ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

September 28, 2009

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE(WPV) – WHAT TO DO?

A couple posts back I promised to talk about what to do if ever you are caught in a volatile workplace scenario where it is apparent either a patient, resident, client, or co-worker is about to perpetrate some serious hurt on you or another worker.

First of all, there are basically four types of WPV:

1) Violence at the hands of patients/clients.

2) Violence Associated with robbery and other crimes.

3) Domestic Violence that spills over into the workplace.

4) Violence among co-workers and managers.

In any of these cases, when you feel there is a threat of violence – and here I am mostly talking Domestic Violence Spillover; Violence at the hands of clients and Violence among workers – do your best to report your feelings and observations to superiors at the site. My research shows that over 85% of WPV could have been prevented if reported. Of course, often events and observations go unreported because the workplace has either a poor reputation for investigating complaints fairly (and for keeping whistle-blowers anonymous), or no capability.

COUNTER-WPV STRATEGIES

There are 4 stages of WPV, each ascending stage more dangerous than the preceding stage. WPV ranges from shouting obscenities to mass murder. Therefore, when I allude to Counter WPV Strategies, I am referring to strategies against Stage 4 Type WPV (Simple Assault; Aggravated Assault; Sexual Assault; Rape; Active Shooter in the Workplace; etc.).

v TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. You wouldn’t ignore a Smoke Detector or a Fire Alarm, would you? When you get that feeling that something is wrong, there is.

v HAVE A WPV PLAN. If you are lucky, you have a forward-thinking employer, who not only has a (Natural) Disaster Plan, a Fire-Escape Plan, but has a plan for Violence in the WP, too, including:

Ø A WPV Chain Of Command.

Ø An Assigned Laison with police.

Ø All employees must know how and when to contact Security and/or the Pre-Assigned Chain Of Command in an emergency.

Ø A Communication System to alert workers.

Ø A Lockdown and/or Evacuation Plan.

· HAVE YOUR OWN WPV PLAN. Seriously, with violence in the WP growing at exponential rates, you should have a Personal Safety Strategy, including, but not limited to answers to the following crucial questions:

Ø What can I use as an improvised weapon to protect me at my job site?

Ø Do I know where the alarms are? Do I know the Chain of Command and how to contact Security?

Ø What items at my site could a perpetrator use as a weapon against me?

Ø Is my work site (desk, etc.) situated so that I can escape, or am I trapped here?

O CONTROL YOUR SPACE. Use your environment to control your space. Prevent the Bad Guy from entering your PSZ (Personal safety Zone).  Use barricades, such as desks, chairs, AV equipment, waste cans, et al, to gain distance from the perpetrator, or to throw at him to delay his or her approach.

v STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. If possible, call on others whom you trust to gather with you against the perpetrator.

AND, IF YOU ARE THINKING, WELL, GOSH, THESE SUGGESTIONS ARE COMMON SENSE. EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS, JUST ALLOW ME TO SAY THAT, IN A CRISIS THE RAREST COMMODITY IS COMMON SENSE! IT IS BEST TO THINK AHEAD. ALWAYS!

STAY SAFE.

HAMMER

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

September 25, 2009

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE: SO, WHAT DO YOU DO?

The question my last post left you with was: “So, despite your efforts to prevent being victimized, your co-worker or client is striding toward you, his face contorted in rage, his fists clenched, and he is about to invade your Personal Safety Zone (PSZ). What do you do?

At the risk of oversimplifying the situation, there are a few things I would do as quickly as possible. And, if I may add, I would do them decisively and, importantly without hesitation caused by thoughts and/or concerns regarding my company’s Zero Tolerance of Violence Protocol.

See, the thing is, the key difference between you and the person about to main or kill you (and I am still thinking of Ms. Lee, the Yale graduate student who was choked and beaten to death and stuffed inside a wall on her wedding day) is intent. The perpetrator’s sole thought and focus is on you. You are the target and nothing else on Earth exists. If your mind and focus shifts to anything but your attacker – even for a millisecond – you are toast.

