"Please don't let me die. I'm having trouble breathing. Please don't let me die, I'm begging you."greenfield

Video: Greenfield officer shot, suspect killed - YouTube

If the LEO's frame of reference to being shot is what he has seen on television then he has a flawed perception and his fear will either be disproportionate or inappropriate. Concentration, coolness and self control; kicking and clawing until his last breath. Self-talk is an invaluable tool for gaining a strong, fearless, resilient combat mindset. Through positive reinforcement the LEO convinces himself that no amount of pain will prevent him from prevailing in a gun battle.

One of the goals of Tactical Takeaway is to help the LEO cope with stress, adversity, danger and the unpredictable nature of armed aggression. LEOs must steel themselves to progressively stretch their boundaries to immune themselves against fear. LEO must embrace danger rather than avoid danger and yet thrive in its wake. The LEO has no intent to bully or dominate others instead he wants to dominate his own fears in order to respond legally and appropriately to violence with rational thought.

When a LEO attempts to make an arrest Lucifer has a group of options/reactions from which to choose: fight, flight, comply, freeze or increment. Lucifer chose initially to fight and then flee. Some tactical options: LEOs could have waited for additional backup and employed ballistic shields. Bystanders may not only be distracters but can also be threats. LEO's must factor into their decision making Lucifer may simply freeze. At first it might appear Lucifer complied with the command "Don't Move." However, when the LEO issues additional commands, "Show Me Your Hands," Lucifer fails to respond because his mind is no longer in control of his body.

Lucifer's most dangerous response is his increment response. His intent is to close the distance and kill the LEO. The dilemma faced, does he wait until Lucifer has crossed an imaginary line before he reacts to prevent the inevitable attack? What if there are multiple attackers? How quickly and effectively can the LEO react? Remember the longer it takes the LEO to get his blaster into action the greater the distance the LEO needs between himself and Lucifer.

LEOs need to continually hone their skills in applying tourniquets, injured shooter reloads and shooting from unconventional positions. We learned from the wounded LEO in a gun battle you may have to run around your squad. To do so break your stride into tiny fast steps. Rotate your hips toward the squad and create a wedge between the ground and the outside edge of your foot. To run from a dead start drop your inside foot back while pushing off with your outside foot. Standing up off the deck, sit up with one knee bent and your foot on the ground. Post your hand opposite to your bent leg behind you. Lift your hips off the ground and shoot your straight leg to the back. Stand up. When kneeling put the knee on the ground that's facing in the direction you may want to move since that's the foot you will have to pick up.

LEOs must train in the four "As"-aware, alert, act and alive. Aware means the LEO admits, believes and understands the dangers he faces daily could cost him his life. Alert means the LEO is attentive to his surroundings, both his physical senses and intuition are turned on. To fear less he must trust his instincts. Act by taking appropriate action based on threat indicators. Perform crisis rehearsals through mental imagery. Visualize aggressive reactions to possible attack scenarios. The LEO needs to act based solely on his practical knowledge, past experiences and training. The letter "A" is Alive. Not all in life necessarily is doom and gloom. There is much more to life than danger and death. The LEO must not always focus on himself and his every day problems. Enjoy being alive.

To help adopt the proper mindset in training the LEO needs to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, always pushing himself to his perceived mental and physical limits.

DEA AGENTS WEAR YOUR VEST

Semper Fi
Frank White