Situational Awareness and Personal Safety Workshop Notes
Hello Friends! Finally we've finished putting together the notes from the workshop presented on June 28 by Sgt. Hall of the HCPD. He did and AWESOME job (the videos are posted below). We searched and added some information from other sources as well. Some of you may feel like this is overkill, but we put a lot of thought and some prayer into this and feel like it is valuable information. We hope you will at least read through it and honestly think about where you and your family are in this area of preparedness.
Here is a pdf link for those who wish to print it:
I am posting the notes below:
Situational Awareness - Notes and Reflections
from a Workshop Presented by
Sgt. Travis Hall, Hurricane City Police Dept.
(With A Modest Amount of Input from Others’ Research/Experience)
Compiled by Todd Furse
Sgt. Hall Reviewed an Essay by Dave Grossman (army psychologist and author). Brief synopsis: Are you a sheep or a sheep dog? Sheep are content to remain in a state of ignorance and denial. They are annoyed by the presence of a sheep dog and wish he would remove his fangs and say “baaaah” like the rest of them…until a wolf shows up! Then they hide behind the sheep dog. The sheep dog is aware and prepared; s/he loves the sheep yet, having a capacity for violence, is protective of them.
Be Aware!
-Always be aware of your surroundings…what is going on around you???
-Keep your head on a swivel, not face-down gawking at your phone.
-When you are entering a public setting, such as going into a store, a large room, an airplane, etc., take notice of the layout of the area and ask questions, like ‘Where are the easiest exits if there is a problem?’ ‘Has our group agreed on a place meet if something goes wrong?’ ‘If a disaster occurs or if there is a threat of some sort, what are the best options?’ ‘Am I prepared for defense if escape is impossible?’
-If sitting in public, such as in a restaurant, position yourself where you can see entries and exits. Watch who is entering and make judgements (for safety as opposed to “unrighteous” judgements) “What is he doing with his hands?” “Why is he wearing a hoodie on a hot day?” “Is he acting as if his intentions are normal?” “Why does a person dressed like that have a backpack?” “Is this someone I should worry about, or can I just relax?” Take in the whole picture.
-Don’t make a target of yourself by wearing tactical clothing everywhere, open-carrying or having things on your person or car that indicate you may have firearms.
-LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION! Do not dismiss signals or talk yourself out of them with language like ‘Oh, I’m just being silly,’ ‘That is so judgmental of me!’ Develop your intuition by listening to and responding to it. Intuition may be the Holy Ghost, or just common sense. The idea that ‘God will protect me’? may be true, but He will probably do it by prompting you to stay away from a place or a situation. Learn to listen. “God helps those who help themselves.”
-If something seems genuinely suspicious in a parking lot and/or with your car, go right back into the store and call the police to check have it checked out.
-Purchase an inexpensive credit monitoring service or have it included with your checking account. Monitor your bank accounts often…daily if possible!
-Remember that agencies or financial institutions will NEVER demand or ask for private information over the phone, etc. If someone is posturing, it’s a scam. Hang up and call the actual agency or financial institution yourself (tell your Gramma!).
-Guys! Walk between your wife and traffic. Be a gentleman.
Say NO!
-“Stop being so darn friendly to everybody!” There is such a thing as too much friendliness.
-Don’t let others take advantage of you or do someone a favor if you don’t really feel comfortable about it. -Don’t allow someone to do you a favor if you feel uncomfortable about it. Again, LISTEN to that intuition.
-“Feeling sorry for” someone is NOT a justifiable emotion for things like picking up a hitch-hiker or letting someone move in with you when you don’t really feel comfortable with it. Putting yourself or your family at risk is NOT being “Christlike”! Point folks toward other safe alternatives such as the police department or an appropriate organization such as a homeless shelter (Sister Beutler has great ideas).
-If you need to say NO to somebody, SAY IT…then shut the door, hang up, get in your car and leave or whatever. DO NOT EQUIVOCATE (feel bad, back track and negotiate, etc.). “Don’t worry about offending people…Be a grown up and tell them ‘No’”. Your safety and your family’s safety is the priority.
Self Defense:
-“When seconds count the police are only minutes away!” (Yes, an officer said that!) Most home attacks are decided within seconds. Whether in martial arts or with firearms…GET TRAINED and TRAIN REGULARLY! There are many resources, including Jill at Cedar Post Pawn, Rowdy’s Range and others.
-Train your children on the proper use of and respect for firearms. Familiarity on the range and seeing what a gun can do results in safety. Remember, there have been more people killed by “unloaded” guns than by loaded guns (think that one through).
-Keep guns locked up but loaded so they will do you good in an emergency. Not many attackers will wait for you to load your gun…even if you ask nicely!
-Utah is a 2nd Amendment state. Get educated on carry laws, including chambering. Legally, your car is an extension of your house.
-Do not carry, open or concealed, in federal installations (post office, court houses, etc.), schools (with the exception of employees under certain conditions), airports or churches upon request of clergy.
-Use self-defense rounds like what the local police use (don’t be afraid to ask, but Sgt. Hall said they use Speer Gold Dot ammo), such as Hornady HST or Winchester Hollow Points (NEVER FMJ, target rounds or other types that can pass through walls or attackers and hurt bystanders). It will be much harder to defend you in court if you’ve used ammunition with names like “Ultra Killer”, even if you are the victim.
-If someone is threatening your life or those of your family, aim to permanently stop the threat. The perpetrator made that decision.
-When warning an attacker NEVER use words that would enable a crooked attorney to accuse you of “murderous intent”, such as “I’ll kill you!” Try something like “I have a gun and will shoot if you don’t leave/stop/ immediately!”