Anywho, there are a few things I would do and do quickly:

v STUN THE HYPER-FOCUSED IDIOT. A great tactic is to take the attacker’s strengths and mindset and turn them against him/her. We know he is focused only on you, so break his focus. Think of it as Changing His/Her Channels. Any move that changes his focus from Channel 6, which he wants to be on, to another channel will slow him down, fragment his strategy, and split the crucial connection between his/her mind and body.

Ø Scream or Yell “Stop!” Sounds stupid, but this will work. It will only work one time, but it will startle him, maybe give you time to escape.

Ø Physically Distract Him/Her. This, too, will work. Has worked for me on several occasions. Throw an object toward him, toward his face – something like a hat, a pen, something.

Ø Verbally Distract Him or Her. “Holy crap, Andy, what the hell is that on your shirt?” said while backing up and pointing at his chest. Once again, it has the effect of changing his or her channel.

v CONTROL YOUR SPACE. Without crossing your feet (and tripping) J-Step or move diagonally or laterally away, denying the subject the ability to invade your safety zone. Let him know what you want him to do. Say something, and when you say it, mean business. “Stay Back!” The longer you can delay the attack the better your chances for survival.

v USE BARRICADES IN THE ENVIRONMENT. Hopefully, your mind will have the ability to think clearly. There should be furniture in your environment that you can use to separate you from the attacker. Increase your distance from the perpetrator. Maybe throw a chair or something else at his feet. Always keep moving.

v BREATHE DON’T FREEZE. We all need oxygenated blood flowing freely so our brains can analyze, evaluate. And formulate a survival strategy. Always breathe consciously to kick you into gear.

v USE THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE AND DEFEND YOURSELF. I have discussed surprise strategies in so many past posts that I don’t think I will go into them here and now. Not only that, Tactics of Surprise cannot be taught in a blog. They must come from you depending on what you perceive the attacker least expects.

v EXECUTE THE PLAN YOU HAD DEVELOPED. The reason I say I know what I would do in this or that case is I know I would always have a Plan A and even a Plan B (failure plan)  in mind before any attack began, especially if I found myself in a situation where I felt an attack was a possibility.

Stay Safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

September 23, 2009

MANAGING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

My last post – let’s face it – was basically me venting after the senseless murder of a Yale graduate student – a woman – in the supposedly high security lab environment of that esteemed university. The police have dubbed the murder as workplace violence, and, although I don’t completely agree, I posted a monograph on Woman and Workplace Violence (WPV). As I promised at the end of that post, let’s talk a bit about how to effectively deal – on a personal level – with people and events that seem to be cascading toward all –out violence on the job site.

FACTORS THAT PLACE WORKERS AT RISK FOR WPV.

v Contact with the public.

v Responsibilities include the exchange of money.

v The delivery of passengers, goods and/or service.

v Working alone or in small numbers.

v Working with volatile, unstable person(s), et al.

v Working late at night or in the early morning hours.

v Working in a high crime area.

v Guarding valuable properties, including drugs, etc.

v Delivery of home care services.

As you may have noticed, only two of those factors existed relative to the murder of Ms. Lee. She was working alone and she was working in the same location as what turned out to be a volatile, unstable person.

RECOGNIZING THOSE RED, RED FLAGS.

If at all possible, of course, work in the company of people whom you trust. More likely than not, if Ms. Lee had, the angry, emotionally disturbed and volatile person would have stewed in his own rage for a while and gone on his way, leaving Ms. Lee unharmed.

However, if you read my last post (Lust Or WPV?), you might be aware that homicide is the number one cause of death for women (in the workplace). You would also know that incidents of stalking, rape, sexual assault, and other types of violence are visited on women in alarmingly increasing numbers.

