Urban Survival- Situational Profiling

[P Nation]

Please pay attention to this article. It could save your life.

This is a portion of our Urban course titled- Situational Profiling.

Everything has a baseline. Simply put, a basis of comparison. People groups, parks, shopping malls, neighborhoods, schools, ect, all have baselines.
Anomalies are things that contradict the baseline. Could be a nice car in a bad neighborhood, bad car in a nice neigh
borhood, someone wearing a coat
in the middle of summer, ect. It is very common to have something violate the baseline. If one anomaly violates the baseline, we notice and make a mental
note, but it's nothing to get excited about. When two anomalies violate the baseline, our ears should start to perk up along with our heart rate, but it doesn't warrant action, however, you begin to formulate a plan of how you are going to get out of the scenario if one ends up coming to fruition. When three anomalies
violate the baseline, it is time to act (think.) This is where your Fight or Flight instinct jump starts.

Let me give you an example.

Say you are a cop that works the night shift. You attend your in-briefing and begin your patrol. Your first stop is the Quiktrip that you have stopped at every night for the last 3 weeks. Your typical pattern is walking in the store, greeting the clerk that is standing behind the counter, walking over to get a cup of coffee, paying the clerk, and resuming your patrol. Tonight, you walk in the store and the first thing you notice is that the clerk is not behind the
counter (1), you detect the faint smell of cordite (gun powder) but you can't be completely sure, but, it is still an abnormal smell for the baseline (2), and finally, you walk over to the coffee pot and it's empty (3.) Your gun should be coming out of it's holster because you could have very realistically walked into an armed robbery or murder scene.

If you don't believe this system works, ask Osama.

 

[ripnbst]

as in Bin Laden? I think helicopters landing in your front yard goes straight from normal to not normal with no stepping stones in between.

Please pay attention to this article. It could save your life.

But more likely get you arrested.

Also, for an LEO maybe it's time to unsnap and have your hand on your weapon, unless of course you just LOOOOVE paperwork and desks. For a CCW its time to GTFO of dodge. As a CCW you dont draw your gun in a QT because you smell what you think is cordite and the guy whos usually behind the counter had Speedy Gonzales for lunch.

WTH are you going to say to the LEO who arrives and you are now staring down his gun because the QT employee came out of the john to some doofus standing there holding his pistol in his hand.

Heighten your awareness to the point you are ready as quickly as situationally possible, yes. Drawing and being at the low ready, no thanks.

The armchair commando is strong within your course instructor.

 

[P Nation]

If you would have paid any attention to the article, the scenario was based off of an LEO. Don't get too wrapped up with the fine details. It's clear that you missed the point of the article.

 

[ripnbst]

If you would have paid any attention to the article, the scenario was based off of an LEO. Don't get too wrapped up with the fine details. It's clear that you missed the point of the article.

I get the "viewed from 5000 ft" point but even as a cop I'd think you a fool to draw your gun based on the information given.

 

[P Nation]

Seems you are more concerned with paperwork instead of self preservation and the lives of those you vowed to protect. Not your fault. I blame the legal system

 

[Sam Shoun]

as in Bin Laden? I think helicopters landing in your front yard goes straight from normal to not normal with no stepping stones in between.

I lol'd!

 

[Sam Shoun]

OK...but in all seriousness, I appreciate the baseline concept. But rpnbst makes a valid point--that a singular anomaly can deviate sufficiently far from the baseline to warrant more than just noticing. And conversely, multiple minor deviations from the baseline may not necessitate action.

It seems that rather than just a quantitative view of anomalies, a qualitative judgement is necessary.

 

[P Nation]

Your opinion is typical. If you feel that you sit high enough up on the throne that you have no room for improvement than so be it, but this article is for those who have a humble willingness to learn. Not those oblivious people who think we just randomly landed on the right house, walked up to bin laden, killed him, and shut the door on the way out.

 

[bulbboy]

Thanks for the article. The point is to pay attention - always. Don't let your routine lull you asleep.

Im listening to the OP because he's seen and done more than most of us here.

Alex, appreciate your service

 

[Glocktogo]

Your opinion is typical. If you feel that you sit high enough up on the throne that you have no room for improvement than so be it, but this article is for those who have a humble willingness to learn. Not those oblivious people who think we just randomly landed on the right house, walked up to bin laden, killed him, and shut the door on the way out.

Seriously? Where is this leading? Why are we discussing Bin Laden in the context of situational awareness and appropriate response to threats? It detracts from the message and provides an opening for argument and controversy. Controversy in the same way your QT scenario does. There are multiple responses that may be appropriate under the listed circumstances. There is no one right answer. The focus should be on the OODA loop, not a specific response.

One thing I've noticed is that you don't establish your bona fides, either here or on your website. Those who've trained with you say you impart good information without condescension, yet your text imparts a bit of it here. I've yet to read an after action report from a skilled trainee, so I have no idea whether you know what you're doing or not. This bunch can be very skeptical, so you might want to consider that before going down this road. It can be icy and the dropoffs are pretty steep.