Arthur Harris
Active LAPD Officer • US Army Reserve CID Special Agent • São Paulo Native
Bringing a decade of elite protection experience—from protecting senior government officials to securing Fortune 500 executives—home to Brazil.
Why I Founded Vanguard Attaché
I was born and raised in SĂŁo Paulo until 2009, when I moved to the United States for college. That geographic shift became a professional journey spanning two worlds: American security excellence and Brazilian cultural fluency. For over a decade, I've served simultaneously as an LAPD officer and US Army Reserve CID Special Agent, protecting everyone from senior government officials across six continents to Fortune 500 executives navigating complex operations.
During those years, I witnessed a consistent problem: international executives and high-net-worth families visiting Brazil faced an impossible choice between experiencing the country authentically and maintaining adequate security. Local Brazilian firms understood the environment but often lacked international protocols. Multinational security companies brought global standards but missed Brazil-specific cultural nuances. Neither model served discerning travelers who refused to compromise adventure for safety.
My dual background positioned me uniquely to solve this. Growing up in São Paulo taught me Brazil's intricate complexity—the blend of extraordinary opportunity and sophisticated risk that makes it unlike anywhere in Latin America. My LAPD career showed me how Fortune 500 companies protect their executives globally, from advance threat assessments to coordinating multi-agency operations during major events. My Army Reserve service with the Personal Security Battalion taught me how to integrate military-grade security with diplomatic lifestyle requirements—protecting senior officials while maintaining their ability to engage meaningfully with host nations.
In early 2025, I founded Vanguard Attaché to bring this expertise home. We don't provide "bodyguards who stand in corners." We deliver intelligence-led, lifestyle-integrated protection that enables exploration rather than restricting it. The same methodologies I used protecting senior government officials across multiple continents now serve families and executives experiencing Brazil—from São Paulo boardrooms to Amazon expeditions, Rio Carnival to Iguaçu Falls.
My Apple Inc. experience (2015-2017) also shapes our approach. Working in corporate technology taught me how Fortune 500 cultures operate, how executives think about risk versus opportunity, and how to deliver premium service that anticipates needs before they're articulated. Vanguard Attaché clients receive the same attentiveness—security and concierge services that blend invisibly into luxury travel expectations.
Professional Background
A decade of elite protection experience across law enforcement, military service, and corporate environments
Whittier College
Bachelor's Degree
Relocated from São Paulo to Southern California for higher education. Whittier's emphasis on global perspectives and interdisciplinary thinking shaped my approach to integrated security solutions. Maintained strong ties to Brazil while developing expertise in American institutional frameworks—a dual perspective that would later define Vanguard Attaché's competitive advantage.
Key Achievements
- Foundation in cross-cultural communication and international relations
- Maintained Portuguese fluency while developing professional English capabilities
- Built network spanning Brazilian expatriate community and US professionals
- Developed understanding of American corporate culture and Fortune 500 expectations
US Army Reserve - Criminal Investigation Division (CID)
Specialist (Drug Task Force) → CID Special Agent → Personal Security Battalion
Joined US Army Reserves in 2014, initially serving with the drug task force as a Specialist. Through dedication and performance, earned selection to the Criminal Investigation Division as a Special Agent—one of the Army's most competitive assignments. Later selected for the elite Personal Security Battalion, providing protective services for senior government officials and diplomatic personnel across six continents.
Key Achievements
- Personal Security Battalion assignment (highest-level protective service)
- Protected senior government officials during international missions
- Coordinated protective operations across six continents
- Intelligence-led security planning for high-risk diplomatic environments
- Advanced training: countersurveillance, defensive tactics, threat assessment, emergency medicine
- Coordination with host-nation security services and intelligence agencies
Apple Inc.
Sales Specialist → Mobile Technician
Worked at Apple Inc. while maintaining Army Reserve commitments, progressing from Sales Specialist to Mobile Technician. This corporate experience proved invaluable—understanding how Fortune 500 companies operate, how premium service should feel, and how to anticipate high-net-worth client expectations before they're articulated. The Apple emphasis on seamless, intuitive user experience directly influences Vanguard Attaché's concierge approach.
Key Achievements
- Expertise in premium customer service standards and expectations management
- Understanding of corporate culture and Fortune 500 operational protocols
- Technical proficiency and problem-solving under pressure
- Client relationship management for discerning, high-expectation customers
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
Police Officer
Currently serving as an active LAPD officer while maintaining US Army Reserve CID commitments. Patrol and investigations experience covering high-profile areas of Los Angeles. Trained in threat assessment, emergency response, and VIP protection protocols used during major events including Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, and international dignitary visits. Gained expertise in coordinating multi-agency security operations with Secret Service, State Department, and local authorities during high-visibility situations.
