Ever wonder if someone is carrying? I notice the people who look at others to see if they are carrying a weapon are those that carry themselves or law enforcement. Others do not. I’m not saying those that don’t carry are sheep, but many are. The sheepdogs are those who take notice of others in this way.
I just had an e-mail discussion with an old friend of mine. We met in jump school in the military. He works now for church security but is ex-FBI. We originally were talking about concealed carry but then we got on the subject of recognizing when someone is armed. These are some of what I learned.
These are common behavioral indictors of an armed person. Namely (and paraphrased):
1. Security Check - instinctively checking and rechecking to see if their weapon is still there.
2. Un-natural Gait - moving unnaturally due to being uncomfortable.
3. Jacket Sag - pistol in a pocket causing the coat to hang unusually.
4. Hunchback Stride - Stock of the long gun protruding from the armpit.
5. Bulges and Outline/Weapon - The imprint of the weapon against clothing.
6. Visible Weapon – My friend had a partner who once called this being over exposed.
7. Palming - Concealing the weapon from frontal view; hiding behind the leg.
These are the ABC’s response
A - Stands for Action; this consists of #2, 4 and 7 gunman signs.
B - Means Behaviors; Gunman characteristic #1, or anything else relating to it like looking to see repeatedly if a weapon is in their waist band. Other suspicious mannerisms count as well.
C - Denotes Clothing the suspect is wearing; #3, 5 and 6.
Applying the seven characteristics of a gunman to the first three letters of the alphabet allows for the rapid recall, and affording a life safety reaction quickly.
Being aware of others in certain situations is something I’ve talked about a lot. Situational awareness is something few practice, but most of us should. Especially in places we are comfortable.
I’ve talked about the Cooper color code. Here’s a reminder.
CONDITION WHITE- White is the lowest level on the escalator. In Condition White one is unaware, not alert, and oblivious. This state can be characterized as "daydreaming" or "preoccupied". People in White tend to walk around with their heads down, as if watching their own feet. They do not notice the impending danger until it literally has them by the throat.
CONDITION YELLOW- This is a relaxed state of general alertness, with no specific focal point. You are not looking for anything or anyone in particular; you simply have your head up and your eyes open. You are alert and aware of your surroundings. You are difficult to surprise, therefore, you are difficult to harm. You do not expect to be attacked today. You simply recognize the possibility.
CONDITION ORANGE- This is a heightened state of alertness, with a specific focal point. The entire difference between Yellow and Orange is this specific target for your attention. Your focal point is the person who is doing whatever drew your attention to him. It might be the fact that he is wearing a field jacket in August. It might be that he's standing by a column in the parking garage, instead of going into the building, or getting in a car and leaving. It might be that you have been in five stores at the mall, and saw this same guy in every one of them. His actions have caused you to take note of him, so you must assess him as a potential threat, just as the fighter pilot assessed the blip earlier.
CONDITION RED- In Red, you are ready to fight! You may, or may not, actually be fighting, but you are MENTALLY PREPARED to fight. In many, or perhaps even most, circumstances where you have gone fully to Red, you will not actually physically do anything at all. The entire process of escalating from Yellow, to Orange, to Red, then de-escalating right back down the scale as the situation is resolved, occurs without any actual physical activity on your part. The key is that you were mentally prepared for a conflict, and thus could physically act if the situation demanded.
Unfortunately we can be in white too often. Some places may include, our living room, at church, at work, or at school. Places that are very familiar we need to ensure we are alert and have situational awareness. When someone is out of place, or seems wrong, that’s when we should be ready for anything and applying the ABC’s above.
My friend “Choirboy” knows firsthand the dangers of complacency. He was caught unaware at a restaurant in Salt Lake City. An armed man tried to rob the register. He said he was lucky he was semi-concealed from the man and was able to draw his weapon and stop the situation from getting worse.
Remember to keep your eyes open and always have a plan. Stay in Yellow.
Semper Paratus
Burn
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