{"id":302,"date":"2022-09-15T11:31:05","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T11:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=302"},"modified":"2022-09-15T11:31:05","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T11:31:05","slug":"le-lessons-for-the-armed-citizen-do-you-know-the-10-deadly-errors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=302","title":{"rendered":"LE Lessons for the Armed Citizen: Do You Know the 10 Deadly Errors?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Mike Boyle<\/a><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note:<\/strong> The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not constitute legal or tactical advice.<\/em><\/p>\n

R<\/span>ecently, I was reading an article that summarized line of duty law enforcement deaths in 2021. To say the least, I found this information most disturbing because, in the past year, 73 law enforcement officers were slain in the line of duty.<\/p>\n

\n<\/picture>
Police officers face far more violent criminal encounters than the average citizen will. What lessons can we learn from their\u00a0experiences?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It would be an unrealistic expectation that we could eliminate all murders of police, but until fairly recently these numbers were declining. We can probably look at a number of dynamics that lead to this increase such as the pandemic, a spike in violent crime, people who feel that law enforcement officers are oppressors rather than protectors, and open hostility toward the police which goes unpunished, are just some of the contributing factors. But no matter how you look at it, policing has become an even more dangerous occupation.<\/p>\n

The Details<\/h2>\n

A point made by the author of this particular piece was that some officers who were murdered simply did not heed the hard lessons we\u2019ve learned in the past. I couldn\u2019t agree more. I would submit it is very tough to keep your mind 100% in the game throughout a long shift, but the consequences are far too high to take a casual approach to the business at hand. Repetition of these same kinds of errors may very well result in serious injury or death.<\/p>\n

Back in the day, there wasn\u2019t much in the way of formal academy instruction for police officers on risk minimization. If you were lucky, an experienced officer took you under his wing and he showed you the proper way to do things in order to maintain your safety. That all began to change in the 1970s, and perhaps the biggest shift came about because of a book called \u201cOfficer Down, Code 3\u201d. The book was written by LAPD Detective Pierce Brooks, who had gained some notoriety as the lead investigator in the Onion Field killings.<\/p>\n

\"mentally\n<\/picture>
Being mentally alert, well-trained and properly equipped are all important factors should a criminal try to visit violence on\u00a0you.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the book, Brooks described the Ten Deadly Errors, which outlined many of the repeated reasons why police officers were killed. Back when I was in the police academy, I remember watching a training film which outlined the Ten Deadly Errors, and this had a profound effect on both me and my classmates. Clearly, we were not going to fall victim to this. Or, so we thought!<\/p>\n

For almost 50 years, taking this message to heart has helped keep cops safe and the message rings true to this very day. The Ten Deadly Errors include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0Failure to Maintain Equipment & Proficiency<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0Improper Search, Improper\/No Use of Handcuffs<\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0Sleepy or Asleep<\/li>\n
  4. \u00a0Relaxing too Soon<\/li>\n
  5. \u00a0Missing Danger Signs<\/li>\n
  6. \u00a0Bad Positioning<\/li>\n
  7. \u00a0Failure to Watch the Hands<\/li>\n
  8. \u00a0Tombstone Courage<\/li>\n
  9. \u00a0Preoccupation<\/li>\n
  10. \u00a0Apathy<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Translating Success<\/h2>\n

    Techniques and tactics used by the police or military sometimes don\u2019t translate well to the responsible, armed citizens. The military\u2019s mission is to destroy the enemy and his ability to wage war, while the police are in the business of confronting people who all too often are involved in some sort of illegal behavior.<\/p>\n

    \"we\n<\/picture>
    By learning from police encounters with criminals, we can be better-equipped to avoid or defeat an attack. Image: Shutterstock\/ALDECA\u00a0Studio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    On the other hand, the focus of the armed citizen should be to avoid confrontation and questionable circumstances. For non-law enforcement individuals, some of the Ten Deadly Errors simply don\u2019t apply. However, several other of these points may have some significant validity for anyone who carries a gun in today\u2019s society.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t Neglect Your Gear & Practice<\/h2>\n

    No doubt, you laid a substantial amount of cash for a quality handgun, ammunition, and a holster or two. Hopefully, you also took in some training to help get you up to speed. However, it\u2019s important to recognize that while this is a good start, there is much more work still to do.<\/p>\n

    \"empty\n<\/picture>
    Meaningful practice with reloading, drawing and low-light techniques can be accomplished at home with an empty gun, inert trainer, dummy rounds and a\u00a0flashlight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Today\u2019s crop of autopistols is far more reliable than that of a generation ago. Equipment you might have to use to save your life is not an area where you want to cut corners, and if the better product costs a few bucks more, by all means go for it. But all handguns, both pistol and revolver, require regular maintenance. And any handgun you might carry should be cleaned and lubricated after use. Additionally, do a cursory inspection of your gun as well as a function check to make sure everything is working as it should. Of late, I have encountered red dot optics where a mounting screw has backed out, weapon-mounted lights with dead batteries, and revolvers with loose ejector rods. All of these issues would be a problem in a deadly confrontation.<\/p>\n