-If you figure out that someone is breaking into your home, warn him that you are armed, call 911 as soon as possible (but don’t interrupt preparing yourself), and don’t start shooting until he has forced himself in…then you are within your rights.
-If you have to shoot, make sure the situation is neutralized then immediately put the gun down and cooperate fully with police when they arrive. Even though you are innocent they will not be kind and loving…just follow their commands.
Home Security:
-Most thieves will break into your house during the day when you are most likely to be away. If someone breaks in at night he is most likely after you and/or not afraid to use deadly force. The most vulnerable entry point is through your garage door (they are easy for a pro to manipulate), and then most folks leave the door from their garage into the house unlocked. SECURE your garage doors (some use bolts)!
-Have security camaras watching your front porch and other potential problem areas around your house (doorbell cams have caught a LOT of people involved in criminal activity around Hurricane).
-Install high quality deadbolts and use 3” screws for hinges and striker plates. LOCK UP when you are away and at night (front door when you are working “out back”). “Smart Locks” or other electronic locks are often vulnerable (see “Lockpickinglawyer” on YouTube).
-Some doorbell and other security cameras and systems that are connected to a monitoring service give law enforcement unrestricted access to all that goes on in your home without a warrant. Third parties may also be able to hack them and figure out your daily routines. Read the EULA and other fine print. Though these can get a quick response, you may decide instead to have a qualified professional install an in-house server with cameras and alarms so you have control over all data to store or share as needed. Research and weigh the pros and cons to decide which is best.
-Teach kids internet safety and enforce it by having computers where you can see them and by having reasonable rules with smart phones.
Out and About:
- Drive as if nobody can see you, including pedestrians, especially if you are on a motorcycle, bike, etc.
-DO NOT let yourself get distracted.
-DO NOT drive to your home if you think you are being followed. Drive to a police station.
-DO NOT fall into the “road rage” trap. BACK OFF immediately, even if someone is being an idiot. IT’S NOT WORTH IT. You do not know the other driver’s mental state or if he is armed, and so on.
-When travelling or hiking in the wilds always let someone know your itinerary and locations. Find out about your route from someone who knows it or, better yet, go in a group if at all possible. Have an emergency kit, plenty of water, electrolytes, food, a way to communicate with others, such as a two-way radio. Be prepared for dangers.
Most Prominent Law Enforcement Issues in Our Area:
-Road rage is becoming huge, especially with juveniles.
-Our juvenile justice system is failing (very little the police can do…the legal system just keeps letting young offenders go until they do something very harmful or serious or even kills someone).
-90% of auto thefts will be eliminated if people will just LOCK their cars!!!
-Motorcycle gangs are moving into our area (they’ve pretty much taken over the Eagles club). They buy guns from locals who don’t have criminal records, then ship them to gang members in California. This is called “straw purchasing”. They do a lot of hard partying, intimidating innocent folks in traffic and have turf wars. The county gang taskforce will probably be re-instated. The Baca gang has some great members who serve the community, but not all (being infiltrated?).
Church Shootings:
-Stay ‘awake’ in church!
-Churches and other large public gatherings (such as Peach Days) are “soft targets”, so be aware.
-Our times and meeting places are published on the internet.
-Churches have open public access because we welcome everyone, but it creates risk.
-Current cultural climates are creating problems, including that more and more in the “WOKE” movement HATE pretty much anyone who believes in something Higher than a collectivist authority (Christians, mainly), and have been brainwashed to blame them for everything wrong in society.
-Sgt. Hall suggests that people qualified to deal with threats sit near entries.
-If a shooter shows up, “…get the heck outa there!”, a moving target is much harder to hit. Get outside and completely away and then call 911.
-DO NOT set up chairs, pianos or tables in front of doors in any of the rooms. If there is an incident or event of any sort and something is blocking an exit, your bishop’s ‘head will roll’.
If Someone in Your Home Becomes Suicidal:
-Keep weapons locked up and the key where he cannot find it!
-If he becomes armed and/or threatens to harm himself or others, get EVERYONE (including yourself) out of the house and STAY OUT. Experience has shown that the best you can do is leave and call for help.
-The police might stand by if the subject can be talked into calling a suicide counselor or medical professional. Otherwise, they will probably leave and will tell you to stay away as well. Do it. There is nothing else you can do and that will keep the highest possible number of people safe.
-The police will not risk “going in” unless it’s a hostage situation, or something like that, because the person is most likely to cause harm to himself or others if they do…especially if he is under the influence of chemicals. If they enter and the suicidal person raises a gun, for instance, they will have to shoot him. Get everyone else out, call for help and let the situation cool down, if possible.
-Cooperating with the police gives your suicidal loved-one the greatest potential of surviving and later getting necessary help.
-State law now prevents police from shooting someone who is only a threat to himself. That changes when it is necessary to protect others or themselves. Police will try a more measured response first with an effective backup plan if a situation escalates into a threat, even though they do not want to use it.
Hurricane Police are Learning to Work with Those on the Autism Spectrum:
-HCPD is having officers spend time with “special needs kids” to familiarize themselves with them, their traits, figure out their triggers, and lower affective filters for both.
Recommended Reading:
- Ayoob, Massad: Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self Defense
-De Becker, Gavin: The Gift of Fear
-Emerson, Clint: 100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative’s Guide to…Surviving Any Dangerous Situation
- Poumpouras, Evy: Becoming Bullet Proof: Life Lessons from A Secret Service Agent
-Schilling, Dan: The Power of Awareness
“Don’t do anything stupid, illegal or dangerous!” – Todd Furse
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