Meet The Only Guy Who Likes To Guard Shaquille O'neal

LOS ANGELES - His mission: protect Shaquille O'Neal from the forces of evil, not to mention the occasional obnoxious drunk.

He is Shaq's bodyguard, which begs an interesting question - just how does one guard a body that stands more than seven feet tall and weighs 320 pounds?

It is a job Jerome Crawford takes very seriously. He may not have Whitney Houston for a client, but he does watch over one of the most visible and wealthy sports and entertainment figures in the country. People have a variety of reasons for wanting to get close to O'Neal. Not all may have the best of intentions.

"When you become as big as Shaquille is, you become a target," Crawford said. "People have different motives, different agendas.

"It's cheaper to have me around than to have someone antagonize him into one of those silly fistfights that could cost him $3 million down the road. I safeguard him from that."

Crawford said he calls upon his 12 years of experience as a cop on the streets of Newark, N.J., his client's birthplace, to detect the bad apples and act accordingly.

Sometimes, a menacing glare is enough (and Crawford has a look that suggests he could laser-burn a hole into your forehead if he really put his mind to it). Sometimes it takes a little more. A muscular man who stands slightly more than six feet tall, Crawford is equipped for whatever it takes.

"Periodically, you have to take action," he said. "The degree of the action varies."

Crawford said he has taken an extended leave from his post in the Newark Police Department, where he was a detective in vice, narcotics and robbery before becoming a sergeant four years ago. He can be out on unpaid leave for up to two years, and he said that clock began ticking this month.

Asked if or when he plans to return to police work, Crawford said: "I'll be with (O'Neal) as long as he needs me." Asked how his paychecks in the private sector compare with those he brought home as a public servant, he would say only: "Shaquille takes good care of me."

Crawford, who requested that his photograph not be used here so as not to draw attention to his identity, has become a bona-fide member of the Lakers' traveling party. He accompanies them on every bus ride, to every practice and shootaround, and sits directly behind their bench during games.

An intrusion? He hopes not. Crawford said O'Neal has instructed him to help out his teammates should they require his services. And Crawford's unassuming manner makes him hard to dislike.

"So far, it's been great," he said. "I like most of the guys here, and they seem to like me. I just want to be part of the family. I don't want to be in anyone's way."

Crawford didn't stumble into this job by scanning the classifieds. He was recommended by Michael Parris, O'Neal's uncle and personal assistant. Before O'Neal entered the NBA, Parris and Crawford handled security for a group of professional boxers that included Ray Mercer. When O'Neal decided he needed a, um, personal security consultant, Parris knew just the man.

"He's my best friend, he's competent, and he's qualified," he said of Crawford.

What's Shaq like to work for? Crawford has no complaints. A husband and father of four, Crawford spends several months a year away from his New Jersey home. "But Shaquille makes sure I always get to see my kids whenever I need to," he said.

"The best thing about our relationship is that he listens to me. I can make a suggestion based on my experience. We have that rapport. He pays me, but he listens to me. That's very important. If he were the kind of guy who would ignore my suggestions, we would have problems."

As with most jobs, there are invariably times when it seems as if his duties may seem a bit mundane. But Crawford is motivated by one basic fear:

"Lettin' something happen to my big fella," he said. "That's what keeps me on my toes."