Field Command - Issue One

FIELD C MMAND TACTICS ARE A SCIENCE – APPLYING THEM IS AN ART

/ Winter 2023 /

ERASING THE REALITY GAP

with AUFIRE

REMEMBERING

SID HEAL

USE OF LESS LETHAL IMPACT WEAPONS

PEACEKEEPERS:

ATHENA’S CHAMPIONS PHOTO BY JOSH DAFOE / @joshdafoephotography

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 1

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FIELD COMMAND TACTICS ARE A SCIENCE – APPLYING THEM IS AN ART

/ VOL 1 ISS 1 / Winter 2023 /

/ FEATURE /

28 PEACEKEEPERS:

ATHENA’S CHAMPIONS

BY SID HEAL

/ DEPARTMENTS / 12 FROM THE PRESIDENT

28

18 REMEMBRANCE SID HEAL

22 TRAINING AUFIRE

40 EDUCATION

LESS LETHAL WEAPONS

44 TECHNOLOGY

THE FLY ON THE WALL

22 40

44

50 FEATURED PRODUCTS 56 COURSES & EVENTS 60 AD INDEX

50

CATO REGION REPS

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CATO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

REGION 1 JD Comer, Preston Biggs Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma

PRESIDENT Brent Stratton

VICE PRESIDENT Marcus Sprague

TREASURER Mat Sorenson

REGION 2 Tony Ferreira, Mike Caldwell Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama

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DIRECTOR AT LARGE Ken Brayton

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DIRECTOR AT LARGE Kris Jenny

DIRECTOR AT LARGE Toby Darby

DIRECTOR AT LARGE Nick Tollefson

CATO ADVISOR EMERITUS Mike Hillman / Ken Hubbs / RK Miller / Richard Odenthal

HISTORY OF CATO

In the mid-1960s, the concept of special weapons and tactics teams was first conceived and implemented by the Los Angeles Police Department. Since that time, law enforcement agencies across the country have realized the need for specially trained and equipped police personnel to resolve an ever-increasing number of dangerous situations. No matter which acronym is used (SWAT, SRT, ERT, etc.) these teams of highly trained professionals are tasked with resolving some of the most hazardous of all law enforcement incidents. The California Association of Tactical Officers CATO) believes there is no acceptable casualty rate for law enforcement personnel.

In particular, CATO has focused its efforts upon improving the safety, education, and sharing of vital tactical information among its members.

6 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

REGION 7 Chris Barsteceanu Inyo, Kern, Kings REGION 8 Nate Totirica, Fred Mickel San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura REGION 9 Ryan Peterson, Bobby Crees Los Angeles REGION 10 Nick Tollefosn, Chris Shipley, Mike Walsh, Jamieson Liu Riverside, San Bernardino REGION 11 Gabe Rivera, Garry Cuoso Orange REGION 12 Vacant Imperial, San Diego

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FIELD COMMAND TACTICS ARE A SCIENCE – APPLYING THEM IS AN ART

XTERNAL PATROL VEST The official publication of the California Association of Tactical Officers. Field Command is published quarterly for the benefit of association members.

The California Association of Tactical Officers is a non-profit membership organization which provides educational services and encourages enhancements in professionalism and proficiency among law enforcement special weapons teams and personnel.

The views expressed in any article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the California Association of Tactical Officers. CATO encourages articles from both members and non-members.

Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Right Reserved. Field Command reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it. © 2023 California Association of Tactical Officers

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AVAILABLE COLORS PUBLISHED BY 526 Media Group, Inc. Www.526mediagroup.com PUBLISHER Patrick Adams Padams@526mediagroup.com EDITORIAL DIRECTORS Brent Stratton President@catotraining.org Marcus Sprague Vp@catotraining.org CONTRIBUTORS Lt. Lance Bryant Sid Heal R.K. Miller John Stanley

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/ FROM THE PRESIDENT / Brent Stratton

INFLUENCE OF A LEGEND I TESTED FOR AND JOINED my department’s SWAT team in 2007. As I was preparing for tryouts, my Sergeant suggested I join CATO to better prepare myself for the position. Little did I know how much that one suggestion would change the course of my career and frankly, the course of my life. The good Sarge certainly knew what he was talking about and it’s no wonder he is still tracking down bad guys into his 40th year of law enforcement service. Thank you for that excellent advice, Greg Jehle.

The idea that anyone is self-made is almost laughable.

We are all the product of formative relationships, good or bad. I am lucky to have had people in my formative years who have helped shape me into the person I am today. I can say the same thing professionally. There are several who have played roles in my career that have seen things in me, or given me opportunities that have helped shape me in the career that means so much to me. There is also a small, but a select few however who are in the category that have done both to help me personally and professionally. My Dad is certainly on that list, there are a few others, but Sid Heal is one of them and I have CATO to thank for that.

I joined CATO, made the team, was sent to SWAT

school and my first CATO conference all within a few months of each other. This is where I first saw and heard some of the men who became my professional heroes speak. Attending the conference and more frequently, reading the quarterly magazine, gave me an opportunity to learn from guys like Ken Hubbs, Gene Ramirez, RK Miller and of course Sid Heal.

Later in my career when I didn’t get the training that I knew I needed to provide the leadership required to support my agency’s SWAT team, I went to CATO. I was always fascinated by Sid’s writings. I read everything he wrote, watched every video, read his books and took courses where he spoke. I stayed after to ask him questions and I could not believe that he would speak to me as if we had been friends for years. He always made me feel welcome and he always encouraged me. In this profession, that is by far the exception not the rule. Many instructors and “experts” will go out of their way to talk about themselves, to make themselves seem smarter, stronger, better and more experienced than they really are. I was drawn to the humility of Sid’s style, which was always such a contrast to anything else I’d been exposed to in the law enforcement world. Throughout the years I

/ ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE AND MORE FREQUENTLY, READING THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM GUYS LIKE KEN HUBBS, GENE RAMIREZ, RK MILLER AND OF COURSE SID HEAL / would reference him so much that the guys on the team would begin to sarcastically say, “What would your hero Sid Heal say about this”.

I was still only a couple of years into being a sergeant when CATO called for applications for the Strategic Leadership Program. This program was designed by several men and Sid was one of the chief architects.

The goal was to provide the wisdom, curriculum and experience they had gained over decades of experience to try and impart it to those of a younger generation who were active in the field of tactics. I don’t know how many applied or what the selection criteria was and I suspect that not many people applied to read books, listen to lectures and put in extra work to try and better themselves, but I count it as one of the most beneficial opportunities of my life. It literally changed my life and I have Sid Heal to thank for that. We were

introduced to men who were pioneers of modern tactical law enforcement, thought leaders who poured their philosophy into us. I got to learn from, spend time with, become colleagues and friends with some of these men, some of which have taught me professional lessons that I still lean on and draw from to this day. On the first day we heard from Sid. He spoke to us in Jon Becker’s conference room and by the middle of his presentation, he began getting emotional as he told us the foundation of his leadership principles were based on the Marines he lost and the lessons he learned in Vietnam. Sgt. Jon Cabrera from Palm Springs PD told me then that this was the exact moment he knew that this was like no other training program he’d ever attended in his career and I remember thinking the same thing. We were exposed to and learned things from people who’d literally written the book on these types of things and it CONTINUED

12 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 13

FROM THE PRESIDENT /

/ THAT PLAQUE AND THE PICTURE OF US WITH SID IS FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN MY OFFICE WHERE I CAN LOOK AT IT EVERY DAY TO REMIND ME OF WHAT I’VE LEARNED /

made me a better cop and a better leader. It was during this program that I got to meet, learn from and in some cases become friends with men like Phil Hansen, Mike Hillman, Darryl Evans, Ron McCarthy, John Kohlman, Tim Anderson, Odie Odenthal, Jon Becker and Lee McMillion. I learned so much from each of them, but the two things that were most valuable to me were an applied principle and a lived example given to me by Sid. It taught me how to think and challenged my thought process. The men I went through this program with have become some of my closest friends despite not growing up with them, or working with them on the streets or on a SWAT callout, or even living in the same part of the state. We are bound together through CATO and Sid Heal’s vision of principled leadership. At the end of the leadership program, we were presented with a plaque that we received from Sid. That plaque and the picture of us with Sid is featured prominently in my office where I can look at it every day to remind me of what I’ve learned.

