Nuisance person
Hostile / friendly crowd
Missile thrown
Unarmed Physical Attack
Armed Physical Attack - edged and blunt trauma weapons
Close Range Gun Attack
Long Range Gun Attack
Bomb or Grenade Attack
Vehicle Ambush
This attack, like every other attack; has to be dealt with in relation to the law of whichever country, state, city that you happen to be working in. Having said that it also has to be dealt with effectively. Something which the current UK SIA curriculum for close protection training does not address.
In March I will be running a 1 day IBG and 1 day 2 Man Team training course dealing with this attack, hence the blog post.
As we continuously hear "It's not rocket science", it doesn't take the brains of an ArchBishop to understand that the bigger the team, the easier it will be to deal with this attack.
So for the IBG and 2 man team up against 1,2,3 or more attackers you certainly have your work cut out.
I am not going to go into awareness or observation here, see my book 'Meditations of a Modern Warrior' for that, but to give you an example of arcs of observation see the diagrams below.
IBG
2 Man Team
Your response has to be effective enough to nullify the threat as quickly as possible. You have to be able to do this while walking, from a static standing position, sitting or while em-bussing or de-bussing for example. You also have to be effective with your response to punches, kicks, grabs, pushing and rushing attacks from 1 or more attackers.
Watch nearly every training clip and you will notice one thing that is usually forgotten the first few seconds after an attack has begun, yep the C/P. The BG steps in, moves the C/P out of the way and proceeds to take on the attacker, forgetting about the C/P who just stands there watching the situation.
These types of situations call for multi-tasking skills of the highest level.
So as an IBG the one thing you must not forget is your C/P. You are going to have to give them orders or ask them questions, where do you want them to go, what do you want them to do, did they get hit or are the injured? Remember, you may well still be engaged with the attacker at this point, you may be in a crowd of people, you will be looking for more threats, you will more than likely be taking hits.
The positions and roles for the 2 man team should and must be interchangeable and will change as the C/P changes direction while walking. The attack may come from an area close to the BG who will now have to deal with it, the PES now becomes the BG.
One thing we are definitely not going to do is get into restraining the attacker.
Look at it this way, you are an IBG, you are restraining the attacker, who is now going to get the C/P out danger and into safety? Remember there may be more than one attacker. Is he going to have to defend himself while you watch from the Gucci arm lock you are so pleased with getting on the first attacker?
If as part of a 2 man team you restrain someone you have now lost 50% of the team. You are now back to the IBG scenario, if there are more attackers then you are no better off.
Look at your C/P, is it a man, woman, adult, child, baby?
Are they young, old, fit or infirm?
Could they run, could you carry them while you defend them?
Do they know what you would do in this situation?
Do they know what their role is in this situation and have they ever witnessed any form of attack in real life?
Would friends, nannies, P.As and other assorted hangers on be a help or hindrance?
This is not just a set of moves to be learned its a whole skill set, and an important one.
One question I have always asked myself when looking at team members or possible team members:
Do I want this person standing next to me if the shit should hit the fan?
What would the answer be if this question was asked of you?
So are you capable, fit for purpose, or are you still feeding on the bullshit and deluding yourself?
Stay Dangerous
Rock