Jean-Marc Behar is the founder of Hemispherica Vigilance Group LLC, a strategic consulting firm dedicated to strengthening security and intelligence capacities across the Caribbean and the Americas. Bearing a wealth of experience in international law enforcement, Behar’s area of expertise focuses on trafficking issues and illegal trade within Latin America and the Caribbean. For four decades, he has worked exclusively in public service in professions that help others.
Inspiration From His Family
Behar draws inspiration from his family history. His mother shared with him stories of how she and her family survived during the German occupation of France during World War II and how she lost her father in a raid. Meanwhile, Behar’s own father and family had to hide from occupying forces to avoid deportation.
These stories of perseverance and survival had a profound effect on Behar when he was growing up and shaped his outlook on life.
His First Profession
Behar started his career journey in South Florida after he graduated from high school. He was an EMT for some time in Broward County and later moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked as a paramedic for the City of Cleveland’s Division of Emergency Medical Services for 11 years. In his last two years with C-EMS, Behar was the lead instructor at the Paramedic Institute, helping EMTs become paramedics.
Behar considered this to be a meaningful and rewarding profession, but the limited possibilities for advancement beyond supervisory roles led him to reevaluate his career path.
During his time as a paramedic, Behar designed a medical device to address problems he encountered on the job, but the idea was taken from him. That experience was a hard lesson to learn, and he now holds a patent for a cervical immobilization device used to prevent patients from moving while transporting them.
“My biggest thing is, don’t sweat the small details; things will always work out. It’s the best advice that I can give anybody,” Behar says.
A Second Career in Law Enforcement
When considering a career change, Behar opted to pursue a position as a federal agent rather than a local police officer. He’d always had an interest in law enforcement, so he returned to school while also working.
Behar became a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 1992. After the tragic loss of four agents at the Waco standoff with the Branch Davidians, the ATF established an in-house tactical medicine program. Due to his paramedic background and experience, he was selected to join a team tasked with developing the new initiative. The result was the ATF Operation Medical Support Program.
After 25 years in the bureau, Behar served as a police adviser for the U.S. Department of Justice and worked for four years on human resource reform in Mali, Africa. When he returned to the U.S., he decided to create his own consulting firm.
Reflecting on his past in law enforcement, Behar demurs, “Obviously, I don’t talk much about the successes I’ve had in the past because they had to do with taking down criminal networks.”
For his achievements, Behar has been honored as a Marquis Who’s Who Top Professional. He was previously included in Marquis Who’s Who for his expertise in international law enforcement.