While that would certainly be more than I could’ve asked for, at the end of the program I was asked to join CATO’s Board of Directors. I didn’t believe that I belonged on that Board as there is so much I did not know and so many others who were far more proficient tactically. Sid put me at ease, told me he would teach me things along the way and he brought me on board. He taught me about budgets, assignments, organizational philosophy and leadership. As my time on the CATO board progressed and may people retired or grew tired of volunteering

their time, I became Sid’s vice president. He had so many ideas about certification projects and online training that seemed so far out there. But now the law has changed requiring a de-certification process and after the pandemic, online training is ubiquitous. Sid was always a man about 10 years ahead of his time as it relates to his ideas. He called it futures thinking and he would try to explain it to me and in typical Sid fashion he was talking above my head and beyond my comprehension within 90 seconds. As the time progressed Sid was very firm that he was going to retire from the board on January of 2020. What fool would possibly want to take over the organization following Sid Heal, the man who wrote the books, taught the classes and has done so much tactically. Sid was firm on his retirement date and continued to ask who was willing to take over and there were continually crickets. I couldn’t believe my own ears when I heard myself tell him that if nobody else would do it, then I would. I told him I didn’t know what I was doing, that I was unprepared, that I was inadequate to follow his footsteps and this was not false humility. I still believe that to this day, but I told him that I was willing to put in the work. I told him I wasn’t a tactical or thought leader, speaker or author, but that I did believe I could apply the things he’d taught me about organizations and organizational leadership and that I believed I could manage and administer. I’m not sure whether Sid had confidence in me or not but his last official act as the President was to resign and he nominated me to take his

spot as the President of the board. He shook my hand and told me that he would be there to help me. He put all of his files on my laptop and several years later, I still have not been able to go through all of them. They are that voluminous, in depth and advanced. He was like a mad scientist. He has helped me indeed.

We’ve reshaped CATO, brought it back from the brink of bankruptcy and there are more training classes than ever. The reach is farther than ever thanks to the podcast and we are able to help serve, train and develop cops today better than ever, all because of what Sid has taught us. Our most popular podcasts are taking Sid’s book Sound Doctrine and breaking it down chapter by chapter to explain Sid’s thoughts and philosophy. Marcus and I joke that we are taking Sid’s book and our episodes are called Sound Doctrine for Dummies. We take what Sid says, and we have to distill it down so that mere mortals like us can understand the man’s thoughts. Sound Doctrine and Field Command are widely regarded as THE books for critical incident decision makers. Sid’s thoughts and philosophies have and will continue to shape those in our nation who make the decisions as well as those who train decision makers, for years to come. A signed copy of his book is one of my favorite things I own.

The applied principle I spoke of that Sid taught me was the principle of end state. It is a simple concept, but is often times overlooked in leadership as it is difficult to have the forward-thinking vision coupled with the ability to clearly articulate it. Most times we inherently know

what our end state is and we react. This gets us in the ballpark, but not as close to where we want to be when we can paint a clear picture of what the ideal outcome to a situation should be. In his book Sound Doctrine, Sid defines it as “the desired result or final outcome of a tactical operation.” (Italics are mine for reasons to follow).

This is a principle I tried to implement as a commander on my team, but is also something I try to apply every day in leadership. I’ve found that it’s not my job to do the work anymore, but it’s my job to articulate an ideal desired result or final outcome and to explain why that fits into whatever it is we are trying to accomplish. It is from there that those I get the opportunity to work with can begin to build a plan for implementation backwards to achieve what we want. Its such common sense, but it had never been explained to me before. When asked to speak in any leadership or ethics presentation, I give Sid credit for this philosophy and I suggest those attending seek to apply it in their work as well. It is equally as effective and important in every day leadership as it is during tactical situations.

The best part about it though and what has impacted me most and will impact me the rest of my life, is that he taught me about how to apply it in my personal life. He told me that if the principle works in a tactical or leadership environment, it can also work in your personal life. It is such common sense but I’d never thought of it that way. It challenged me to look at my relationship with my wife and my kids differently. I began CONTINUED

14 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 15

FROM THE PRESIDENT /

/ I WAS DRAWN TO THE HUMILITY OF SID’S STYLE, WHICH WAS ALWAYS SUCH A CONTRAST TO ANYTHING ELSE I’D BEEN EXPOSED TO IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WORLD /

to think about what I wanted my marriage to be like and that it could also apply to how I was raising my kids. I tried to articulate what I wanted those relationships to look like now and in the future. I began thinking what I wanted them to be like when they were adults. Not what they were going to do, or what I was trying to make them be, but the type of human beings I hoped they would become. I began writing that down.

Then I had to ask myself if I was living my life every day in a manner that would help create those types of adults and the unfortunate answer was no, I was not.

I wasn’t being as purposeful as I wanted. I then had to look at my life and reconcile where I wanted to be with where I actually was. I had to create a tactical plan for how to get there, just like any of us would do when faced with a tactical problem. I got to work writing down then what I should do every day to live my life in a manner that would help me create children like this.

This focus of effort (another Sid term) has made me more engaged as a husband and father and it has made me be a better man. For that I will always be thankful to Sid and he will forever hold a place in my heart as one who has profoundly shaped me professionally as well as personally.

When Sid passed, I heard a lot of great stories, but hearing his wife and children eulogize him and talk about his relationship with them and the daily interactions, support and love he offered showed me what I already knew about the man. It showed me that the principle he taught me worked. It also showed me that he actually lived out what he taught. It also showed me it was possible to be impactful in this work and not end up broken, angry or bitter like so many who leave this profession. My life as a family man is better because

16 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

of Sid. This is exactly why outside of my Dad, who was also a cop and an excellent family man, not many have been able to help teach me, direct me and influence me more than Sid. Professionally, I’ll be forever grateful to Sid for seeing things in me that I didn’t have the confidence to see in myself. My career has progressed significantly since I met Sid at SLP. I’ve been promoted several times and a big portion of that is because Sid has taught me how to think differently and he has exposed me to ideas that I’ve been able to apply to make my department and the people around me better. For that I am thankful because I love my job and I truly do believe it is one of the things the Lord put me on this earth to do. Because of the things that Sid and many others who Sid counts as friends have taught me, I realize that CATO is the vehicle to do that in others. Because of that I feel a tremendous burden to continue the legacy of many others, including Sid, in making CATO the organization that can help improve the outcomes of those who are faced with confronting tactical situations so that their communities are safer.

I am better because of Sid Heal and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to work for him and with him.

He was a mentor in the truest sense of the word and I’m thankful for his friendship and leadership. Most importantly, he is one of many that drew me to CATO and to serving the community. CATO is absolutely a community. It is one f the premiere things that we offer.

If you are passionate, if you have a strong desire to learn and to serve, there is a membership of policing professionals who need you. The next generation is here and they are just as motivated, likely more proficient than ever and CATO is here for them and for you. FC

We believe Tactics are a science, and the Art is in how we

apply those tactics. Members of the California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO) interview a variety of guests and discuss lessons learned, the evolution of tactics, and other contemporary issues facing law enforcement.

CHECK OUT THE CATO PODCAST ON ANY PLATFORM OF YOUR CHOICE

/ REMEMBRANCE / SID HEAL / BY RK MILLER

/ NO MATTER WHAT HE DID OR WHO HE DEALT WITH, SID ALWAYS CAME AS HIMSELF / I AM HONORED to be sharing thoughts about my friend Sid Heal.

First, you should know that Sid always came as himself. There was absolutely no pretense or ego with this man who had accomplished so much in so many ways in his lifetime.

This was evident when I first met him over 30 years ago and it remained true until his passing. As a young SWAT officer, I wanted to learn more about the job so I signed up for one of Sid’s classes. I hit the jackpot that day when I met him for the first time. From that point on, he was always willing to help. I know that many of you have experienced this as well. He would share and encourage anyone who came to him for knowledge.

As my career progressed, he was always there as a mentor and role model. The tactical mantra that he always passed on was that we should be perpetual students of our profession.

I learned how to be a better cop and law enforcement trainer from Sid. I used his teachings and adopted some of his techniques. For example, he would throw candy to (or at) students for motivation and reward. I can personally testify that sometimes it was delivered like a softball. However, depending on how smart or stupid (emphasis on the latter when I was there) the question or the comment, the candy might also come rocketing at you with a speed slightly below that of a LAWs rocket.

Sid was famous for his witticisms. For example, there was an unusual but very descriptive response if a student shared a thought that needed to be emphasized as intuitive. Sid would react with a question something to the effect of “Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?”

