HOSTILE CROWDS – Would Your Character Know What to Do? with Terrorist Specialist Rock Higgins

_________________________________

Photograph by Mikael Marguerie, see Flickr file
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This guest post is from ThrillWriting's good friend Rock Higgins.
Rock is an Executive Protection Operator (Bodyguard) he works a 7 day on 7 day off rotation for an international businessman and his family. As he oversees 20 guys, it's pretty busy as Rock travels worldwide.

Rock is a Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist.
He trains businesses in anti-terrorism procedures. he 
also teaches civilians, law
enforcement, military and bodyguards in close
quarter combat and now, of course, he writes.
Fiona - 
So Rock, I was just reading and Alafaire Burke novel where her hero was caught in a riot situation. It was an awesome way to develop the plot. Can you give my heroine some pointers for survival? 

Rock - 
Demonstrations are popular these days. At some point, somewhere, there will be someone demonstrating.

Most demonstrations are peaceful, while others are not. Even peaceful protests can turn dangerous. 

Perhaps your character is attending a demonstration and those who would prefer a more militant form of protest infiltrated the crowd. 

Perhaps your character is in an area where a peaceful demonstration turns into a riot then she must be able to respond and not become a victim of either the rioters or law enforcement.

To start with, here are a couple of fundamental questions:
* Did your heroine check with LE in her
  local area or the areas she is travelling to
  check on demonstrations of whatever
  nature?
* Does she know her local area like the
   back of her hand, but what about the
   areas she regularly visit, or on a one-off
   visit? 
* How quickly on arrival does she 
   familiarise herself with the area?

Hostile Crowd

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

No need to explain the definition, the name says
 it all. There are though different types of crowds. Knowing how the crowd developed is an important factor.
Here is just a short list:
* Protest marches
* Static Demonstrations
   (picket lines)
* Football (soccer) Matches
* Sales Queue
* Funerals
* Stag Parties
* Music Events
* Counter Demonstrations
* Fox Hunts
* Mostly anywhere that there are bars, nightclubs and alcohol

This list shows you that these types of events occur mostly outside and mainly in an urban setting but can also happen in rural settings. Demonstrations can also happen indoors. Static demonstrations, for example, where groups occupy buildings, often turn violent when security evicts the protesters.

 Photograph by Mikael Marguerie, see Flickr file (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For anyone caught in a hostile crowd situation, the main aim is to vacate the area as soon as possible. In order to leave safely, your heroine might have to wait for a clear opportunity. In some cases, waiting is too dangerous, and the only solution is to go through the crowd.

Anyone can become a target in a hostile crowd situation - civilian, executive protection operator, military and law enforcement personnel. Whether on foot, or in vehicles, bad luck or bad planning can land your heroine in a life-threatening situation.

* Tip – If your heroine are in a vehicle, keep all the windows up 
   and locked. 


* If your heroine is on foot, then  she should walk NOT run.
   Running attracts attention from both rioters and LE. Remember
   that during riots there are no rules. Rebels have killed, raped,
   beaten and robbed. The less attention she can bring to herself the
   better.

* Parents who have children must act like a close-protection team 
   in this situation. The team would give all round body cover and
   walk through the crowd to the recognised point of safety.

* If as a parent, there is one child who is small enough to be
   carried, then the mother should carry the child. The father will
   cover both mother and child. He will defend them if attacked. 
   Others suggest that the father should bear the child because he is
   stronger. That is wrong, unless the mother is more combat
   effective than the father is.

* If your heroine is protecting two children, then if possible the
   mother should carry one and the father the other. If an older child
   is present, the parents should be covering all with the older child 
   in the front. Remember, it is even more imperative to have 360-
   degree awareness in these situations. Break down movement into
    bounds (Move from one protected spot to the next)

* Teamwork is all-important here.

