What’s in a proper Advance?

It can take several man hours to adequately plan for the execution of a two-hour Close Protection Assignment, for large scale event security operations – involving thousands of people and covering spans of several 24-hour days – it takes a little more.

It’s hard to say you’ve “accomplished” an undefined mission; in fact it sometimes takes a team of seasoned operators to gather the logistics necessary just to define what the mission is. A proper advance will also suggest the various skillsets necessary to accomplish particular aspects of the overall mission of protecting life and property, and maintaining order.

No Advance work is complete without working to possess an intimate grasp of the organizers concept of how the event is to be enjoyed by its customers.

A total location familiarization outing, like the one seen in the picturebelow, also makes for a great dress rehearsal in the event you need to respond to an emergency under these conditions.

“Oh yeah, it’s fun, but it’s also absolutely necessary. “
– SSG Advance Team Operator

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Pictured above are a group of SSG Advance Team Operators learning the layout of a route at Muddy Bottoms ATV Park in Sarepta, Louisiana, notoriously difficult to navigate.

Artificial Stress

One semi-auto weapon handling challenge that can quickly be overcome with shoot-house training is the need to quicken ones recognition of holding an empty or cycle-stopped weapon. Working through common problems under the addition of artificial stress can produce sobering reality checks for firearms ‘veterans’ and at the same time create tremendous leaps in competency for new defense shooters.

To condition any response to become automatic – at the appropriate moment – you must learn that response in an environment that most closely simulates an actual situation that would warrant such a reaction to a real threat.

It’s not after basic marksmanship has been established in a student, but during the student’s first moments with a weapon that we begin instilling a rationale for developing the ability to move, shoot, and reload while searching for cover, concealment and better angles of fire.

“Here’s the reality… repeating a gun drill in a static environment contributes little to programing a threat-stimulus response. If you’re depending on a skill to save your life, you better develop it in an environment that looks just like the moment you’d need to use it.” -SSG Shoothouse Instructor

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In this picture a Sentinel Training student is seen practicing quickening her recognition and correct response to several problems at once: the need to engage an aggressor, the need to stay behind cover, and the need to quickly complete a magazine change.

LA AG asked to step in on dine and concealed carry debate

Story By: KSLA, Fred Childers

A controversy is brewing in Louisiana over the carrying of guns into restaurants. Some say it’s legal in Louisiana, others say it’s not. And some believe existing laws on the matter are contradictory.

Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has been asked to give an opinion on the matter.

It’s an issue that came to light after House bill 48 was proposed. The law that was shot down sought to make clear that a police officer can lawfully carry their gun into a restaurant. Louisiana State Police have been quoted as saying “No.”

For Shreveport Police, it’s not so clear. “Each case is unique, and we would have to take each case based on their merits,” said Sgt. Bill Goodin with the Shreveport Police Department.

Some conceal carry instructors say they teach their students that they can carry a gun into a restaurant serves alcohol.

Conceal carry instructor, Doug Pierrelee says “I tell them exactly what the law says, and I define what that establishment is. And I define it the way the law defines it.”

When asked directly, what would happen if a conceal carry permit holder walked into a restaurant with a gun Goodin replied “At this point what we would do if we were called to a situation like that and again, each situation is unique and different. If that officer can’t make a determination if a crime has been committed, he would document the facts in a report and send that forward.”

For now there’s an apparent discrepancy between two existing state laws, RS 14.95.5, and RS 40:1379.3 that govern where a citizen can carry a gun, but an opinion from the AG’s office promises to clear it up.

See the entire article at KSLA.com

LA law can allow for armed teachers

Story By: KSLA, Jeff Ferrel

Ever since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre some have suggested that armed teachers might just help prevent another such tragedy. And while schools in Louisiana are considered firearm-free zones, the law does spell out some exceptions to that rule.

“What the law says, that you can carry, a teacher can carry a firearm in a school if the, if she has the principal’s permission, or if he has the principal’s permission,” said Doug Pierrelee.

Pierrelee is a former Louisiana state trooper. He’s now a firearms instructor in Shreveport and doubts whether school districts would allow teachers to arm themselves. “I couldn’t imagine just knowing that some people don’t even want to talk about it. It’s too taboo to even talk about.”

“Oh, I think that’s the best idea you can have,” said Ed Burns. He caught up with him as he set-up his holsters as a vendor for a gun show taking place inside Riverview Hall in downtown Shreveport this weekend.

And Burns said his own mother was a school teacher. “We can’t put enough guards in a school. But if the teachers are armed they can protect their students. Who else is there to protect them?”

But a new poll by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, shows only 27-percent of voters support the idea of armed teachers, with 64-percent opposed.

While some may even scoff at the idea of teachers with guns, Doug Pierrelee said you’ve got to be used to being ridiculed for what you believe. “Ridicule is a small price to pay for liberty. Think of the price that all of those children paid in Newtown for the myth of a gun-free zone.”

Caddo Parish Schools Spokesman Victor Mainiero said the idea of armed teachers has not been considered in their school district. And across the Red River, Bossier Parish Schools Spokeswoman Sonja Bailes said the very same thing.

But Bailes did add, “We will continue the dialogue on security next Tuesday.” she was referring to a school board security meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (1/15/13) afternoon.

See full Article at KSLA.com

What kind of training is needed to know when to pull the trigger?

Story By: KSLA, Fred Childers…

A Bossier City police officer was faced with a very difficult decision on Thursday night, when 58-year-old Larry Allan Jerrils of Walker, Michigan was shot and killed. Bossier City Police say he had just robbed the Payless shoe store in the 2000 block of Airline just before 8 p.m. When officers arrived on the scene, they tried to stop him from fleeing.
Police say Jerrils was shot when he turned around and brandished a firearm at police.

Police officers go through specialized training to make sure when they pull that trigger they meet two criteria, a legal one, and a tactical one, according to retired Louisiana State Trooper and weapons instructor Doug Pierrelee.

Police officers and private citizens have to determine within a split second when it’s legal for them to shoot someone and when it’s safe for them and everyone around them.

Add distractions on top of that, and that calls for this type of tactical training, using a gun and simunition, which is basically lead free cartridges with less energy. Simunition is a training bullet that carries less of a charge in it and has no lead.

Pierrelee is now a weapons instructor for Sentinel Security and has taught officer survival training to police officers and troopers.

“Knowing when to shoot is just as important. If you shoot really accurately, but you screw up on who you shoot, you don’t get extra points for accuracy on the wrong target,” Pierrelee said.

Read more at KSLA.com