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Written For and
Distributed by
Public Agency Training Council.
Once Upon a
Time in America:
Picture
yourself attending a lecture in an auditorium of a local
College, where you are taking classes to complete your master’s
degree. You are an off duty police officer seated in the
audience listening to a presentation on community policing by a
highly esteemed professor, when suddenly a heavily armed man
dressed in black bursts through the door of the auditorium and
opens fire with a Remington model 870 12 gauge shotgun.
The auditorium
transforms from the picture of decorum to bloody chaos
immediately due to this ultimate act of terrorism. The killing
is not for a country, it is not for a cause, it is not for
Allah, nor even on behalf of a domestic radical group. The
killing is for one thing and one thing only, “achieving a top
score.”
You are already
on the move, before the killer has fired his first shot. The
shooter is oblivious to your presence, because he has an entire
auditorium full of victims that he has turned into a swirling
twirling mass of confusion and he is experiencing tunnel vision.
He is in the midst of his twisted ecstasy.
You are on the
move, being careful to stay beyond his peripheral vision and you
have thankfully chosen to be defiant. Your college has declared
its campus a gun free zone and has made the carrying of a
firearm to your class an act, which could lead to your expulsion
even though you are a full time police officer. You have chosen
to follow your department’s policy and disregard the college’s
mandate.
You move
quickly to a position of advantage and take careful aim with
your off-duty Glock. You have been trained in “Responding to an
Active Shooter.” You have prepared by training with your off
duty weapon. You do not identify yourself. You do not ask him to
drop the gun. You take careful aim and fire once. Your bullet
enters the suspect’s left ear, expands and severs the brain
stem, lodging against the skull on the opposite side of the
entrance wound. The killer crumples instantly lifeless before he
hits the floor.
There are
casualties, but because you know how to save lives as well as
end them, you immediately apply pressure to the wounds of the
injured and direct aid calmly to your location with your cell
phone. No one dies except the shooter, who has now, thanks to
you, discovered whether or not there is a hell for people who
shoot kill innocents. He has had his question answered. The
answer is yes. He has also learned there are no virgins for the
murderers of innocents, no exercise hour, no television, no
conjugal visits, no cafeteria and no parole.
Obstacles
There are some
truths to the fictional account you have just read. Police
Officers are more prepared than ever to respond to the ever
growing phenomenon of the Active Shooter. Training is available
and is being attended by officers all over the country.
Legislators have made it easier than ever for highly trained
officers, who are on duty and off duty as well as retired to
carry concealed weapons and possibly be in a position to do
something in the event of an active shooter.
Colleges, which
have become targets, have mandated with their own rules and
regulations the disarming of those, who could and would protect
them if this death and destruction were visited upon them. Some
colleges all over the nation have their police and security
patrolling
“unarmed.”
The college administrations write rules and regulations that if
followed to the letter would disarm police officers attending
classes at their facility.
Trainers are
experiencing cases where college police attempt to attend active
shooter classes and SWAT classes, but are blocked by deans who
over-see college police and security. The college administrators
feel that these classes will create an overbearing and heavy
handed police force on campus. They do this in the wake of the
deaths on campuses at Blacksburg, DeKalb and even the University
of Montreal in Canada.
Mental health
professionals are routinely failing to properly diagnose the
degree of danger in many persons who are mentally ill. Many
officers have stories of subjects they put mental holds on who
were immediately released by mental health professionals and
shortly thereafter went out and killed. The irony is in many of
these cases, after the killing, when the subject is about to be
tried for their crimes, the same mental health professionals,
now enlightened, will diagnose the same subject as too mentally
ill to stand trial.
In spite of
these obstacles law enforcement continues to prepare for the
active shooter. Agencies are now aware that they do not have to
wait until the crying and the dying starts to intervene
effectively in these cases of the active shooter. Rolling out
the yellow crime scene tape is not the only option for law
enforcement.
Five Phases of
the Active Shooter
A simple view
of the active shooter was developed and is being trained by Lt.