* If your heroine is in a location where she can carry a concealed 
    firearm as a civilian, she should not have her weapon free. LE is
    not going to take chances upon seeing it. Have her hand on her 
    weapon if the situation warrants it, but she should not have it 
    presented unless she has to use it.

Protesters clash with riot police on November 7, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Buildings in proximity to
   the riot are not safe. 
   These will no doubt be
   broken into and looted.
   Moving to higher floors in
   the building is not a good 
   idea as the risk from fire 
   and smoke from the 
   ground floor can cut off
   any escape and be deadly.
   If your heroine needs to 
   use buildings in proximity, then use them to get to further buildings. Look for fire exits at the rear of 
  the building, or windows that she can smash, to put distance
  between her and the rioters.

* One thing your heroine should not do is walk towards the police
   line. If there are officers nearby, then seek help. However, 
   remember, rioters and looters will want to take on the police, and
    she will be between both.

Friendly Crowd

Now I know you are asking yourself, “How can friendly crowd be dangerous?” Unfortunately, they can be quite risky and more so because the expectation was that the environment was safe.

Think of a crowd of screaming fans of the pop group, film star, or other celebrity. They are pushing, crushing, or running to get to their idols. Because fans do not expect violence, it can be a traumatic and sometimes a deadly experience. Hysteria soon catches on: and in a sudden rush, your heroine can lose those with whom she came and end up under foot.

Events with metal barriers or fences can also cause crushing problems for those at the front as fans from behind push forward. Your heroine should plan for safety, as well as, planning for a good time.

I have seen soldiers have their weapons nearly taken from them in a hostile crowd during full-blown terrorist riots. I have been in sports stadiums accompanied by family members when football-hooligan clashes broke out. I have worked through friendly as well as hostile crowds as an executive protection operator.

It can happen to anyone.




Fiona - 
Thanks so much for sharing that information. If you're a writer trying to figure out the tactical points and mind sets of protection details - or you just need a great way to twist your plot line. I HIGHLY recommend getting yourself a copy of Rock's books. Meditations of a Modern Warrior
and Meditations of a Modern Warrior II.  Here's the LINK

***Also, Rock has very generously offered to help with specific plot line issues. You can leave them below.

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

The SIRCHIE Education Training Facility Tour - by Patti Phillips

SIRCHIE makes hundreds of products for the law enforcement community and offers classes in how to use those products at their Youngsville, North Carolina Education and Training site. Several crime writers were allowed an unprecedented opportunity to attend a five-day, hands-on training session, so that we could learn more about the latest and best gadgets being used to catch the crooks.

During the first two days of Evidence Collection Training, we used a number of chemicals, fingerprint powders, and brushes, and employed several different fingerprint lifting techniques on a variety of tricky surfaces. We discussed the benefits of both cheap and costly Alternate Light Sources.

Our notebooks were filling up and theories of the perfect crime were flying around the class. We kept quizzing Robert Skiff, our instructor, (SIRCHIE Training Manager/Technical Training Specialist) about ways to ‘get away with the murder of the decade.’ But as we learned, there is no perfect crime. That pesky trace evidence will always be waiting at every scene for the investigator to discover it, photograph it, tag it, bag it, and transport it without losing the integrity of the sample.

It was time to visit the plant – see how the powders, brushes, and other crime scene paraphernalia were made.

SIRCHIE manufactures most of its products in-house. The specialized vehicles for SWAT, bomb rescue, arson investigation, and surveillance work, etc., are built in New Jersey, but the smaller products are produced right in North Carolina.

Security was carefully controlled throughout our tour. Most of our group writes crime fiction, so we are always looking for a way our fictional criminals can break in (or out of) a wild assortment of locations. As we walked through the stacks and aisles of products, we commented to each other on the smooth organization and many checks SIRCHIE had in place. Cameras everywhere. Limited access to the assembly floor. Labyrinths a person could easily get turned around in. If we got separated from the group while taking an extra photo or two, we were found and escorted back by an always friendly employee.

