The interior room and the unique design of the Navigator seats set them apart from other SUV’s. The Navigator by the numbers Measuring 207.4 inches long overall, the standard Navigator offers 103.3 cubic feet of interior space, with up to 54.4 cubic feet of cargo behind the second row. A Navigator L stretches to 222.3 inches, adding 24.9 cubic feet of cargo space, with 128.2 cubic feet of cabin volume.  We can’t forget two other Secure Transportation issues, performance, and safety. As all Scotti School and Vehicle Dynamics Institute, students will attest - It is always a good idea to have a vehicle that has a high go - stop and turn capability. And again, the Navigator does well. The Navigator stops at 191 feet from 70 MPH. To interpret that for former students it stops at approximately .9 G’s. Not bad for a vehicle that weighs 6330 pounds. It moves from zero to 60 mph: 5.5 sec, again not bad for a vehicle that heavy. It handles at .78G’s – for those former students, that equates to driving through the slalom course at approximately 33 MPH at the 80% mark, with roughly the same results through the lane change. Again not bad for a 6330 pound high center of gravity vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given the Navigator a five-star overall crash-test rating, as well as five stars in most individual tests. Rollover resistance of a rear-drive Navigator is rated at three stars (four-star with four-wheel drive). The four-star rating means that the vehicle has the probability of a rollover between 10% and 20% The three-star rating means that the vehicle has the probability of a rollover between 20% and 30% Lincoln does not offer such safety features as lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, but large mirrors and bountiful glass area enhance visibility, we at the ISDA feel that not having the lane keeping assist is a plus. With its height, there is good visibility for the driver. Those were all the Navigators positives – but there are some negatives. It has a large turning radius at 20.4 feet – turning radius is defined as the radius of the smallest circular turn that the vehicle is capable of making. The Cadillac Escalade turning radius 19.5 feet and the Suburban is 21.5 feet The one issue that could be the downfall of Navigator is the comments by almost all those who tested the vehicle – it’s ride quality. The problem could be the Black Label’s standard 22-inch wheels. It may be considered uncomfortable, but the vehicle feedback lets you know that it is born from the F-150 truck. But, and it is a big but, all the sensations are felt at the pedals, and steering wheel. There are some that complained about the low-speed body motion, especially in the rear of the vehicle, if that is a fact it is problematic for the SUV. And for those that need to maneuver through traffic and narrow roads the massive size makes in-city maneuvering difficult.