A decades-long friendship developed between us. I came to recognize how strong this was when he bared his pain to me. More than once he cried as we talked over past tragedies including the death of a hostage he and his team had tried to save. This was the 1986 Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry store robbery that ended in tragedy. The suspect had forced a hostage to change clothes with him leading to the death of an innocent man. In better times, Sid regularly targeted me for an initial volley of good-natured harassment. That would lead to us going back and forth, via email or in person attacking each other relentlessly until we called a temporary truce. Some who witnessed this were shocked and didn’t understand how cop friends could relate like this, but we had such fun. I have saved some of our e mails and will read them when I need a laugh.

A few weeks ago, we were at breakfast with another LASD retiree, John Stanley. At one point, Sid laid his wallet on the table. In the terminology of his pioneering tactical science teachings, I recognized this as a “critical vulnerability.” (You have read his books Sound Doctrine and Field Command, haven’t you?) When CONTINUED

18 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 19

/ REMEMBRANCE / SID HEAL

he wasn’t looking, I stole the wallet. Later, he realized it was missing and launched into a self-pat down.

Although I tried not to laugh or make eye contact, he soon realized that I was the guilty party. His presence changed before my eyes. I wasn’t sure if I was now facing the persona of Commander Charles Sid Heal, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department legend, or Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 5 Heal, combat veteran warrior.

Either way, as he held out his hand, it was clear that if the wallet wasn’t promptly returned, a thorough search would soon take place which might include any and all body cavities. My original plan was to give it back after I had used the credit card to pay for breakfast. I failed.

I was always honored when Sid wanted my help with a new project, including the books he wrote. The last time we were together, Sid asked John Stanley and I to assist with a new research effort focusing on non-lethal issues.

This was to be a follow up to his recent book, Concepts of Nonlethal Force. Like the rest of his body of work, it promised to be beneficial to law enforcement.

I also learned more from Sid when we went beyond just the literary efforts. Together, we acted as legal arsonists, using flashbangs to burn multiple couches.

This was under controlled conditions aimed at testing these devices for a lawsuit stemming from a fatal couch fire. We also worked together on non-lethal testing that was also prompted by a lawsuit. Whatever I have accomplished as an expert witness on issues like these, I owe to Sid’s guidance. And of course, as we worked together, there were always the obligatory back-andforth insults between us.

One day, we were at Colleen Anderson’s — the widow of our friend and colleague, Tim Anderson’s — home. Her grandchildren were present, and they were drawn to Sid. Instead of just talking with the adults, he played with these kids, lifting them up and down to their great delight. As I watched and talked with him, I couldn’t decide whether it was Sid or the kids who were

20 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

having the most fun. And this was not too long after he had gone through kidney cancer surgery. It is one of my best memories of Sid. In that moment, I could tell that he was a happy man.

I can’t talk about Sid as a friend without also mentioning his wife, Linda. This good woman put up with his long and demanding law enforcement career and then doubled down supporting his time in the Marine Corps, including his four combat tours. As many of you know, exceptional women like Linda are quite often the secret to a husband’s success. Added to this is the incredible fact that she was largely responsible for raising their five great children In 2021, we lost our friend Tim Anderson. Prior to Tim’s passing, Sid wrote him a letter which he also shared with Capt. Odenthal (Odie) and myself. I want to close with Sid speaking to us from that letter.

“I have long been a Christian, not only in the descriptive sense but in the absolute assurance that God is a real being who cares deeply about each of us.

My first real “brush with death” was when I was 19 in Vietnam and realized that I was about to die. It wasn’t just an abstraction or likelihood but an unequivocal certainty. For reasons that are still unclear to me, after all the bodies were collected and the wounded medevacked, I was one of those spared. As the years have passed, I have given much thought to this and have grown comfortable with it. Far stronger than mere belief, it is the absolute assurance of existence beyond this world. I am simply waiting for my turn.”

Sid’s turn came on May 24th. Throughout his life, no matter what he did or who he dealt with, Sid always came as himself. He was nothing less than a tremendous example of what all of us are capable of.

I am sure he is now reunited with old friends, while scrutinizing Heaven’s technology and drafting a new book on how the whole operation can be improved. Sid Heal was, is, and always will be my friend. God Bless him. FC

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 21

/ TRAINING /

ERASING THE REALITY GAP WITH AUFIRE

BY TI GOETZ, HAWTHORNE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Everything begins with an idea.

Tim Pearce was a 10-year veteran Los Angeles police officer when his family’s life was turned upside down. His wife, also a police officer, was shot and paralyzed from the chest down in a violent struggle with a robbery suspect. From that tragedy, Tim would eventually be launched on a multi-year journey of discovery that is only now coming to fruition.

Four years after the shooting, Tim was sitting in his bedroom testing his wife’s Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machine. While the title makes the equipment sound complicated, TENS is a form of physical therapy that uses low voltage electrical current to provide pain relief. A TENS unit consists of a small, battery-powered device that delivers electrical impulses through electrodes placed on the surface of the skin. These impulses stimulate nerves with involuntary contractions which then send pain blocking signals to the brain.

Being the typical inquisitive law enforcement professional, Tim’s curiosity would soon lead him to a life changing discovery. After tinkering with low power settings, he soon decided the next experimental step would be a full power setting hooked to his bicep. The next activation of the TENS resulted in a “significant” contraction of his left arm, followed immediately by his frantic fumbling with his right arm to shut off the stimulator.

Gasping in shock, he stared down at his arm ... and an idea was born.

A fellow officer, who had been shot in the line of duty, had once told Tim that getting shot was like getting hit by baseball bat; a huge impact, a burning sensation, total immobilization of the area, combined with confusion about what just happened. As his fellow officer’s story flooded into Tim’s mind, the comparisons to what he had just experienced seemed almost identical; sudden shock and confusion at the initiation, combined with an immediate, distracting,

22 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

totally disabling, loss of motor function.

Could he do something good with this? Could he help his fellow officers somehow? Those were good questions; questions that would drive Tim’s life for the next 10 plus years, resulting, after many experiments and prototypes, in the creation of Accuracy Under Fire Injury Simulator (AUFIRE).

The AUFIRE system is simple to set up and use. It is currently comprised of two electrically conductive sleeves that are worn by the student (future iterations will incorporate attachments for the abdomen and legs).

The sleeves are attached to a small receiving unit worn on the student’s back. When triggered, the AUFIRE system safely contracts the trainee’s muscles like a cramp, incapacitating the targeted limb to simulate a traumatic injury in an OIS or similar scenario. The effect is immediate, intense, and completely out of the trainee’s control, just like a gunshot wound, knife cut or any physical injury.

Unless someone has been shot or stabbed, most of us have no idea of how it will truly feel, and more importantly, how we would respond to such trauma.

Would we stay in the fight, push through the pain, perform under pressure; or would we crumble? There isn’t an officer alive who hasn’t thought through this type of scenario multiple times in his head, gaming out how they would hope to respond if or when that moment comes.

“Murphy’s Law” being what it is, the “reality gap” between what we “hope” occurs and what actually occurs given the real-world introduction of pain, confusion and shock can often be quite dramatic. Police officers who regularly train on the static range often miss a large percentage of their shots during close range gunfights, officers who have easily applied tourniquets during stress free training suddenly have difficulties applying it as real blood flows, officers trained in active shooter response freeze, hesitate, or don’t do what is expected of them when faced with the real deal.

/ UNLESS SOMEONE HAS BEEN SHOT OR STABBED, MOST OF US HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW IT WILL TRULY FEEL, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW WE WOULD RESPOND TO SUCH TRAUMA. /

Having tested one of Tim’s initial prototypes over ten years ago, I was extremely interested in seeing what the latest version brought to the table. After getting suited up, I ran through basic room clearing scenarios while Tim hit me with varying power levels, locking up part or all of one arm or the other with 66 volts of electrical muscle stimulation (safe levels commonly used in therapy). To say it was an eyeopener would be an understatement. The sensation is not necessarily what I would call “painful,” though some might equate the cramping with pain, but depending on the power level selected, the sensation was definitely very uncomfortable, and absolutely interfered with my ability to calmly function.

Not only did I lose the use of my arm, but the continuing cramping was a huge distraction and required me to physically and mentally fight through the sensation to stay focused on the ongoing clearing operation. Application of a tourniquet on the affected arm was also extremely challenging. Aside from

the technical difficulties involved in the “cheat free” application of the tourniquet, the continuous cramping sensation afflicted my mental abilities and made what had once been a simple task much more difficult.

I cannot imagine any other injury simulation more realistic than this one.