Of course, we couldn’t turn into rogue students anyway. Our fingerprints littered the classroom and they knew where we lived.

Security plays a part in the assembly model as well. Each product they create is put together from start to finish by hand. There are no assembly lines because of trade secrets and a dedication to preserving product integrity. Personnel are carefully screened before being hired and qualification for employment includes graduate degrees. No criminal history whatsoever is allowed. Every employee comes through the Evidence Collection Training Class so that they understand what SIRCHIE does as a whole.

Tool and Die Machinery

Templates for the various products are created in-house. The operators of these machines are highly trained experts. Quality control is paramount, so training is constant.

Printed Supplies

Scale Strips

All the printing is done in-house. The printing area was stacked with cases of items being printed for shipment. We saw ink strips large enough to process tire treads.

Field Kit

Field Kits are created for general use by investigators, but can be specifically designed for a special need. The small vials contain enough chemicals to test unknown stains and substances at the scene. Note the dense foam holding the vials and bottles firmly in place. The kits are usually kept in the trunk and probably get tossed around quite a bit. The foam insures against breakage during car chases and while bumping across uneven road surfaces.

Finger Print Brushes

There are fiberglass brushes, feather dusters for the very light powder, regular stiffer brushes, and magnetic powder brush applicators.

Brushes Completed

We were lucky enough to see fiberglass brushes being made.

Gun Box

If a handgun is seized for evidence, there needs to be a simple, yet effective way to track chain of possession.

*Bag the gun to preserve the fingerprints and

*drop the gun in the box.

*Then fill in the blanks on the box.

*Easy to stack and store until needed.

Think of all the cases that may be ongoing in a large jurisdiction – the evidence is not sitting at the police station. It’s in a warehouse someplace, and needs to be easily identified when required for court. In addition to several sized boxes for guns and knives, etc. SIRCHIE also provides an incredible assortment of resealable plastic bags for preserving evidence like clothing, unidentified fibers, etc.

Wendy with Magnetic Powder

Magnetic powder was being processed that day and then put into rows and rows of jars and jugs. Before it is sent out to the customers, each lot is tested for moisture content, appropriate ratio of ingredients and other trade secret tests. We joked about taking some back to class for the next round of fingerprint study and were surprised by how heavy the jugs were.

Cyanowand Cartidges for Glue Gun

No, she’s not making bullets. She is assembling the cyanowand cartridges used for fuming with superglue.

SIRCHIE Makes Riot Gear

Riot Helmet Drills

This is not a photo of something from a SyFy movie. At the center of the shot is a helmet template. The drills encircling the template are aimed at spots where holes are needed for each helmet, depending on the type of helmet in production. All the holes are drilled at the same time.

The helmet before anything
 has been added to it 

.

Helmet Padding

Buckles for Helmets

Padding is inserted after the buckles are attached.

Helmet Component

Helmet Neck

Helmet Faceguard

Completed Riot Helmet

The Optical Comparator, as well as the other machines, are built to order by hand.

While in the warehouse, we learned that if a product is discontinued, it is still supported by SIRCHIE. That means that if a law enforcement officer calls up with a problem a few years after purchasing a machine, he can still get help. Reassuring for jurisdictions with a tight budget that can’t afford to replace expensive equipment every year or two.

SIRCHIE sends supplies to TV shows, so next time you’re watching a fave detective or examiner lift prints with a hinge lifter, it may have come from SIRCHIE.

Great tour, great people who work so hard to keep the law enforcement community supplied with the gear needed to catch the bad guys.

A big thanks to Patti for stopping by today.

Patti has been a contributor to several articles here on the blog including: Finger Printing LINK and Footwear Evidence LINK. You can find a link to her blog NIGHTSTAND BOOK REVIEWS under my  

"Blogs I Follow" on the information strip on the right hand side.  Also check out Kerrian's Notebook LINK  

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