(Long Island, N.Y.) After the World Trade Center attack of September 11, 2001, terrorism has become a very real fear in our society including constant terrorist attacks in Europe, The Middle East and most recently a horrifying bomb scare in Times Square last Week with the potential of killing hundreds of unsuspecting pedestrians. This past week I had the pleasure of interviewing Lt. Jay Fagan, Vice President of East Coast Operations for Gavin De Becker & Associates.
Gavin De Becker & Associates advises clients on the assessment and management of situations that might escalate to violence, and develops systems and strategies for improving high-stakes predictions.
The firm is famous for receiving many calls for assistance from individuals and corporations facing challenges that involve harassment, stalking, fear, or possible harm.
Gavin De Becker and Associates are notified by prosecutors to assist on major trials that involve stalking or the prediction of violence. The company advises the motion picture industry and celebrities who are targets of would-be assassins, stalkers, unwanted pursuers, and intrusive news-gathering methods. Gavin De Becker and Associates counsel cultural leaders on how to navigate between being overly despised and being uncontrollably adored. Gavin De Becker advises corporations, universities, and government agencies on managing employees who might act out violently, and they help managers reduce unwarranted fear.
Lt. Jay Fagan, Vice President of East Coast Operations for Gavin De Becker & Associates with Cognac Wellerlane.
Leading expert on managing terrorism, Gavin De Becker works tirelessly on the prediction and management of violence. His work has earned him three Presidential appointments and a position on a congressional committee. Mr. De Becker was twice appointed to the President’s Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Justice and he served two terms on the Governor’s Advisory Board at the California Department of Mental Health.
His 250-member consulting firm advises government agencies, universities, police departments, corporations, and media figures on the assessment of threats and hazards. Gavin De Becker & Associates maintains the world’s largest library of threat and obsessive communications, consisting of more than 400,000 pieces of material.
Mr. De Becker’s first book The Gift of Fear was the Nation’s Number One Bestseller, on the New York Times Bestseller List for seventeen weeks. The book has now been published in thirteen languages. Oprah Winfrey devoted an entire television show to commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the book’s publication in 2008. Not only has he appeared on Oprah Winfrey but he has also shared his philosophies about prevention of violence on 60 Minutes, Larry King Live, and 20/20. He has also been featured in Newsweek, Time, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and many other publications.
“De Becker has a lot to say about crime and the fear of crime, and he says it persuasively… with empathy, reassurance, and common sense.” – Newsweek
“Gavin De Becker is a pioneer in threat assessment.”
Dr. Park Dietz – Hinckley Prosecution Psychiatrist
“Gavin De Becker’s agency is considered unparalleled in public figure protection.”
NBC News
“Gavin and his staff provide what amounts to a secret service for famous people.”
Michael J. Fox in Esquire Magazine Article
During my interview with Lt. Fagan he spoke about his distinguished 24-year career with the New York City Police Department, managing several of the Department’s specialized units.
Mr. Fagan has served as the Commanding Officer of the NYPD Movie and Television Unit where he was instrumental in the substantial increase of filming, currently a 5 billion dollar per year industry for New York City. As the Commanding Officer he was the liaison for many city agencies including the Mayor’s office of Film Theatre and Broadcasting and Community Boards, overseeing and facilitating all filming. He was cited as the Film Industry’s best friend in the Hollywood Reporter as among many of his accomplishments.
He also supervised a Task Force unit that was responsible for City Hall Security and he was assigned to Presidential Details, the United Nations General Assembly, Papal visits, Parades, Protests and many other specialized events. He provided protective provisions for many influential dignitaries during visits to Ground Zero.
Lt. Fagan was responsible for the supervision and training of thousands of recruit officers in physical training and tactics. His supervision and training also included First Aid, CPR, Water Safety, Disorder Control, Vehicle Stops, Handcuffing, disarming armed suspects, etc. from 1991 to 1997. He was also responsible for developing department lesson plans. He has lectured on Integrity and instructed on performance evaluations.
Lt. Fagan, an important member of the Elite Task Force, was assigned to all Presidential and other high-profile details, dignitary protection and patrolling of many of the city’s highly sensitive locations. Lt. Fagan was instrumental in Operation Pressure Point, which helped transform the Lower East Side and Times Square.
Lt. Fagan received numerous awards in recognition of outstanding voluntary acts of courage, conviction and dedication to the City of New York and the New York City Police Department during and in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack of September 11, 2001.
Within his first two years in the New York Police Department, he was recognized on two separate occasions for meritorious service and received two commendations for acts involving grave risk to life.
Lt. Fagan is a certified New York State Law Enforcement Instructor and he worked as an instructor supervisor at the New York Police Department Training Academy, specializing in defensive tactics, fitness, disorder control, first aid, CPR, water safety, integrity, evaluations and community service. He has also served as a consultant on numerous films, was a delegate for the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, and he served on the board of NYPD Honor Legion.
Lt. Fagan is currently a member of the Superior Officer’s Council, NYPD Honor Legion, Fraternal Order of Police and the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS).
Gavin De Becker & Associates services include attending Presidential Inaugurations on one coast, the Oscars and the Emmy’s on the other. They have toured Africa, Europe, South America, Asia, the Middle East, and the South Pacific—learning about violence in those places. They’ve accompanied clients in hot-air balloons, armored limousines, riding on elephants and rickshaws, avoiding hostile crowds, and being smothered by adoring crowds. Gavin De Becker & Associates testified before Senate committees and toured secret government installations. They have had staff meetings while floating down a jungle river in the dead of night. They have ridden in presidential motorcades one week and in buses used to transport prisoners the next. They been chased by tabloid reporters, paparazzi and have chased them right back.
Gavin De Becker and Associates mission in not only to prevent terrorism in the world but to bind all of their resources and services together in predicting an attack, preventing violence—and the managing fear.
For more information on Gavin De Becker and Associates please visit www.gavindebecker.com