My point: Even if she would have gone to the Yale lab with one or two friends, the perpetrator likely would have attempted to stalk, trap and attack Ms. Lee when she was alone and vulnerable.

What then are some of the Red Flags, or Signatures of Danger, you can use to help you profile someone you want to either stay clear of, or, more likely, prepare a self defense plan against?

v A history of violence, stalking, etc. (The Perp in this case had this history).

v He/She has stalked or harassed another worker in the past.

v Some or Many of your co-workers communicate that they also feel uncomfortable around this person.

v The worker is almost always rigid, inflexible, intransigent in how he/she handles work and social-related issues.

v Displays signs of chronic sadness, hopelessness, depression.

v The worker often states his or her hopelessness.

v The worker identifies with past perpetrators of spectacular WPV.

v A Fascination with guns and other weapons.

v Reacts poorly to criticism.

v Projects blame onto others.

v Sees himself as being on a One-Man Crusade.

Ok, so you recognize several of these factors, plus, importantly, you and others feel terribly uncomfortable around the worker, plus, and now I refer to the Yale Incident, he strides toward you, his face contorted in rage, his fists clenched, and he is about to invade your PSZ (Personal Safety Zone).

What do you do?

Stay Tuned For the Next Post. Until Then, Stay Safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

September 22, 2009

LUST OR WORKPLACE VIOLENCE? PART I.

Been away again. Training and a nice vacation. As pleasurable as was my vacation, I sit here roiled to the max. While I was gone a sweet, loving and beautiful young Yale grad student was strangled to death inside a supposedly well-secured building (lab) by a lab technician employed by the highly-reputed university.

Lest I forget, there were several abductions/murders of children in the three weeks I was gone. I will address child safety strategies in future posts (as I have numerous times in the past), but I feel I need to run on a bit about the murder of Ms. Lee at Yale.

The authorities suggest that the death was entirely the result of Workplace Violence, is an isolated event, and there is no evidence that Lee’s murder had anything to do with lust, stalking, unrequited love, etc. My opinion differs with the authorities, but I will withhold expounding on this further until more facts are known.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND WOMEN

Fact is, Lee was a young woman, one day removed from her wedding date, and she was alone in what I’m sure she thought was a safe environment. However, if you understand the dynamics underpinning WPV (Workplace Violence), you know that no one – especially a woman – is (totally) safe when they are in an isolated environment with a worker who matches the Profile of a WPV Perpetrator as the alleged killer did.

Here are some cogent facts about WPV, Women and the Profile of a WPV Perpetrator:

v Homicide is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace.

v In 1990 to 1992 there were over 13,000 victims of rape in our workplaces. Sounds like a lot of sexual violence in the WP, but the figure becomes even more alarming when you consider that well over 56% of WPV goes unreported!

v Between 1990 and 1999, over 1.7 million workers were victims of crimes of violence, and, I repeat, well over 56% of WPV goes unreported!

v Each year workers report over two million assaults @ year!

v 51,000 rapes and/or sexual assaults are reported @year.

v And over 10,000 are murdered! Homicide is easily the predominant cause of death in the workplace.

v One of the factors in Why Workers Become Victims (my research) reveals that a predominant reason behind becoming a victim is a

Failure to Recognize Danger Signs, and/or a lack of understanding of what to do if and when one does (recognize the signs).

CHARACTERISTICS OF WPV PERPETRATORS

v Perp has a history of violence, stalking, harassment (the alleged killer had many issues involving all three).

v Personal characteristics and psychological patterns of rigidity, inflexibility, sadness, chronic anger, depression. (Alleged killer possessed, I submit, almost all of these characteristics as suggested by the belief that he went ballistic because he perceived that Ms. Lee was mistreating her lab mice. Yeah, that’s normal).

v Identification with other/former perpetrators of WPV.

v Perpetrator sees self as a Crusader For Justice! Once again, the alleged killer iced Ms. Lee because he perceived she was doing wrong to the mice. Indeed, the killer saw himself as a Protector! Saw himself as fighting a one-man war against in justice!

v The Perpetrator is Hyper-Focused. Monitors the comings and goings, the behavior of others, though it is not his job. He maintains a dossier on co-workers and has stalked one or more co-workers in the past (the killer had a history of this, I believe).

v The Perpetrator has a Stalker’s Personality. He will never let go of a person or issue until workplace superiors absolutely force him or her to (Hyper-Focused).

v HYPER-CONTACT: Even when fired, the perpetrator will still not let go. He will spend more time contacting and focusing on that worksite than on obtaining employment.

