Truth and Consequences
Carrying a firearm comes with awesome responsibility. Know the possible consequences.
Start from Reality
In my personal security awareness training, I like to start very early on with a version of this slide: What is your Reality? The answer to this question, and many others, begins to form an understanding of Self-Awareness for the participants, and this is a pre-requisite to effective Situational Awareness.
I don’t always know Why, but I usually know Where
It seems impossible to make it through a day without hearing of a killing, kidnapping, or violent assault of someone, somewhere, for some reason. Numerous books, papers, and articles can speak to the psychological reasons for human malevolence.
In my life’s work, Personal Security, I have learned that the Why is not as clear to me as the Where.
If the problem will be resolved in Seconds, don’t choose a solution that is Minutes away.
In 32 years of local law enforcement, FBI, and private security, I have learned many things about keeping people safe from violence. In that time, technology has changed exponentially and it would be foolish to not embrace some of the technological improvements available to us for our important work. However, technology rarely helps in the exact moment of violence. No App can instantly remove the violent individual standing in your space.
Transitioning From the Public Sector to the Private Sector
Having made the move from the FBI to the private sector, I am very grateful to have two or three conversations a week with individuals contemplating the same change. Many are leaving law enforcement or the military due to retirement or frustration. The conversations take on a very similar theme and I wanted to provide the main points I have learned in the last eight years.
Who Will Fight For Them?
I have spent the last 30 years protecting citizens of the United States. I am a former FBI Special Agent who has trained hundreds of agents and officers in Active Shooter. I am intimately familiar with the tactical differences and protocols between an Active Shooter situation and a Hostage/Barricade situation. This article is not about that.
Much More Than Names on a Sign
I frequently pass Mark Coates' memorial sign on my way to and from the Savannah Airport. Each time I pass it, I touch my heart and say a small prayer for Mark's family. My daughter saw me do it the other day and asked me "why" and I explained the events surrounding Mark's death and how it seriously shaped me as a young Deputy Sheriff in South Carolina. I explained the critical role of law enforcement in our free society and the concept of The Thin Blue Line.
What Are We Doing?
Here we are again: Active Shooter in Annapolis, MD, five of our fellow citizens are dead and the shooter is in custody. Police responded in 60 seconds and fortunately went right to the gunman – we are thankful for these brave officers. Even as police response times to these events improve, the unshakeable reality of Active Shooter incidents in America remains - people in the environment have to take action and survive until the police arrive.