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Security Training Services International (STSI) is dedicated to raising the bar on professionalism within the private security industry and enhancing American national security in the process. To accomplish this important goal we offer a variety of security training books and manuals to assist your company in meeting or exceeding company and state training requirements and goals. Those training books and manuals can be found on the SECURITY TRAINING BOOKS page.
There is a separate page labeled SELF-IMPROVEMENT BOOKS where you can find books on personal and spiritual growth and another page labeled MEMOIRS & FICTION for those interested in more casual reading. Michael also offers comments on current affairs and global security issues from time to time on the VIGILANT AMERICAN page and the STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND blog page. The BLOGGING FOR AWARENESS page is designed to round out the uniquiness of the website by presenting ideas for those who may be looking for tips on how to improve awareness and stimulate personal growth.
Thank you for visiting the COUNTRY COP BOOKS/STSI web site. Please feel free to contact Michael if you have any comments or requests for support or training books on topics not listed here. STSI is capable of producing training materials on a wide variety of topics on an individual need basis.
Short training booklets (10-30 pages) on any security topic you can imagine are available upon request. These booklets come in handy for conducting follow-up or in-service training to keep your people sharp and comply with pre and post-assignment training requirements. If STSI doesn't already have what you want, we will create it in short order. Some of the current topics that are available include:
-Executive Protection
-Bank Security
-Construction Site Security
-Access Control & Weapons Screening
-Defensive Driving
-Handcuffing
-Civil Disturbances
-Apartment Complex Security
-Mall Security
-Introduction to Terrorism
-Disaster Preparation for Home and Work
-Bicycle Security Patrol
-Use of Force
-Firearms Safety
-Street Survival
-Marksmanship
-Workplace Violence
-Emergency Response (OSHA Material)
-Armored Truck Security
-Diplomatic Security
-Patrol Procedures
-Security Guards & The Legal System
-Communications & Report Writing
-Loss Prevention & Shoplifting Security
-The Science of Lock Picking Simplified
These booklets may be customized with your own company logo and information if desired. They are available in 8 & 1/2" X 11" format in spiral bindings. PRICE: $25.00 each plus sales tax (if applicable) and $5 shipping and handling. Shipping costs are reduced when ordering multiple booklets. International shipping rates are calculated individually.
TOPICS COVERED IN THE ROLE OF THE SECURITY OFFICER INSTRUCTOR MANUAL/TEXTBOOK:
"The true story of a ground soldier in the CIA's war on terrorism." (amazon.com) This has to be one of the best books about the CIA ever written. It is a truly great read and a real eye-opener for anyone interested in how the CIA really works overseas. Robert Baer is to be commended for his service and for his decision to come out of the closet and share events that need to be shared with a public that is largely unaware of what CIA field operatives have to deal with.- Michael Jaquish.
FYI: The recent movie "Syriana" with George Clooney was supposedly based upon the career of Robert Baer. I was very disappointed in the movie. It did little to reflect the actual life of Baer and was incredibly boring due mostly to the fact that about one third of the movie consists of listening to Arabs talk in Arabic without any English subtitles. Save your money.
