Clark & Ransom's Executive Protection Division is currently planning for the 2007 Super Bowl XLI to be held in Miami, FL. During the past years, we have successfully provided Executive Protection coverage to numerous families, companies, athletes, and other VIPs.

During SuperBowl XL held in Detroit, MI, our Executive Protection teams provided executive protection coverage for several VIPs.

Clark & Ransom is pleased to announce its latest website www.newhirescreening.com. Newhirescreening.com is our background screening resources website that is dedicated to criminal background checks, pre-employment screening, Identity Verification, SSN verification, and more. Visit this site to learn more about Clark & Ransom's professional background screening services. Newhirescreening.com is one of many new features and websites that will be introduced in 2005-2006. Check back often to learn about upcoming events and service additions.

Bombings Could Have Deep Impact on Airline Industry
By: Christopher Elliott

After Jayne Levinson, a teacher from Marlboro, N.J., heard about the London bombings yesterday, she said she was "very scared." Despite pleas from her daughter, Elissa, 14, to cancel their British Airways flight to London from Newark, she decided to go.

"I feel that it's safer now than before," Ms. Levinson, 42, said while awaiting the flight at Newark Liberty International Airport. "It's not our time to go, and God is on our side. And we have to think positive." The airline industry is trying to think positive, too. But yesterday, that did not seem easy.

European routes are among the airlines' most profitable. And even though London's airports remained open throughout the attacks, they could have a deeper impact - at least in the near term - on the airline industry than the train bombings last year in Madrid did.

London's airports feed more traffic to the rest of Europe than those in Madrid do. Industry officials and analysts worried that high-paying business travelers would postpone trips, afraid that what happened in the British capital was only the beginning of a wave of terrorist attacks.

"Carriers like American, Continental and Northwest, which have a lot of flights going to London, are going to take a hit," said Michael Boyd, president of the Boyd Group Inc., an aviation consulting business. He estimated that bookings to London by the nation's airlines would drop 3 percent to 5 percent immediately after of the attacks. "It will be a dent in the fender, but not a big enough dent to send them into bankruptcy," he said.

Although the setback is unlikely to do permanent damage to an improving airline industry, company executives want to make sure that the dent to their business is small and short-lived. So, a number of airlines flying to Europe loosened their cancellation policies yesterday to accommodate trans-Atlantic travelers with second thoughts. Airlines waived some cancellation fees and issued vouchers for future flights to passengers who wanted to stay home. Although few cancellations were reported, analysts expect more.

"It's unfortunate for the airlines, because the transatlantic has been one of the bright spots in their business, and we're right in the middle of the principal travel season for flying to Europe," said Philip Baggaley, a senior airline credit analyst at Standard & Poor's.

Andrew Frank, a communications consultant from New York, was scheduled to fly to Moscow on British Airways yesterday afternoon, with a stopover in London. "I heard that there might be some disruptions in London, and I didn't want to take a chance," he said. So he paid $2,000 for a direct flight on Delta Air Lines.

Business travelers appeared to be reacting to the bombings with greater concern than vacationers. Bruce McIndoe, the chief executive of iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, a risk management business in Annapolis, Md., said there were good reasons for the corporate worries. "A lot of our clients are telling their employees to lay off London, at least through the end of the week," he said.
"They don't want to add to the situation, and they are afraid that there may be more incidents in the near future."

Leisure travelers seemed to be sticking to their plans. "I've had one call today from someone who was leaving to go to London, and she wanted to know if the airport in London was open," said Cheryl C. Hudak, president of Travel Dimensions Inc., a leisure travel agency in Boardman, Ohio. After she told her client that the airport was open, the woman decided to continue with her trip.

Some leisure travelers seemed downright defiant. Robert Burke, a technology consultant in Miami, is set to vacation in Ireland next month with his son and daughter. He said the bombings had the opposite of their intended effect. "When I heard about what happened in London, I said to my son, 'Let's go to London to show our solidarity,' " he said.

Visiting London might not be such a bad idea, said Terry Riley, an independent security consultant. He said the city was likely to be one of the safest places in Europe for the rest of the summer. "The police will be on their guard," he said. "People will be on their guard."

