Understanding “Direction of Travel (DoT)” in Identifying Potential Threats

The concept of the Direction of Travel (DoT) or more accurately Sporadic Directions of Travel (sDoT) is a straightforward yet effective method for recognizing potential threats. The fundamental principle behind DoT is that every movement or trajectory is driven by intent or a result of increased cognitive loads which are brought on by hormones such as cortisol flowing through the body. ?Whether it is a simple task like picking up a coffee or a more deliberate action like approaching an object in the road. By observing and analysing the trajectory of a person, we can predict their route and, with contextual understanding, accurately interpret their intent.

Predicting Behaviour Through Trajectory

Human behaviour often follows predictable patterns, especially when considering movement. The direction someone travels can reveal much about their intentions, that’s why indicators such as “Natural Lines of Drift” are useful in hunting and tracking. Analysing a persons direction of travel is particularly useful in security and safety contexts, where identifying suspicious behaviour can prevent potential threats.

Identifying Suspicious Behaviour

Suspicious behaviour can often be spotted through unusual or erratic trajectories. When considering hostile intent and aggression, the direction of travel can provide clear indicators. There are distinct patterns associated with premeditated and opportunistic attacks.

Premeditated Attacks

Direct Trajectory: In premeditated attacks, the aggressor often moves directly towards the victim, ignoring any obstacles in their path. This unwavering trajectory indicates a focused intent. What you tend to see here is an absence of care surrounding how they navigate obstacles, other people, social norms (zebra crossings, roads etc) and there is a noticed increase in the persons intent.

Lane Switch/ Feint: Another tactic is the lane switch, where the attacker feints a direction of travel before abruptly shifting to a direct path towards the victim. Key indicators of this behaviour include random feints and incongruence in the body axis, where the attacker’s head darts towards the victim while the body continues along the original path.

Paralleling: Typical stalking behaviour, used by criminals and aggressors to identify, stalk and ultimately close in the distance without drawing too much attention.? Paralleling can be seen in instances where a bad actor has identified a potential victim so wishes to maintain a constant distance between themselves and the person they wish to engage with.?

Opportunistic Attacks

Diagonal Methods of Travel: In opportunistic attacks, the aggressor initially darts their head to scan for victims and witnesses before making a linear move to close in on the target. Despite their body axis pointing forward, they make a diagonal move towards the victim, creating an illusion of stealth. This closes the distance between the attacker and victim in the shortest amount of time without raising suspicion until its too late.

Fishhook: Another method is the fishhook manoeuvre, where the attacker approaches the victim against the victim’s direction of travel. After passing the victim, the attacker then curves around in a fishhook motion to come up behind them.

Sporadic DoT: As cognitive load increases in a person’s brain we see seemingly sporadic directions of travel being applied.? This can manifest in darting like behaviour and a complete disregard for obstacles and traffic. sDoT can also double up as feinting multiple targets or even be used as a method of identifying and then attacking multiple targets as we saw in the recent attacks in Sydney

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Feint:? Whether premeditated or opportunistic, feinting DoT ultimately serves to close the distance between attacker and victim

Practical Application of DoT Analysis

Understanding and applying the Direction of Travel analysis can significantly enhance personal and public safety. By being aware of these patterns, individuals can better assess their surroundings and identify potential threats before they materialize.

Situational Awareness: Maintaining high situational awareness is crucial. By observing the trajectories and body language of people around you, you can detect unusual patterns early.

Training and Education: Security personnel can benefit from training programs such as SPG’s N-VSAT programme that is focused on DoT analysis together with other indicators, enabling them to spot and react to potential threats more effectively.

Public Awareness Campaigns: Educating the general public on the basics of DoT can empower individuals to stay vigilant and report suspicious behaviour, contributing to overall community safety.

Conclusion

The Direction of Travel is a valuable tool in identifying and interpreting potential threats. By understanding the intent behind trajectories and recognizing patterns associated with hostile behaviours, we can improve our ability to predict and prevent attacks. Whether in personal safety or professional security contexts, DoT analysis offers a proactive approach to threat detection and response.

Understanding the Direction of Travel (DoT) is just one aspect of a comprehensive security strategy. To take your skills to the next level, we invite you to join our Special Projects Group's N-VSAT Training Programme

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