A REAL LIFE STUATION

Recently here in the UK a government report stated that criminals use weapons in 25% of attacks.; In 2005 Weapons were used in 18% of muggings, up from 16%. Weapons were used in 24% of robberies, up from 22%. Knives are used in 6% of attacks, guns in just 1%.
Now I'm not a big one for bandying around statistics but this certainly puts it into perspective when we look at the increasing number of assaults that takes place on an everyday basis. For people on the front line of these attacks - LEO, security personnel or other high risk occupations such as night workers or hospital emergency room staff - this statistic is most definitely nothing new and not that much of a surprise.  But just because it is seen as normal, doesn't mean that we should let our guard down and become complacent about the fact.

Just before Christmas we were running a venue security job when the security team got a call from one of the security officers that there was some trouble "kicking off "  outside one of the side entrances. So our team double-times to the fracas.  The security officer was trying to deal with six troublemakers in darkened, rainy conditions with at least three of them off to his blind side/rear. The guy (to his credit) was trying to talk this bunch down - but I think it was one of those situations that was only going to be resolved if they backed down or were removed from the location by force.
After a bit of "live action training" we got control of the situation and the local police escorted the " Scally" crew away to the local cells - God bless the boys in blue.  To any of our American readers a Scally is the rough equivalent of one of your street rats/gang members/posse's, etc.  And like most young and testosterone filled men they hunt in packs, are frequently armed, and don't care about the consequence of they're often violent actions.
We took the door guy aside and pointed out how serious the situation could have been; 1 guy seriously outnumbered, didn't call for back-up ASAP ("I thought I could handle it on my own"- ah, that old one), blindsided by at least 50% of them - how easy would that have been for them to have jabbed you from behind. It probably never even entered his mind that a weapon COULD be involved.

So it begs the question: How aware are we of a blade coming into play in a confrontation - do we ALWAYS assume that the guy has an edged weapon or do we use judgement of the situation at that time. Or do we think that the situation is judged on what we see before us and go for the pre-indicators that tell us he may (or may not) be unarmed.

Most of the people (even those who are seasoned self protection practitioners) who have NEVER witnessed or been involved in an attack with a knife/edged weapon seem to leave it outside of their "reality" and go for the ";he'll only attack me with his bare hands" approach."  I suppose that's the learning curve for most people. When all we've got is a hammer every problem seems to look like a nail and to approach the problem from an unarmed man facing unarmed man point of view will do nothing but give you false hope - especially when he's got inside your guard and is pumping a blade into you." Ouchh - too late!"
I know from my own experience, having been slashed with an edged weapon, that once is more than enough thank you very much.  These days if I think a bad guy is even going to sniff in the direction of a concealed weapon, and escape is not an option, then I'm going to forward drive into him - and hard!!

The first thing I'd like to talk about is the correct Mindset and Attitude. I think most people will agree that NOT giving anyone the benefit of the doubt (High Risk/Unknown Risk) is the correct strategy. Yet it never ceases to amaze me that some individuals (even so called professionals) still believe that people who carry blades don't fall within their social zone or it "Won't happen to me."

I had a personal example recently when I was out and about the local security companies making them aware of our Edged Weapon Awareness seminars.  One Head of Security (for a large retail/shopping centre) told me that he was confident enough with people that he could "talk them down" if they threatened him with a knife. He also assured me that all his security guards had all been through the usual conflict management courses - and that THEY were also good at talking attackers down. Obviously skills worthy of the United Nations - Fair enough!

But what happens if the guy blasts at you or attacks from a blind-side or is so desperate to escape that he will cut his way out of any problem. Not everybody wants to be talked out of committing an act of aggression. They may be EDP or on parole (could be 100 different reasons).  So had the employees had any type of edged weapon awareness training. None, only the usual basic C&R course in order to gain their security licence - but it wouldn't matter because historically both he and his employees had "never had any trouble with blade attacks, and we don't expect it to happen, really."

