An armed bodyguard is the right answer to a narrow set of problems: a threat that has a name and a face, valuables that move through the city, a public profile that draws the wrong attention. FSO Guard provides licensed armed bodyguards in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach: Florida Class G firearms-licensed officers with executive protection training, working in plain clothes with concealed weapons, under written rules of engagement and a team leader. We are a Florida-licensed security agency (license B3100530) headquartered in Hollywood, and we will tell you honestly when an unarmed detail would serve you better. Most of our clients hear that at least once.
Who hires armed bodyguards in Miami
Jewelers, watch and diamond dealers
Seybold Building tenants, Design District boutiques, private dealers visiting clients in hotels and homes, trade shows. An armed officer with you and a second one watching the car, and the routine varied every time. See also bank and financial security.
Executives and business owners under threat
A fired employee with a grievance, a partner dispute that became personal, a lawsuit with threats attached. An armed executive bodyguard at the office, at home and in between, for the weeks that matter. See executive protection.
Cash and high-value movements
Deposits for cash-heavy businesses, dispensary transfers, art and collectibles in transit, closing-day payments. Armed escort from door to door with a planned route and a vehicle check.
Domestic and stalking threats
A former partner with weapons access, a restraining order that is being ignored, a stalker who has escalated. Armed protection at home and on the move, often combined with a threat investigation to build the case.
Public figures and high-risk events
Artists, athletes, influencers and political figures with a history of incidents; product launches, club appearances and after-parties where a confrontation is likely. See VIP security.
Visitors who require armed protection
International clients whose security departments mandate an armed detail in the United States, and families used to armed protection at home in Latin America. See close protection services.
How an armed bodyguard detail is set up
- Threat assessment. A short, honest conversation and a written summary: who or what is the threat, how likely, where you are exposed. This is where we recommend armed or unarmed.
- Rules of engagement in writing. When the officer may use force, when to withdraw, when to call police, how to handle a confrontation without escalation. Both sides sign it.
- Officer selection. A Class G licensed officer with protection experience matched to your day: a suit for meetings, resort wear for the yacht, a presence that fits the room.
- Vehicle and route plan. A security driver in an unmarked SUV when movements are involved, routes and alternates checked, the vehicle inspected before each departure. See security chauffeurs.
- Team leader and dispatch. One person who runs the detail, briefs the officer and reports to you; our operations desk covers changes 24/7.
- Report. A written summary after the detail or each day of a longer assignment, including any incident, for your records or your attorney.
Armed vs. unarmed bodyguard: an honest comparison
Choose armed when
There is a specific threat with a known actor; valuables or cash are in transit; the client has been physically targeted before; the venue or neighborhood has a history of armed incidents; a corporate or insurance policy requires it.
Choose unarmed when
The goal is deterrence, crowd control, privacy and a calm presence: shopping, dinners, nightlife, events, travel with family, media attention. A trained unarmed bodyguard with a security driver handles the large majority of Miami assignments and costs less.
What armed does not mean
It does not mean the officer looks for confrontation. Class G officers are trained to avoid, evade and de-escalate first; the firearm exists for the moment nothing else works, and it is concealed until then.
What both include
Advance planning, a licensed and insured officer, a team leader you can reach, written procedures, and the option to add residential cover, drivers, female officers and investigators from the same company.
Licensing, insurance and liability
Every armed personal bodyguard we assign holds Florida Class D and Class G licenses, requalifies annually on the range, passes the state background check and works under our agency license B3100530 with general liability and firearms coverage. This matters for you as much as for us: an armed person protecting you without an agency license is not a security officer under Florida law, and the liability for anything he does can land on the client. Ask any company for the agency license number and the officer’s G license before an armed detail starts; ours are on request and verifiable with the Florida Department of Agriculture. Read more in our guide to Florida security license classes and on armed security officers for static posts.
Where we provide armed bodyguards
Miami, Miami Beach, Brickell and Downtown, the Design District and Wynwood, Coral Gables, Doral, Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach; Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Boca Raton; Palm Beach and West Palm Beach. For Orlando, Tampa, Naples and Jacksonville we send our team or assign vetted local Class G officers; see service areas. Officers work in English, Spanish and Russian.
Hire an armed bodyguard in Miami today
Tell us what is happening, the dates and where you need to be. A team leader replies with a recommendation, armed or unarmed, and a fixed written quote, usually within the hour during business hours; same-day details in Miami-Dade and Broward are routine. Call 888.881.8099, use the live chat or send the form on this page. For pricing background, read how much a bodyguard costs.
