Article written by Scott Hyderkhan
Active Shooter Tactical Training Expert
The increasing prevalence of active shooter situations in our society is a disturbing reality that cannot be ignored. As individuals, it’s crucial that we prepare ourselves to handle these situations and know how to react in the event of an active shooter. I was honored to join the Active Shooter Prevention Project’s (ASPP) elite team of community advisors, given that the mission of Kinetic Tactical Training Solutions (KTTS) aligns perfectly with ASPP’s mission. Our goal at KTTS is to equip individuals and organizations with the necessary knowledge and skills to respond effectively to active shooter and hostile events. ASPP aims to make all public locations, including schools and houses of worship, safe from active shooters and domestic terrorism. It’s high time that we live without fear and take necessary steps to ensure our safety.
Under the Umbrella of the Active Shooter Prevention Project, LLC., KTTS provides comprehensive training programs covering mission command, tactical, operational, and training management doctrine all of which are designed to train individuals from the top down. Our goal is to ensure that everyone involved in active shooter response are fully prepared and equipped to handle these situations with confidence and effectiveness.
Active Shooter Response Training: Lone Wolf to Coordinated Attacks 2nd Edition Manual, Authored by Scott Hyderkhan, with four contributors in specialty area chapters, is a comprehensive resource providing guidance and instruction on how to handle the full spectrum of threat in active shooter situations. The manual is organized into 16 chapters, each of which covers a specific topic related to active shooter response.
Chapter Overview
Chapter 1: Active Shooter Small Unit Doctrine (ASSUD)
The ASSUD chapter is a study in the evolution of the active shooter response, the history of attacks to include complex coordinated attacks and analysis of the infantry squad and its development over the history of modern warfare. A comparison of similarities, differences and needs between law enforcement’s mission in the active shooter arena and the infantry squad and its mission was conducted. From this study the Active Shooter Small Unit Doctrine was developed. The doctrine is clear concise and simple. A common phrase we hear in emphasizing effective leadership is ‘Lead from the front’. This phrase comes from the basic doctrinal concept of team leaders leading from the front in armed conflict. ASSUD utilizes time proven small unit doctrine that is adapted to the needs of modern law enforcement in defeating the full spectrum in the active shooter mission. ASSUD is practical for all agencies, small and large.
Chapter 2: Action Plan
The Action Plan is an overview of the active shooter mission from a commander or administrator’s perspective. It is the execution paragraph of the Active Shooter Mission operation order. The chapter identifies command intent and desired end state as mission information to be disseminated to subordinate leaders and officers. The action plan lays out the concept of the operation and the phases of the operation to include identifying the main effort in the different phases of the operation. Possible subordinate units/element missions are presented with regionalization in mind. The active shooter mission is a regional response.
Chapter 3: Training Management
The training management chapter outlines the 7 principles of training and the core tactical skills training and it’s three phases:
- Phase 1: Weekly to monthly small unit task training
- Phase 2: Quarterly or semi-annual force on force training
- Phase 3. Semi Annual or annual Live Fire Exercise (LFX) training
The core tactical skills are:
- Critical individual task
- Collective tasks
- Action Drills
The chapter also emphasizes that the active shooter mission is a regional response and thus requires a regional centralization of tactics, with all agency cadre trained by regionally calibrated cadre.
Chapter 4: Rescue Task Force (RTF) Operations
The RTF chapter is a detailed and diagramed template of a generic RTF operation. All components of an RTF operation are explained. Tactics techniques and procedures in conducting an RTF operation are explored. A concept of the operation/scheme of maneuver is also given. Emphasis is again placed on regionalization.
Chapter 5: Close Quarter Battle (CQB)
This chapter outlines the three principals (surprise, speed and violence of action) and the fundamentals of CQB.
Chapter 6: Individual Tasks
In this chapter critical individual tasks in tactical policing are identified and outlined in Task, Conditions and Standards format, with clearly defined subtasks. Additionally, the chapter is reinforced by 8 individual task training videos in the video training library that is 50% discounted by the voucher code in the manual and can be purchased on the video training library page.
Chapter 7: Collective Tasks
Is a list of collective tasks that was developed by studying the active shooter mission. All patrol missions that require more than a single officer, requires supporting collective tasks. The active shooter mission is the most complex patrol tactical mission. Therefore, it has the largest collective task list. Tactical missions in patrol operations include such missions as traffic stop, high risk traffic stop, barricaded subject, etc. All of these missions, to include the active shooter mission share common collective tasks and common tactical doctrine. Therefore, when we train on collective tasks, we are training and preparing for an array of missions that patrol officers must be able to perform. In this chapter the collective tasks list is outlined in the task conditions and standards model and have detailed, yet simple subtasks. Additionally, the chapter is reinforced by 6 lesson plans in the video training library.
Chapter 8: Action Drills
Defines maneuver and explains the relationship between movement and maneuver. The chapter also identifies and explains the 4 components of maneuver (Find, Fix, Finish and Follow through). The chapter further explains why actions on contact and action drills are the key to success in small unit fighting. Small unit fighting is drill based, based on that fact, detailed templates on actions on contact and the 10 action drills is provided, supplemented by 13 lesson plans in the video training library, further detailing each drill.
