1. Behaviorally Based CQBHigh Threat Method

2. Main Themes Most Use of Force is Reactionary Default Defensive Response Situations That Enable Offensive Response Realities of Threat Engagement Examples Catastrophic Entry What a good CQB system should provide 3. Reactionary Use of Force Most police use of force is reactionary in natureeven if it is officer initiated. This especially applies to deadly force incidents dueto the rarity of the event in similar situations-traffic stops, SWAT warrant service, hold up alarms,etc Police officers, and more recently most soldiers,are conditioned through repetition and expectationnot to be ready to shoot. It is the nature of theirwork and a requirement of their good naturedpersonalities. 4. Default to Defensive Actions FirstDespite their training, when dealing with close range, sudden,immediate threats, almost all operators at any level will Flinch before doing anything else if they are shot at or even justhave a gun suddenly pointed at them First take measures to immediately survive before taking measuresto engage the threat This is most often moving backward away from the threat Moving quickly and completely behind cover Moving sideways or dodging in place At the very least, Stopping forward movement to avoid getting closer At closer range the defensive action will include reaching up to swat away the gun or simply putting the hands up between the operator and gun 5. Self-Preservation is Rational Rational people will move into a threat with no other obviouschoice, such as when caught at close range, due to physicalmomentum, or when they have a tactical advantage and the threatis surprised or not directly oriented on them. The only people who move directly into the face of an immediatethreat are the desperate, suicidal, psychotic, or those overlyconditioned to ignore their own safety. This most often leads tounacceptable often catastrophic results. Closing on an oriented, ready threat will most often get an operatorworking within restricted rules of engagement and expectations ofsocial behavior towards populations, wounded or killed, unlessthere is an overwhelming advantage in capability of at least 3 to 1. 6. Offensive ResponseTrue Deliberate Offensive Initiated Deadly Force is Rare. At least some of theseelements must be present.Anticipation/Deliberation The suspect has already displayed an immediate deadly force threat (most oftenshooting or attempting to shoot first) and the suspect has already been identified orisolated. A gunfight is the only obvious course of action. Other means are not viable.Duress The operator is not under the duress of immediately trying to survive from adisadvantaged situation. (time, position, cover, distance, orientation, etc)DecisionThe operator has made the deliberate decision to kill and is fully ready to engage.A deliberate rational decision can be made more quickly through awareness, experience, training, and conditioningA non-deliberate decision may be made through rage, inappropriate conditioning, or confusionExceptional deliberate clarity may occur due to lack of fear of death and other complex mechanisms 7. Offensive ResponseExamples: The threat is shooting at someone else Rounds are thrown wild, are expected, and from a distance Threat is running or driving away Suspect surprised and operator has a significant advantage ininitiative and readiness Threat fully identified but distracted and oriented onsomeone elseThese situations are rare in the first few moments of fights, evenincluding police CQB operations involving warrant service,unknown active shooters, or response to typical crime, orstandard military cordon and search or raid operations inprecision environments 8. Realities of Threat EngagementBasic Premise Deadly force incidents, even during pro-active operations, are mostly reactive in nature Action beats reaction and causes high levels of duress High levels of duress often cause a primary defensive response Offensive operations require a 3 to 1 advantage in force at a minimum for expected positive outcomesProblems with traditional CQB Requires entering and closing with a threat as the primary response Does not allow a 3 to 1 advantage against equally armed threats until multiple operators are in the room Advancing on threat takes other operators out of the fight making it a 1 on 1 gunfight Requires surprise or non-resistance to be successful and requires operators to use tactics that are against human nature and offer little to no defensive or offensive tactical advantage 9. Realities of Threat EngagementDespite training, almost all operators at any level will Stop and engage threats from the area of the breach point if they have any choice Avoid moving closer to an active danger in anything more than a cautious shuffle, unless the threat has temporarily or most likely stopped Move away or evasively to avoid being shot when under duress The most important part of a gun fight is not hitting the threat with the first accurate shot, it is avoiding the first shots of the threat. Immediate survival is how the subconscious body is wired Even well-trained, equipped, and ready operators will not move forward into a threatAsk yourself, does your CQB method hold up when there is an actual threat,or is it only good against non-resisters, people totally caught by surprise, andpaper targets? Does it require operators to move forward into a threat as adefault?