The latest in a string of highly sensationalized police killings has seemingly unleashed new levels of hell on earth, with historic and devastating rampages by various incendiary mixes of rioters, looters, protesters, and even organized criminal enterprises engulfing entire cities all over the USA and even around the world. The destruction has been nothing short of catastrophic, and the fears and concerns over safety and the security of property & livelihoods have skyrocketed along with it. This recent nightmare has seen increased presence and force applied by law enforcement agencies and even the deployment of the National Guard, and while some isolated incidents involving police misconduct have unfortunately led to calls for reducing police funding & capacity, the need for effective law enforcement and the securing of public and private safety is greater than it has ever been in modern history.

A recent display of heroic action by a private protection officer illustrates how professional security firms are a vital component of the private-public partnership necessary for optimal success in safely and effectively enforcing the law. This protection agent was assigned to a local cable news team reporting live on location in Seattle WA as a violent crowd of rioters and looters were tearing through the streets, destroying public and private property, and setting numerous fires. At one point, several rioters smashed the windows of a police vehicle, stole several AR-15 style rifles from inside, and began firing deadly rounds into nearby vehicles, causing the protection officer to move the news crew away from the scene to a safer area. But he didn’t stop there; his mission was not fully accomplished. The agent charged back into the melee and quickly stripped the rifle from the grasp of the masked rioter, immediately disarming the rifle and commanding all the rioters to evacuate. After returning to his client, there were additional shots fired by a second AR-15 thief, and the protection agent repeated his bold action, safely disarming the second attacker.

This protection officer had previous special forces experience, and it clearly showed. It also clearly allowed him to neutralize an extremely dangerous threat and save the lives of not only his protective detail but many other innocent people caught in the crossfire. We never want to see such extreme cases of violence in our public spaces, and we are not accustomed to seeing them so often, but that is changing as divisive and reckless narratives are inciting greater numbers of people with insufficient moral and legal restraint to engage in these violent and deadly behaviors. The protection officer, in this case, was a true hero in his community, standing directly in the line of deadly enemy fire, and his example is an inspiring call to the entire industry of private security for vigilance, excellence, and courage.