ONE WOMAN'S ARMY: Janis Karpinski & Steven Strasser
The true story of the life of Janis Karpinski- The Commanding General of Abu Ghraib in Iraq at the time it all hit the fan, and why she had to take the fall. This book reveals a lot about the internal politics of the US Army and it does a very good job presenting the challenges involved for women who decide to serve their country in uniform.- Michael Jaquish
BLOOD FROM STONES: Douglas Farah
"The secret financial network of terror." This book lays out how bin Laden's group invested in West African diamonds and gold instead of currency and bank accounts to protect and preserve their terrorism operating capital. I was personally on the fringes of these activities while it was going on in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the years leading up to the attacks on 09/11/2001 so I can vouch for the reliability of the author's allegations- Michael Jaquish
THE BOOK OF HONOR: Ted Gup
"Covert Lives and Classified Deaths at the CIA." Ted Gup has done a wonderful job of uncovering and detailing the stories of the lives and deaths of real CIA field operatives going back all the way to the beginning of the CIA after WWII and traveling forward to the years immediately preceeding the terror attacks on 09/11/2001. This book reveals the very rare and special patriotism of Americans who risk everything for their country knowing that their stories will never be told. -Michael Jaquish
KILLER SPY: Peter Maas
"The inside story of the pursuit and capture of Aldridge (Rick)Ames, America's Deadliest Spy." Ames did more damage to America's intelligence operations and cost more lives than any other enemy spy during the cold war years and he did it while employed as a trusted operative for the CIA. This is a very startling book because it reveals how much damage can be inflicted by a single individual who is motivated by money and personal gain when those in charge of internal security let their guard down. -Michael Jaquish
SLEEPING WITH THE DEVIL: Robert Baer
"How Washington Sold our Soul for Saudi Crude." The Kingdom of Saud sits on top of one quarter of the world's oil reserves. America has worked very hard to groom a symbiotic relationship with the Kingdom over the decades, often to the detriment of our own future security interests. Robert Baer does a very excellent job of laying out the details of this relationship and leaves the reader far more educated about the dynamics of global politics and the relationship it all has to our current climate of terrorism. -Michael Jaquish
THE FORGOTTON HEROES: Brian Herbert
"The Heroic Story of the United States Merchant Marine." My father was a member of this special group of men during WWII and I followed in his footsteps during the Viet Nam war after growing up listening to his stories of adventure. Nearly 7,000 US Merchant Marines were killed struggling to maintain a vital supply line to the US Military and our Allies during WWII. Brian Herbert (son of the famed SF author- Frank Herbert of the DUNE series) does a wonderful job revealing the details of the sub-culture and sacrifice of the US Merchant Marines during the years of WWII.- Michael Jaquish
SEEK: Denis Johnson
"Reports from the Edges of America and Beyond." Like me, Dennis Johnson has been blessed with a very adventurous life. Some of his adventures took place in West Africa during the time I was there myself and it is possible our paths may have crossed at some point. Dennis is a very talented writer and anyone looking for a good read that is a bit out of the box should consider picking up a copy of this book. -Michael Jaquish
DRUG WAR CRIMES The Consequences of Prohibition: Jeffrey Miron
Jeffrey A. Miron is professor of economics at Boston University and regular lecturer at Harvard University. His articles on drug policy have appeared in Social Research, Journal of Law and Economics, Boston Globe, and the London Observer. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His book, DRUG WAR CRIMES, presents a balanced and sophisticated analysis of the true costs, benefits, and consequences of enforcing drug prohibition. Miron argues that prohibition's effects on drug use have been modest and that prohibition has numerous side effects, most of them highly undesirable. In particular, prohibition is shown to directly increase violent crime, even in cases where it deters drug use. Miron's analysis leads to a disturbing finding-the more resources given to the fight against drugs, the greater the homicide rate. The costs and benefits of several alternatives to the war on drugs are examined. The conclusion is unequivocal and states that any of the most widely discussed alternatives is likely to be a substantial improvement over current policy.
NOTE:Recreational drug use is a very poor choice because it destroys free will and prevents individuals from being well-adjusted, happy, functioning members of society.However, the American "War on Drugs" is a failed war that empowers criminals and creates far more problems than it solves. As controversial as the position of legalization of drugs is, it is the only solution to removing the motivation for criminals to remain committed to creating generations of illegal drug users who fund their criminal empires. -Michael Jaquish (A retired law enforcement officer)
OFFICER DOWN... CODE THREE: Pierce R. Brooks
"The Ten Deadly Errors that get Police Officers Killed." When I attended the Washington State Police Academy in 1978 I was confronted by an intimidating two foot tall double pile of books on my desk that first morning. As our class began, our instructor walked over and picked this book up off the top of the stack and said, "If you don't read any other book while you are here make sure you DO read this one, because it will save your life." My instructor was right. This book turned out to be the most valuable book I have ever read in terms of awareness and reducing the risks associated with police (and security) work. Even though it is out of print and a bit hard to find, every cop and security professional out there should read this book. -Michael Jaquish
FYI: Pierce R. Brooks was one of the LA PD detectives who investigated the famous police abduction/murder case that was later recorded in a book (by Joseph Wambaugh- another VERY good book!) and movie called THE ONION FIELD. Brooks retired from LAPD and became the Chief of Police in Eugene, Oregon before retiring for good. I met him then and obtained an autograph for my copy of his book. Very interesting and talented guy. I followed his "Deadly Error" formula when I wrote my own street survival and training book for the private security industry (THE ROLE OF THE SECURITY OFFICER) and developed a "six deadly error" list for security officers.
