While President Jimmy Carter might have been accused of being meek when he was the President, it seems he’s might have some fire in him after all. On a recent visit to Darfur to meet with refugees, Sudanese security forces attempted to prevent him from meeting with refugees. This didn’t sit well with Carter who reportedly engaged in a shouting match with Sudanese security. Carter pushed past Sudanese security creating no doubt some tense moments for his Secret Service provided protective detail (likely accompanied by members of the Diplomatic Security Service as well). Carter’s protective detail urged him to return to his motorcade and depart the area. Eventually the President decided on another approach and eventually departed the area.
Events such as this happen during protective missions which makes it incumbent for the protective detail to have a plan for such eventualities. From a protection point of view, the actions of the Secret Service detail were spot on. Despite the protectee’s desire to take a stand, situations like this are very volatile. Darfur is a region out of control and there’s no reason to believe that President Carter, despite his highly respected standing in humanitarian affairs, could not fall victim to violence.
In my own experience, communication with the protectee’s staff prior to the event is the key. If the protectee has expressed an intention to take some sort of action which might result in a confrontation with members of an armed security force, it is paramount that the protective detail intervene as early as possible to prevent the incident from occurring. It’s also entirely possible that such events are spontaneous which is why prior planning is critical in order to avoid an escalation that might endanger the protectee. The fact that Carter was confronting members of a government security force is really insignificant particularly in already inflamed regions. The standards of behavior, the concept of the use of force and training standards usually don’t exist in such areas and even if they did, they can not be relied upon as a means to exercise self control by these sorts of foreign government security forces.
Remember: Have a plan and act the plan.
Technorati Tags: Executive Protection, Secret Service, President Carter, Jimmy Carter, Darfur, Sudan
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