Extremely interested in how some of my peers would handle the simulator, I arranged a training exercise at my department (Hawthorne Police Department) with an assortment of detective, patrol, and SWAT officers. The results were much as I had experienced; that first initial input was an eye-opener and required participants to fight through unwanted bodily responses (dropping to a knee, turning away from the input, losing focus on what was going on). Even well-trained officers found it challenging to overcome the stimulus, fight through the disability and return accurate fire. Adding tourniquet applications at the end of the scenario proved as tough as my experience had been. Focusing on getting the tourniquet on properly, CONTINUED

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 23

TRAINING /

/ IN MY 29 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, I BELIEVE AUFIRE IS NOTHING SHORT OF A GAME CHANGER IN PERFORMANCE TRAINING UNDER EXTREME STRESS / while under stimulus, and maintaining your security, fully illustrated the mental and physical challenges an officer might face during a real-life injury. Despite the difficulties, every officer who gave it a try thought it was an incredible training tool!

One of the technical aspects of AUFIRE that agencies may find very useful is that the equipment is already pre-wired for connectivity from firearm training simulators (FATS) typically used in police training such as VirTra, MILO, Street Smarts VR or InVeris. It would require some additional programming on the back end by the simulator company, and most likely an agreement with AUFIRE, but once done the Aufire can be triggered by the system itself to support the video presentation the officer is dealing with.

Although this integration still has some hurdles, it is an advantage that it is already set up to accommodate this obvious future integration.

AUFIRE is simple, versatile, plug-and-play, and it works exceptionally as a stand-alone system with an instructor’s handheld remote. The targeted muscle groups will stay contracted for as long as the instructor dictates. AUFIRE can be used in nearly any training scenario imagined ranging from the classroom to full blown force on force training incorporating projectile training ammunition.

In my 29 years of law enforcement experience, I believe AUFIRE is nothing short of a game changer in performance training under extreme stress! Up to this

point, there has been no truly effective way to train “injured officer fight-back drills.” The best training ideas to date generally involve tying or handcuffing the primary gun hand behind the back, or duct-taping the arm into a chicken wing to simulate an injury. While these techniques are a good starting block, there is certainly no realism, no surprise, shock or discomfort, and no opportunity for real stress acclimation.

What I really like about AUFIRE is that it provides officers with hyper-realistic experiences beforehand; it conditions them with new layers of stress inoculation and inspires confidence in those who are expected to potentially fight through worst-case scenarios.

Officers can learn to re-focus quickly, prioritize, problem solve, and practice life-saving tactics and skills under real duress from a truly degraded physical condition. Skills under fire such as single-hand weapon reloading, clearing malfunctions, physically fighting back, communicating, and returning fire accurately to stop the threat are just a few of the training benefits I can imagine on the tactical side. On the medical side, the application of tourniquets or performing any other life-saving tactical medical procedures, while under the influence of electrical stimulation, would certainly add a realism to training unparallel to anything done before in the law enforcement or military arena.

AUFIRE is next generation, cutting edge technology for law enforcement training! AUFIRE is designed by law enforcement, for law enforcement, and will absolutely help close the reality gap, enhance realistic training scenarios and, ultimately, save lives! FC Lt. Ti Goetz retired in 2023 after 29 years 8 months of service with the Hawthorne Police Department. He has a bachelor’s degree in Law and Society with a Criminal Justice emphasis from UC Santa Barbara and a Masters Degree in Conflict Management from Cal State Dominquez Hills. He is a graduate of the FBI Na-tional Academy and has published multiple articles on police related topics.

24 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 25

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/ Former CATO president Sid Heal was a prolific writer and so much of his work stands the test of time and continues to apply to today’s contemporary tactical problems. This article was initially published for the military, but many of its lessons relate to the challenges faced by today’s law enforcement. Sid was a true student of our profession and was the ultimate example of a lifelong learner. We will continue to publish his educational work to avoid repeating the mistakes of those who came before us. / – MARCUS SPRAGUE, VICE PRESIDENT, CATO

PEACEKEEPERS: ATHENA’S CHAMPIONS

BY SID HEAL NOTE: Story has been edited for space. To read the entire, unedited version, visit www.catotraining.org

H

istorically, war has been represented by the mythical Roman god Mars, by all accounts a very powerful but cruel and ill-tempered being. His brutal and bloodthirsty nature personified the horrors and savagery of war. As the modern world comes to grips with the difficulties of establishing and maintaining peace, the barbarous nature of Mars may not be the most appropriate symbol. The Greek goddess Athena was not only a goddess of war, but of wisdom. Besides representing strategy, battle and victory, she was the embodiment of justice and leadership.

Making peace is not only fraught with danger, but misperceptions and criticism. Notwithstanding the best intentions and purist motives of peacekeepers, tyranny is not defined by how it’s imposed. Peace will be neither painless nor easy. As described by one political leader, “Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war.” In the words of one U.S. President, “The greatest honor history can bestow is that of peacemaker.” It is in the hope of gaining a better understanding of the problem that these insights are provided.

PEACEKEEPING AS WARFIGHTING Mobs and riots are not new phenomena. For at least 2,500 years, literature ranging from ancient Roman and Greek texts to the Bible recount their mindless violence and destruction. Western history is likewise replete with notorious incidents such as the rioting over civil rights and the Vietnam War in the United States, to more recent problems in Ireland and Israel; not to mention the problems in failed states such as Yugoslavia, Haiti or Somalia. Governments’ efforts at quelling riots have ranged from local law enforcement to military intervention. While there are many similarities, an examination of peacekeeping and warfighting is a study of contrasts.

First, peacekeeping operations are highly sensitive to political objectives and tend to cast the military in a supporting, rather than a leading role. Through centuries of real-world scenarios, the military has developed doctrine and honed procedures to prepare for, and execute, warfighting operations.

Peacekeeping operations, however, present new and formidable challenges for which there are no readily

/ HISTORY IS THE REPOSITORY OF ALL LESSONS / –COMMANDER DARYL EVANS, LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

apparent solutions. The problem is particularly complex because of the need to work with local authorities, nearly always in a supporting role.

Second, adversaries encountered during peacekeeping operations are difficult to define and even more difficult to identify. Factions with shifting loyalties and alliances can be friend one day and foe the next, and then friend again the day after. These factions often seek to further their cause, not by winning, but by provoking a situation in which they can be seen as victims. The peacekeepers find themselves caught in a situation they wished to avoid from the start and then condemned for failing to effectively resolve it. While enemies can be conquered, this mercurial aspect of peacekeeping adversaries makes the application of any force difficult.

Third, while force is the predominant means of imposing the will of a commander in warfighting operations; it can be counter-productive in peacekeeping missions. The imposition of peace at any cost can be viewed as tyranny. The Roman historian Tacitus once noted, “A bad peace is even worse than war.” Victory is elusive, but it is more likely to be determined by how a situation is handled than whether peacekeepers prevailed.

Fourth, the inherent destructive influences in a community are always in a competing role with society’s legitimate right to restrain them. These influences are manifested as either compliance to mandates imposed by legitimate authority or as defiance in contempt of efforts to enforce them. Because these factors never exist in perfect CONTINUED

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FEATURE / peacekeepers

harmony, there is a dynamic tension between those who comply with the rules and behaviour that govern civilized society and those individuals or groups who defy them. Consequently, a peacekeeping mission will never be completely achieved. When stability is restored, the mission remains. The military peacekeeping force is merely exchanged for civilian law enforcement.

THE CITY AS A BATTLESPACE Some little known, but interesting facts about riots are that they almost never occur in the morning, or during weather extremes. They rarely occur in rural areas and almost always last less than one day. The rioters are mostly males in their late teens through late twenties and unarmed. When they do arm themselves, it is with rocks and bottles or with primitive weapons, such as clubs and slingshots. Their leaders emerge from the mob rather than being chosen by it. Certainly, there are exceptions, but they are anomalies. Regardless, urban terrain is their chosen ground and when understanding the city as a battlespace, the following seven characteristics distinguish it from rural terrain: • Urban terrain provides a definite defensive advantage.

Even the most novice adversary quickly learns to exploit the “well-fortified” positions, which offer cover and concealment. Authorities must manoeuvre over terrain, which makes them vulnerable to missiles thrown from upper stories and behind buildings.

Manoeuvre is constricted because of the channelized and compartmented terrain.

• While a 50-foot cliff is a formidable obstacle in the rural environment, a two-story building can be a “show

stopper” in the urban environment. Rioters frequently move up and down multiple story buildings or even through basements, sewers and crawl spaces. This three-dimensional quality makes for difficult tactics as well as command, control and communications.