Ford Motor Company yesterday released its first quarter 2018 financial results. In the release Jim Hackett, president, and CEO of Ford provided an update to Ford’s strategic framework, declaring one way that Ford will create long-term value is by: Building a winning portfolio and focusing on products and markets where Ford can win. For example, by 2020, almost 90 percent of the Ford portfolio in North America will be trucks, utilities, and commercial vehicles. Given declining consumer demand and product profitability, the company will not invest in next generations of traditional Ford sedans for North America. Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles – the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year. The company is also exploring new “white space” vehicle silhouettes that combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space, and versatility. Currently, Ford sells six sedans and coupes in North America: the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang, and Taurus. This lineup hits multiple segments, from the compact Fiesta to the mid-size Focus, C-Max, and Fusion to the full-size Taurus. The Mustang stands alone as the lone coupe. It may be likely that Lincoln’s sedans will also disappear, though this was not explicitly stated in yesterday’s press release. Lincoln currently sells the mid-size MKZ and full-size Continental — both share platforms with Ford counterparts. Since Ford will be phasing out development of sedan platforms, Lincoln may suffer, too. This reduction in traditional cars was a long time coming. North America consumers have increasingly turned to crossovers, trucks, and SUVs over sedans and small cars. As of April 3, according to the Wall Street Journal Top 20 Auto sales in March – 13 are a combination of SUV, Pickup Truck, and crossovers. The Ford F-150 tops the list for March at over 87,000 sales. The Toyota Camry comes in at fourth with over 35,000 in sales. It will be interesting to see if other automobile manufacturers follow the Ford strategy. For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.orgor securitydriver.com.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a computer that takes over control of the vehicle when the vehicle’s path is not what the driver intended it to be. For those of us who have lost control of a car, we know that it’s that first twitch of the car that tells us that we are about to have an exciting experience. That twitch is information the car is sending to us. For some, interpreting this information is second nature, and for others, it’s like trying to understand Swahili. That sinking feeling we get in our stomach is the car telling us that it’s not going where we want it to go, but it is going on a path that it wants to go. The value of ESC is that it interprets the information, in most cases, before the average driver or even the above average driver can sense the problem. Once the ESC computer reads the information it starts to set the car on the correct path before we can figure out what’s going on. HOW IT WORKS Electronic Stability Control uses the existing ABS and Traction Control computers, plus additional sensors to monitor what the car is doing after you tell it what to do. By measuring throttle position, steering wheel angle and lateral acceleration, the computer compares the intended path of the vehicle to the path the car is actually taking. If it’s not doing what you wanted it to do, or if what you are doing is contrary to good sense and the laws of physics, the ESC computer takes over. When ESC decides to handle the driving chores it applies one of the front brakes or in some systems one of the front and/or rear brakes, to straighten the car and put it back on the path you wanted it to go. LIMITATIONS Of course, there are limits to the effectiveness of stability control. It makes it a bit more difficult to do J-Turns. The computer is sensitive to weight, so that needs to be taken into consideration. If your vehicle becomes stuck in deep snow, for example, automakers generally advise that you turn off stability control—there’s usually a deactivation button on the dashboard—in order to get the full power of the engine and wheel spin as you try to work your vehicle free.  Also, computers cannot overcome stupidity. ESC cannot compensate if the driver is driving far beyond road and vehicle conditions. In other words, it’s not a license to drive like an idiot. IT SAVES LIVES It’s no exaggeration to say that stability control is the biggest automotive safety advancement since ABS and airbags.  Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that ESC reduces the risk of fatal multiple-vehicle crashes by 32 percent. The new research confirms that ESC reduces the risk of all single-vehicle crashes by more than 40 percent—fatal ones by 56 percent. The researchers estimate that if all vehicles were equipped with ESC, as many as 10,000 fatal crashes could be avoided each year.

Cruise Control The primary purpose of cruise control, when activated is that it enables you to maintain a minimum speed of approximately 25 MPH or higher without keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can help reduce driver fatigue during long trips. But cruise control can be dangerous if used on winding roads, in bad weather or in heavy traffic. Your cruise control does not know the difference in road surface types.  This makes having it activated dangerous on slippery roads.  Unless it is deactivated by tapping your brakes or disengaging it, the vehicle will not slow down during a skid. There is a potential problem with the use of cruise control on wet roads.  Particularly where ruts cause significant standing water buildup, leading to hydroplaning at lower speeds.  When the drive wheels start to spin due to loss of traction, the electronic controls will reduce the throttle setting to compensate.  When the wheels leave the water and regain traction, they will be going 'slower' than the cruise control setting, and the computer will now apply the throttle to accelerate back up to the set speed.  Depending on the road surface (hills, curves, etc) this acceleration may not be appropriate for the roadway.   The driver may now have to react quickly to restore the desired speed, path, etc.   Under severe circumstances, in the short time this takes, the driver could run into control trouble, run off the road, etc.  Keep in mind that emergencies are all about time and distance. It takes the “Average” driver .5 seconds to bring their foot up off the floor to the brake pedal and disengage the cruise control can be crucial. If while on cruise control the driver’s foot is on the floor, that number would be significantly longer. To put this in perspective, at 40 MPH, in .5 seconds, the vehicle would travel 30 feet before the driver could disengage cruise control. 30 feet in a vehicle losing control is a long way to travel. In heavy rain or on problematic road surfaces it makes good sense to be prudent and switch off the cruise control. For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.  