Indeed, some travelers with plans to visit Britain said they almost felt safer overseas than at home. Laura Davidson, who owns a public relations agency in New York, is planning to fly to Scotland next month. "I'm not concerned about the airport, and I'm not concerned about terrorism in the U.K.," she said. "You want to know what worries me? After the attack on London's mass transit system, I'm more worried about getting on the New York subway."

Johanna Jainchill contributed reporting from Newark for this article.

Friday, July 8, 2005; Posted: 2:56 a.m. EDT (06:56 GMT)

(CNN) -- Authorities in major U.S. cities are increasing security, specifically around subway systems, after the deadly attack on London's transit system. The following are steps taken by officials around the country on Thursday.

Nationwide
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised the national threat level to orange, or high, for the nation's mass transit systems. The heightened alert includes regional and inner-city passenger rail, subways and metropolitan bus systems, said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

• Amtrak, which runs through nearly every state, has increased its security threat level in response to the London bombings. The security increase involves the deployment of more officers and canine teams, as well as asking the railroad's employees to continue to be vigilant and on alert for suspicious activity. "There has been no specific or credible threat made against Amtrak," according to a statement. "The railroad will continue at this heightened security threat level until we have a better understanding of the events in London."

• FBI officials said an inter-agency meeting is scheduled to discuss potential actions to beef up security in subway and other mass transit systems in New York, Washington and other major U.S. cities.

• Although there is no intelligence suggesting any threat, "relevant" federal agencies are making sure additional "caution and precautions" are taken in Washington, New York and other major cities, according to a senior administration official involved in homeland security.

Washington
• Metro Transit Police officials say they have deployed special response teams, armed with machine guns, and bomb-sniffing dogs to patrol Washington's subway stations, trains and buses. Metro Rail station restrooms also have been temporarily closed for security reasons. Police are asking riders to report any suspicious activity to authorities.

• Capitol Hill police will be searching buses, tour mobiles and larger vehicles traveling on the roads leading to the Capitol, and anyone visiting the Capitol grounds will be subject to a "cursory visual inspection," and bags and backpacks could be searched if it is "deemed appropriate," according to police spokesman Michael Lauer said.

• Pentagon police authorities announced that security measures have been increased throughout the Pentagon building and surrounding parking lots, including the deployment of sniper teams outside the building, additional heavily armed police, bomb-sniffing dogs and other protective measures.

• There are no increased protective levels at the North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado, or at other U.S. military facilities, but officials say they are monitoring developments.

New York
• Authorities have increased police presence at "United Kingdom-related locations," according to NYPD spokesman Jason Post, who did not elaborate. Daily police staging exercises, which normally focus on the city's financial district, have been refocused on the transit system.

• Although there has been no direct threat to New York City, police have been deployed to secure the underground subway trains and public transportation buses, Post said. Officers from the organized crime unit and narcotics division have been assigned to help with the increased security around the transit system.

• Post said a "Hercules Team" -- an emergency unit with heavy weaponry -- "is carrying out TOM -- or train order maintenance -- at Bowling Green subway station. This entails two or more officers boarding each car on every train."

• MTA employees have been instructed to be extra vigilant and to check trains before they leave terminals, said NYC transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges. City and state officials also urged commuters to be more aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious packages immediately.

• The "first platoon" of NYPD officers -- the group that works the 12 a.m. -7:30 a.m. shift -- is being held indefinitely. The officers will continue to work indefinitely and used for "counter-terrorism and protection of mass transit." A police source said this step adds "thousands of extra officers."

Chicago
• The city has tightened security with particular focus on mass transportation and the central business district, said Mayor Richard M. Daley's office, and is consulting with with federal homeland security officials.

Los Angeles
• A team of officers and deputy sheriffs will patrol every train, and additional patrols will monitor bus routes, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who held a news conference with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton. Villaraigosa said Los Angeles International Airport is on a heightened security alert as well.

Boston
• The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority has increased security on the platforms and trains, and "has been in touch with eight cities to ask them to provide additional personnel in the city of Boston," Gov. Mitt Romney said.

