You know, Defense Techs descriptor says the future of military, law enforcement and national security... and Ive admittedly been negligent in the whole law enforcement part of it.
Well, no longer.
My good friend David Woroner who is the head honcho with Survival Consultants International down in West Palm, Florida, wrote an assessment of the Va. Tech murder spree back in April, and updated his report a couple days ago with the release of the official investigation by the Virginia state government.
Dave is a veteran security contractor and consultant with international experience. You might remember - hes the inventor and manufacturer of the Wor4 Tacrail.
Ive posted his April assessment to be followed by his latest review of the Kaine report.
(Originally posted April 18 Editor)
Time for some changes... finally?
I have spoken for years not only to corporations but to educational facilities, outreach programs, and many other places where people congregate.
What I have said so many times has come home to roost once again. The awful rampage of one man, only armed with a semi-automatic pistol, can be and was devastating. I have tried to get the message outtried to implant a simple piece of knowledge that "everything can change in a second."
There are a few things I would like to address and, as a professional, feel it is my responsibility to do so again here and now. Any place where people congregate is, and has been, a target for a "lone active shooter" or a determined group to rain down the horror we have again witnessed. It doesn't matter if it's a local mall, school, church, etc.... These ill-intentioned people seek "clusters of people."
Some mentalities that must change:
An active shooter within a closed, confined space is only going to stop when one of several things happens:
They run out of ammunition
There are no targets within range
They take their own lives
An armed professional engages and "removes" the threat
Behavior must changedo not "hunker down." Move in any way possible away from the threat as quickly and safely as possible. The youngsters at Columbine who may have cut themselves or injured themselves getting out of a second story window made a much wiser choice than simply staying where they were.
What colleges, corporations, and other facilities cost for a person to learn, work, etc. these days demands that each large buildingon a campus for instanceshould have an armed professional within. If there was an armed security agent in any of these places, surely the toll taken would have been less. A trained and skilled security agent/retired law enforcement/active duty law enforcement officer who is armed has a much greater chance of ending an "active shooter's" rampage. Without question, it is my opinion that an armed professional should be located within the ranges of these places where numbers of people congregate.
"It won't happen here..."
Well, I think that point is shown to be absurdly wrong with the latest rounds of homicidal, suicidal Kamikaze-type attacks in small school houses, large campuses, and shopping malls. Usually a director of security is then forced to hire "baton only" type security. This must change. You don't bring a club to a gunfight.
When will the "higher echelon" of business, educational, and other entities finally realize that there are a lot of highly-trained men and women that would gladly accept these positions? Is the money more important than the well being of the people who visit you? Think for a moment, if you will, how many ex-law enforcement and soon to be ex-soldiers will be coming home. There will be a large pool to draw from. It would be about time to find these folks, offer them a decent living wage, and know that children, women, and brave men (a 76-year-old holocaust survivor) would not have to die needlessly.
Finally, there are a multitude of other ramifications, opportunities, techniques, and more to be had and obtained to assist in keeping people safer. In the end, there is no guarantee, but some people "up the ladder" should now, hopefully, get the message. Anytime, any place... yes, there are monsters.
Well post Daves Part II: Assessment of the Kaine Report later today.
-- Christian