• Adversaries are engaged at extremely close ranges, often less than 20 feet. Targets appear fleeting and along restricted lines of sight. Snipers are just as likely to be armed with handguns and take shots of opportunity rather than use a long rifle from an established position.

• Communications over urban terrain are often restricted and sporadic. Coupled with spontaneous and brief encounters at close ranges, the necessity for decentralized control becomes apparent. Small units are required to operate almost independently yet rely upon adjacent units for reinforcements and higher headquarters for logistical support and sustainment.

Consequently, centralized planning is critical.

• There is always the presence of a civilian population.

It is virtually impossible to move through a populated area without being detected. Likewise, people may become involved in tactical operations simply because they are present.

• Unlike the rural environment, which has few reflective surfaces and no direct lighting, the urban environment has both. Under all conditions except war, a city is characterized by harsh shadows and glaring, often dazzling lights. This uneven ambient light prevents the attainment of night vision.

• Buildings in the city are more than hollow terrain features. Buildings have value. Besides tactical CONTINUED

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FEATURE / peacekeepers

significance, buildings may have cultural, historical, religious or political value. Churches, synagogues, museums, city halls and so forth are only a few examples. The loss of a retail outlet which sells guns would have greater tactical significance than the loss of a grocery or clothing store. These types of buildings are defended more vigorously than others.

RIOTS AS BATTLES Anyone who has ever been in both riots and battles can attest to the almost palpable emotion. Both foster widespread feelings of rage, fear, confusion, anguish, indignation and excitement. Both give rise to the best and worst of human motives and actions. Feats of extraordinary heroism are as commonplace as despicable acts of cowardice and selfishness. However, there are two fundamental differences. The first is that while battles are joined by deliberate and conscious effort, riots erupt from a unique and temporary set of circumstances. This is because what starts riots and what causes riots are distinctly and fundamentally different.

Riots are predominately caused by deep-seated social problems such as bigotry, economic disparity, perceived injustice or discrimination. These entrenched and convoluted influences may have existed for centuries and are well beyond the abilities of any peacekeeping force to reconcile. The spark that ignites these emotion-laden issues, however, frequently results from an act of authority. Regardless of how unintentional or benign the action, in the context of emotion, nothing is so insignificant that it can’t be blown out of proportion. Even lack of intervention can become a catalyst because members of a mob feel empowered when authorities demonstrate a lack of ability or willingness to stop them. During the 1992 riots in Los Angeles, the image of a truck driver named Reginald Denny being beaten was repeatedly broadcast throughout the early stages of the disturbance. The lack of intervention by law enforcement was not only conspicuous but sent an implicit message that they were either unable or unwilling to intervene.

The second is that while battles are fought after careful deliberation and planning, riots follow a more impulsive and unconstrained path. Battles are joined; riots evolve. The progression from a law-abiding crowd to an unreasoning mob can occur very quickly but follows some identifiable steps that not only provide early warnings, but frequently offer opportunities to intervene at earlier and less dangerous stages. The most essential factor in understanding this progression is to recognize the difference between a crowd and a mob.

This is especially critical in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and other countries where crowds are constitutionally protected! Unnecessarily interfering with a crowd will not only result in tactical problems, but legal ones as well.

A crowd is simply a gathering or assemblage of people. They are lawful in nature and, while they may be very vocal and expressive, they will generally follow instructions from legitimate authority. Tactical actions in controlling crowds are usually limited to traffic

and pedestrian flow or resolving minor disputes over issues such as seating at a parade, blocking traffic or trespassing. Mobs, on the other hand, are belligerent, provocative and violent. They represent a formidable threat and are almost impossible to control. Tactical actions are usually defensive and protective in nature and include efforts to defend buildings, prevent looting and arson and avoid injuries. Crowds require control; mobs require intervention. The importance of preventing a crowd from evolving into a mob needs no further justification.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AS LAWS OF WAR Rules of Engagement (ROE) are the linchpin in peacekeeping operations. Without exception, every plan and action are shaped and adapted to conform with the constraints and restraints imposed by these regulations. They provide the framework that supports the legitimate imposition of power abandoned by an inept or nonexistent government. Without them, a peacekeeping force is doomed to ad hoc strategies where rules are impromptu and arbitrary. While other duties are important, the predominant role of peacekeepers is in restoring and maintaining the peace.

A predicament materializes, however, because “keeping the peace” and “fighting for peace” are distinctly different missions and require different rules of engagement. For example, peacekeeping operations are typically constrained to use the minimum force necessary to accomplish the mission.

Rules of Engagement in these circumstances are designed to prevent the start or escalation of a conflict. Hence, use-of-force policies adopt a defensive posture, requiring demonstrated hostile intent before deadly force is justified. Force policies more closely resemble those for law enforcement agencies than military units. Accordingly, missions encountered by peacekeeping forces require the ability to adapt and use force proactively.

While this sounds easy in concept, difficulties arise CONTINUED

/ “KEEPING THE PEACE” AND “FIGHTING FOR PEACE” ARE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT MISSIONS AND REQUIRE DIFFERENT RULES OF ENGAGEMENT /

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 33

FEATURE / peacekeepers

/ NON-LETHAL ALTERNATIVES ALLOW A COMMANDER TO INCREASE AND DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF FORCE NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH A MISSION / accept before acting. These are competing influences which are present in every peacekeeping encounter.

Too late or too little, and peacekeepers can easily find themselves victims. Too soon or too much, and force becomes a catalyst for the very situation a commander is trying to avoid.

in application. Historically, ROEs have only been required to address issues involving lethal force. With the advent of non-lethal devices, an array of options (and problems) has arisen. For example, commanders are gaining an increasing ability to impose their will at an earlier stage in a conflict. Because the effects of non-lethal options are temporary, however, adversaries quickly become more resilient, which then requires commensurately more force. Further, the same adversaries are free to return to the scene, often wiser and more defiant than before.

When describing this phenomenon during the 1992 riots in Los Angeles, one frustrated commander related that his efforts were the equivalent to “ploughing water.”

Second, political and humanitarian concerns usually require injured adversaries to be accepted and cared for.

Thus, peacekeeping forces are required to live with the “enemy’s” wounded.

Third, employment doctrine, which has supported lethal options for thousands of years, is virtually nonexistent in the non-lethal arena. Tactical remedies tend to be extemporaneous, improvised and temporary.

The impact ROEs have on a successful peacekeeping

34 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

operation cannot be overestimated. In societies so bereft of meaningful government that military intervention is necessary to restore or maintain a peace, ROEs become the de facto “law of the land.” In this role, they personify the minimum standards of conduct by which civilized people are judged. After all, law is how we humans protect ourselves from each other. Consequently, ROEs become the standard by which the justness and humaneness of the peacekeeping forces are measured. In this manner, a “touchstone” is created.

The crafting of these rules then becomes of utmost interest to forces assigned to peacekeeping missions.

Virtually all the treaties and agreements that govern the conduct and weapons of war predate non-lethal devices and are outmoded. International laws, treaties, national policies and customs may serve as guidelines, but completely adequate criteria have never been crafted. For instance, of the tens of thousands of policing agencies in the world, none share an identical force policy. It’s no surprise that military forces facing similar missions now find themselves in the same dilemma. The inherent right to self-defence is offset by the risk a commander must

WEAPONS OF PEACE When dealing with riots and mobs, the ability to impose the will of the commander cannot be achieved by mere force.

If it were that simple, more force would automatically equate with victory. What is more likely to lead to success in peacekeeping operations is not the amount of force but rather the type of force and how it is used. The American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, is reported to have said that “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to think of every problem as a nail.” Non-lethal weapons may take many forms, including foams, water, lights or even smells. Thus, the “weapons of peace” may not be weapons at all.

Generally speaking, there are five classes of non-lethal technology. The most well-known are those designed for anti-personnel. That is, restraining individuals from doing something. Devices designed to achieve this goal act either directly on an individual or indirectly through the use of barriers or area denial of some type. Because anti-personnel devices can be used to prevent a person from driving (anti-mobility) or entering or escaping from an area (area denial), they are the most versatile of all the classes. The second class is anti-mobility. These devices are designed to prevent the use of vehicles or other types of transportation. The third is area delay or denial.

These are intended to inhibit or prevent passage through or access to an area. The fourth is anti-materiel. These attempt to render useless those necessary supplies and support necessary for warfighting. The fifth class attempts to affect an entire infrastructure. These may take the form of gathering and manipulating information, as from computers or communications, or in degrading or inhibiting their use by an opponent. Power, water,

communications and mass transportation are common examples of functions that could be targets for this class.

