offi cer down Off-Duty Ambush: The Steve Franks Incident
kidnapping. In that case, probably the best plan to follow is to stop at a safe place, have your spouse drive away while calling 9-1- 1, or lock your children in the car if your spouse isn’t with you, and return to the scene. Exactly where or how far from the scene you park will vary depending upon the circumstances, but make it far enough away to keep your family safe.
In the event of an ambush, it is especially important to accelerate out of the hot zone as quickly as possible rather than try to fi ght back. However, if your vehicle is blocked in or the ambush occurs when you are on foot, it is especially important to distance yourself from your family as quickly as pos- sible and then return fi re. Often, this will terminate the threat by disabling your at- tacker or forcing him to surrender or run. If not, your movement will draw your assail- ant’s fi re away from your family, because, as his only real threat, you will be the focus of all his attention (Capt. Franks’ case was an exception to this rule, because Mrs. Franks, as one of the targets of Barnes’ anger, was equally in danger). T ere is a strong ten- dency to want to keep our loved ones close when danger is present so we can shield them from harm, but this will only put them at greater risk if we start taking fi re. T e only way to combat this tendency is to plan how you will respond to the threat beforehand, including making a solid com- mitment to separate from them, and then reinforce your plan with mental imagery. Return to Question 3
Ambush Awareness and Counter-Ambush Tactics While the number of offi cer murders have declined signifi cantly over the past three decades (from an average of 68 per year between 1985-1999 to an average of 53 per year since 2000), the number of offi - cers killed in ambushes has increased dra- matically. Of the 1,020 offi cers feloniously killed between 1985-1999, 11 percent were killed in ambushes, whereas 21.7 percent of the 799 killed in the 15 years since then were the victims of ambushes. T is last fi gure represents an alarming 52.7 percent
increase in ambush deaths while the total number of felonious killings decreased by 21.7 percent during the same period. While it is diffi cult to determine why we haven’t been more successful in countering this threat, it may well be due to the pervasive false notion that there is little that can be done to defend against them. While it is true that ambushes are very dangerous, it is also true that there is a lot we can do to eff ectively deal with them. As with any other hazard, the fi rst step in
avoidance is awareness. Be especially cau- tious when responding to any incident that makes you vulnerable to an ambush. T ese include active shooters, bombings, or other mass casualty incidents. Terrorists and other mass killers want to infl ict as many casualties as possible, and one way to do that is to use snipers, explosive devices, etc. to ambush fi rst responders when they arrive on the scene. Also be wary of any calls to re- mote or deserted locations (it’s easier to set up an ambush without being detected when no one is around), calls that appear bogus, or anything else that raises your suspicions. When responding, slow down as much as the circumstances allow and scan for anything that seems unusual or hazardous as you approach the scene. In rapidly de- veloping emergencies like active shooters, you will need to get there quickly, but even then it is important to drive at a reasonable enough speed to scan for possible secondary threats, as well as to avoid accidents. When time permits, also think about approach- ing from an unexpected direction and/or stopping at a safe location for a closer look before you proceed farther. Consider using binoculars if you have them, and take time to listen as well. You may also want to park your cruiser and proceed on foot if you still have any suspicions.
Another precaution is to drive past the location fi rst to see if you can spot anything that looks suspicious, and then cautiously re-approach it, preferably from a diff erent direction. Besides allowing you to assess the danger, this will also allow you to get a bet- ter idea of the lay of the land and pick out the safest place to stop upon your return.
As you arrive, focus fi rst on the most likely places where an ambusher may hide, like rooftops, the sides of buildings, walls, ridges in the terrain, and other places that may provide an attacker with cover and an easy avenue of escape. After checking these areas, scan windows, vehicles, trees, and other smaller places of cover and conceal- ment. Also pay special attention to dark re- cesses and shady areas, and look for glints of metal, muzzle fl ashes, smoke, and hints of movement. In addition, since our periph- eral vision is especially good at detecting movement and seeing in low light, don’t ignore things you notice out of the corner of your eye. Also, as was discussed earlier in this analy- sis, watch for anything that could be a stop- per. Since the purpose of a stopper is to force the victim to stop in the hot zone, the best thing to do if you suspect one is to not stop for it. Immediately start scanning for other danger signs as you back off , go around it, change directions, etc., and then head for the nearest cover or avenue of escape. Another source of danger is the tendency to focus on injured victims. Since we po- lice offi cers have a deep concern for others, it is only natural for us to want to rush to their aid, but it can make things worse for everyone involved. If you fall into this trap and become incapacitated, other respond- ing offi cers and medical personnel will then have to deal with two victims instead of one, which puts others at greater risk and ties up a lot of resources that may be needed elsewhere. Unless the ambusher’s location cannot be pinpointed and/or he is in a solid defensive position where it will take too much time to neutralize him, it is usu- ally best to deal with the ambusher before rescuing any victims.
In the event that you are ambushed, im- mediately exit the hot zone, or if immediate escape isn’t possible, follow Capt. Franks’ example. He had received considerable counter-ambush training in the military, and this proved to be a key factor in the outcome. Without conscious thought, he fought back with aggressive return fi re (the fi rst and foremost rule for winning when
48 The Police Marksman Mar-Apr 2015
www.policemarksman.com
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