Run, Hide, Fight: An Active Attacker Response

In my 24 years of working in law enforcement, I have seen many things change.

Tactics change as we are able to debrief the incidents from our agency and that of other police agencies.

To have the best outcome for various scenarios, ?I believe the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has some of the best tactics in the nation.?

Active Attackers

When we talk about active attackers, we are taking into account every type of weapon. Most police agencies have accepted “Run, Hide, Fight” as the most accepted method to responding to a variety of attack incidents.

A simple phrase to remind us of this tactic is: “Run if you can, Hide if you can’t run, and Fight if we must.” So, let’s break this down.

Run

Your first clue that there might be a threat nearby could be screaming, running, or the sound of gun fire. It is possible your first reaction will be to freeze and assess what is happening. That is OK to do but don’t stay there.

Try to determine where the attacker is and run in a direction that will put you in a safe place. Keep running if you can; remember, if the attacker can’t see you, then it’s very difficult for them to hurt you. ?If you have family or friends with you, encourage them to go with you.

However, if they freeze, you might need to leave them to find cover or concealment. You’re going to be no help if you get hurt trying to force someone to run when if they don’t want to cooperate.

If you’re at a business or school which has an evacuation route, this might not be your safest route to travel if there is an attacker. If the attacker is somewhere in the area of your evacuation route, you could be putting yourself in harm’s way. ?

That’s why it’s important to become familiar with your location and use a secondary route that will get you safely where you’re going.?

Hide

If you can’t run, then it’s time to hide. The whole idea is to get yourself in a place where the attacker cannot see you. ?

Whether you're hiding in a locked room or under a table, try to get yourself out of view. ?If you’re in a room, you want it to appear unoccupied.

The attacker will be moving throughout the area trying to create as much damage as possible, so if they believe the location is unoccupied, they will most likely keep moving.

Fight

If you can’t run, and hiding is not an option, it’s time to fight. This is where we do whatever we can to survive the situation. There is no such thing as fighting fair, so use whatever you can to overcome the threat: chairs, tables, staplers, shoes, and computers are now weapons of opportunity you can use to help you overcome the threat.

Whether used for striking, or throwing, use them and keep using them until you to stop the threat or have sufficient time to flee from your current location.

If you’re with others, try to figure out a plan together to overcome the threat. ?The more people you have, the better the chances of defeating the threat and getting out of the situation without being hurt.?

Playing Dead is not a Good Option

We have seen ?many times where a suspect will inflict injuries to those around them without ascertaining if they are dead or alive. Fighting at least gives you a chance to survive.

I know these situations are very scary to talk about. My intention with this blog is not to scare you; I want you to use what I shared to mentally and physically prepare yourself for an active attacker situation. I want you to talk to your families, friends, and coworkers, and ask them what they would do in this type of a situation.

Talking about the topic and visualizing our response is a good way of being prepared for an active attacker situation.

Free Presentation

If you live or own a business in Diamond Bar, I am available to stop by and discuss this topic in greater detail with you and your neighbors or employees.

If you have questions or comments please contact me at [email protected], or 909-348-8334.

Don't forget to download the accompanying Run, Hide, Fight Leaflet below.

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