Part II. Threat Managing Techniques in the Workplace.

Until Then, Stay Safe.

Hammer

THIS will work for teachers but will likely be even more effective for school resource officers and workplace security officers. The Five Step Hard Style is central to the impressive Verbal Judo subject-control curriculum and is ingeniously engineered to influence 99% of Difficult People to do what you want him or her to do in such a way and in such a manner that the disturbed Person/Student believes that it is his or her idea in the first place.

The Five Step is designed to generate voluntary compliance – as opposed to expecting compliance from workers, students and others based simply upon one’s position of authority. It is custom made to work positively against the negative center of a disruptive or difficult person/student.

THE FIVE STEP

STEP 1. ASK INSTEAD OF COMMAND. I believe it is axiomatic that difficult students/people are psychologically, physically, and philosophically incapable of doing what they are told to do. Period. End of equation. However, research shows that 96% of difficult people will do what they are asked the first time they are asked.  Think of how you feel and how you often react when you are told tersely to do something and do it now.

STEP 2. SET CONTEXT. EXPLAIN. Often, you and other authority figures probably don’t feel it necessary to explain to a (subordinate) subject why you are commanding him or her to do something. Think of this for a second. Why? Is the central question in a democracy, and democracy was won the hard way a couple centuries ago by Difficult People who refused to do what they were told. Studies and empirical evidence proves that when asked to do something, and when asking fails, explains why, Difficult People will voluntarily comply 97% of the time.

STEP 3. GIVE THE DIFFICULT PERSON OPTIONS. Every Difficult Person needs to perceive he or she has a say, one way or the other, in what happens to him/her. 98-99% of Difficult People will comply when asked to do something, when the reason for the “request” is explained, and, finally, when the authority figure (teacher, parent, security) allows the perception that he or she has a choice. I always try to say something like, “Sir, you have some good options here. You can (one or two good options), or you can continue to rant and rave and you will give us no choice but to restrain you and escort you to lock-up. Dude, think about it. Do you really need that kind of problems today? It’s up to you—“ In the end, it’s always up to the disruptive person, or, at leasxt that’s the perception I wish to generate.

STEP 4. CONFIRM. The objective of Step 4 is to confirm for the record that the person/student does not intend to comply. When you confirm for the record you are laying the foundation for any physical action you might be forced to use to attain control over the disruptive student/person.

“Jon, is there anything I can do or say to get you to go along with the program today? I sure hope so.”

You got to admit, the Confirmation Statement is both convincing and compelling. I have seen hardened gang- bangers drop their Tough Guy Act and actually comply, so stunned were they at an officer’s cool Confirmation.

But, in the case of the remaining 1%, there is always Step 5.

STEP 5. TAKE ACTION. One of the primary reason the 5-Step Hard Style works so well, if you ask me, is that each independent and linear step is increasingly mind-numbing to the Difficult Person. Why? Most disruptive people/students – when they are in the midst of perpetrating mischief and mayhem, never, or maybe rarely expect the authority figure (teacher or officer)to be reasonable, respectful and/or nice! And make no mistake about it, defusing a disruptive student is all about Being Nice!

But another reason the 5-Step works is the relentless truth that, at the end of the day, limits that have been set, options that have been given, and consequences that have been alluded to, must be enforced. So, after you ask the Confirmation Question and the doofus refuses to comply, you must take whatever action protocol or common sense calls for.