In peacekeeping operations, a force that employs non-lethal options gains six distinct advantages over one which does not.

• First, non-lethal options are more humane. Although this may seem overly simplistic, it is, after all, difficult to make a case for a humanitarian effort while killing the people you are sent to protect.

• Second, they allow a commander to exert more control over a situation. Because non-lethal options require substantially less provocation before engagement, a commander can provide a quicker response and intervene at earlier and less dangerous stages of a situation.

• Third, they provide a commander with much more flexibility and freedom of action. No longer constrained to apply lethal force and “repeat as necessary,” a commander can tailor his response to more properly fit the circumstances.

• Fourth, they are less likely to provoke others.

Consequently, bystanders are less likely to be sympathetic toward persons who defy a peacekeeping force but are not killed. Further, should it be necessary to resort to lethal force, the fact that non-lethal options had proven ineffective not only supports a need for escalation, but provides an implicit, and almost irrefutable, message of restraint.

• Fifth, these options are less likely to raise public outcry. All peacekeeping operations are controversial and public support may ultimately be the key factor in peacekeeping operations. Even Napoleon acknowledged that “public opinion is the ruler of the world.”

• Finally, they force an adversary to declare intentions. The most difficult problem in using force in peacekeeping operations is not how much or what type to be used, but rather whether it should be used at all! For example, a potential adversary approaching a checkpoint may be attempting to get close enough for his weapon to be effective or simply not understand the English CONTINUED CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 35

FEATURE / peacekeepers

commands to halt. Continuing after the employment of a nonlethal option, however, presumes hostile intent because it sends a cross-cultural and language-independent signal of sanction.

Fundamental to employing non-lethal alternatives is a thorough understanding of a concept called the “force continuum.” Historically, military objectives have been achieved by killing or destroying an enemy. Force was always deadly, hence effectiveness was judged only to the extent and speed at which death or destruction could be introduced. A huge gap existed between presenting a threat and carrying it out. When force is viewed as a continuum an array of options present themselves.

The beginning of this continuum is initiated by a threat, while deadly force takes its proper position at the other end. Non-lethal alternatives allow a commander to increase and decrease the amount of force necessary to accomplish a mission. Movement up and down the force continuum is generally continuous and seamless, yet a careful examination reveals five broad categories.

Entry into the force spectrum begins with a threat of some sort. This may be an “expressed threat,” such as when a commander makes known the consequences of defiance, or an “implied threat,” in which the nature of the consequences is left to the imagination of an antagonist. Of the two, the implied threat is far more powerful. Although there are several reasons for this, the most predominant is because what a peacekeeping force can do and what it is willing to do are often farther apart than an adversary realizes. Even the mere presence of a peacekeeping force creates an escalation of force because it creates a condition which requires an adversary to contemplate his actions. Thus, an implied threat is implicit in virtually every encounter. This condition prevails throughout the spectrum and should be exploited to the maximum extent possible.

The next major category involves physical force of some type, but which is not coercive in nature.

Generally, this includes those devices that engage an antagonist strictly on his own volition without intervention by a member of the peacekeeping force.

Examples may include concertina, caltrops, barbed wire or other obstacles. They are placed relatively low on the force continuum, not because of the amount

36 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

of injury likely to be sustained, but because they are benign without the wilful defiance of the individual attempting to thwart them.

Higher on the continuum would come munitions which cause physical discomfort but fall short of inflicting trauma. Examples of these options would include flashbangs, tear gas, pepper spray and the like.

Although the discomfort or injury may be substantially less than from a caltrop or concertina wire, the employment of these options requires a decision to intervene and are thus subject to the idiosyncrasies of the individual employing them. Factors such as training, maturity, discipline, prejudice, emotion and judgment all play a part in their application and require them to be viewed more closely than those options that involve only one will.

Still higher on the continuum are those munitions that inflict trauma. Examples might include batons, saps, stingballs, bean bags, pellet munitions and so forth. They are generally the point on the force continuum that separates non-lethal from deadly force.

Highest on the spectrum are lethal options.

Although the particular conditions that merit deadly force should be identified, lethal options should always be regarded as part of the force continuum and not as a separate option altogether. This avoids ambiguity and confusion as to when they are authorized. Many situations rapidly evolve from less dangerous circumstances before requiring deadly force to resolve. An individual who is free to employ a variety of options is more likely to be proactive, retain the initiative and be quicker to recognize situations requiring deadly force than one compelled to examine a situation isolated by “either/or” parameters.

In the latter stages of World War II, U.S. President Roosevelt stated, “Peace, like war, can succeed only where there is a will to enforce it, and where there is available power to enforce it.” Making peace is a more noble calling than making war but it is not an easy pursuit. The road to peace more closely resembles a Mobius strip; twisted, never ending and somewhat mysterious. Likewise, the “peace warriors” must be imaginative, adaptable and prudent. When the battles are riots and the adversaries are mobs Athena’s champions are better qualified than Mars’ warriors. FC

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 37

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/ EDUCATION /

PROPER USE OF LESS LETHAL IMPACT WEAPONS DURING PUBLIC ORDER EVENTS

BY R.K. MILLER AND JOHN STANLEY Public order response is an often-neglected skill set in law enforcement. This should surprise no one.

Public order events that deteriorate and require crowd control tactics or then explode into full-blown riots are outliers, or at least they have been until recent years. Law enforcement training spends most of its time focusing on what occurs routinely: first-aid, de-escalation skills, legal updates, policy changes, weapons qualification, report writing, etc. Only the largest agencies could even contemplate fielding a team to do this full-time. A unit like NYPD’s Strategic Response Group is the exception, hardly the norm.

Less lethal impact weapons have been a law enforcement tool for decades. Whether it be some type of beanbag munition in a shotgun, or 37mm or 40mm weapon with specific less lethal ordnance, these tools have been routinely deployed for years. Like all weapons, they are rarely used, however. And the ongoing training for them varies greatly. During the GFRs, we witnessed the widespread use of these weapons. The results of many of these uses outraged law enforcement critics and deeply troubled many of us who have taught the use of these weapons. A study released by the group Physicians for Human Rights on September 14, 2020, entitled “Shot in the Head,” documented that during the GFRs, the firing of launched impact munitions by law enforcement resulted in at least 114 head injuries.

The document concluded that this number was likely an undercount. We agree as we are personally aware of headshots not accounted for in their paper.

Around the country since the GFRs, law enforcement agencies have knuckled under to the pressure to remove not just launched impact munitions from their public order response units, but all less lethal options — often after losses in court cases. We need to act smarter when we use these tools. As long-time instructors of all less lethal tools, we want to offer some guidance in this area based on our analysis of what we saw in many places during the GFRs.

40 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

The Intent of Lethal vs. Less-Lethal Force The intent of lethal force is to defeat your adversary’s ability to resist. Less lethal force is used to defeat their will to resist. This is a crucial distinction. As one use of force expert once said, “The credible threat of lethal force is a less lethal force option.” In other words, the target of lethal force is the body, while the target of less lethal force is the mind. If an attacker kicks someone in the head with a steel-toed boot, stabs someone, or shoots them, their ability to continue that action must be stopped. Clearly, intervention is both reasonable and necessary. The proper use of lethal force can accomplish that by inflicting catastrophic injury to the attacker. We don’t use a tool in the hope that a violent suspect might change their mind and stop their deadly assault. Doing that may result in the death of an innocent victim or an officer.

Less-lethal options are different. In addition to impacting the will of an adversary, they are also tools of transition. What that means is that they are intended to cause a break in the behavior of the suspect(s). Any alteration of behavior, however small, is a success but must be exploited. In conventional patrol incidents, this is the time when other techniques are introduced.

These may include closing the distance, using a more targeted less-lethal tool, like a Taser, or employing finishing techniques like handcuffing. In a Public Order Response incident, arresting every person against whom a less lethal tool is used is problematic as circumstances dictate. If this can be accomplished, excellent, but the hope is the person will be persuaded to cease their violent actions.

Backdrop When officers confront a situation that they perceive requires a lethal force response, they have been trained to consider the consequences before employing a deadly force option. For example, if a man is striking his wife in the head with a rolling pin in a kitchen filled

with natural gas, using one’s duty weapon is not a wise option. Even if someone is shooting at law enforcement personnel, if the backdrop behind the shooter is a playground filled with children, the officers are likely to first redeploy and then make every effort to hit the suspect and not strike a child. Criminals have no concern about collateral damage. We do. We must.