  Monitoring your brand to look for who is actually working for your business on Facebook. Using the Facebook search you can enter the phrase People who work at "your company" and the results may surprise you. For example, People who work at International Security Driver Association. According to Facebook, there are 42 people who say they work at the ISDA, but they don’t. Facebook doesn't really care what anyone puts in for places of work. If you put that in perspective, let's say these people are going for a job role, a job position and where a recruiter is coming by their profile and looking at this information and saying on the preface that this person actually works at that place. Now they could do the extra step and say, and call up that business and say does this person actually have worked here or currently works here? And then you could say no, I never heard of this guy. But up until that point, this person might be getting jobs based on their Facebook profiles. In this case, these folks are using our business to their advantage, presumably, on the preface. The next question you might ask is - what can you do about it? Well, according to Facebook, “this feature preventing someone from posting that they work for a company is currently not available.” In our eyes, this is a big deal and we suggest to not take this lightly. Conduct an audit and verify that they actually are working at your company. Smaller companies may have an easier time just based on the lower numbers of actual employees to verify. The only recourse you have at this point is to actually contact these people and say hey, stop putting in my company for places where you work. We here at the ISDA have tried that approach to no avail. So, always be monitoring your business and brand especially on Facebook.  For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com. Thanks for listening

Every day, somewhere in the world there are kidnappings for ransom. They are such a common occurrence that for the most part they are unreported by the mainstream media. In fact, each year, there are at least 15,000 to 20,000 kidnappings across the globe – and this number doesn’t include unreported incidents. According to some estimates, fewer than 20% of kidnappings are reported to authorities.Each year, kidnappers rake in an estimated $1.5 billion in ransom payments.  For those that are required to travel the world, or have companies that have employees stationed throughout the globe who are working in high-risk environments,  the need for Kidnap and Ransom (K&R) insurance is an essential part of their operational planning. Also consider the decision to use or hire Executive Protection Specialist, Security Drivers or Supply Secure Transportation many times are based on the terms of the client’s Kidnap and Ransom (K&R) insurance policy.   Common sense says that those who need and can purchase K&R insurance are the same people that need and use protective services. So, would it not make sense to review and read a publication and a website that focuses on that K&R aspect of the profession. The magazine and website Safe Travels is devoted to the subjects of K&R, safe travel, and International Road Safety. Safe Travels Magazine has a section covering Kidnap and Ransom. Today on that section they share an article entitled TRUE SCALE OF BITCOIN RANSOMWARE EXTORTION REVEALED and MAN KIDNAPPED IN NYC AS LAMBORGHINI DEAL TURNS BAD; TWO ARRESTED: http://www.safetravelsmagazine.com/tag/kr/ They also have a section that covers Road Safety and a job section with some interesting job postings http://www.safetravelsmagazine.com/tag/road-safety/ http://www.safetravelsmagazine.com/category/job-listings/ Included in this Flash Briefing is a Guide To Kidnap & Ransom Insurance Coverage from investopedia.Com  https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/062915/guide-kidnap-ransom-insurance-coverage.asp For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.

Those of us who live in Winter-weather country, are just emerging from snow and freezing temperatures. And now there’s a new problem to face: potholes. Thanks to this Winter’s freeze-and-thaw cycles, not to mention a few snowplows scraping the roads, we now enter pothole season. And that’s not good news for those providing secure transportation. Potholes are a matter of safety and inconvenience. But there are things that can be done before, during, and after hitting a pothole. We suggest developing a proactive approach similar to a security scenario except you’re avoiding potholes instead of security issues. That strategy is similar to conducting a route survey, except you are conducting a pothole survey. Since you take the same route, be aware of the location of potholes. Also, keep in mind that new ones can show up in just a day or two. Before hitting the road Check tire pressures. Keep them at the manufacturer’s recommendation. Have a clean windshield! You can’t avoid the pothole you can’t see. Observe the traffic ahead of you. If you see other cars swerving and stopping, it could be a warning that a pothole lies ahead. Beware of puddles. What might appear to be surface water could be a deep, wide, sharp-edged pothole hiding below the waterline On roads that you know have potholes, reduce your speed. Hitting the pothole at a slower speed will create less damage. It’s a science thing. All have failed – during pothole interaction Brake lightly or, if possible, not at all. Keep a presence of mind and ease off the brakes before impact. Pressing hard on the brake pedal compresses the front suspension and increases the damage. If possible, don’t swerve away from the pothole as a last-ditch attempt to avoid it. You risk hitting the pothole at an angle, which can cause more damage to the tire, wheel rim, and alignment than if you hit it straight on. Last-second avoidance maneuvers can be hazardous to your health and upset the person sitting in the back seat. If you swerve away from the pothole, check traffic around the vehicle to ensure there is nothing to hit. After you hit the pothole Inspect Tires – Immediately pay attention to whether or not you have a flat tire.  Look at the tire and rim to ensure no damage. Inspect Suspension – If the pothole was major, have the suspension checked.  A good indication of a problem is unusual noises or vibrations. Don’t wait, have the vehicle suspension checked as soon as possible. Check Alignment – Hitting a pothole can, and usually will, knock the wheel out of alignment and affect the steering. If the vehicle is pulling to the left or right, have the wheel alignment checked. Recognize Noises or Vibrations – A hard pothole hit can dislodge wheel weights, damage a tire or wheel, and bend or even break suspension components. If you hit a pothole, listen for any new or different sounds. If you notice any, it’s time to have the vehicle checked by a technician. We are sure you won’t be surprised to discover that there is pothole website: http://www.pothole.info/ For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.