And, if you are cringing because you detest using force, or, more likely, are concerned that the school district or work place will question your use of force and/or why you felt compelled to use it, let me do my best to put those worries to rest. The Five Step will give any teacher or security officer the most crucial element of any legal defense or questioning regarding his or her use of force.

PRECLUSION. Which, simply put, means you can show, beyond a reasonable doubt, or at the very least, by a preponderance of the evidence that you did everything within your ability and power to preclude the use of force. You asked him/her nicely; you explained to the student why; you explained to the student what options he/she had (and the consequences for not choosing the compliant alternatives); and you confirmed nicely that he did not intend to comply.

Until Next Time, Stay Safe.

Hammer

COLORADO SERGEANT KILLED RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL.

Part II of my series on Stalking and Domestic Violence is due today.  Thought I might chat with you about some of the danger signs, but a story from one of my police sources takes precedence.

A total of 6 police officers were shot at, 3 hit, and one killed on July 27, 2009 responding to a Domestic Violence alert in Montrose, Colorado.

All I have on the story so far is while several of the officers were speaking with the alleged victim on her doorstep, her estranged husband, who allegedly had attacked her earlier that day, shot the officers from a hiding place in his garage, wounding 5 and killing one.

The husband was also killed in an exchange of fire with the officers.

As I noted in my last post, Domestic Violence, especially when connected to Stalking by a jilted intimate, is easily the most dangerous situation a police officer must respond to.

Please, if you have been involved in a relationship marked by manic and emotional ups and downs, especially if your intimate is trying to control and dominate you through threats and/or violence; or, if you are attempting to separate from such a lover and he/she insists on:

• Following you, or spying on you
• Making unsolicited phone calls.
• Standing outside your home, school, or workplace.
• Showing up at places you were, even though he or she had no business being there.
• Leaving unwanted items for you to find.
• Trying to communicate in other ways against your will.
• Leaving notes.
• Intervening on any relationship you try to establish.
• Sending you unsolicited letters or written correspondence.
• Vandalizing your property or destroyed something you love.
• Attempting to and/or succeeding in controlling and/or dominating you through threats and/or actis of violence.
• Frightening you consistently by his or her behavior.

Report this to police.  Speak to a trusted friend, and/or seek intervention through one or more of your community agencies designated to protect you against stalking and violence related activities (Eg:  Victim Advocacy Program as well as Police and Prosecution-Based Victim Services).

Until Next Time, Stay Safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

July 27, 2009

ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING

Don’t know if you’ve caught the myriad accounts – in the papers, on TV and radio –  but there’s been an alarming rise in police officers, women, men and even children  killed and maimed as a result of stalking and domestic violence.  I even get personal accounts from law enforcement officers and citizens whom I train in my instructor programs, Management of Workplace Violence courses and Self Defense for Women programs to the point where I am convinced that I need to focus this and the next few posts on  the issues surrounding Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Violence Against Women and Children.

ON STALKING

LEGAL DEFINITIONS vary widely from state to state.  Most states, however, define stalking as the willful, malicious and repeated following and harassing of another person.  Stalking related activities include as lying in wait; surveillance; non-consensual communications; telephone harassment and vandalism.  Most states require at least two or more of acts of the above nature before the actions can be considered harassment.  The action(s) also need to constitute at least an implied/inferred threat. 

AS FAR AS I am concerned, the key is that the victim understands the danger of stalking if it is allowed to continue unchecked.  Domestic Violence is directly connected to stalking and both occur in a continuum that ranges from emotional abuse at one end to homicide on the other.   And the escalation of violence along this catastrophic continuum often follows a predictable pattern.  My goal here is to formulate responses and countermeasures to break what I see as a cycle of violence.