Shoot Only as You Were Trained Only those trained in less lethal weapons should be deployed with them during public order incidents.

You might think that this would go without saying.

Sadly, it doesn’t. If incidents escalate beyond what an agency has imagined possible, there are times when officers are pressed into service and sent onto the streets out of desperation. Detectives suddenly find themselves in a response squad, and an officer who has spent the past few years working an administrative assignment is handed a less lethal weapon and told to use it as he sees fit. At least one head injury we are aware of during the GRFs occurred because of a situation like that.

Because of this, California passed a law in 2021 mandating that only those trained in less lethal weapons can deploy them in public order events.

If you have never trained to fire a less lethal weapon other than while standing on level ground, be very cautious taking an elevated shot. The photo used on the cover of the Physicians for Civil Rights report on headshots showed a Minneapolis officer on the roof of the 3rd Precinct armed with a 40mm weapon pointing downward toward the CONTINUED

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 41

EDUCATION /

street. We would be happy to be proved wrong, but how many times before this riot did the Minneapolis PD conduct less lethal weapons training firing shots from the roof of this or a similar building at targets on the ground? We doubt any.

We saw multiple agencies use less lethal impact munitions for suppressive fire. This is highly unorthodox, to say the least. The military uses suppressive lethal fire for several reasons. It is rarely trained in law enforcement. While we can envision scenarios where the use of lethal suppressive fire might be appropriate in a police situation, the incidents where we saw this technique being used during the GFRs with less lethal weapons made no sense to us. They were improvised by the officers/supervisors at the time.

Use Ordnance as the Manufacturer Describes and Understand What That Means While we sometimes may use a weapon or ordnance in unconventional ways due to a specific exigency, codifying the use of a tool in a way not recommended by the manufacturer is a recipe for litigation.

Impact weapons/munitions policy should be written authorizing the use of weapons and ordnance only as the manufacturer specifies. Firing projectile rounds into crowds for any reason other than to strike a

specific target makes no sense and certainly is not what any manufacturer recommends. Yet multiple agencies did this.

It is also important to know what is meant when a manufacturer lists the effective range for their ordnance. For example, Combined Tactical Systems (CTS) states the effective range of their 40mm rounds is 50 yards (45 meters). What does this mean? Does this mean that at any distance greater than 50 yards, the round is ineffective? No. Remember, the intent of less-lethal weapons is to defeat the will of our opponent. If a suspect is struck at a distance greater than 50 yards and this results in him stopping the behavior that necessitated the shot with less kinetic force, then the use was effective.

What the manufacturer is saying is that beyond 50 yards, the round begins to lose its maximum kinetic energy. Velocity matters more than mass. We can take shots at distances longer than 50 yards, but we must be aware that as the speed decreases, not only does the kinetic energy decrease but so does the accuracy of the shot.

When to Fire Many cities and states that still permit impact weapons as a crowd control device in public order events also require that a warning be issued before they are used.

Case law supports this in most places absent an exigency. We must and should make every reasonable effort to de-escalate before using these tools, and then use them carefully once we do. Warnings need to be made about what type of force will be used if people do not disperse.

Once these are made, those with impact weapons should select their targets carefully. If there is any doubt about taking a shot, don’t shoot.

Conclusion Groups nationwide are trying to strip us of our less lethal force options in public order events. In the wake of the GFRs, one of these, The Center for Policy Equity, published a document entitled “Guiding Principles for Crowd Management.”4 Under a section titled “Constraining Use of Force,” they wrote. “Prohibit deploying kinetic impact projectiles into a crowd for any purpose, [italics added] and prohibit the use of less lethal weapons (such as tear gas, smoke bombs, flashbangs, pepper balls, mace, and other chemical agents) to control peaceful crowds and individuals who are not posing any immediate threat of serious harm.”

42 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

/ THE INTENT OF LETHAL FORCE IS TO DEFEAT YOUR ADVERSARY’S ABILITY TO RESIST. LESS LETHAL FORCE IS USED TO DEFEAT THEIR WILL TO RESIST / LIKE SO MANY STATEMENTS written by groups like these, they are disingenuous. It might be easy to mistake the second half of this statement as referring to peaceful crowds. It does not. They clarify this later. “These weapons cannot be used in a way that reliably distinguishes between individuals engaged in violence and nonviolent demonstrators, observers, and journalists within a crowd, and they can also affect bystanders who are attempting to pass the demonstration and people who happen to live nearby.”

Translation, they do not want any less lethal weapons or chemicals to be used at all in public order incidents, even against a crowd that has devolved into a mob and has ignored a lawful dispersal order.

At a legislative level, the state of California has placed restrictions on law enforcement. The passage of California Penal Code 13652 stopped short of the above recommendations but did impose guidelines for using less lethal weapons in riot control situations. In addition, the California Peace Officers’ Standards & Training Commission published “Crowd Management, Intervention, and Control Guidelines.”

Though this impacts only California, we recommend this publication be required reading for law enforcement personnel, from police managers down to officers who will be on the GFR front lines. Absent better decision-making, other states will see their lawmakers impose similar standards and guidelines on their peace officers.

We must be wiser than we have been. We need to police ourselves, or groups like The Center for Policy Equity will do it for us. Command staff must provide clear policies and assign competent field

commanders to lead. Clear warnings must be given before less lethal weapons are used. Supervisors should brief their personnel regarding the rules of engagement before they use less lethal weapons.

Every impact round fired, diversionary device launched, and gas canister tossed must be accounted for and employed with care. We must use tools the way we’ve been trained combined with tactics the way we were trained before the incident. Any deviation from this must be clearly documented and explained by supervisors. And to the best of our ability, all uses of force must be thoroughly documented.

After the GFRs of 2020, all agencies nationwide anticipating the use of less lethal weapons the next time a large protest occurs in their city are on notice. The work the NTOA is doing with public order response training will help, but it is still on local agencies to ensure they are using less lethal force appropriately and with restraint. FC Between them, retired Huntington Beach Police Department Lieutenant R.K. Miller and Retired Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant John Stanley have taught less lethal weapons for almost 60 years.

Each was a team leader/platoon leader for their department’s public order teams. Both have published numerous articles on less lethal force and law enforcement strategy and tactics, and each has worked as a force expert on civil and criminal cases around the United States. Both men also served as advisors for Charles “Sid” Heal’s book, Concepts of Nonlethal Force: Understanding Force from Shouting to Shooting, Lantern Press, 2020.

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 43

/ TECHNOLOGY /

/ THE FUTURE TACTICAL TEAM WILL UTILIZE DRONES AND ROBOTICS THAT LOOK LIKE INSECTS WITH BUILT-IN AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS /

THE FLY ON THE WALL

BY LT. LANCE BRYANT Smack! The lifeless mosquito falls to the ground as the man’s hairy hand lowers from the back of his tattooed neck. As he walks away, he doesn’t notice the sparks and the little puff of smoke that emanates from the mosquito on the ground. He’s busy; he has four hostages inside a building and is threatening to kill them all. Armed with a rifle, he is irrational and makes no demands.

The tactical response team is already on the scene and prepared to handle the situation. This response, though, is unlike anything seen in previous decades.

Instead of operators getting out of an armored vehicle and surrounding the building, a van filled with technicians launched a drone. This drone had the size and appearance of a common housefly. With built-in avoidance technology, the drone found its way through the ductwork and into the building. It located the suspect, landed on the wall, and technicians visually confirmed the target, “painting” a location on the suspect’s neck. Seconds later, a “mosquito drone” was launched from the van. It worked its way through the ductwork using data relayed to it by the fly. The mosquito landed on the suspect’s neck unnoticed and delivered a less-lethal dose of a sedative. Seconds after the mosquito fell to the ground, the suspect sat

44 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

down beside it and peacefully fell asleep. The tactical team members walked in, rescued the hostages, took custody of the suspect, and concluded the incident.

Today, responding to a critical incident like this one is a volatile and rapidly changing event for the police.

During such an incident, the objective of a tactical team is to protect the public and responding officers, and to stop the threat. There are many means by which a tactical team accomplishes its objective; however, there are risks to all involved. This article will address those risks and focus on technologies on the horizon to help the future tactical or SWAT team accomplish their objective with less danger, fewer lives lost, and more peaceful outcomes. The future of SWAT may barely be seen by human eyes – it will be about nanotechnology.

has its limitations. Take, for example, body armor. It is bulky, heavy, and rigid. Designed to protect the operator from an incoming round, its reduced maneuverability can put the operator in a compromising position and greater risk. It’s a double-edged sword. You need it for protection, but wearing it increases the likelihood of an armed suspect seeing you. Although body armor serves a critical role in personal safety, the weight of the armor can hamper stability and movement, making it more challenging to balance and stop or initiate movements.

