Recently some comments posted in the Social Media post/blogs got my attention. The comments were about females in the industry. Contrary to popular belief, females in the protection industry are not new. For decades there have been, and are, EP practitioners who happen to be female quietly doing their job. Confidentiality does not permit me to mention the names of the many ladies that serve the industry.

This is a repost of an old photo – a younger me in Colombia in the 80’s with two of the pioneers in the EP industry. Not female pioneers – pioneers.

Maggy (Margaretta) – kneeling and Babs (Barbara) – on the right, these two ladies worked security for an oil company in Colombia. In the 80’s I was conducting many Protective Driver Training, EP, and Surveillance Detection programs for their employer in Colombia and throughout South America.

They were assigned to me as interpreters, and to help with the logistics. But their company and I soon found that they were natural instructors, with great communications ability and with a high level of skill. Both of them could out shoot and out drive most of the team members.

When the EP and Surveillance Detection programs were implemented, Maggy and Babs, ran the day to day operation of the program – which eventually led them to be responsible for the entire EP program. Keep in mind this was in the mid 80’s in Colombia for an American oil company – a very high risk scenario.

The program was successful – very successful. Success defined as saving lives. The company decided to have Maggy and Babs conduct and set up their protection and surveillance detection programs in all high risk environments in all parts of the Globe. Keep in mind this was in the early to mid-80’s and these two ladies were setting up SD programs. Again contrary to popular belief Surveillance Detection is not a new skill set.

As time progressed Maggy became Director of Security; these two ladies were the precursor to many of the females in the profession.

Of special interest to Women In Security
https://securitydriver.com/02/nominations-are-now-open-for-the-womens-security-councils-2014-women-of-the-year-awards/