When protection matters

READY TO ROLL: Courtney Sojka, founder of Ballistic Security Enterprises, with some of the transportation options at his disposal: a Bell 222 helicopter and a Chrysler 300c. / COURTESY BALLISTIC SECURITY ENTERPRISES
READY TO ROLL: Courtney Sojka, founder of Ballistic Security Enterprises, with some of the transportation options at his disposal: a Bell 222 helicopter and a Chrysler 300c. / COURTESY BALLISTIC SECURITY ENTERPRISES

When he retired from law enforcement after a 22-year career in Franklin County, Massachusetts, Courtney Sojka wanted to apply his skills to a new security-focused endeavor; but the last thing he wanted to do was become a mall cop.

“Normal security jobs pay just over minimum wage and are not looked on with a great deal of respect. I wanted to do something different and [found] executive protection,” he said.

In addition to his experience as a police officer, Sojka performed more than 400 hours of training to receive a certification in executive protection from the Tulia, Texas-based National Advanced Training Center. Here, he said, the training was based on military programs and the students suffered sleep and food deprivation supervised by instructors, as well as classes on tactical protection and surveillance.

“It’s like going into the special forces [and] I only passed out twice, it’s no joke,” said Sojka.

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Now, as the co-owner of Ballistic Security Enterprises in Westerly, Sojka has taken that experience and initiated the first round of NATC-inspired training for his existing and incoming employees. Executive protection, which Sojka called a “well-organized ballet,” relies heavily on well-trained agents in order for the operation to not fall apart, he said.

The training curriculum is broken into four sections: Basic Body Guard, Advance Work & Threat Assessment, Surveillance and Counter Surveillance and Operational Orders and Emergency Reaction Plans, each of which requires 100 hours of work.

The Basic Body Guard portion covers fundamental functions such as appearance and conduct for those who are new to the industry.

The second phase, Advance Work & Threat Assessment, focuses on executive-protection procedures in multiple environments, including the airport and while on an airplane, as well as marinas and while onboard a boat.

Surveillance and counter surveillance, phase three, teaches employees the importance of awareness on foot, in a vehicle and how to write a surveillance report.

The fourth and final phase, Operational Orders and Emergency Reaction Plans, focuses on what to do in the case of a hostile crowd, suicide bomber, hostage situation and encountering explosive devices.

Sojka built this curriculum, but knows it does not cover every situation an employee could encounter on the job, so he instructs them to always be open to new ideas.

Clients of Ballistic Security Enterprises, Sojka says, range from high net-worth individuals to celebrities and VIPs and their families. The company even guards material objects, including a $30 million Ming vase in Newport, he said. •

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