Key Achievements
- Active-duty law enforcement experience (current operational capability)
- Multi-agency coordination with Secret Service, FBI, State Department
- VIP protection during Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, diplomatic visits
- Crisis management and emergency response in high-pressure environments
- Advanced tactical training and threat assessment certification
- Real-time intelligence analysis and dynamic security decision-making
Vanguard Attaché
Founder & CEO
Founded Vanguard Attaché in early 2025 to bring elite protection expertise home to Brazil. The company applies military-grade security methodologies refined through a decade of LAPD and Army Reserve service to private sector luxury travel. Leverages deep São Paulo roots combined with US security protocols to serve Fortune 500 executives, UHNW families, and family offices requiring Brazil-specific protective services. While the company is new, it's backed by 10+ years of active law enforcement and military protective operations—including high-level government protective missions across six continents.
Key Achievements
- Integrated security model combining US protocols with Brazil-specific intelligence
- Active LAPD/Army Reserve credentials provide current operational expertise
- Government-level protection methodologies adapted for private sector clients
- Network spanning Brazilian elite police units (BOPE, ROTA, Federal Police)
- Bilingual team delivering services in English and Portuguese
- Intelligence-led, lifestyle-integrated protection enabling authentic Brazil experiences
Bringing Elite Protection Home to Brazil
SĂŁo Paulo native returning with US security expertise to serve Brazil exclusively
I was born and raised in São Paulo—this is home. Growing up here gave me instinctive understanding of Brazil's complexity that no amount of training can replicate. I know which neighborhoods require armored transport versus discreet low-profile vehicles. I understand when Rio's Zona Sul traffic patterns necessitate helicopter transfers. I speak Portuguese as a native, not a language learned in adulthood. This isn't a market I studied—it's the culture I lived for my formative years.
What makes Vanguard Attaché different is bringing US security excellence back to that foundation. A decade serving as an LAPD officer and US Army Reserve CID Special Agent taught me protection methodologies that Brazil's domestic security industry often lacks: intelligence-led planning, multi-agency coordination, scalable response protocols, and integrating security seamlessly with luxury lifestyle requirements. I've applied these methodologies protecting senior government officials internationally. Now I'm bringing them to private sector travel in my home country.
Our local network reflects this dual advantage. Through my São Paulo roots and military connections, we maintain relationships with Brazil's elite police units including BOPE (Special Police Operations Battalion), ROTA (Tactical Ostensive Patrol), COT (Tactical Operations Command), and Federal Police intelligence divisions. These partnerships provide threat intelligence unavailable to foreign security companies and enable rapid coordination during emergencies—but they're built on personal relationships spanning decades, not transactional vendor arrangements.
Vanguard Attaché exclusively serves Brazil because that focus delivers superior results. We're not a multinational firm rotating personnel globally. We don't parachute in for assignments then leave. This is where I'm from, where I've chosen to operate, and where my family connections run deep. Clients benefit from that permanence—we navigate bureaucracy efficiently, access exclusive venues through established relationships, coordinate complex travel across Brazil's vast geography, and blend into luxury environments naturally because we belong here.
BOPE
ROTA
COT
Federal Police
How We Make Security Decisions
Intelligence-led, lifestyle-integrated, low-profile protection
Intelligence-Led Operations
We don't rely on reactive security. Every protection detail begins with intelligence analysis: reviewing itinerary against current threat landscape, pre-screening venues and routes, coordinating with local authorities, and establishing contingency protocols. Our GSOC (Global Security Operations Center) monitors real-time developments and adjusts plans dynamically. This intelligence-first approach prevents incidents rather than responding to them.
Lifestyle Integration
Security shouldn't restrict experience—it should enable it. We design protection around client lifestyle, not impose military protocols on luxury travel. Our agents wear civilian attire, drive unmarked vehicles, and coordinate logistics invisibly. Clients explore São Paulo's art galleries, dine at Rio's Michelin restaurants, and attend VIP events without visible security presence. Protection is comprehensive but discreet, allowing authentic Brazil experiences with complete safety.
Low-Profile Methodology
High-visibility security attracts attention and creates vulnerabilities. Our approach emphasizes subtlety: advance intelligence gathering, route planning that avoids risk areas, timing arrivals to minimize exposure, and maintaining security posture without obvious protective details. We blend into luxury environments seamlessly—agents might appear to be executive assistants, drivers, or concierge coordinators rather than security personnel.
Scalable Response Protocols
Security requirements change throughout a trip. A SĂŁo Paulo board meeting requires different protocols than a weekend in Trancoso. We scale protection dynamically: light footprint for low-risk activities, reinforced teams for high-exposure events, immediate escalation protocols if threats emerge. Clients receive appropriate protection for each situation without paying for unnecessary coverage or accepting inadequate security.
Consult Directly with Arthur
Every VIP engagement begins with a personal consultation to understand your specific security requirements and lifestyle preferences. I personally design security protocols for complex assignments and high-profile clients.
Direct line for VIP inquiries and urgent security coordination