Chapter 9: Combatives
Is an introduction to developing a hand to hand program for a law enforcement agency. What skills and secondary skills are developed when officers start training in hand to hand. Officers develop a skillset that develops confidence, and the ability to efficiently handle a threat in a hand to hand situation. Officers that are untrained, have limited training, or are given watered down training, will not only be at higher risk in hand to hand situations, their response will give an outward appearance of being excessive. The basic foundation movements are described in a step by step method. The basic fight plan of closing the gap, gaining dominant position, and controlling the situation are explained.
Chapter 10: Progressive Breaching
Progressive Breaching outlines the sequential process of breaching. The purpose and basic tenets of progressive breaching are covered along with the use of a primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency (PACE) plan in breaching. The chapter is oriented to SWAT/Special units and patrol divisions.
Chapter 11: Facility Clearing and Evacuation
Facility Clearing and Evacuation is dedicated to the process of clearing and evacuating a facility directly following the neutralization of an active shooter and at or near the conclusion of rescue task force operations. In this chapter the procedure of clearing the facility and the search and evacuation of civilian personnel are outlined in great detail and include the utilization of small unit elements with attached K-9 explosive detection and Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) units.
Chapter 12: Command and Control in the Active Shooter Environment
Command and Control, Logistics, Mutual Aid, and Investigative Command considerations introduces command and control philosophies and principles, discusses the critical importance of establishing clear command during a critical active shooter incident, and how to implement these principles. It also analyzes priorities in establishing logistical support for initial and on-going logistics in support of these critical incidents. A discussion of mutual aid support at the Federal, State, and local level related to expected deployment and support provided follows, with some final considerations on how to integrate the investigative resources into the post scene environment.
Chapter 13: Communications Planning
Communications planning is dedicated to planning both strategically and tactically a communications plan that can support agencies and regions in an Active Shooter or Complex Coordinated Attack. The strategic communication plan section addresses coverage, capacity and capability and how to ensure your technology not only covers day to day operations, but is capable of supporting operations in emergency situations. The tactical communications planning portion of the chapter presents a templated operational plan that addresses the grouping of talk groups to specific efforts, number of elements per channel and call signs for projected leadership. The chapter and template provides a starting point in communications planning.
Chapter 14: Site Threat Mitigation and Response Planning
Site Threat Mitigation and Response Planning, is dedicated to the conduct of threat assessments and preplanning the response to an Active Shooter or a Complex Coordinated Attack. First, the chapter demonstrates the Security Protocol Assessment and Review (SPAR) as a model and template for Threat Assessment. The SPAR provides an organized structured process in identifying risk, vulnerabilities and measures to mitigate them. The chapter then addresses Response Planning, by providing insight to position selection for the array of elements and support responding to an Active Shooter or Complex Coordinated Attack. The SPAR template and position planning guidance assists in the objective of transforming soft high valued targets into less desirable ones and positioning tactical and logistical support elements that facilitates command and control in the goal of mission success.
Chapter 15: Task Performance Evaluations
Performance Evaluations provides leaders, trainers and administrators with an evaluation tool to measure small unit proficiency in the active shooter mission. We’ve broken down the active shooter mission into 4 evaluation phases: Assess, Assemble and Execute a Mechanical Breach; Move in Hallways as a Squad; Move in Stairwells as a Squad; Execute Actions on Contact and Action Drill. The evaluations maybe used in the full spectrum of training, from large agency or regional exercises, down to phase evaluations conducted during informal training. The evaluations reinforce speed, violence of action, momentum and the concept of squad movement and its relationship with maneuver. All training should be evaluated and all training should be performed until the set standard is achieved. Performance standards within the evaluations are results based. This allows the use of the array of tactics techniques and procedures agencies may employ.
Chapter 16: Patrol Special Equipment and Load-out
Patrol Special Equipment and Load-out, addresses equipment fielding that will assist in successfully confronting an active shooter/complex coordinated attack. The chapter addresses force protection; weapons, ammunition and carry; breaching tools and carry.
In conclusion, the ‘Active Shooter Response Training: Lone Wolf to Coordinated Attacks 2nd Edition’, authored by Scott Hyderkhan, is a valuable resource that provides comprehensive guidance and instruction on how to handle the full spectrum of threat in active shooter situations. The manual’s organization into 16 chapters, each covering a specific topic related to active shooter response, ensures that all necessary information is covered thoroughly. By equipping individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to active shooter situations, we can work towards a safer and more secure society. To learn more visit https://www.ktts275.com/.
About Scott Hyderkhan
Scott Hyderkhan is a highly experienced and accomplished professional with 20 years of US Army experience as a US Army Ranger and 19 years as a Patrol Officer for the Mercer Island, WA Police Department. He is also an accomplished author and founder of Kinetic Tactical Training Solutions LLC, a company focused on evolving active shooter response in tactical, training, and command doctrine. Scott’s expertise in the field of active shooter response has been gained through his extensive law enforcement and military experience, making him a respected expert in the field and a valuable resource to help improve the safety and security of our communities.