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE: Carol Bergman (Orbis Books)
Anyone who has traveled overseas to third world countries has probably encountered humanitarian workers. These people fill a very special niche that gets very little press. The book is an unusual collection of very revealing chapters written by a number of different humanitarian aid workers serving in hot spots around the world. The chapter on Sierra Leone (in West Africa) impacted me (Mike Jaquish) the most because it centers around Jacques, a French CRS (Catholic Relief Services) worker I knew in Liberia during the 1990 revolution and the worst of the Monrovia battles. Jacques and I spent our days prowling the back alleys of Monrovia during the battles (for different reasons) and he got caught one day by the rebel leader, Prince Johnson who handcuffed him to a Liberian civilian and had a news photographer take a photo while he (Johnson) gunned down the Liberian man after hanging a Red Cross emblem around his neck. The point Johnson was trying to make was that he did not welcome outside interference in his revolution even if they happened to be aid workers. The man he killed was not an aid worker (it was actually his own driver) but the world didn't know or care, all they saw was a black African wearing the Red Cross emblem laying in a pool of blood handcuffed to a white man. Jacques was then released by Johnson and he made his way back to the Embassy on foot through war-torn Monrovia and was evacuated on a US Marine helicopter with me on August 5th, 1990. That picture of him handcuffed to the dead Liberian with Prince Johnson standing over them with a smoking AK-47 rifle was in the International Herald Tribune when I stepped off the plane in Amsterdam.The Bergman book sent echoes of unsavory images like this one streaming through my mind like a parade of the damned from Hades, triggering a revulsion that I initially interpreted as a desire to erase that period from my memory entirely. But even if you have not personally experienced such events, you will find the stories contained within these pages compelling and riviting.
WHEN THE STARS FALL TO EARTH
BY REBECCA TINSLEY: Author, Journalist and Human Rights Activist www.RebeccaTinsley.com/
NOTE: All profits from the sale of this book are used to help survivors of genocide in Rwanda and Northern Uganda rebuild their lives.
When the Stars Fall to Earth follows five young Darfuri refugees as they run from their villages to escape certain death from the Sudanese militia. Author and former BBC journalist Rebecca Tinsley takes readers on a roller coaster ride of gut-wrenching atrocities and uplifting victories, leaving everyone with a story of hope and promise for Africa’s future.
Zara, barefoot and numb with terror, crouches in a dry riverbed, having just escaped the annihilation of her village. A rocky outcrop towers overhead, providing her shelter from the men determined to exterminate her people. As a helicopter gunship hovers above, she spies her pink flip-flops on the open ground nearby. Staring at her sandals, she recalls the calm, steady voice of her grandfather—the village Sheikh who lies dead among the rubble that moments earlier was her home. She hears his calming voice reassuring her, telling her to use her intelligence and education to survive. I’m going to survive this, she tells herself. Darting out of the shelter, she grabs the shoes and resumes her flight toward an unknown destiny.
Ahmed sits in a stifling interrogation room, trying to forget the heat and pain of the bullet lodged in his hip. A natural athlete who’s as quick footed as Zara is intelligent, he organized the refugee camp soccer teams that provided a much-needed distraction for the dispirited young people. Maybe this wound of mine will stop me playing professional soccer, but I can live with that if it means getting out of here, he thinks. He recalls life back in his now-destroyed village, how the cool dawn air felt as he emerged from his hut for a morning run. With the first few steps he would hit his stride, leaving the village behind like a streak of lightning. He remembers how the cares and woes that plagued the entire village would lift from his shoulders with every step, his body, mind and eyes running forward into the future, into hope.
Hawa proudly embraced the customary traditions of a woman’s role in her Darfuri village. Now, disgraced and discarded, she searches for the will to live. She finds it with help from Mary, a Christian nurse; Ahmed, the eternal optimist and organizer; and even in a backhanded way from Rashid, who was once her betrothed. The physical pain returns when she pulls herself upright, but Hawa feels strangely triumphant. I survived. I made it, and I’m here and I survived. They’re not going to destroy me that easily. She goes far beyond finding her own will to live, taking on a leadership role, helping others learn and develop new ways of thinking and living.
Rebecca Tinsley guides readers through the politics of violence and genocide, the pain and terror of the African "Wild West," displaying hope that burns brightly like a beacon in the night, driving young Darfuris to fight for their country, fight for their freedom, fight for their lives.
