Lethal force, violent encounters and security

In my last article, I discussed the mindset that officers need to have during a violent confrontation. When I have discussed this with people before some of them have approached me and said, “that’s great but I am just a security guard.”

I know several security professionals that buy into that attitude. I also know some law enforcement officers that have the same attitude. Often this attitude is caused by fellow officers or leadership. I frequently hear “this is a quiet site, nothing ever happens here.” This immediately begins the officer on a denial mindset. All you need to do is add “yet” to the end of that quote and you will start to see a mindset shift.

I am sure that the two security guards at the Wal-Mart in the Marcus Young case never planned on being involved in a life and death fight but I bet they accepted the fact that it could happen. As a result of that one of them disarmed the attacker and attempted to make a contact head shot. This is impressive because most law enforcement officers don’t take contact shots when they have the chance. That security officer clearly had the mindset that he would win that fight.

Someone on this site (I tried to find who so I could give the credit but I can’t find it) has this quote in their signature. “You do not rise to the occasion, rather you sink to your level of training.” This is completely true and the same can be said for your mindset. When you are in a fight you do not develop a whole new mindset, rather you resort back to what you have always used. If your mindset since starting your career has been “nothing is ever going to happen” and one day you find yourself in a fight then you may find yourself in a less desirable position. Tony Blauer said it best with this quote, “If you face just one opponent, and you doubt yourself, then you are outnumbered.” If, on the other hand, you have constantly prepared yourself physically and you accept that it could happen to you, then you are in a much more desirable position to fight. In a fight you will be more likely to immediately react rather then spend valuable time asking yourself ‘why is this happening.” If you can tell yourself “not only can it be me, it will be me and I will be prepared for the fight” then you are already ahead of the game. If you can mentally prepare your responses to the attack then you are a much harder target.

So how can we get rid of the denial and accept that we will be involved in a fight. Well the easiest way is to look for examples. Many of the members on this site post in the “stories in the news” and often some of these articles are about guards being attacked. Another way is to google some simple terms. Enter “Security guard killed” and it brings up hundreds of stories. Don’t just look for stories with a bad outcome though. Look for the ones with the officer winning the fight.

Many people in our profession want all the latest toys and gadgets. They think that by carrying a baton, OC, TASER or other tools then they will be a better officer. While this may sometimes be the case, the tool itself is useless until it is put in the hands of a truly prepared officer. I believe that it is not the equipment that makes an officer. It is their mindset. A good officer constantly asks themselves “Whats Important Now?” They do not shift blame and instead spend time preparing themselves for the fight that will one day come. They refuse to buy into the belief that “it can’t happen here” or “I don’t get involved”. They set aside their denial and they constantly seek to improve themselves.

Stay Safe,

Chris

*Please note that the opinions reflected in these articles are mine and mine alone. They are based upon my education, training and experience. They in no way reflect the opinions of my agency, ProtectionServices.ca or the site administrator. Always consult with your agency instructor and check your policy prior to attempting any new procedures or techniques.*