New Orleans
• Security has been increased at the Port of New Orleans, following a conference with the city's homeland security officials. "We've all been alerted ... 'vigilant' is the word of the day," said Cynthia Swain, director of safety and security for the Port of New Orleans in Louisiana. "We're especially cognizant of the fact that this came a day after the announcement of the awarding of the Olympics to London ... and we're a city that's often awarded special events."

Dallas
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit have increased patrols of its bus and light rail systems. Special security measures include sweeps of rail vehicles, more police, special announcements for passengers and coordination with member city police departments, DART said. It's urging passengers to be alert, and to report emergencies, incidents and suspicious people and packages.

Atlanta
• Authorities have beefed up security at the city's MARTA transit stations, federal buildings and other locations as a precaution, according to Atlanta Police Department spokeswoman Sylvia Abernathy. Local law enforcement authorities have been in touch with the FBI throughout the morning, she said.

Minneapolis-St. Paul
• Responding to a request from the Minnesota Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a security plan has been implemented for the Twin Cities' regional bus and rail system, according to Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Transit spokesman Julie Johanson. "Extra precautions are being taken," Johanson said, including the mobilization of extra transit police officers to patrol rail platforms. "They're reminding all train operators and bus drivers to be especially aware for suspicious activities on their routes today and to be sure to make their pre-trip inspections," she said.

(Washington-AP, July 8, 2005 8:25 AM) Even in an age of high-tech security equipment, local transit authorities are mainly relying on people and dogs to keep their systems safe from terrorist attack.

Soon after Thursday's bombings of London's transit system, police officers in Washington were seen toting MP-5 machine guns on subway trains. State police rode the rails in New York City, and Coast Guard boats escorted the Staten Island Ferry across the harbor.

Extra sheriff's deputies patrolled Los Angeles Metrolink trains, which Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa rode from downtown to Hollywood to reassure passengers that officials were doing everything possible to make the system safe.

On the surface, at least, it was an old-fashioned show of force. Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff on Friday said that was appropriate, given that U.S. officials have no intelligence indicating a similar attack is being planned here.

"We thought it was prudent to raise the level in a modest way," Chertoff said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Security experts said even higher-tech security is difficult for systems intended to move large numbers of people quickly.

"Very little technology can be applied in this area in an effective way," said Rafi Ron, former head of security at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport and now a security consultant in Washington.

The rush-hour London bombings prompted the United States to put its subways, buses and commuter trains on high alert, moving up one notch to the second-highest level, code orange, for mass transit. Planes were not included.

The Homeland Security Department said it would issue a bulletin to federal, state, local and private sector officials reminding them that the rail system remains an attractive al-Qaeda target.

Chertoff said authorities had no evidence of a "specific, credible threat" against the United States. However, he said, "We feel that, at least in the short term, we should raise the level here because, obviously, we're concerned about the possibility of a copycat attack."

The impact of the London attacks was felt all across America.

In Denver, Dave Raven said he had been planning to take a bus on Thursday, but changed his mind and climbed into his car for the commute from nearby Boulder after hearing about the bombings.

"It shakes me up a little bit. I haven't been using public transportation, and I might avoid it for a while," said Raven, a 20-year-old University of Michigan student who is living in Colorado for the summer.

Transit authorities nationwide responded to the code orange according to security plans that long had been in place.

The plans, required by the federal government, differed from city to city, but generally called for more police patrols, bomb-sniffing dogs and frequent reminders to passengers to look out for unattended packages.

U.S. counterterrorism officials said they received intelligence last month dating back to 2004 that al-Qaeda terrorists were interested in attacking rail systems in Europe and the United States, including derailing trains or crashing trucks into them. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the intelligence is classified, said the report lacked specifics on the date and location of any potential attacks.

But there isn't any high-tech solution on the horizon to change that. And the reason is simple: Transit systems exist to move large numbers of people quickly over a large metropolitan area. Anything that slows the process, such as security checks, would severely disrupt the system.

The Homeland Security Department has looked at high-tech ways to improve transit security but hasn't instituted anything since testing a system last year.