Actor Will Ferrell was involved in a severe car accident Thursday, April 12th, at 11:00 pm. According to a police report, a 22-year-old male driver was driving a 2007 Toyota northbound on Interstate 5 in Orange County around 11:00 p.m. The driver was in the second lane while Ferrell, two passengers, and their chauffeur were in the high-occupancy vehicle lane to the driver's left. They were in a 2017 Lincoln.  "For undetermined reasons," the 22-year-old driver veered to the left and the left-front side of his Toyota hit the right rear of Ferrell's vehicle. The hit caused the actor's car to veer left and strike the center of a divider median. Ferrell's car then overturned.  According to the report, he was taken to Mission Hospital for minor injury treatment. Steele and the chauffeur were also hospitalized for minor injuries; however, the female passenger was not wearing any safety equipment and ended up being hospitalized for "major injuries." The driver of the Toyota didn't sustain any injuries.   For decades we have been discussing the use of seatbelts. Statistics show that seatbelts save lives. When used correctly, wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45% and risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%. For those riding in the rear of vans and SUVs during a car crash, rear seatbelts are 73% better at preventing fatalities. A stunning statistic: victims are not properly restrained in more than one-half of all fatal car accidents. In 2016, seatbelt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,668 lives. Many understand the lifesaving value of the seatbelt - the national use rate is at 90.1 percent - but nearly 27.5 million people still don't buckle up. Having a properly trained security driver does not make the principal immune from accidents such as Ferrell's. No matter how short the trip, ensure all passengers are wearing seatbelts. We suggest reviewing the company policy concerning seatbelts. Here is a link to Travelers Insurance article covering the subject. For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com. 

