It is paramount to use the support hand for all of the nonverbal communications. Keep your weapon oriented to the danger area in the event that you arc interrupted in midsentence. These simple signals can be learned by all team members or partners. Street patrol personnel will find them extremely useful as well.
TWELVE
HANDLING NONSHOOTING
CONFRONTATIONS
Never trust much to the honor of prisoners. Give them no liberties which might endanger your own safety or afford them an opportunity to escape. Nine out of ten of them have no honor.
Now, just what do you do with a hostile when you locate him during a search? The answer most of us provide is basic and simple: if he is a threat, shoot him. But I must tell you that for every search that finishes with gunfire, there are hundreds that do not. You must be aware of managing those situations when you do not shoot. Those are the times when you've located your adversary, but the situation does not allow gunfire. You are holding him at gunpoint, and he may be exhibiting varying levels of cooperation or antagonism. What now'?
A confrontation where your mental trigger does not get automatically "tripped" is probably more dangerous than the search that brought you to contact in the first place. Why? Because many operators relax their guard when their mind perceives the confrontation as a nonshooting situation. They tend to go into administrative capture mode instead of staying in combative hunter mode. The primary thing to keep in mind is do not relax too soon!
When you find yourself in this situation, you must do three things in succession:
1. Take control of the problem.
2. Disarm the adversary.
3. Secure the adversary.
Taking control of the problem begins by making the hostile react to you, not the reverse. If you see him first, take the initiative. If there is no immediate threat, you should still get behind cover in the event your perceptions are wrong. The position you select must allow you a good view of the adversary as well as allow you to shoot him, if necessary.
Since you are initiating the contact, you can also dictate the dynamics of it. Be certain that you are in a good position before you even consider announcing yourself. If you make contact unexpectedly, before von can get behind cover, keep your weapon pointed at him-ready to shoot. Then move behind cover as soon as tactically possible (more on this later).
If he has a firearm in his hand, you have a shooting situation. Some politically correct law enforcement trainers will undoubtedly take exception to this, and advocate aln'avs challenging such an adversary to "drop it." To prove the silliness of this notion, try the following experiment:
Face off with a training partner at about seven meters apart. Each of you will simulate a pistol in your hand by extending the index finger (the cops-and-robbers special of our childhood). You, as the captor, will point your "gun" at your partner. He will have his "gun" by his side like a had guy Would when you've surprised him. You will order him to drop his gun or put his hands up. On hearing your order, he Will bring his hand up and simulate shooting you as fast as he can-BANG! You try to beat him to the punch by shooting him when he begins his move. Ready, GO! Pretty close wasn't it? In fact, about 80 percent of the time, he wins. It's a simple matter of action time versus reaction time. If he initiates the action (shooting at you), you are already behind the reactive power curve. No matter how fast you are, your reactions will not be quick enough to prevent his actions. Now ask yourself this: "Is the adversary's life so important to you that you are willing to risk your life to keep from killing him?" Your answer will determine your philosophy about such confrontations.
Once you are set in a dominant position (without your adversary's knowing it, of course), you may issue a verbal challenge. If he turns quickly, be ready for the gun in his hand. I believe it is foolish to allow a man to turn in your direction under such circumstances. Remember, action always beats reaction: if he turns with the intent of shooting you, he will invariably get a shot off before you arc able to react. That is the best argument for always challenging behind cover. However, not allowing a hostile to turn toward you is still a good idea. With this in mind, the first words out of your mouth should be a loud and menacing, "Don't move!"
Your weapon should be oriented toward your adversary, but lowered enough to be able to see what he is doing. This will allow you the quickest response if your "capture" turns into a gunfight. Do not point your weapon directly on target, because you cannot see. Do not point your weapon at the deck, because you cannot shoot. After the "Don't move!" he will either submit or attack. If he attacks, you must kill him. If he initially submits, stay ready for his possible attempt to turn the tables.
Once you have him covered, stay in command of the situation. His only option is to obey your orders or get shot. Do not open negotiations with him. If he persists in jabbering away, order him to be silent. You can't blast him for it if he keeps talking, but be ready for the move he's trying to conceal with his chatter.
After the initial "Don't move!" command, pause for a couple of seconds. Stay ready to shoot if his reaction to your command is anything other than submission. The next command (that's right, command-not request) is intended to disarm him if any weapon is within reach. If he has a weapon in his hands and he's facing you… well, you know what to do. Keep your words short and clear. "Hands up!" will bring his empty hands up toward the ceiling and away from the waistband area and pockets, where most' people stash their armaments. "Turn around!" will place him in a position from which it will be substantially more difficult for him to react to you simply because he won't sec you. "On your knees!" "Hands behind your head!" "Interlace your fingers! "-these last orders will place him in a situation from which even a kung fu master would have difficulty attacking.
Now your partner can move up and handcuff him, or you can call for reinforcements via radio or telephone. If you do not have a phone on hand, you may have to move the adversary to a location from which you can call. If it is necessary, have him move on his knees. If he tells you it hurts him to do so, tell him you will end his pain forthwith if he doesn't MOVE IT!
If you are a homeowner and you are calling the police, be careful about what you say, because all 911 lines are taped. Tell the dispatcher that you are holding an intruder at gunpoint. Give his description and then give a description of yourself. Have the dispatcher repeat this to you, so the police officers will be clear about who is who. When the blue suits arrive, do not greet them with your gun in hand. Have your weapon out of sight. Conceal it in your belt or stand it by the wall next to you. The idea is to be able to respond to the threat you've captured, but also not appear to threaten those you've called for help.
Expect to be treated as a "suspect" until the reality of the situation is determined. The officers don't know you, and you would be surprised how many people habitually lie to the police. All they really know is that an alleged good guy has the drop on an alleged bad guy. Be understanding, polite, and cooperative. You would act the same way in their shoes.
There is a third possibility in an adversary's actions when he is challenged: he may simply turn and run. The court case of Tennessee vs. Garner prevents us from shooting a fleeing criminal simply to prevent his escape. There may, however, be situations that seem to override this. If his act of initial escape is simply an attempted ruse to buy space and time to reattack or if the attempted escape coincides with a simultaneous attack (U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Chesty Puller's "attacking in reverse"), you can shoot him. For example, if he runs 10 feet and then stops quickly and turns around to shoot you, you can shoot him first. Also, if he turns around to shoot as he's running away, you can shoot him first. There may be other factors affecting your decision about whether to shoot him, such as his activity prior to flight. What if this heathen had just brutally killed a restaurant full of people, or if he just slashed everyone in your family? Are you going to let him go? This is a touchy legal-moral situation that requires careful thought and consideration. So think and consider!