Revisiting residential security: The critical role of RST agents
Residential security has, in some ways, become the poor cousin of executive protection. On the totem pole of protective security jobs, Residential Security Team members, or “RST agents,” typically rank higher than “guards” (although sometimes just barely) but far below “executive protection agent” positions.
We think this is unfortunate. As we’ll discuss in this blog, there are a variety of reasons for RST’s relatively low reputation, but risk mitigation isn’t one of them. In fact, we believe that this downgraded perception of RSTs is misguided and speaks to the need for a fundamental shift in personal protection priorities.
How did residential protection become an entry-level job?
Within the executive protection industry, escorting the principal to events and while traveling is often perceived as somehow more “expert” and “high-status” than residential protection.
A quick look at job boards confirms this perception. Whether you look at salary and compensation, training and qualifications, or work environment and hours, RST positions rarely enjoy the same status or prestige as their high-flying counterparts.
RST positions are typically advertised with hourly rates, not annual salaries, and the differences in compensation levels are striking. RST agents in the Bay Area can expect $30-35 an hour, while executive protection agent positions there often demand north of $150k per year. If you do some simple math, that’s at least double-up on annual pay.
Does that mean RST jobs require less qualified staff than EP agent jobs? Well, that depends on how you look at it.
If you compare the qualifications listed on job boards for the two types of positions, RST and EP agents, there is often quite a bit of overlap. The commonalities include a preference for military or LOE backgrounds, up-to-date first aid qualifications, concealed handgun carry license where relevant, basic EP training, and the ability to pass background/drug checks and physical fitness tests.
Where the two job types diverge has to do with skills and training, to some extent, but even more with experience. It requires less experience to break into an RST job than it does to join a travel team. The higher paying EP agent jobs typically go to those who have more experience protecting principals while they are away from home. This might include acquired skills like security driving but also more specialized experience in things like international travel, surveillance detection, or working with young children.
In a growing industry struggling to fill job vacancies, the economic principles of supply and demand naturally lead to higher compensation for executive protection agents with more experience and specialized expertise. Experienced agents offer a level of assurance and effectiveness that is highly valued, thus driving up their market value. Consequently, the scarcity of such well-qualified executive protection agents relative to the demand for their services results in higher wages, reflecting the premium placed on their expertise and reliability.
But can this explain why EP agents typically earn at least twice as much as RST agents? Hardly. If you look at important factors like risk mitigation and client satisfaction, there is little evidence that RST jobs require less expertise or experience than EP agent jobs. So why do the laws of supply and demand not result in higher wages for RST agents? Maybe it’s because the demands programs and providers typically place on them have been lowered to meet available supply.
We will go out on a limb here to suggest that EP companies have had a hand in creating this situation. In a period of rapid industry growth, where finding enough qualified agents for all kinds of open EP positions was and continues to be difficult, residential security became an entry level job. Just like other industries before us have done when they faced shortages of critical staff (e.g., cybersecurity analysts and specialized nurses), the EP industry has, to some degree, transformed highly specialized roles into early-career positions which, for the best and brightest, will provide training and experience that will lead to other roles outside of residential security.
No one wants second-best executive protection – even (especially) at home
Taking this situation to its logical extreme raises significant concerns for the executive protection industry. If residential security is consistently treated as an entry-level job, the best and brightest agents will inevitably use it as a steppingstone to more prestigious and higher-paying positions within the industry. This would mean that residential security roles could be perpetually staffed by less experienced or less skilled individuals, resulting in a talent drain from an area that is crucial for comprehensive risk mitigation.
Such a trend poses serious implications for the quality of protection provided to principals. No principal wants second-best protection, especially not where they spend a good amount of their time together with their loved ones. Given the risks principals face at home, it is imperative for EP companies to recognize the importance of maintaining high standards in all areas of protection, including residential security, to ensure that principals receive the best possible safeguarding against potential threats.
Home sweet (risky) home
Seen from a risk mitigation point of view, residential security is no less important than protective services provided to our principals when they are away from home. In fact, we would argue that a number of factors indicate quite the opposite:
- Time and place predictability: Where is it easiest for bad actors to find our principals, at home or on the road? Hands down, at home. While the risk of opportunistic attacks exists anywhere, and social media used wrongly can broadcast our principals’ whereabouts with lightning speed, the risk of planned attacks is much greater at home than on a business trip. Since COVID, more principals spend even more time working and conducting meetings at home. Furthermore, even though most principals’ homes are not listed as stops on celebrity home tours, it’s not difficult to figure out where they live and even whether they are home or not.
- Additional risks for additional people: Residential security extends not only to the individual principal, but also to significant others, immediate and extended family, friends, guests, and domestic staff. Beyond privacy invasions, more people mean more differentiated risks of targeted attacks, abductions, stalking and harassment, social engineering and related cyber threats.
- Over-reliance on under-dimensioned security: Compared to security typical of many corporate campuses, event venues, and even hotels, residential security can be surprisingly thin. We’ve seen plenty of iffy tech, including alarm systems, cameras, and sensors, that are not implemented or used optimally by principals and their families. We have not seen much screening of packages, even though deliveries of all kinds continue to increase. And we rarely see TSCM sweeps of homes and vehicles, despite the obvious vulnerabilities that these present to bugs of all types.
- Accidents: Finally, let’s remember that about 50% of all accidents occur at home.
Home is where the heart is – not protective agents
When we think of home, we envision a sanctuary, a place where we can relax and feel secure. So do our principals. That is why designing residential protection that fits their preferences is so essential. In addition to providing top-notch physical security, residential agents must also meet principals’ needs for reputational, productive, and lifestyle security. To do this, they must not only be well trained, but also adaptable, discreet, and able to blend into the background, ensuring that their presence does not disrupt the household’s daily life.
This level of customization requires a deep understanding of the family’s dynamics, routines, and expectations and a high degree of protective professionalization. These are not entry-level qualifications.
The best residential agents bring not only top-tier physical security skills and experience but also the ability to interact positively with family members and household staff. They are trustworthy, professional, and capable of maintaining the delicate balance between vigilance and unobtrusiveness. Selecting the right people for these roles is critical; they must be capable of ensuring safety without sacrificing the sense of comfort and normalcy that a home should provide.
Elevating the role of residential protection
In conclusion, we think that it is time for the executive protection industry to re-evaluate the importance of residential security. By continuing to treat RST as an entry-level position, we risk undermining the very foundation of comprehensive personal protection.
Residential security is not just a stepping stone to more prestigious roles; it is a critical component of a holistic security strategy. Principals and their families deserve the highest standards of protection at home, just as they do on the road.
Investing in the professionalization and recognition of residential security teams is essential. This means offering competitive compensation, rigorous training, and opportunities for career advancement within residential protection itself. By doing so, we can attract and retain top-tier talent dedicated to safeguarding our principals in the place where they should feel safest – their homes.
Ultimately, the goal should be to ensure that no aspect of executive protection is compromised. By elevating the status and quality of residential security, we can provide principals with the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are protected by the best, regardless of where they are. It’s time to make home security a priority, ensuring that it is neither the weak link nor the poor cousin of executive protection, but rather, a robust and respected pillar of comprehensive security.