Counter-Ambush Tactics for Security Professionals Via ISDA Member Thomas Pecora As security personnel working in a protective operations role, we are tasked to do everything we can to keep our protectees safe.  By far the best method to accomplish this goal is to adopt a predictive, preventative strategy for protecting clients based on the tenets of Detect, Deter, and Defend.  Read More ASIS Executive Protection Standards and Guidelines Interesting information from ASIS. The ASIS Executive Protection Council has created Executive Protection Standards and Guidelines, which has been submitted to ASIS for review. Also, they will launch at least two Executive Protection Newsletters in 2018. Read More Security Driver News Flash Briefing Introducing the Security Driver News Alexa Flash Briefing. The briefing is available on Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot devices. Every day, in audio format, we send top secure transportation and executive protection news, headlines, trends, and announcements from the International Security Driver Association and SecurityDriver.Com to our Amazon audience.  Read more about the announcement and how to get the flash briefing enabled on your Echo device. We started the service on April 1st - You can listen to a collection of past Security Driver News Flash Briefings.  This is a list of the briefings.  The Cost of Driving Take Control of Your Facebook Data Security Driver / Handyman / Security Professional Who is Driving Your Executive? The Costs of Executive Protection The Impact of Distracted Driving Chauffeur vs. Security Driver ASIS Executive Protection Standards and Guidelines EPA Administrator’s Motorcade As mentioned in one of our Alexa flash briefing, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, reportedly wanted his motorcade to flash its lights and sirens to speed up trips to restaurants and airports. ICYMI - Misperceptions of Personal Protection Via ISDA Member Bill Peeler and The Peeler Group When describing what we do in the protection of people, the first hurdle we often have to overcome is the perception that has been created by outside influences.  Read More Why is that car 3 lengths ahead of me inside this tunnel? From a proactive perspective and preventative mindset, you should always plan your escape route before something goes wrong. Don't ever get uptight & cozy on the car in front of you; in ANY kind of traffic. Read More Your Resume - You Only Get One Shot at a First Impression From ISDA Member Duke Speed Your resume is typically the very first glimpse that a potential employer will see of you. Considering that you are just printed words on a sheet of paper at this point, it is critical that your resume (or curricula vitae, if you like) stand out from the resumes of other candidates to make a potential employer want to know more about you. Read More Emergency First Aid For Gunshot Wounds From ISDA member Tom Pecora If you carry a firearm as part of your job or are a civilian who carries for personal protection, it is imperative that you know what to do to save yourself or others from dying from a survivable gunshot wound.  That means knowing more than just basic first aid.  The following information is also useful for anyone who is one scene in the aftermath of an active shooter attack. Read More Tips to Control Your Facebook Privacy and Data From ISDA Member Larry Snow In light of the latest Facebook data scandal, here are a few tips on what actions you can take to control your Facebook data. Please note the following are my settings and recommendations based on my experiences and knowledge of Facebook. You may have your own opinion and recommendations based on your experiences. All of these settings listed in the article can be accessed via mobile or desktop. Read More Congratulations to ISDA member Zachary Rugen He will be speaking at the ASIS/GSX conference in Las Vegas Read More The International Security Driver Association (ISDA) ISDA serves the protective services community.  The ISDA membership is open to all who have an interest in personal protection. Whether you are exploring a career in executive protection, honing your expertise, or, you are an established security professional, ISDA is your essential resource for continuing education, benchmark research, and online learning programs, all designed to improve your skill set and advance your business. The ISDA Experience Education Center The Education Center provides a constant learning environment for members, with subjects specifically designed for the experienced and inexperienced practitioner, with the goal of enhancing a member’s knowledge and marketability. Marketing We have created a platform for members to use the most powerful and proven marketing tool available: Word-of-Mouth. Members can reach more than 20,000 security practitioners, representing the corporate, high net worth, military, and government communities. Certification For those members who qualify, ISDA offers Security Driver and Secure Transportation Certifications. The Certification requires the completion of a certification process. The process follows guidelines defined by credentialing organizations that are recognized in all the other industries. Exclusive Resources Receive access to a selection of exclusive member-only white papers, book giveaways, business data, downloads, checklists and more - plus receive special perks & discounts Online Learning Our soon to come library of extensive courses provides training and practical advice on all aspects of secure transportation, security driving, business, and marketing. On-going Research The business of protection is constantly evolving. To meets the needs of the profession ISDA conducts research on business, executive vehicles, and equipment, apps, salaries, job opportunities and recent attacks on principals. Member Directory The directory allows our members to connect with their colleagues and peers across the globe. The Directory is actively marketed to over 200 Fortune companies, security personnel for high net worth families and various military/gov. agencies. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MEMBERSHIP AND JOIN TODAY

The Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey has been conducted every two years since 2013. Practitioners who participated in the survey represent the corporate (37% of participants), high net worth (21%), and private security community (23%). The participants had an average of approximately 15 years of experience. Keep in mind that the survey indicates vehicles that are most commonly used, not necessarily the best vehicles. The survey covers all aspects of secure transportation. The goal of the survey is to examine trends and collect data that will help develop a broader perspective of the secure transportation profession. A Summary of the 2017 Report This year’s report consists of 36 pages of data with supplemental articles. The additional information is added to enhance and support the data. TYPES OF VEHICLES The sedan used most often for executive transportation is the Mercedes S-Class. This choice has not changed since 2013. SEDAN TYPE PERCENTAGE Mercedes S-Class 28.3% Audi A8 15.7% BW7 Series 12.6% Lexus LS460 10.2% Cadillac XTS 7.9% The most commonly used SUV is the Suburban. The Suburban has been at the top of the list of most used SUVs since 2013, but this year there was an almost 20% decrease in its use (from 51% to 33%). SUV TYPE PERCENTAGE Chevrolet Suburban 33.1% Cadillac Escalade 12.9% GMC Denali 12.9% GMC Yukon 6.7% Supplemental Information The use of armored vehicles has fluctuated, going from 15.5% in 2013 to 22.9% in 2015 and to 14.1% in 2017. The surveys indicate that the use of armored vehicles ebbs and flows from year to year, but every year a substantial number of participants are using armored vehicles. To supplement that survey data, we added the ISDA white paper “Best Practices for Purchasing Armored Vehicles.” The survey indicates that 62% of all participants use a rental vehicle, so we added Joe Autera’s seminal article on renting vehicles, “Renting Vehicles and Secure Transportation; Best Practices for a Less-Than-Perfect Solution.” We found that 55% of the participants did not know about the IRS ruling on secure transportation. Support information includes articles concerning the IRS code governing secure transportation. The supplemental information is a small percentage of that which is available to ISDA members. ISDA and its member's curate information specifically designed to increase member knowledge and marketability. The majority of the information is password protected and available to ISDA members only. The information is disseminated via blog posts, free online learning, and white papers. The 36-page report is free to ISDA members and those who took part in the survey and requested the information. Click to Purchase the Survey Report This is the Table of Contents Introduction What type of vehicle do you most use to transport the principal? SUVs; Whether You Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em, They Are a Popular Choice Among Secure Transportation Providers Types of Vehicles If more than one vehicle is used, what type is mostly used for the second (backup) vehicle? The science of two-car scenarios If you drive an armored vehicle, to what level is the vehicle armored? Best Practices for Purchasing Armored Vehicles What segment of the profession are you currently working in? During your career, what segments of the profession have you worked in? EP Job Data – The Skills Gap On average, what are the total miles/kilometers driven per day in the principal’s vehicle? 17 ROI of a Security Driver What is the driving environment you are currently working in? What driving environments have you worked in? Are any of the following important to you or the principal in selecting the vehicle? On average, how many passengers are riding in the vehicle? Do you use rental vehicles while supplying protective or secure transportation services? Rental Vehicles and Secure Transportation; Best Practices for a Less-Than-Perfect Solution If you do rent vehicles, which vehicle type is normally rented? EP – Liability Versus the Almighty Dollar When traveling, do you hire drivers? Perk or Prerequisite; the Security Driver from a Business Perspective If you do hire drivers, how do you vet the drivers? Security Driving Is a Statement of Skill, Not a Marketing Term Do you hire subcontractors to supply secure transportation? Are you aware/knowledgeable of the IRS code governing secure transportation? Secure Transportation and the IRS, exposing your client to an audit Click to Purchase the Survey Report

Larry Snow with your security driver news flash briefing for Friday, April 13th, 2018. INRIX, a global SaaS and DaaS company that specializes in connected car services and transportation analytics, released a new study this week that finds parking is the largest cost of driving. Here is Tony Scotti, founder, and CEO of the international security driver association, to provide us more information about the INRIX study and another study that the International Security Driver Association conducted a couple years ago as it relates to Executives behind the wheel.  For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com. Thanks for listening

Larry Snow with your security driver news flash briefing for Thursday, April 12th, 2018. In light of the latest Facebook data scandal, here are a few tips on what actions you can take to control your Facebook data. All of these settings listed below can be accessed via mobile or desktop. On a desktop, click the down triangle on the upper right side of Facebook. From the drop-down menu that appears, click Settings. Under the General Tab, at the very bottom, click the link that says Download a copy of your Facebook data. You may be surprised how much Facebook knows about you. You’ll be asked to verify your account a couple of times before getting the download link.  Under the Security Login tab Ensure that the devices logged in to your account are yours, set up two-factor authentication – which sets up an extra layer of security - opt in to get alerts on unrecognized logins. Under Face Recognition Facebook’s use of facial recognition certainly isn’t new. Up until now, the only way you could control it was by limiting who could tag you in a post. Over the last few weeks, however, you may have received a pop up on your profile from Facebook, under the heading of safety, asking if it is OK to facially recognize you. Basically, you have the option to opt-out of facial recognition.This Yes/No question is the result of ongoing litigation. Apps sectionReview what apps are connected to your Facebook profile. If there are apps listed there that you no longer use, then delete them by clicking the X. If there are apps that you need, then review what data Facebook and the app are capturing by clicking the pencil icon. On the window that appears, uncheck the data you don’t want to be shared. Please note that when you do this, some of these apps may not work properly. For information on taking control of your Facebook data click here.