Following the March 11, 2004, train bombing in Madrid that killed 191 people, the Transportation Security Administration tested a high-tech security system at a suburban Maryland commuter train stop. Walkthrough portals "sniffed" the air around passengers to check for explosives residue.

The agency said the tests went well but none of the machines have been installed at train stops. They are being used at some airports.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke said the pilot project showed such technology could be used if a specific threat were directed at a specific transit system. The TSA also experimented with screening checked baggage on long-distance Amtrak trains leaving Washington's Union Station. In another test, the TSA screened passengers as they boarded trains.

Amtrak spokeswoman Marcy Golgoski said there aren't any TSA programs to screen people or bags at the passenger railroad stations.

About 29 million people in the United States take commuter trains or subways on an average workday, and millions more take buses. The New York City area accounts for about a third of the rail total, followed by Chicago, Washington, Boston and Philadelphia. The West Coast's largest transit system is in San Francisco.

In the wake of the London transit attacks, here’s a list of some of the major al-Qaeda linked bombings around the world since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States:

July 2005 - London, U.K.:
A series of bombs explode in London’s underground killing at least 50 people.

December 2004 - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:
An attack on the American Consulate kills five staff members and leaves four militants dead. The Saudi wing of al-Qaeda claims responsibility.

April 2004 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
Attacks in downtown Riyadh kill 10 people.

March 2004 - Madrid, Spain:
A chain of suicide bombs on a Madrid train kill more than 200 and wound more than 1,800. The explosions happen at the height of rush hour.

Twenty-four alleged al-Qaeda members stand trial for the explosion in Spain. The trial ends July 5, 2005, and judges are expected to announce a verdict in September.

December 2003 - Istanbul, Turkey:
Attacks on the British Consulate and HSBC bank offices in Istanbul kill 27 people.

December 2003 - Istanbul, Turkey:
At least 23 people die in two suicide attacks on synagogues.

November 2003 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
A bombing kills at least 17 people at a housing complex a few kilometres from Riyadh's diplomatic quarter.

August 2003: Jakarta, Indonesia:
A suicide bomber kills 12 people at the J.W. Marriott hotel.

May 2003 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Casablanca, Morocco:
At least 75 people are killed in one week in suicide attacks in the two cities.

November 2002 - Mombassa, Kenya:
Sixteen people die at an Israeli-owned hotel.

October 2002 - Bali, Indonesia:
A bombing in a nightclub on the island of Bali, Indonesia, kills nearly 200 people. It is considered the deadliest act of terrorism in the country's history. Most of the dead are foreign tourists from Australia and Britain. In March 2005 an Indonesian court finds Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir guilty of conspiracy and sentences him to 2½ years in jail.

April 2002 - Djerba, Tunisia:
A blast outside a Tunisian synagogue kills at least 17 people.

During SuperBowl XXXIX held in Jacksonville, FL, our Executive Protection teams provided executive protection coverage for several groups, families, and VIPs.

“TAKING A CLOSER LOOK”

Screening New Building Employees

Brian Ormsbee

December 2004

Security has always been a concern in New York City’s co-op and condo buildings. Whether you’re a manager, board member/shareholder, or unit owner in an urban co-op or condo, your building isn’t just your home; it’s a community and a safe haven for residents and their families. To maintain the safety and security of a residential building and give peace of mind to both board members and non-board residents, it’s vital that the people hired to work inside the building are chosen carefully, and are the best people for the job. Choosing the right people to staff your building is as important as making wise decisions about prospective buyers—it’s all about preserving the community and the investment it represents.

Screening 101

As employees in a residential building, staff members have access to the occupants’ apartments and belongings—including sensitive personal information and their private correspondence. In light of this, it’s incumbent upon managing agents to hire the most reliable personnel for their buildings.
A crucial step in hiring personnel is having a thorough screening process in place to check out every candidate, regardless of the position they’re applying for...

Skeletons in the Closet

Of all the information contained in an application and examined during the course of a background check, perhaps the two most important items are the applicant’s criminal history and their past employment record...

Jack Jackson, President of Clark & Ransom, a screening company based in Somerville, New Jersey, recommends that employers specifically ask for a complete criminal history on an application—not necessarily just anything that happened over a certain period of time.