STALKING AND VIOLENCE BY AN INTIMATE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, as you probably are aware, is all about control, power and domination.  For this reason, when a woman leaves her abuser, he often stalks her in an effort to regain control over her.  Sadly, this control is effected through increasing physical violence.  Thus, when a woman leaves her abusing husband/boyfriend, it is an extremely dangerous time for her (and her children and anyone else who happens to care for her, or attempt to protect her, establish a relationship with her).

STALKING – make no mistake – is an act that terrorizes its victims.  Stalking creates a psychological prison that deprives its victim(s) of basic liberty of movement and security in their homes.  Moreover, stalking is a crime that often occurs in a domestic violence context, and, unfortunately, follows a traceable pattern that, if left unreported and unchecked by the victim, will often (in my experience it will almost always increase in intensity and violence exponentially, but I am being conservative in this post) increase in intensity and violence and all too often end in the death of the woman, plus anyone unfortunate enough to be around her at the moment!

As a matter of fact, just in the past few weeks an emotionally distraught ex-husband stalked and killed his wife, his children, his wife’s boyfriend, and several of his wife’s friends and relatives across three states!

Next Post:  More on Stalking and Domestic Violence, including intervention programs, stalking countermeasures, and self defense suggestions.

Until then, Stay Safe.

Hammer

Ok.  You’ve made yourself into a Tough Target, followed the Principles of Avoidance, but, crap, the guy has entered your PSZ (Personal Safe Zone) and looks like he’s about to do some damage.  How could this happen?

There could be any number of reasons why a super-focused predator would attack, so, fact is, crap happens, so we have no choice but to deal with it. 

So, question is, what do you do?

And the answer will always be, it’s totally up to you.

In the mere millisecond or so you are going to have to act, it is you who must be willing to act decisively.  Probably a disappointing answer if you are looking for a blueprint for self defense.

If you beg for your life and you survive, that was the best strategy.

If you run and scream for help and help comes, that was the right strategy.

If you fight and live to tell about it, that was the right strategy.

However, I will say this.

• The chances for survival goes up exponentially if you

Ø     Have a friend with you (a 75% better chance, as a matter of fact).

Ø     Have taken a good self defense course (and actually practiced the moves).

Ø     Immediately go into a fighting stance and shout with authority a confident “No,” or “Get back!”

Ø     If you have to use force, your chances of surviving go up exponentially when you use the element of surprise (which I have detailed many times in past posts), and

Ø     Hit open targets and continue hitting targets as they open up until the threat is over!

• I know all this is over simplistic, but, believe me, what I say is true.  The decision to beg or fight is up to you entirely.  Perhaps you will do both.  Yes, that is what I said.  I teach this in my Self Defense for Women classes.  Tactical Begging actually works because it cues into the predator’s expectations, influences him to lower his guard, which is when you can lash out and:

• Gouge his eyes with your thumb and/or fingers.
• Crush his throat with a Web Strike; Beak Strike or Ridge Hand Strike (see past posts).
• Impale your knee into his groin, and, when his hands and head drops, grab him by the back of the head and drive your knee into his face.
• Drive your temple directly onto his nose and follow that with a knee strike to the groin.
• If he grabs you  and pulls you in like he is going to hug you, pretend to go with it, lay your head on his shoulder while you reach around with your dominant hand, hook the fingers inside his jaw bone and drive your thumb into his eye.  Follow that baby up with whatever you want to, then, go home.
• Or, when he gets in too close and threatens to light you up, go into a Tactical Begging Stance, forming both hands into a prayerful appearance, then, when he least expects it, drive a horizontal elbow strike into his face and follow it up with a reverse elbow strike to the same face.

You got the idea,

Stay safe.

Hammer

PART II.  PREVENTION PSYCHOLOGY AMD PRINCIPLES OF AVOIDANCE (PREDATOR BE GONE).

So, what do you think?  In my last post (Part I. June 5), I asked you to think about how you might avoid the predator altogether, understanding that prevention, preparation, practice and avoidance comprised over 98% of successful self defense, and considering the Predator Profile I discussed.  You might could want to compare your thoughts with mine.

