Do not produce any target indicators yourself. Here the author acts as a target during a dry-practice doorclearing drill.
Target indicators may be olfactory as well. For example, the smell of a smoker in a nonsmoking residence is difficult to miss. Weapon solvent, cologne, body odor, and the more primal human scents may also alert you to the presence of a hostile.
Human sign and tactical sign are indicators left behind by a sloppy adversary. Fresh, muddy footprints on a clean rug, smoldering cigarettes in an ashtray, or palm prints on a foggy glass window are good examples of human sign.
Tactical sign are any indication that the adversay has modified his environment to his presence. An open window on a cool day, furniture stacked against a door, and booby traps are all examples of tactical sign. There arc others.
You may even feel the adversary's body heat as you search a close-quarters environment, such as a small hiding place. I experienced this firsthand during a search for a narcotics suspect. He'd fled our initial room assault and run to the rear of the house. After a meticulously s-l-o-w and thorough search, we reached the only room remaining: the bathroom. He'd been hiding in the cabinet under the sink for more than an hour, and I distinctly remember feeling his body heat emanating through the cracks in the door of the cabinet as I moved to open it. Too bad for him!
Do not assume that anything is clear until you have actually checked it.
These subtle and not-so-subtle clues will be easily noticed if you are looking for them. They denote attempts at concealment by the target. They are hostile and dangerous indications that someone is there, hiding and perhaps waiting for you.
2. Avoid producing target indicators. Just as you seek target indicators during your search, you must strive not to produce them yourself. Searching a building for a hostile is 50 percent hunting and 50 percent avoiding being hunted. At such times, stealth is king! Unless you are forced to rush into a confrontation (for example, a stranger in your kid's bedroom), take it slowly, carefully, and methodically. Be quiet, be careful, move slowly, and handle each tactical problem individually. If you make an unintended noise, stop, look, and listen for about 60 seconds before proceeding.
Maximize your distance from potential danger areas-especially corners!
3. Do not assume something is secure until you've checked it out yourself. Do not rationalize something that is out of place; check it out and be sure. I was once searching a residential area for an ax-wielding madman who'd tried to lobotomize a couple of citizens in the best Viking tradition. I was moving along the front of a residence with my backup man when we heard a slight metallic sound coming from the driveway area. After being alerted to the sound (audible target indicator), we began moving down the driveway. Halfway to the backyard that lay beyond it, we heard a clothes dryer operating inside the house. It sounded as though someone had forgotten to empty the change from his pockets before starting the dryer. We rationalized the sound as the metallic sound we'd heard and dismissed the possibility of the villain's presence. After a superficial scan of the yard, we retraced our steps to the street. As we reached the next driveway, our boy ran out into the street, away from us, ax in hand, from the yard that we'd just "cleared"! Luckily, everything turned out fine, but don't you make the same mistake. Remember: he dead sure or be dead.
Move tactically! The purpose of any movement is to allow your muzzle to cover the danger areas you encounter, as you encounter them.
Keep your weapon in a position that will enable you to respond instantly to any threats.
Pay attention to the basics when it comes time to shoot. The best tactics in the world will not help you if you cannot hit your adversary before he hits you.
4. Maximize your distance from potential threats and minimize your exposure to them. Stay away from corners and any other area that you cannot see beyond as far as geography will allow. Do not let your muzzle (or feet) protrude into the unsecured space in front of you. Doing so will not only betray your position and intentions, but it may get your weapon snatched from you. It may even get you killed.
Do not allow your visual focus to wander from the direction your weapon is covering.
Except for special situations explained in the text, keep your eyes, muzzle, and potential target in line. This is the "three-eye" principle.
Part of tactical training involves using realistic targets. The author explains the "center of mass" and "threat perception" concepts during an advanced tactics course.
5. Move tactically. Keep your balance as you move from one problem to another. Keep your weapon in a position to fire instantly at any threat. The purpose of any tactical maneuver is to allow your muzzle to cover the potential danger areas as you encounter them. Observe the threeeye principle. This means that your weapon must be oriented toward whatever it is your eyes are looking at. Wherever your eyes go, your weapon must also go. Keep the weapon in a ready position or "hunting" attitude so that it does not obstruct your vision while you search. When moving through open areas, do so briskly but do not run unless you are already under fire. Move at a brisk walk unless approaching a specific danger area. When closing in on a potential danger area, move by using the Taylor-designed "shuffle step." Avoid crossing your feet at such times because it will impair your ability to respond in all directions.
6. When it is time to shoot, pay attention to the basics. My associates and I jokingly call these the "three secrets": sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control. These "secrets" will allow you to get fast, solid hits on your adversary in the least time possible to keep him from doing the same to you. Remember, you cannot miss fast enough to make a difference. You cannot miss fast enough to win a gunfight. If you cannot hit on demand, all the tactics in the world will be of no use to you.
Whether you are a homeowner checking a noise at 03:00 hours, a police officer responding to a burglary alarm, or a SWAT member conducting a covert search, these principles will help minimize the danger and keep you one step ahead of your adversary.
THREE
BUILDING SEARCHES:
CORNERS AND HALLWAY
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and will cut in sunder the bars of iron.
One of the fundamental rules of tactics is to stay away from corners. Corners are second only to doors as a potential hazard for the searcher. If you are a homeowner, part of your homework tonight is to examine your castle for blind corners. List them all. Don't ignore items of furniture that create a "corner effect." If you can place reflective items (such as mirrors or polished lamps) in strategic locations that will allow you to look into those corners surreptitiously, then do it. This will allow you to clear these corners on the approach. If such redecorating is not likely, then you must resort to the angular search.
In years past, trainers advocated what they called a "quick peek" to clear corners. This involved sticking your head into the area beyond the corner and then just as quickly pulling it back to safety. By doing this, the operator hoped to get a brief visual "picture" of the area beyond.