Scenario Enabling Adaptability: Domestic TRAP (Tactical Response and Approach)

You receive a radio call to respond to a certain location, a single family dwelling #32, in a neighborhood containing about 40 single family homes, on a dead end cul-de-sac street. The homes are numbered even on the right side of the road and odd on the left, starting with #1.

The call is for a domestic disturbance between a woman and a man. The dispatcher informs responding units, of the following; there was yelling and screaming in the background and that the woman on the phone was the victim and was very upset and crying on the phone. The victim made the statement “My old man is beating me, he’s drunk and says he has a gun, and if the COPS show up there will be dead COPS.” The phone then goes abruptly dead.

30 seconds to come up with an adaptable response and a rational (WHY?)

Observe-Orient-Decide and Act, then read case study and lessons on adaptability

Case Study: In this “real life example” as simple as it is written above, two officers responded and drove directly into the driveway of this incident. Got out of their patrol cars and were gunned down ambush style. Both officers died. This scenario enabling adaptability (SEA) is designed to help analyze and discuss the methods utilized in this situation in an effort to understand where the five factors (philosophy, climate, environment, leadership and methods) fit in to strategy, operational art, decision making and what tactics could have prevented this tragic scenario ending as it did.

The philosophy of most law enforcement and security agencies is to “protect and serve” and solve the problems within their jurisdictional authority without escalating conflict. Most law enforcement philosophy is to win without escalating conflict, however in some of the calls and problems we respond to, conflict is already in a full swing, emotions are high and violence has already occurred. In simple terms when the climate is BAD, in progress, escalating and dangerous, as in this set of circumstances described above, what is the best way applying what we knowing dealing with these types of situations. “What we do is dangerous, but we must do it as safely as possible.”

Possible questions: [these are only examples; every SEA will poise its own questions]

1. What are some techniques you could have used in an attempt to control this situation?
2. What was your reasoning for that action?
3. What was your overall estimate of the situation?
4. What would you have done if...?
5. What were your assumptions?
6. What attributes does an individual need to possess to be effective in handling crisis situation?
   1. The attributes that need to be in each professional and included in their training are things such as insight, imagination, creativity, adaptability, strength of character, a constant learner and teacher. Initiative driven, fitness, integrity, decision maker, selflessness and ACCOUNTABILITY.

Lessons Adaptability

• Tactical response and Approach:
  • Clandestine over conspicuous
  • Rally Point or Inner/Outer Perimeters
• Critical tasks
  • Communications and Control
  • Cover and concealment
  • Gathering information (neighbors and through observations)
  • Negotiate or enter?
• Positioning
  • How/Do we engage?
• Obvious or subtle signs of danger?
• Training and experience, where do they come into this scenario?

Related Article: Sun Tzu's Methods: Implementing Strategy...Through Presence of Mind and Sound Tactics