The important thing, though, is you start thinking about the subject.  That in itself is a huge step toward not only avoiding the evil bastard, but even prevailing if or ever you do confront him.

1. Develop A Prevention Mindset.  Albeit obvious and common sense, this is a giant first step. It is important that you always remember that in a real life or death crisis, common sense is the rarest of commodities.  So never minimize a principle because it is one of those Duhh Thingees.

1.  
   • The 4 A’s are the foundation of your Prevention Mindset. 
   • Awareness:  At all times be aware of what and who is around you; be aware of subtle changes in your surroundings, including yourself and others. 
   • Assess:  Assess means that at all times you should assess that what you have observed.  Ask yourself what does that person’s body language tell me?  Why is he eyeballing me?  What are my Gut Instincts telling me?  What barricades, barriers and potential/improvised weapons are in my environment that can help me escape and evade?

1.  
   • Anticipate:  You can Spinal Tune your mind and your body to work as a powerful unit to help you escape, evade, and even overcome an assailant by asking yourself “What would I do, if such and such happened?”  Have a Plan of Action and maybe even a Plan B.

1.  
   • Action.  Trust me, Dudettes, by assessing, being aware, and anticipating, you Spinal Tune yourself to the point you can and will spring into action at your earliest chance once danger appears in the form of your assailant.  Just as important, by adopting this Prevention Psychology, you will most likely become aware there is a Bad Guy lurking like a shark.  Stalking you.

1.  
   • Become a Hard Target.  What I just noted in the above paragraph is no trivial concept.  The great majority of victims never are aware they are being marked (all predators mark, or select, their victims by virtue of how that animal carries itself), stalked, and tested until it is too late!  By making yourself into a Hard Target you will have discouraged almost any and every potential assailant in your zip code.

1.  
   • How Do I Recreate Myself Into A Hard Target?

Pretty simple recreation formula, actually:

Ø        Assess/Anticipate/Awareness.

Ø        Profile the Attacker:  Simply by being aware of a predator and his “games,” you will have “busted the bastard.”  99 + % of assailants will back off once they are busted.

Ø        Look at the assailant when he is sizing you up.  Size him up and look disgusted.  Be a good “witness.”  Take note of what he is wearing, color hair, eyes, etc.

Ø        EXAMINE YOUR CLOTHING FOR ESCAPE OR DEFENSE POSSIBILITIES.

Ø        DO NOT ENTER ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE WHEN POSSIBLE (Future Post:  How to deal with unsafe environments).

Ø        CONSTANTLY BE ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO SEEMS TO BE PAYING “TOO MUCH” ATTENTION AND/OR FOLLOWING YOU.

Ø        STAY IN “HIGH WITNESS AREAS” WHEN POSSIBLE.

Ø        ALWAYS BE AWARE OF POINTS OF ESCAPE.

Ø        ALWAYS MAINTAIN YOUR PERSONAL SAFE ZONE (PSZ).  ALWAYS “CONTROL YOUR SPACE.

Ø        HAVE AN ASSERTIVE/CONFRONTATIONAL VERBAL RESPONSE PREPARED PRIOR TO THE ASSAAILANT INVADING YOUR PSZ.

   HAVE A PHYSICAL PLAN OF ACTION AND DECIDE YOU ARE WILLING TO USE IT!

PART III.  We talk about some Principle of Avoidance and in Part IV we talk about what to do if the assailant has you cornered.  Cool Stuff, I promise.

Until Then, of course.  Stay Safe.

HAMMER

PART II:  STOPPING THE ACTIVE SHOOTER BEFORE HE CAN LIGHT YOU UP.

Of course you realize that, even if you follow my tips on how to tell an assailant is carrying a concealed weapon (May 28^th’s Post), you still have a splendid chance of getting shot up pretty good.  And here’s some more terrific news:  Even if you are carrying your own concealed firearm – even if it is already in your hand and your finger is on the trigger – you still can end up on the receiving end of a speeding bullet.

