For Security & Protection Specialists
If you are carrying a handgun for defensive purposes, you need to be able to get to it when you need it.
On the market today, there is a wide variety of holsters to choose from that vary in price from a few bucks to a few hundred; some are worth it, many are not. What most people forget when considering carry techniques for a handgun or any weapons for that matter is that they are going to have to be able to access the weapon in all environments with both strong and weak hands.
In the context of close protection work, the use of firearms is often an all or nothing proposition. In most cases, you are either armed, or you’re not! There is a whole host of things that play into that, be it where you are, your level of certification, or the demands the client puts on you. All of that aside, I wanted to take some time and dig into the finer things, often overlooked when we talk about “strapping up.” Ammunition!
With a 12ga shotgun, you can literally shoot clay pigeons, real pigeons, deer, bears, or pedophiles, and terrorists. You just need to choose the right type of shells.
The ammunition used in shotguns is referred to as shells, not bullets. Shotgun shells come in various sizes, but the most common for 12ga guns are 2 ¾ inches, 3 inches, and 3 ½ inches.
These days many shooters and those in the armed security business shy away from revolvers. I have heard quite a few people brush them off as being old-fashioned, obviously not tacticool enough to post on their social media. But in the real world of protection, there are a lot of revolvers in use for personal self-defense and security duties.
It is believed that this is the safest method of carry because when the handgun is drawn from the holster, it points in a straight line directly at the target. The cross-draw is where the gun is on the opposite side of the body to the dominant hand, so you have to reach across the body to draw the handgun.
By now many of you have seen the recent photo of the Dallas shooter outside of the Federal Building. Ask yourself if this was your Office, School, or House of Worship how prepared would your company or institution be to recognize the signs of trouble as those Federal Officers did and deny access and ultimately defeat the shooter?
Having dug around in the last year to see what’s going on with security training courses at home and overseas, it would appear that there is a gap between what’s acceptable, to what’s a complete rip off, and that gap is as wide as the Grand Canyon.
The ‘tactical culture’ had flourished over the last few years, mainly due to the proliferation of video cameras and increasing engagement with social media platforms, which I believe is causing the lines between reality and the ‘tacticool’ entertainment world to become very, very blurred…
It takes very little these days to be a part of the tactical sub-culture that is trending, here’s how to do it. Simply, purchase a gun, where legal, get your hands on some tactical clothing, buy a bunch of ‘black op’ accessories, plug into ‘Soldier of Fortune’ social-media channels and perhaps even take some no-fail tactical training courses, then after a few months, hey presto, you’re an expert! Whereas, in the good old days, the only option, if you wanted this lifestyle, was to join the military – preferably the Infantry!
Residential security (RS) is something that is usually taken very lightly, most believe putting in an alarm system and maybe a camera or two is all that’s required.
It is common knowledge that one of the favored places for criminals and terrorists to target a victim is when they are in, entering or leaving their residence; RS must be taken very seriously. In times of civil unrest looters will be looking to target any location that has valuables, weapons or assets that they can use and that has minimal security, this means most residential properties.
In May 2003, the UK Government changed the rules on the supply of military kit, and many operators and companies now became arms brokers. These new laws were officially known as the ‘Trade controls’ or more commonly ‘Trafficking and brokering’.
I was a seventeen-year old military recruit when I was issued my first rifle. That marked the beginning of what would amount to nearly forty years of carrying firearms professionally. Twenty-three of those were in the military, including nearly twenty years with the SAS, followed by almost seventeen years of commercial security work.
Many industry practitioners understand and embrace that continuing education is a necessity in a highly competitive, rapidly evolving industry such as protective services. Yet, there is a commonly overlooked issue which leaves gaps for most. When selecting training, do you find trendy topics, or do you train to fill your gaps?
Yet, there is a commonly overlooked issue which leaves gaps for most. When selecting training, do you find trendy topics, or do you train to fill your gaps?
I want to start this article by saying that it is sad to have to write an article about the many concerns about the use of guns in church.
Whether it is from the standpoint of someone coming to cause a problem with a gun in a church or those called to protect the church from these types of situations, we are clearly talking about something new in the area of everyday church life. As I do church protection seminars in different parts of the country we cover a vast number of subjects dealing with church safety. Everything from aggressive friendliness to zero tolerance. There is always, however, one subject that people want to talk about to which I cautiously comply and that is this subject of guns and churches.
The first step in countering snipers is for everyone to be aware of the threat. This is where a threat assessment needs to be compiled and the realist threats need to be identified, if potential snipers are a threat then procedures need to be put in place.
In general, operational planning for a sniper threat should always be considered to some extent. Not only should counter sniper procedures be planned for but they need to be practiced, your people need to be trained at least in the basic reactions to fire and the use of cover, preferably before they are exposed to the sniper threat.
Providing protective services requires a mind set that differs dramatically from the norm. This line of work demands a forward-thinking anticipation of what might occur and developing solutions on how to mitigate those risks. How does this differ from the norm? Half of the people on this planet are categorized into below average intelligence. Humor […]
If ISIS is the new Public Enemy Number 1 then Al Qaeda would likely be 1A, but they don’t hold a monopoly on terror. Whether the act is a beheading, lynching or being drunk behind a pickup truck, the results are equally as brutal, senseless and catastrophic to the victim’s families or targeted groups. […]
Training specifically geared towards preparing journalists for hostile environments is sadly lacking due to ignorance, budget constraints and corporate neglect. At best this is a penny-pinching exercise, though the outcome can often be far grimmer. In issue 57, we’re understanding factors contributing to this under-preparedness and examining what a realistic level of training should look like.
