When Do You Need a Bodyguard? Situations, Warning Signs and First Steps

Many people who contact us start with the same sentence: "I'm not sure if I'm overreacting." That hesitation is natural. Personal protection sounds like something for celebrities and heads of state, yet in practice it is often ordinary people facing an unusual situation.

This guide helps you assess your own situation calmly: when protection makes sense, what a close protection officer can actually do, and when the police come first.

When personal protection can make sense

There is no official threshold at which you "qualify" for a bodyguard. What matters is whether there is a concrete risk, or whether you are in a situation you can no longer manage safely on your own. Common reasons:

• Specific threats – in person, by message or through third parties, especially if they repeat or reveal details of your routine.
• Stalking – someone keeps appearing near your home, workplace or social circle.
• Separation and custody disputes – tense child handovers, court dates or moving out.
• Public exposure – entrepreneurs, artists, influencers, or people suddenly in the news.
• Business negotiations – sensitive meetings, acquisitions, dismissals in a hostile team.
• Travel – unfamiliar places, carrying valuables or confidential documents.
• Events – private celebrations, receptions or corporate events with prominent guests.

Warning signs worth taking seriously

A gut feeling is not proof, but it is a signal. Look for patterns: the same person in different places, others knowing your schedule, messages from changing accounts, signs of tampering with your car or mailbox. One incident can be coincidence. Repetition rarely is.

Write everything down: date, time, place, screenshots, witnesses. This record helps the police, your lawyer and any security provider assess the situation realistically.

Being threatened – what to do first

1. In immediate danger, call 110. No private service replaces the police.
2. File a report. Threats, coercion and stalking (§ 238 German Criminal Code) are criminal offences.
3. Get legal advice. Under the German Protection Against Violence Act (Gewaltschutzgesetz), a family court can, for example, issue contact and approach bans.
4. Review your routine: routes, times, social media, publicly visible addresses.
5. Get a professional assessment if the situation persists or specific appointments carry particular risk.

What a bodyguard can – and cannot – do

A close protection officer is not a police officer. Private security in Germany has no police powers: no identity checks, no searches. They act under the rights every citizen has:

• Self-defence and defence of others (§ 32 StGB, "Notwehr").
• Necessity (§ 34 StGB) in narrowly defined emergencies.
• Citizen's arrest (§ 127(1) StPO) – only if someone is caught in the act or pursued immediately afterwards, and is likely to flee or cannot be identified on the spot.

The real value lies in prevention: planning routes and timings, spotting anomalies early, steering clear of confrontation, accompanying you to critical appointments and, if needed, creating space for you to leave. Good protection is mostly invisible – nothing happens.

See how we work on our personal protection page.

Which kind of protection fits?

Not every case needs round-the-clock cover. Often a targeted assignment is enough:

• Escort protection for one appointment, a handover or a trip.
• Protection for children on the way to school or activities.
• Event security.
• Home or business premises, organised together with partners: property protection in Hamburg.

For a transparent overview of pricing, see how much a bodyguard costs.

How to choose a provider

In Germany, anyone offering security services commercially needs a licence under § 34a of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO). Staff must complete, depending on their tasks, an IHK briefing course (Unterrichtung) or pass the expert examination (Sachkundeprüfung), as set out in the Security Services Ordinance (BewachV). Feel free to ask for proof, and whether staff are listed in the national security register (Bewacherregister). A reputable provider will answer without hesitation.

Also look for discretion, a sober risk assessment instead of scare tactics, a written quote, and honesty about what is not possible. Read more about us as a security company in Hamburg.

Our founder Vadim Dischewski has worked in personal protection since 2008; DV Company is based in Hamburg and works across Germany and Europe by arrangement.

Note: This article is general guidance and not legal advice. For legal questions, please consult a lawyer.

Free, confidential first consultation

Not sure whether your situation calls for protection? Tell us about it – without obligation and in confidence. We will tell you honestly whether personal protection makes sense or whether other steps should come first. Simply use our enquiry form.