“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”
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SAS Operator saving lives in Kenya..
Over the years the Heraclitus of Ephesus quote has driven home on more than one occasion. I remember once a Deputy yelling for help on the radio as he was pinned down by fire. Due to a lack of or poor training, he ended up shooting his own car with his newly issued patrol rifle (what if that car was a kid during an active shooter event). As I rounded the corner, I observed approximately 15-20 officers and deputies walking down the street. I asked them where he (the pinned down Deputy was) and they said somewhere down there and pointed. Holy shit!!! I ended up running a quarter mile and tactically breaking corner scanning for the threat. Another deputy on the other side of the house placed two solid rounds next to the suspects head into the door jamb (too bad his aim was off slightly) and the bad guy, said ”NOPE!! don’t want none of that shit” and gave up. My point is, what the hell! We all took an oath. But I also believe that confidence in one’s abilities (Mentally, Physically, Technically, and Tactically) is relevant to training, especially when it comes to active threats, which ultimately results in one’s ability to engage or/not to engage in an active threat. I also believe that Heraclitus’ 2000+ year old quote rings just as loud today as it did then.
The above picture is of the British SAS operator in Kenya who bit off a piece meat and applied simple single person tactics and fundamental weapons skills. These skills and tactics are simple to learn and easy to maintain, but must be trained and practiced. He trained in them and understood that bad people walk the earth and because of his chosen profession that one day he may be called to kill the wolf. And he did efficiently with great attention to detail and professionalism. That wasn’t his whole job in life, but he understood that if the time came, he had better be on his game.
No Words to say….
The above picture is of Scot Peterson who should have done in Florida what the SAS operator did in Kenya. If he would of efficiently and aggressively closed with and pressed the fight with the shooter and stabilized the crisis scene this would have allowed other responders to go into medical mode and save additional lives. Even if he didn’t know what he didn’t know, he took and oath to protect those kids, he could have gotten lucky he should have pressed that fight.
My question from the beginning, has been, was he trained in Single Officer response to an active threat? And if so, how often and when was the last time? What was his weapons manipulation abilities and marksmanship skill level? Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to defend him he should have moved toward the sound of gunfire. But I also believe training and accountability is paramount as well. And as a trainer I see a lack of it throughout the country especially in single officer response.
Single Officer/Person response done correctly will save lives and end a threat(s), there is no question. Just ask the SAS dude that the keyboard warriors picked apart and talked shit about his equipment. It just goes to show you that a TRAINED dude/chick with reliable gear no matter the brand or date, with the right mindset and who is in sync with their physical abilities and applies fundamental marksmanship skills and solid tactics can stop multiple threats as well as stabilize and evac innocents.
Training allows responders to be confident in their abilities, technically, and tactically will allow them to focus on the task at hand and solve problems. Taking for granted that you have also trained yourself mentally and physically for the task at hand.
This incident should have been a confidence builder for any School Resource Office (SRO). Single officer tactics and training are lacking in law enforcement. If you’re not training for that type of incident you ARE WRONG. This may mean doing some research on a competent instructor and paying a few bucks out of your own pocket for training and having the discipline to hone your own individual physical and technical skills. Keeping yourself in shape mentally and physically will allow you to move through a critical environment more efficiently. Dry firing and going to the range to practice your firearms skills is your responsibility as a professional.
IF YOU ARE LEADERSHIP/ADMIN in your department and are not supplying and mandating this training, then YOU ARE WRONG, and it is criminal in nature. If ADMINs are not mandating that their SROs are fully trained as well as continually trained in their combative gun fighting skills and single officer active shooter response tactics up to and including scene stabilization, communication, and linkup not to mention advanced trauma care for mass casualty and self-aid, YOU ARE WRONG!! If you are using SRO positions as retirement gigs and not vetting your SROs for this responsibly of keeping our kids, our future safe, YOU ARE WRONG!! If you are not supplying your SROs and Patrol Officers with extra trauma kits to bring on site, YOU ARE WRONG!!! If someone doesn’t bring it, it’s not going to get there and people die, KIDS DIE.
Firearms training, NOT qualification, should be mandatory multiple times a year up to and including target discrimination and surgical shooting skills. Scenario-based force on force/inoculation training with SIMS should come next in order to validate weapons and tactic skills under stress. This should be scheduled training that is documented and maintained.
Are you just checking boxes or are you ready for when the wolf comes? Will your SROs be ready? Leadership/Admin are you training your officers/Deputies to EFFICIENTLY respond and ACCURATELY ENGAGE active threats? If not you are WRONG.