Larry Snow with your security driver news flash briefing for Wednesday April 11th 2018.     ISDA curates job opportunities for its members while doing that we came across one that had the title of -   Driver/Handyman/Security Professional.   Taking a look at the Primary Duties of the job it states that the applicant needs to have the skill, knowledge, and experience to supply Secure transportation. Which as we have mentioned many times is a phrase that is defined by the Internal Revenue Service. Also, note that this same person has to be a Handyman - yes a Handyman. Really!!! The phrase Secure Transportation in any job opportunity needs to be used with caution. From an article on the ISDA website – ISDACenter.org:   If the secure transportation supplied does not meet the IRS Code, the cost of that transportation is considered a perk to the executive. As a perk, the executive will be required to pay tax on the amount of the service. If this scenario continues over a period, the executive is personally responsible for the tax on the service, the interest, and penalties, which can be a considerably large sum of money, also consider that if the company has a K&R policy, they also have a requirement of Secure Transportation. In this case, the principal may not look at the transportation as a tax write off.  But we surmise since this job is coming from a hiring agency, which has no clue what they are looking for. There is no list of skills or experience or necessary qualifications listed. What we guess will happen is that they will find a Handyman and make him the driver/security person. This is the complete job offer in case someone wants to apply. Driver/Handyman/Security Professional HSLLC   Palo Alto, CA, US https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/655615367/   Primary Duties: Driving Safe and secure transportation of Principal(s). Service oriented and attention to detail. Maintain vehicle cleanliness: interior and exterior, hand washing on site. Maintain vehicle readiness: fuel, tire pressure, service records, etc. Prepare and maintain vehicle checklist, pre-/ post-use. Prepare/maintain Principal's comfort items in the vehicles: water, tissues, umbrellas, etc.   Security Duties Secondary to Driving: Property perimeter check, noting details in Daily Activity Report. Vendor supervision. Respond to gate calls. Log in packages and inspect for potential hazards. Confident manage emergencies Certified AED / CPR / First Aid a plus
 Handyman Perform physical, hands-on tasks and repairs, i.e., carpentry, electrical, plumbing, paintings, and general facility repairs. Able to multitask and prioritize duties. Familiarity with household systems a real plus. Running light errands as needed. Pick up or ship packages. For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com. Thanks for listening

Larry Snow with your security driver news flash briefing for Monday, April 10th 2018.   Hertz Asia Launches Hertz Chauffeur Website Hertz Chauffeur is now available from www.hertzchauffeur.com for bookings in Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Eoin MacNeill, Vice President, Hertz Asia Pacific, said: "The launch of the Hertz Chauffeur website for travelers visiting Asia strengthens Hertz's comprehensive range of transport solutions, to suit the evolving needs of all our customers. Mr. MacNeill goes on to say "We see Hertz Chauffeur benefitting corporate and leisure travelers seeking the comfort and ease of a personal chauffeur. The service will especially appeal to customers who, due to local legislation, are not permitted to drive in China and those who simply want to enjoy extra peace of mind when traveling to any of the countries where the service is available." The new website allows customers to book a vehicle with a driver in four simple steps, receive an email confirmation with booking details, and easily create, manage and edit their own itineraries. Renting chauffeurs, and ride-hailing companies like Uber and even Taxi services brings up an interesting point of who is driving your executives and staff.  Considering that one of the leading causes of death in the United States is car accidents, why do we put so much faith in a complete stranger to take us from point A to point B? There are huge implications and risks some that have come to bear with Uber drivers kidnapping, robbing and sexually assaulting riders. In a security setting, there are in most cases, security drivers. These drivers do much more than just drive from point A to point B. Security drivers must have the skill and knowledge to move a principal from point A to point B in a safe and secure manner in a variety of environments. In fact, Security Driving is better called Secure Transportation which includes an in-depth knowledge, and a measured level of skill to conduct route surveys; recognize and develop safe havens – alternate route plans, and develop emergency evacuation plans, along with emergency medical and surveillance detection skills. Why these skills? There is a simple explanation – statistics have indicated that the overwhelming majority of security incidents involving corporate executives – and high-profile individuals, including government and military, have occurred while the targeted individual was in or around their vehicle. Therefore, in the educated market of protective services history and common-sense dictates security practitioners address the incidents that have the highest probability of occurrence – which is traveling by vehicle. So, the next time your executive is traveling in the US or more particularly overseas, ask the question who is driving your executive? Who do you want to drive your executive?  A professional who has been measured to an objective and documented standard that has been scientifically measured or a driver who was hired a few days before your trip through Facebook or worse yet on Craigslist. For more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.

