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How to Stop a Massacre

It's clear to me now that no one is really "getting it" when it comes to mass shootings. Our local paper had a story about our city's public school security. They interviewed the security director who discussed how their doors are locked at all hours of the day and how all visitors have to sign in at the office. It sounds eerily similar to the security measures at Sandy Hook Elementary.

We will never be able to totally eliminate the danger of a lone individual who is intent on killing a large number of people. Locked doors and metal detectors staffed by unarmed security won't cut it. How hard is it to break / shoot out a window and enter a building?  The simple truth is our school security plans in place rely almost entirely on one factor - chance.

We can turn our schools into armored bunkers if we want. No windows, steel doors, and TSA-style screening for everyone who enters. Of course the cost will be astronomical and alone, it still won't work. The doors have to unlocked for the mass entry of students in the morning. People will still need access to the school. Do we airlock each individual, scan them for weapons before allowing them to proceed? Essentially, we would need to turn schools into prisons with compartmentalized access, and a central, secure control room that could lock down parts if needed. Of course, that system is only as good as the person sitting behind the control panel.

Then there are the cries for tighter gun control and another "assault weapons ban." Even if we could eliminate semi-automatic rifles and "high capacity" magazines, those bent on murder will just arm themselves with multiple, or alternative weapons - such as the shooter in Colorado had at his home - gasoline bombs. Are we going to ban gasoline cans, duct tape and nails? Could someone not cause incredible carnage in a movie theater with a few molitoff cocktails? How hard is it to smuggle a bottle or two of soda into a theater right now? Passing a law doesn't keep criminals from breaking it - as is evidenced by illegal drugs use. Plus, there are Constitutional issues, and strong opposition to stricter gun control, which makes that discussion pretty much a moot point.

Our mental health system is a basket case, forgive the pun. While certainly with good intentions, we have moved away from institutionalizing people to pumping them full of pills and releasing them back into the community because it's the "least restrictive" environment. For most patients, this may work fine. The problem is people learn how to manipulate this system. I have placed a number of people under emergency detention who have made serious suicide attempts or very credible threats against others. After a a month or two in treatment, they learn what they need to say to the psychiatrist to be released again - and they're given some medication and set free. After all  these people are crazy - not stupid. The only way the most dangerous of the mentally ill will ever be held in an institution is after they commit some heinous, violent crime.

Worse than the mental health system is parenting. We have to teach our kids about respect, about right and wrong, and about life and death. Kids learn about death through video games and movies today, and their young little brains can't tell the difference between a guy dying on the screen, and someone dying in real life. Our barometer for what is important has completely gone askew. I respond to juvenile fights all the time - over a girl, over someone being disrespected, etc - the same things we fought about when we were kids - but nowadays, someone is running off to grab a bat, a knife or a gun. Even parents are showing up and engaging in these fights alongside their kids too!

So, where does that leave us? I am convinced we will never be able to eliminate the problem of "active shooters" or rampage-killers. But we need not throw our hands up in the air and do nothing. We can take steps to reduce the damage these people can cause, and maybe reduce the frequency in which they occur.

The easiest, most immediate thing we could do is add layers to our physical security. Right now, security at our malls, our schools and other public places is one-dimensional. It relies on technology and unarmed, poorly-paid security guards. This may deter petty criminals but not armed murderers. The White House has a far more advanced security system than any school in America. But the President doesn't rely on it alone. It's backed by highly-trained, well-equipped professionals who can immediately respond if the system is breached. The truth is, once an attack begins, the only way to stop it is by engaging the shooter as quickly as possible. Law Enforcement analysis has shown when these cowards meet effective resistance, almost all retreat and commit suicide. Very few stand and fight. The problem is the police response takes 3-4 minutes, and in a shooting like VA Tech, victims were shot every eight seconds.

We have to reduce the amount of time a killer has unrestricted access to defenseless victims. In many of these cases, police are already conducting a "solo officer response" - the first officer on scene immediately moves to confront the killer without waiting for backup - and it's still not fast enough.

The only effective way to significantly reduce the time a shooter has to target our children is to have someone on scene when the shooting starts, who can engage the shooter and stop them quickly. Nowhere is this more clear than in Israel. There have only been a handful of attacks against Israeli schools by armed terrorists in the last decade. The highest body count in a single attack that  I could find was five students. In every case, the terrorists were quickly killed by school staff, police or military who were on-site at the onset of the attack. Because the Israelis have developed an effective response to these shootings, the terrorists have realized attacking a school full of kids is not an easy target.

The goal of the terrorist or a mass-killer is a high body count - because that's what makes headlines. Their only fear is failure, not getting the attention they wanted because they were stopped before they could kill anyone or they didn't kill enough people. When the media coverage of a mass-killing is less, the incentive for the next copy-cat killer to act in the same manner is also less.

This leaves us with two options. One is to arm a few volunteer teachers and administrators, and seriously train them to the respond in these situations. I'm talking about two weeks of serious legal, tactical and firearms training, and mandated refresher training to include marksmanship, decision-making and force on force scenarios. I'm guessing there are trainers out there who would provide this training for free, and there are staff members who would volunteer to do it on their own time. It's clear the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary had the mindset and the courage to take on the gunman as he began his rampage, but she lacked the training and tools to be successful against overwhelming odds.