All depends.

All depends on who has the mental edge.  Who has that steely determination in his or her mind – you know, that inexorable Action Plan  - that, no matter what happens, I will unleash Hell at anything or anyone who is stupid enough to stand in my way.

Okay.  Point for the Bad Guy.

All depends on who acts first.  All depends who has the bigger stake on coming out on top.

Two points for the Good Guy.  Why?  I ask you, who has a bigger stake in coming out on top than you, the security specialist, or the worker who has the safety of possibly hundreds of workers in his or her hands? 

So, what it comes down to is who acts first.  It always does.  So, what it comes down to, in order to respond before the Bad Guy is to:

1.      Have a Workplace Plan.  Just like a Fire Drill, managers and workers should at least have a discussion about what they all should do if a shootist should happen in to the job site.  More likely than not, they should actually act out The Plan at least once or twice.  Maybe even act out a realistic scenario.  Sounds far out?  Not really.  I have led such scenarios at one of our area’s schools.  What should everyone do if an Active Shooter has already begun to spray rounds inside the school and he attempts to enter your “locked down” classroom (see one of my next two blogs for my suggestions).

2.      Have your own Action Plan.  In the end it is going to be up to you.  Would be folly of the highest sort to depend upon others to Save the Day.  After all, who knows your environment?  That’s right, Dog.  You. 

DISARMING THE ACTIVE SHOOTER

·         In many cases, do what the shooter tells you to do.  If she/he has not started firing yet, there probably is something he wants from you, others.  The more time that passes, the better your chances are that you can resolve his issues.  Even if not, the more time that passes, the better the chances that help will arrive, or, more likely, adrenaline will do its thing.  Especially after about 2 minutes.

·         Look For Distractionary Windows.  After two minutes the gun will begin to feel heavy in the shooter’s hand, he will experience what I call Shifting Focus.  His eyes will wander, his focus will diffuse.

·         Try To Establish Relative Distance.  Keep talking to the Active Shooter. Ask questions to attempt to learn what it is he wants.  As you talk, attempt to move in within 6 feet, which is the Relative Distance you will require to disarm him/her.

·         ACT NOW!  If you are still alive and you see a Distractionary Window, this is the best time to:

1.       Move the Target and Parry the Weapon.  You are the target.  Step with your left foot and blade your body at the same time while striking the wrist/forearm holding the gun with your left hand.  Action will always be faster than reaction, so trust me when I say you will be able to do this before he can pull the trigger.

2.       Secure the Gun.  Step 1 will move the gun and gun hand away from you, but, believe me, now that the shooter realizes what has happened, the gun is moving back toward you.  Now take your free hand and bring it palm up underneath the muzzle and grab it.  Your left hand is already in position, so bring it down, over the rear sight.  You now have the Catcher’s Mitt Grip solidly latched onto the gun.

3.       STRIP THE GUN OUT OF THE SHOOTER’S GRIP. 

·         Pull the gun and your Catcher’s Mitt Grip in to your center (close to your abdomen).  This is where you are strongest.  If the Bad Guy is so much stronger than you that you cannot pull the gun in to you, step in to the gun.

·         Make sure your strong hand (right in this scenario; left if you are lefthanded). Is under the muzzle.  Now keep the gun close to your center and simply strip it by driving the muzzle across the Bad Guy’s torso – the muzzle should actually face the Bad Guy’s stomach as it turns – until the shooter has to let it go because his trigger finger has broken and the force of your body is too much for his grip to bear.

·         Once you have stripped the gun, I suggest you strike him or her with it in the face. Knock him or her out with the gunbefore he or she can reclaim the weapon.

·         And, if you are thinking, Heck, I couldn’t do this without some training, you are probably right.  A good Disruptive Student Management course would do wonders.

Next Post.  Your Workplace Plan.

Until then.  Stay Safe.

Hammer