Larry Snow with your security driver news flash briefing for Saturday, April 7th, 2018.  From Business Insider "The Environmental Protection Agency reportedly incurred $3 million in taxpayer-funded expenses for administrator Scott Pruitt's security detail and travel arrangements, according to news reports published on Friday." Tony Scotti, president, and founder of the International Security Driver Association shares the details and costs associated with Pruitt's security detail. For more information on this story and post your comments on Executive Protection costs go to securitydriver.com, My name is Larry Snow, for more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.

In the current issue of Security Management Magazine, an article titled Behind the Wheel Stopping Distracted Driving, author Tory Brownyard shares insights on the liability of distracted driving and steps to monitor, create strategies and maintain documentation to deter or stop distracted driving. According to the Center for Disease Control, each day in the United States, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. US deaths In 2015, 3,477 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver. In 2015, 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking, texting, eating, talking to passengers in the vehicle. Oddly enough as technology advances are made to keep the vehicle safer they increase driver distraction. Lane departure warning, automatic braking, and blind spot warnings alert us to dangers and yet divert our eyes from the task of driving as we look down or around us to see what is alerting us. To better understand the problem of driver distraction, we must convert the standard unit of miles per hour to feet per second. When a distracted driver returns his or her eyes to the road and sees an accident producing scenario in front of him he doesn’t have an hour to react and space won’t be measured in miles. He has mere feet and seconds to make a decision to avoid the accident. Let’s look at an all to frequent example to put distracted into perspective: You’re driving to the local supermarket and you are driving at 40 miles per hour or approximately 60 feet per second. You receive a text message from your buddy that takes about 3 seconds to read, just as you took your eyes off the road to read the text the traffic light at the intersection, 300 feet in front of you changed from green to red. At 60 feet per second, in 3 seconds you traveled approximately 180 feet.  You look back to the road and traveled another 60 feet, you realize the light is red, you travel another 30 feet (half a second) while you move your foot from the gas to the brake pedal. At this point, you are 90 feet from the red light. If you react a little slower in moving your foot to the brake, say a full second, 60 feet instead of the 30 feet, you are now 30 feet away from the intersection. At 30 feet away traveling 60 feet per second, you will go through the intersection. Your life and those occupants traveling through the intersection on the green would be forever changed. For information on distracted driving go to distracteddriving.gov or go to the International Security Driver Association Dangers of Distracted Driving App available for the iPhone in the App store. My name is Larry Snow, for more articles and news related to secure transportation, security, and executive protection, go to isdacenter.org or securitydriver.com.

An article in Top Gear magazine depicting a day in the life of a Chauffeur in the UK piqued the interest of Tony Scotti, founder, and CEO of the International Security Driver Association and the age-old question of chauffeur vs. security driver.

Interesting information from ASIS. The ASIS Executive Protection Council has created Executive Protection Standards and Guidelines, which has been submitted to ASIS for review. Also, they will launch at least two Executive Protection Newsletters in 2018. If you are an ASIS member you can log in to the forums to read the announcement from Bob Oatman. Years back a group of practitioners under the umbrella of the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security (ABCHS) created Executive Protection Standards for a Certification program that would be offered by the ABCHS. The ABCHS EP Board consisted of practitioners from all the disciplines; it took about three years to get it together. Unfortunately, ABCHS imploded. It will be interesting to see how the ASIS EP Standards progresses. Also ASIS International has changed the name of its annual security conference from the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits to the Global Security Exchange (GSX).  The newly branded GSX will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 23-27, 2018.