Dan Marcou retired from the La Crosse, Wisconsin Police
Department. He developed the program while working for the La
Crosse Police Department and was able to apply the philosophy
with real world success. One of the successes earned Officer Bob
Michalski and Lt. Marcou the Associate of SWAT Personnel
Officers of the Year in 2004 for their response to an active
shooter, who was killing innocents with an Uzi in a hotel in Oak
Creek Wisconsin.
In the
discussion of the active shooter “he” will be utilized because
generally these are males, but the killing of innocents is not a
male-only club any more. The five phases of the active shooter
are:
The Fantasy
Stage
During the
fantasy stage the shooter pictures himself doing the shooting.
He fantasizes about the headlines he will receive. The shooter
might draw pictures of the event and make web site postings. He
has been known to write stories about the shootings and turn
them into schools for a grade. Often he predicts, promises and
warns people about the impending event. If law enforcement is
notified in advance and takes actions there is a strong
possibility tragedy will be averted with
zero casualties.
Planning Stage
In this stage
the subject is deciding on the who, what, when, where and how of
his joyful killing spree. He most often will put his plans down
in writing. He will decide the time and location of the event
and what weapons they will need to carry out the carnage. He
will design his response to inflict as much death and suffering
as possible. He may prepare a shopping list of items needed to
carry out the plan.
The shooter
will determine how to travel to the location and how to conceal
his weapons. He will decide on whether to commit the crime
alone, or to confide in and utilize an accomplice. The internet
affords the opportunity for dangerously unstable persons to
communicate.
If a police
officer is notified by a family member, friend, teacher, school
liaison or anyone else who discovers the plans, then the officer
will have an opportunity to intervene before the event - with
once again
zero casualties.
Preparation
Stage
During this
stage the suspect will buy, beg, borrow and steal items that he
needs for the event. He might buy guns and ammo. He might
purchase materials for explosives, which when observed
separately look innocuous, but when combined is deadly. He often
steals what he cannot buy, often stealing from family members.
He will
assemble his improvised explosive devices and train with his
weapons. He may detonate some explosives to insure that they
will work.
The active
shooter will visit the sites he will attack and do drawings and
schematics of the areas. He will conduct reconnaissance as if
his is preparing for a military operation.
The potential
shooter might be arrested by police after they receive a call
from a friend, family member, or suspicious citizen. The
potential shooter might be apprehended by an alert officer,
after a traffic stop or during an in-progress theft or burglary.
If done with caution and alertness the suspect can be taken into
custody with
zero casualties.
Approach Stage
The closer to
the event, the more dangerous it will be, when officers take
action. When the subject is approaching the target he will be
very dangerous, because he has his eyes on the prize. He has
made his plans, armed himself and he has made his decision to
kill. He may be walking, riding, or driving to the target
carrying his implements of death.
Officers might
be prompted to contact the subject because of the sheer
alertness of an officer or as a result of a traffic stop by an
officer practicing interdiction. A citizen might make a call of
a suspicious person.
The officer or
officers making contact, during the approach stage are in
danger, but as long as the officer(s) keep an open mind on every
stop they can be kept safe by their superior tactics, skills,
and will to survive. There is a fine line between an officer
having his/her name etched into an award or his/her name etched
into a wall. This contact, handled in a tactically sound manner
can save many lives, prevent carnage, and end with
zero casualties.
Implementation
Stage
When the active
shooter opens fire immediate action needs to be taken. The
ingredient that ties all of these incidents together is the
active shooter will continue to shoot until he run out of
victims or ammunition, or his is stopped by his own hand or an
effective and efficient act of courage.
The quicker the
actions of an honorable gunfighter in the guise of an on-duty
officer, off-duty officer, armed retired officer, or armed
security guard the fewer funerals there will be. People ask,
“How many gunfighters should you have before you advance?” The
answer to this question could be answered by potential victims
who are about to succumb to the mad man’s desire to achieve “Top
score.” The potential victims would say, “six is better than
five, five is better than four, four is better than three, three
is better than two, two is better than one and one honorable
gunfighter is better than none.”