Job-Hoppers and Resume-Padders

Another factor that can be cause for concern in the hiring process is an irregular or checkered employment history, says Goodman. If a candidate has a history of changing jobs frequently, this could signal a problem with getting along with co-workers, taking direction, or disciplinary issues. Most managing agents don’t want to invest in training an employee and paying union dues if that new hire does not intend to stick around for long—or may be a consistent problem.
Resumes and job applications are obviously the primary tools a managing agent has for tracking an applicant’s work history, but they can be tricky; a person can, after all, write whatever he or she wants. So some companies choose to investigate applicants’ resumes to verify their contents.

"In cases where there’s a resume involved, we attempt to gather as much information as possible so that we can verify the information," Jackson says. "That involves looking at old school records, military forms, and so on."

Lies and omission can make resumes unreliable as well. For that reason, companies sometimes opt for a Social Security number check.

Knowing everywhere a candidate has lived can be important for other reasons. If a person doesn’t tend to stick with jobs very long, they may move a lot as a result and may decide to leave some stops off their resume or application to make it look more professional. That could indicate that they’re running from something, and cast serious doubts upon their reliability, says Jackson.

Do-It-Yourself?

Of course, running checks on several likely candidates and spending time poring over applications costs money—and management companies looking to conserve costs may be tempted to perform background checks themselves rather than use an external investigation agency. Since so much of the information gathered in a background check is public information available on the Internet, couldn’t a web-savvy managing agent scope out a potential employee on their own?

The answer is: not really. Amateur background checks can backfire for a number of reasons—not the least of which is that it can be difficult to confirm the accuracy of any information you glean from a Google search. Most management companies agree that it’s better to use an external agency than risk the possibility of errors, mistaken identity, and possible liability.

“We use outside firms specializing in conducting background checks and drug testing to do a complete background check on each applicant,” says Goodman.

“They’re basically private detective firms.”

External investigation firms specialize in gathering personal and criminal histories. They have access to local, statewide and national databases from which they harvest their data, and they comply with laws pertaining to collecting and disseminating personal information. This is important to prevent conflict with employment regulations or labor unions.

"I’ve found that a lot of companies want to cut corners and lower cost, so they try to do it themselves," Jackson says. "But it increases the company’s liability if they terminate someone because of something found in their credit history, and the employee was not completely aware that their background was being checked. Sometimes [managers] even call friends [of the applicant], and it can develop into borderline harassment.”
"We have forms that make the employee aware that a background check will be conducted,” Jackson continues. “What I’ve found is that a person who doesn’t want to sign the form usually has something to hide. But the company is protected if the employee says, ‘I never gave you permission to check my information.’”

“Can you do it on your own?” Jackson asks, “Yes, but you have to be careful. If you don’t know what to search, it can take time. Professionals have databases and resources to get information from wherever the person may have lived. We have the expertise to go to a courthouse and find exactly what we’re looking for."

So You Have a Staff—Now What?

Once all of the research and verification has been taken care of and the final hires made, it still remains the managing agent’s responsibility to make sure the new staff member is well trained and kept current on rules, regulations, and safety and security protocols…

And in addition to continuing education, says Jackson, the usefulness of background checks isn’t limited to new or prospective employees. There could be instances where you want a current employee investigated. Such an investigation needs to be carried out fairly, however, and not without good reason.

"When existing employees are being looked at, it’s because there’s suspicion of something," Jackson says. If you do feel the need to investigate a current employee, Jackson recommends doing so with all employees in order to avoid potential legal difficulties.

"It helps you avoid any unnecessary unfair labor disputes that can be brought forward," he says

Every check is different, but the average check should take about one to three days. Cost will vary depending on the company you use and the type of check you request.
Assembling a top-shelf building staff is a complicated process that involves many variables and more than a little time. With the help of professionals and careful investigation, however, managers, board members, and shareholders and unit owners alike can rest assured that the best people for the job are on the job.

Brian Ormsbee is a freelance writer living in Manhattan.