Isn't that the point - it will happen when YOU LEAST EXPECT IT! Talk about banging your head against a brick wall!!!

On saying that I had several meetings with more enlightened security supervisors/bosses who took the time to admit that it was a genuine gap in most personnel's training and conceded that it was something that they should look at for the future.  Is this endemic of people cushioned within their own chosen  safety/security  zone?  I would submit that yes it is.  Overworked and with a limited amount of time to train the security staff to a level that deals with most likely situations on the street, at least from a commercial point of view. However as individuals I believe we should always invest in ourselves as best we can.  The good operators do - the bad ones don't. 

I remember an associate of mine relating the story of how when he worked for a retail security firm several years ago, the firms director of training expressed a similar viewpoint as those listed above " just talk them down."
Apparently this was the same trainer who boasted, proudly, that his guards were regularly manhandling struggling and fighting shoplifters at close range out of the stores and onto the street.  Manhandling at ECQ knife range!!
"Just talk them down" -  Oh, that's right and Father Christmas, the Easter Bunny and the Loch Ness Monster are real also aren't they!!

The second thing to realise is that not every weapon will be a bought over the counter "tactical fighting knife" etc
That is certainly the case here in the UK where the criminal will go for home made or improvised edged weapons;
A) because they are easier to get hold of and make, and
B) they are easier to dispose of

I've seen edged weapons fashioned from bits of tin and plastic, sturdy enough to do serious damage to a victim, yet can be passed off on the street as a piece of rubbish laying around on the floor  if the criminal decides to "lose"; the said item.

It is the one item that is accessible to almost everyone and it is the one item that needs limited skills to use effectively.  That's a lethal combination!!

PRE-ACCESS BODY INDICATORS

In my humble opinion one of the best pieces of advice is ALWAYS WATCH THE HANDS.  For close protection teams this is a fundamental rule  especially when working a crowd with the VIP in tow.  Indeed, during one state visit to New York by the then Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, the great man's Russian bodyguards would forcibly "pull" the hands from members of the crowd's pockets whom Gorbachev had decided to talk to and would bark the order "HANDS" to the innocent member of the public.  Effective though. 

Of equal importance, and connected to the movement of hands, is the role of access shape/body positioning.  When we draw a weapon, any weapon- knife, stick, firearm - our body instinctively does a number of things, not least manipulating itself into a certain position in order to actually draw the weapon. Doing this can give of certain "telegraph" signals and can be picked up by someone who is  switched on  and has an inkling that the guy in front of them might be ready to go over the top and violently launch.  
Positions are normally;

HIP - the access hand snakes round to the hip position - making a little teapot handle shape. 

FRONT - making him reach forward and down, with both hands meeting almost together at the belt-buckle area.

CROSS-DRAW - the bad guy reaches into his inner pocket or up his sleeve, and makes a motion similar to folding his arms.  We had a gentleman who attended one of our recent edged weapon awareness courses and who was in a high risk occupation for dealing with potential knife attacks.  Previously it had never crossed his mind about access/body positions before and this was something of a positive revelation for him.  He took a new skill away.  But ask yourself on how many previous occasions had he been in a life threatening environment and not seen the clues right in front of him.  Luck must have certainly been on his side.

CONCLUSION
A blade when brought into play will and can be drawn from anywhere (we've proved that time and time again during training - with one of our guys managing to conceal nearly 20 weapons) and the most unlikely looking individuals are the ones that will get inside your guard and then go like a propeller blade on "speed" with an edged weapon.  Forget the 6ft 3in gorilla, he can be spotted a mile away, it's the quiet man that should worry you - he will get inside your space and carve you up without you even knowing.  "We don't expect knife attacks to happen" and "I'll just talk them down".   The above comments are the words of the unprepared and the doomed.  Sad but true.  If it wasn't so tragic it would make a great inscription on a gravestone.  Be aware of that which you CAN'T see - the blade. 

Copyright MCG 2006