Survival Training for Law Enforcement: Hands Up to Gun
Every tactic works unopposed! We got 0.8 seconds to decide. Here we have a compliant Kneeling and Standing subject going for a weapon on the ground.
Imagine if you will, A suspect with their hands up, seemingly compliant, but with a weapon within arm's reach on the ground. What should a vigilant law enforcement officer (LEO) do? Let's dive into what reasonable movement time looks like because this will impact our tactics. In a world where fractions of a second matter, even the slightest change in your decision-making can be a game-changer.
Key Things to Keep in Mind:
No Rest Even with Raised Hands: The suspect has his hands up, looking compliant, but guess what? If there's a weapon within arm's reach, he is still extremely dangerous! Maintain lethal coverage. Now is NOT the time to transition to another weapon. Research suggests it could take you longer to transition than for him to gain access to the weapon.
Cover, Cover, Cover: Rule number one? Keep your cover game strong. We need to maintain cover at all times. Shielding is our friend. Try not to ditch it. If you have no cover, how can you position yourself to be a small target or force the suspect to move the gun the furthest before coming on target? This may be the difference between being shot once vs. twice.
Ready to Get Lethal: Speaking of shields, is your firearm at low or high ready? Know the pros and cons of your weapon position. At high ready positions you could be blocking your view and your error rate (bad shoot) is much higher. When in a low ready position, your reaction time is about 0.1 of a second slower, but by increasing your viewing and that tenth of a second slower, you greatly increase the chances of making the correct "shoot / don't shoot" decision. (It might be the difference between prison and freedom for you.)
Stay Back from Trouble: Common sense, right? If someone's too close to a potential weapon, there is no need to play hero and get all up in their space. Distance is your buddy. We need distance between you and the suspect and or distance between the suspect and their weapon. Most suspects are very accurate at shooting you up to 15 feet.
Talk Alpha: Give clear calm commands. No need to scream and yell. Be loud to be heard but be in control. Examples might be...
Decision-Making Window: To dive even deeper, we should also take into account the potential time elapse between the time my hands drop below my head to the time my hand comes into contact with the firearm. This is the window of non-compliance and when you have to decide what actions to take.
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This plays a huge role in all the suggestions above.
To wrap it up, these street-smart guidelines are the real deal for LEO training. It's about knowing the game, adapting to the chaos, and making sure our officers can handle business while keeping it safe out there. Stay sharp, stay covered. Train with a purpose, so you can move within chaos!
NOTE - This is NOT intended to be research. It shows you what is reasonable movement.
*NOTE - My times were slightly slower since I was seeking to acquire a target before shooting. Do Your Research! At 360 Policing we utilized science and decades of police experience to bring you premier training courses. We encourage other instructors to do the same. We encourage you to no longer accept training that does not.
Do Your Research!
At 360 Policing we utilized science and decades of police experience to bring you premier training courses. We encourage other instructors to do the same. We encourage you to no longer accept training that does not.