So Long, Security

From nearly the beginning of his term as governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford has tried to ditch is his security detail, and even talked about cutting them completely out of the state budget.

He said early on, “I think we can find better uses for these guys. My wife doesn’t need a guard, and I don’t either.”

Now we know the real reason that the disgraced governor wanted to give the security boys the slip. It wasn’t the expense, but the fact that they were cramping his independent style.

Sanford, it seems, wanted the freedom to be able to disappear for a week at a time to do his own thing, including taking off for a week’s pleasure trip with his mistress in Argentina.

Author and former Ohio police officer Timothy Dimoff said it perfectly, “A person as important as the governor just can’t tell the head of security, ‘I’m disappearing for a week. I’ll see you later.’” Believe it or not, there have to be some parameters set for his protection.

Even though state law does not require Sanford to have a security detail or keep the State Law Enforcement Division informed on his whereabouts, it seems rather unusual for the governor of any state to disappear off the grid for an extended length of time. When Sanford tried his disappearing act, he apparently jumped into a SLED vehicle and told his security detail to stand down, failing to let agents know his whereabouts.

Going out of country without security is a bad idea for a governor in this day and age. The more important person is, the more desirable a target they become.

Sanford has stepped down as chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association and it behooves him to step down as governor, no matter whether it’s the easy way out or not.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.