    By all means, don\u2019t neglect your ammunition. I know in the eras of ammo shortages and sky-high prices, burning up a couple boxes of quality carry ammo is an expensive proposition. But be absolutely sure it will run in your gun. Also, visually inspect each round before you stuff them into your magazine. Do any of them look longer or shorter than the rest?<\/p>\n

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    Shooting a handgun is a perishable skill, so don\u2019t neglect practice. I recognize getting out to the range as often as you would like is often outside the realm of possibility, but there is a great deal of dry practice you can do at home including practicing the draw stroke, reloading, clearing stoppages and coordinating a flashlight with your pistol. When you do get out to the range, focus on those skills you will need in order to prevail in a fast-breaking, close-range encounter. Practice should be meaningful.<\/p>\n

    Missing Danger Signs<\/h2>\n

    If you opt to carry a gun about God\u2019s green earth, you have to stay switched on and keep the radar running. Recognize that trouble can unfold at arm\u2019s length with no forewarning whatsoever, but very often there are danger signs that might indicate something is amiss. Before you enter a convenience or liquor store, do you do a quick scan through the window to make sure all is normal? This is not being paranoid, but rather prepared. Choosing to go armed in modern society requires extra vigilance to ensure that your gun will not be taken and used against you or someone else.<\/p>\n

    \"try\n<\/picture>
    Your options are limited if you encounter a dangerous person while in the open. If there is a forewarning of danger, try to get something between you and the\u00a0threat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Bad Positioning<\/h2>\n

    Distance, movement, and cover are your friends. Street criminals like to get close to potential victims to launch their attack, and you should be especially wary of an individual going out of their way to get close to you. In the city, having all sorts of unknowns just a few odd feet away is hardly unusual. However, I remain especially leery of someone closing in on my personal space to ask for a match, the time or for directions. My response is \u201cdon\u2019t smoke\u201d and I continue to walk away and create distance.<\/p>\n

    If this verbal exchange continues and you can\u2019t get clear of the situation, look for some sort of obstacle you can put between the aggressor and yourself, such as a trash can or vehicle. If he does indeed launch an attack, he will have to take the long way around the barn. This will provide you with a precious second or two to access your weapon. If the assailant is armed with a firearm, quick movement or getting behind something that can stop incoming fire will help level the playing field.<\/p>\n

    Tombstone Courage<\/h2>\n

    A dangerous attitude for an armed citizen is to think that since you have a gun, you are invincible. You no longer have to back down if challenged and can go anywhere you please. If anything, the fact that you are armed comes with an even greater sense of responsibility that you don\u2019t put yourself in confrontational situations.<\/p>\n

    \"walk\n<\/picture>
    Before entering a small business, look inside. Does everything appear normal? Can you see the clerk? Walk away if things don\u2019t look\u00a0right.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    A burglar in the home is yet another area that needs to be considered. I get that \u201cmy home is my castle\u201d thought process, but unless you have some specialized training in building searches, this is something best left to professionals. Grabbing that pistol off the nightstand and going from room to room while still half asleep is seldom a good idea. Property can always be replaced. Unless other family members are in danger, I suggest you stay in a secure area, access your firearm, call 911 and wait for the cavalry to arrive.<\/p>\n

    Apathy<\/h2>\n

    Many folks just can\u2019t perceive they might be a target of violent crime and mistakenly believe that bad things only happen to other people! If that were the case, then why did you go out and get a gun? On occasion, I have spoken to law enforcement officers who were in fact surprised that they were the target of a surprise attack. After putting in 20+ years without serious incident, they were shocked that their world was suddenly turned upside down and that they had to use a high level of force to prevail. It\u2019s really no different in the armed citizen world.<\/p>\n

    \"first\n<\/picture>
    Being alert to your surroundings is the first step in avoiding a violent encounter. Image: Shutterstock\/Rock-TheStock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    While we may have a mental image of what a bad guy might look like, don\u2019t sell anybody short. This certainly includes juveniles and females. One of my associates came within an inch of losing his life after he was stabbed multiple times by a 15-year-old offender. Don\u2019t let your guard down, and if something or somebody doesn\u2019t look right, create distance and get away.<\/p>\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n

    Unfortunately, trouble sometimes comes our way, ready or not. But check out your surroundings and be aware of all going on around you. If and when possible, confrontation should be avoided. However, there may very well be a situation where avoidance is outside the realm of possibility. But a winner\u2019s mindset, skill, and sound tactics can get you through and keep you safe.<\/p>\n

    Editor\u2019s Note: Be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in!<\/em><\/p>\n

    Join the Discussion<\/span><\/h5>\n

    Go to forum thread<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


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    By Mike Boyle Editor\u2019s Note: The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not constitute legal or tactical advice. Recently, I was reading an article that summarized line of duty law enforcement deaths in 2021. To say the least, I found this information most disturbing because, in the past year, 73 law enforcement […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=302"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}