The current generation of drones and robotics are easily detected due to their size; they are also hampered by limited battery life and mobility. Today, it is relatively easy for a suspect to hide in a place where neither a land-based robot nor a drone can navigate.

Fortunately, the limitations of drone and robotic intelligence-gathering capabilities will dramatically improve in the near future.

The SWAT sniper/observer team has limitations as well. The team still relies on ballistic calculations to

ensure the critical bullet hits its mark. Several variables affect bullet flight, especially at longer ranges. Those variables include distance, wind, altitude, atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and the earth’s spin or the Coriolis effect. Though accurate, there is always the possibility of human error in the calculations and marksmanship. Lastly, the sniper/observer team has the constant concern of compromise. They somewhat reduce that risk with camouflage; however, there are technologies in development to help in this regard as well.

Future Body Armor Nanotechnology will enable flexible, lightweight body armor the thickness of a T-shirt instead of the cumbersome body armor now in use. The technology used in this development is the carbon nanotube or CNT. CNT properties allow for a more flexible, lightweight material with excellent shock absorbing abilities to disperse the bullet’s impact. In its early development, CONTINUED

Current Technology Police tactical safety equipment, drones, and robots are bulky and easily detected. There is always the possibility of the sniper being compromised or a round missing its target when fired by the sniper. Current technology impacts the tactical team’s ability to gather intelligence and operate within the scope of their mission.

Although advantageous, current tactical technology

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 45

TECHNOLOGY /

CNTs had obstacles that scientists were trying to overcome. The non-penetrating forces could leave severe bruising or damage internal organs, so blunt force impact was still a concern. This technology has now developed to the point of producing “bulletproof suits” “that can stop ammunition up to a .44 magnum.”

It is still however, “hard to mass-produce carbon nanotubes and integrate it into cloth-like fabrics.” How soon we will see SWAT operators wearing “T-shirt” body armor capable of stopping a rifle round is difficult to determine; however, that technology is coming. In the meantime, we will likely see body armor get lighter and more flexible as CNTs are integrated into various materials. Stiffening polymer, which includes CNTs, is already being introduced into Kevlar material to form a conductive network to detect impact, which results in a “smart fabric that offers 90% more ballistic and 50% more stab resistance than Kevlar alone”. Once lightweight, flexible CNT armor is in use, tactical team operators will be able to maneuver inside the scene of a critical incident with significantly increased flexibility, lighter weight on their shoulders, and a reduced chance of compromise. This technology will extend beyond the tactical team to eventually be utilized by all who work in policing.

Future Drone The future tactical team will utilize drones and robotics that look like insects with built-in avoidance systems. How many times have you had that pesky fly or mosquito buzzing around your face just to have it return time after time while you try to take your longneeded nap? You might want to take a closer look next time that happens. There are claims that the federal government is already using insect spy drones. To the naked eye they look like real insects with “flight patterns of winged insects.” “Equipped with a camera and a microphone they can land on you, take samples of your DNA, or leave tracking nanotechnology on your skin, all the while being controlled by someone half a world away.” Though law enforcement might not utilize a drone the size of a mosquito within the next year or two, it is likely they will be able to utilize drones like the Black Hornet with FLIR capability, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Researchers have produced a tiny microchip that will help honeybee-sized drones navigate in areas where GPS signal is unavailable and process inertial measurements to determine where they are in space. This technology could evolve to the point of having mosquito-sized surveyors going out,

/ THIS “PRECISION GUIDED FIREARM” TAKES HUMAN ERROR OUT OF THE EQUATION AND ENABLES EVEN THE NOVICE MARKSMAN TO HIT THE TARGET /

collecting photographs, and returning to the palm of your hand. The nanodrone could potentially operate for months on one battery and process real-time camera images at a rate of 171 frames per second.

Researchers at Princeton University and University of Washington have developed cameras the size of a grain of salt that can produce photos comparable to conventional cameras. Those same researchers are working on ways to add more capabilities to the camera, including object detection ability and other sensors that will be used in robotics. The Pentagon is considering arming “tiny drones” with less-lethal capabilities, which leads one to conclude that these same capabilities may eventually be available to the police. Research projects are looking into the possibility of police using pharmaceutical injections as a less-lethal use of force option. There is even talk of computers using algorithms to predict human behavior. One must consider then, if a computer could be miniaturized to a micro-scale, would it be possible to place it in a micro drone to predict a suspect’s actions during a critical incident.

CONTINUED

46 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

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TECHNOLOGY /

Future Sniper Team For SWAT/sniper use, self-steering long-range bullets and rifles with ballistic computers are on the horizon for the sniper/observer team. This “precision guided firearm” takes human error out of the equation and enables even the novice marksman to hit the target.

By utilizing lasers and sensors that were once only found inside a military tank, the shooter simply places an “X” on the target, which locks the rifle on the target. An internal computer then calculates “bullet performance, sensor data, and even barrel wear. It crunches this data, determines when the rifle is on target and then fires.”

To allow SWAT/sniper teams to move without detection and locate closer to the subject, scientists are working on producing a “nanosuit,” comprised of material that can scan the surrounding area and modify its skin color, making the wearer invisible, thus creating energy-efficient cloaking. Though popular in science fiction and fantasy movies, this technology is on the technological horizon, so law enforcement should be aware of it for future applications.

Outside Influences As the tactical team utilizes emerging technologies, they can expect support on one side of the fence and criticism on the other. Critics will argue the technology raises privacy issues and will test search and seizure laws. Others believe operators of drones may develop a “PlayStation mentality” due to the distance of the operator to target, thus becoming desensitized to the moral implications of taking another person’s life.

Supporters may argue the advanced technologies will provide better public safety, significant cost savings, reduced injuries to officers, and better officer safety. Supporters say that if law enforcement does not explore these technologies as they emerge, they may fall into the wrong hands and be used against them. As law enforcement embraces these advances, agencies can anticipate social and political obstacles.

Search and seizure laws will be tested, privacy issues will come to the political forefront, and there will be those who feel a need for governmental control.

These obstacles will create a need for professional, ethical guidelines to include regulatory oversight. In the modern era, it is crucial for law enforcement to gain the public’s trust and proactively develop policy and procedures to help put any skepticism at ease.

48 / FIELD COMMAND / WINTER 2023

It is critical that the police anticipate objections and include the stakeholders in these deliberations so they can be part of the decision-making process.

Conclusion How should the police approach this matter? History is wrought with examples of companies that either ignored or embraced new technology. Take, for example, the Kodak company. Though once a giant in the camera and film industry, they failed to recognize the importance of the digital revolution, eventually leading to their demise. Conversely, Google embraced new technology and encouraged its employees to spend 20% of their time developing innovative ideas, helping to make them a successful company.

Law enforcement must embrace new technology and recognize the make-up of the tactical team must evolve. Failure to do so will limit the use of those technologies and put officers in danger should that technology be used against them. Law enforcement must recognize there is technology on the horizon that could impact tactical team response; it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the average officer to keep up with it. Most officers lack the time, ability, and interest to keep up with those advancements.

There are, however, those within the ranks with both technical ability and tactical experience that can identify technology important to the tactical team. To facilitate this, a technical team must be established and embedded within the tactical team. Law enforcement must take the same approach as Google and provide the “technical team” members a significant amount of time to explore the technologies on the horizon and provide the tactical team with its findings. No matter what the size of the agency, it will take a creative approach to select personnel to explore new technologies, and then to shepherd their consideration from beginning to end.

To do less will be to fall behind, and to expose officers and community members to added dangers. FC Lance Bryant is a Lieutenant with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, currently assigned to the Support Services Division where he oversees training, personnel, range, armory, internal affairs and more. In his 17 years in law enforcement, Bryant has held a variety of positions including collateral assignments as a SWAT sniper team leader, range master, gang unit member, field training officer, CIT member, CSI member and tribal liaison.

CATOTRAINING.ORG / FIELD COMMAND / 49

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that we love more than creating a custom temporary venue. Our creativity is limitless.

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University of San Diego criminaljustice.sandiego.edu criminaljustice@sandiego.edu 619-260-4580

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VTC Training vtctraining.com info@vtctraining.com 562-896-6884

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Support Center: 2625 Stearman Road, Prescott AZ, 86301 Tel: 800-367-5855 e-mail: sales@proforceonline.com | www.proforceonline.com

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