Now, is it fair to expect this of our administrators and teachers? It is a heavy burden. The other alternative is hiring armed, uniformed security to be present at our schools at all times while children are present. This doesn't mean a minimum-wage Barney Fife, but well-trained, well-paid professionals who make $40K-$50K a year. Retired cops, retired military and so-forth.

The reality is we are all good at different things. Some people work on cars, some people write music, and some people are adept at protecting others. Would anyone these days NOT want an armed police officer standing guard of their children at school? But why? What is a police officer? Among other things, the police officer is a professional gunfighter. Yes I just said what you think I did. A gunfighter: accurate, fast and deliberate. A person with good judgement, clear morals and the courage to put them self in harm's way to protect others. A person with the training, and the equipment necessary to save lives. The problem is our professional gunfighters are usually 3-5 minutes away, and for too many victims, they won't arrive in time.

My frank language will no doubt make some cringe and fill their proper, sensitive minds with scenes of wild west, OK Corral style shootouts, but we have to ask ourselves: do we stand a better chance in a "gunfight," or a massacre? When we call upon the police to stop an active killer, are we not asking them to engage in a gunfight? If this will be the end result anyways, wouldn't we be better off if it occurs before the killer can take so many innocent lives?

Frustration...

Been a little frustrated lately. A bad guy (guns and drugs) I arrested a few weeks ago (for violating his bail conditions on his other open case) was let out, and is now wanted again. When you see stuff like this, you wonder why you are putting yourself in danger to arrest someone, when everyone else in the system is going to work to undue all of your efforts.

Assaulting a police officer should be our line in the sand. You assault a cop, we will throw everything at you, 100%. No deals. Take no prisoners. We will be willing to take every case to trial and we will push for the maximum sentence. Some things we need to fight for based on principle, and if that means we lose some cases, so be it. I'd rather see a mope found not guilty in a jury trial than watch the DA plead a felony battery to law enforcement down to a disorderly conduct before the suspect sets foot in a court room. It sends a message to the mopes that we won't go easy.

By tolerating this in the court room, in society, we are normalizing the behavior and sending the message that it's ok to assault police officers. If people want to know why felony law enforcement deaths and assaults on police officers are up, it is my belief, that this is the root cause....

http://www.policeone.com/legal/articles/5495836-Mich-cop-shot-5-times-tells-off-judge/?fb_ref=homepage

Haven't had much time to post lately - I've been pretty busy with work, and with the competition shooting season starting.

Got to shoot some rifle plates the other day, which was pretty cool. I'll post details on that in the near future.

Meanwhile, the big thing I've been working on is promoting our local multi-gun matches. Shooting competitively is a great way to hone your firearms skills for the real-world. No, it's not tactical training. It's not totally realistic. What it does it make you shoot under stress, while moving, in odd positions, and so forth. I'll talk more about that too later....

If you're in southern Wisconsin and interested in participating in one of our matches, let me know. More info is on our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Midwest-Multigun-Association/333375163383119?ref=tn_tnmn

On Blogspot
http://midwestmultigun.blogspot.com/

and on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUOwFGZj7Bw&feature=g-upl

Mindset for the New Year

I heard a saying once that as a cop, you never know when the PACT timer is going to beep during your career - it could be your first day of field training, it could be the day of your retirement. A gunfight can come at any time. Are you ready for that?

I saw this the other day... This Ranger was doing snow-chain inspections in a National Park, when out of nowhere she's involved in a pursuit with a shooting suspect. http://www.odmp.org/officer/21076-park-ranger-margaret-anderson. 11 year veteran. Her husband, also a Park Ranger, was working at the time. We are diminished.....

No matter where you work, or what you do - whether its inspecting trucks, evidence collection, working in the 'hood or out in the boonies, there are people who will try to kill you if they get the chance. You NEVER know when your paths will cross. You always have to be ready for that.

Here's video of a man opening fire at a Detroit police station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuuEGuJA7kM. Does your break room at the station have outside windows? Ours does. Shut those blinds when it starts getting dark. You toss your belt in your locker when you go to the can? Not gonna do you much good there if you need it. It's easy to get complacent when you're in familiar, comfortable settings, but play the "what-if" game. You're most likely to be ambushed when leaving, or arriving at a destination. That includes the station!

Be alert when your shift is done, walking to your car, or up the front steps of your home. This isn't a basketball game where the clock stops and the game is over after four quarters. Bad guys don't respect your union contract, your shift rotation, days off, or your vacation schedule. You're a cop 24/7, and because of that, to some people, you will always be a target.

Carry your gun. Be alert. You never know when your timer is going to "beep."

A free Iraq...

Operation Iraqi Freedom is officially over. 03/20/03---12/15/11

8 years 8 months 26 days

4,476 U.S. Troops Killed in Action and 32,102 U.S. Troops Wounded

Tonight, I will raise a glass and make a toast to all. Job well done. Cheers.