The situation down south has long been a critical one with an estimated 3000 kidnappings last year. Those at particular risk are Mexican and US business executives and their families. In contrast to earlier patterns, kidnappers are running off with the money and leaving a corpse behind.

Within recent years, two new forms of kidnappings have emerged – “Express-kidnapping” and “Virtual-kidnapping”.

Express-kidnappings occur when a victim is briefly abducted, forced to withdraw money from ATMs, and then released. It is considered violent robbery under Mexican law, but kidnapping nonetheless. Government statistics indicate there are more than 10 express kidnappings a day, or about 4,000 a year.

Virtual-kidnappings are slightly different. Kidnappers target young professionals driving expensive cars, and seek to negotiate their ransoms and releases within about 36 hours. These kidnappers are going for volume and speed to reduce the risk of getting caught. In most cases, they don't even steal the car. The average negotiated ransom is approximately $19,000.

During this year's Republican National Committee Convention held in New York, NY, our Executive Protection teams provided executive protection coverage for many VIPs, visitors, and the media.

C&R's Executive Protection team assigned to protect a NJ based family during the 2004 Olympics will be featured on CNBC's Squawk Box, Power Lunch, and Closing Bell. Click on the link to see some of the security measures required to secure a family at this highly publicized & global event.

Call or e-mail us for the full marketing segment.

Clark & Ransom's Executive Protection teams provided bodyguard coverage for a NJ based family during 2004's Olympic Games, held in Athens, Greece.

During this year's Democratic National Committee Convention held in Boston, MA, our Executive Protection teams provided executive protection coverage for many VIPs, visitors, and the media.
 

Executive Protection

Jack Jackson

With the recent trends of terrorism, random acts of violence, and attacks on employees in the workplace, most corporations and individuals realize that they must be more prepared than ever to protect themselves, their families and their employees. If security is compromised and a corporate leader is kidnapped or murdered, a company runs the risk of losing its value – to the point where it may never rebound. The responsibility of protecting a company’s leadership can be viewed in the same manner in which the United States Secret Service protects the President or Vice President of the United States.

One of the best ways a company can achieve the appropriate level of protection for their President, CEO or other key employees is Executive Protection. A professional executive protection specialist, as many prefer to be called, is trained in personal defense, firearms, defensive driving, threat assessments, and customer service to name a few of their skills. And although many are armed, they only consider an armed response as a last option. Their primary objective is to protect the executive – the principal.

For centuries, political figures, celebrities, religious leaders, and corporate executives have benefited from executive protection. Many lives have been saved and even more kidnappings have been foiled due to the extraordinary efforts and commitment of executive protection specialists. Every company should use executive protection to compliment their current security plans and turn their executives into “hard targets”.

Who has a need for executive protection?

• Top executives
• High net worth individuals
• Leaders of controversial organizations
• Executives of families who travel extensively
• Individuals who have been seriously threatened
• Companies who are involved in workplace violence issues.

Clark & Ransom provides personalized executive protection programs for corporations, families and private individuals. Clark & Ransom has developed a universal task force of protection experts who are strategically located throughout the world. They can quickly deploy a one-person detail or a ten-person team to virtually any city around the world.

To learn more about Executive Protection contact Clark & Ransom at (908) 526.0898 or visit them on the web www.clarkandransom.com.

The FBI is searching for 7 individuals believed to be connected in a terrorist plot against the U.S. and its interests around the world. The FBI believes the attacks will take place during the summer and fall months, during which time, a number of high profile public events are planned. FBI Director Mueller stated, “Unfortunately, the same events that fill most of us with hope and pride are seen by terrorists as prime vehicles for sowing fear and chaos.”

During a press conference held on May 26, Director Mueller sought the support of the American people. First, to cooperate when called upon by agents; second, to be aware of your surroundings and report anything suspicious; and third, to simply be on the look out "BOLO" for the 7 individuals.

For the most recent photos of the 7 individuals, go to the FBI’s website www.fbi.gov.

"It's the moment we've all been waiting for." Thanks to all of our clients, teammates, and associates for your patience. I hope it was worth the wait.

During SuperBowl XXXVIII held in Houston, TX, our Executive Protection teams provided executive protection coverage for several VIPs.