Building searches

Types of calls to warrant the search of a building

Burglary alarm of a closed business

Burglary Alarm of a residential home

Panic/Duress alarm of an open business

Panic/duress alarm of a residential home

In progress calls

Active shooter

Routine Response

Normal driving, obeying all traffic laws

Emergent Response

Lights and sirens, emergent driving

Exterior checks of Buildings

Place patrol car at a tactical advantage

Exit vehicle and scan for threats

Wait for cover officer to arrive before beginning an exterior search of building

Relay important info to dispatch

Warrior/survival mindset

Remember to think like a criminal

Response should be counter-ambush minded

Have a plan

Exterior Search of building

Counter clockwise searching method

Gives an advantage to right handed shooters

As an officer starts an exterior check of the building, they are looking for the following

Open/unlocked doors and windows

Forced entry to the building

Forced entry to the building

Forced window

Suspicious vehicles

Building searches or any other type of search…

Should never be handled alone

Perimeters

If it is believed that suspects are inside

Lock down all escape routes prior to making entry

Most buildings require only 2 officers to set a successful perimeter

Place officers on opposite corners

Announcements Prior to entry

Alerts innocent bystanders or civilians

May invoke voluntary surrender of the suspect

Loud repeated announcements

Entry into building after announcements

Handgun is out, “low ready”

Searching pattern in a building is dependent upon layout

Give dispatch periodic updates as to location inside if search takes awhile

Notify dispatch/officers if additional units are needed inside building or any contact is made with suspects

Backlighting

Illuminating an Officer from the back, making the Officer a visible target in the dark

Only point officer should use a light

Weapon discipline

Muzzle discipline

Sympathetic fire

General firearms safety rule

Selection of weapons

Doors

If you can see hinges it is a Pull door

If you cannot see hinges it is a push door

Open doors vs Closed doors

Open doors take priority over closed doors

If faced with one open door and one closed door, clear the open room first

Fatal Funnel

Door way entrance, hallway, or any other confined area where an officer’s motion and options are extremely limited

When entering any room…

move through doorways as quickly as possible

Cover offers

A barricade that is resistant to gun fire

Concealment offers

A hiding spot with no ballistic protection

OODA Loop

Observe

Orient

Decide

Act

OODA Loop definition

Mental process every human goes through in order to identify a situation, make a decision what to do, and act on that decision

Search team formation

Minimum of 2 officers

First officer referred to as Point

Rear officer referred to as Rear Guard

All other officers in the stack are team members

Goal of stick formation

reduce team exposure in hallway

Room clearing techniques

Upon approaching a door

Quick through the door

Left-right movement

Point is never wrong

Attack the blind corner

Cross fire

Situation where gunfire from one officer’s weapon has the high potential to strike another officer

How to avoid cross fire

Utilize the L or Triangulation principle

Do not turn corners in a room

Center fed rooms

Doorway or entrance that introduces into the center or close to center of room

Corner fed rooms

Doorway or entrance that introduces into the corner or close to the corner of a room

Threats when clearing

Red zones

Open doors

Closed doors

Closets/ Cabinets/attic hatches/ crawl spaces

Verbally challenging suspects

One officer gives verbal commands

Safely handcuff suspect and move the suspect to secure area

Pat down for weapons if detained/search if arrested

Stairs

Team moves upstairs together

Cover all angles

Stairs=fatal funnel