There is an old
cavalry adage that goes, “when the battle begins and you do not
know what to do, Ride to the sound of the guns.”
Police officers
have the following advantage:
-
They are highly trained, honorable gun fighters.
-
The active shooter will be focused on his dastardly
deed.
-
The active shooter will be creating a scene that will be
loud and chaotic -- the perfect diversion.
-
The initial responder(s) can use the chaos to identify
the location of the shooter.
-
The initial responder(s) can use the chaos to move
quietly to a position of advantage.
-
Terrified victims will be able to direct officers to the
location of the shooter.
-
If the shooter is located in the act of shooting,
officers do not have to verbalize they can take the shot and
make the shot.
-
If the shooter is contained by the actions of the
officers in a non-violent pose, officers may initiate a
classic SWAT response.
On Duty Tactics
Officers
responding to a call of an active shooter must realize they have
been thrust into a position that calls for decisive action and
what they decide to do can save lives and minimize casualties.
Training can
help prepare the first responding officers for the moment they
arrive at the scene of such an incident. This is a dire
situation and that may result in casualties. A key decision has
to be made instantaneously on whether to contain and await other
units or move to contact, because defenseless citizens that
officers are sworn to protect are dying with each shot.
When the first
responding officers arrive they should remember to use long guns
for long halls. Officers should choose to put superior fire
power into their hands. Breathe and try to control the heart
rate on the approach as you use your radio on the move,
directing additional units en route and notifying others of the
actions that are being taken.
Do not throw
lives away, breathe, think, advance, using the chaos as a
diversion. Officers may have to pass wounded, conduct quick
interviews on the move and encourage direct fleeing individuals
to continue their flight, while advancing on the shooter.
Gather as much
information as possible and then attempt to move to a position
of advantage that affords a field of vision, clear shot and
cover if at all possible. Attempt to do this without alerting
the suspect.
Quickly assess
the actions of the suspect and if he is in the act of shooting,
and endangering innocents of death and or great bodily harm,
need not advise warn or request. Take and make the shot. The
officer should then break up his/her tunnel vision and look for
additional shooters. The officer should communicate his/her
location and actions and reload in the lull. This should be
done while covering the downed suspect. Secure the suspect and
assess his condition.
Off Duty
Tactics
As you read
this you either carry off duty or you do not. If you carry off
duty ask yourself these questions:
-
Do I carry a weapon and holster I have trained with?
-
Do I have a way to identify myself as a police officer?
-
Do I have a way to secure a suspect I have arrested off
duty?
-
Do I have a way to communicate off duty?
-
Do I have reload capability?
-
Have I participated in hands on “Active Shooter
Response” training?
-
Have I read and digested my agency’s off duty policy and
deadly force policy?
If you answered
no to any of these questions you need to take some kind of
action to answer yes.
If you do not
carry off-duty, take the time to ask the following:
-
Should I carry off duty in a post 9-11, post Columbine
world?
-
If someone was shooting in my child’s school would I
take action armed or not?
-
Do I possess empty hand deadly force options for the
worst case scenario?
-
If I were about to be shot by an active shooter, would I
refuse to go quietly into the night?
The Law
Due to changes
in the federal law it is much easier for officers to carry
concealed weapons off duty. Retired officers can also carry off
duty, when they have received proper training and carry
identification with departmental authorization. Officers should
check their local policies and procedures, before arming
themselves. Many agencies do not allow officers, who are retired
to carry concealed weapons out of concerns for liability.
Administrators should ask themselves if this is prudent in
today’s world.
Conclusion
Clearly this
nation has not seen the last mindless homicidal act. It is a
very real possibility that any police officer, on duty or off,
regardless of their department size, rank, shift, or assignment
might be faced with a suspect laying down a withering fire at
innocent men women and children. These heartless killers might
be a threat to you, your family, or the people you are sworn to
protect.
The location of
your date with destiny might be a mall, a church, a court room,
a school, a hotel, or even a police station.
Prepare! |
July 2008
