Home Personal Defense SIG SAUER Academy Active Shooter SPEAR System Drill

SIG SAUER Academy Active Shooter SPEAR System Drill

May 2, 2012

The above kerfuffle is a drill from today’s festivities at the SIG SAUER Academy’s Active Shooter training course. The three rifle-clad cops coming towards the camera push through the crowd of pretend citizens fleeing an equally fantastic active shooter. The gunmen are “swimming upstream” to get to the shooter using the Tony Blauer SPEAR (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response) technique. The rifle-toting cops hold their free (i.e. weak) hand out in front of them with the hand open (critical to maintaining arm rigidity). They press their forearm against the oncoming traffic’s shoulder(s), spinning the non-cops out of their way. It’s ridiculously effective, even when the crowd heading downrange is fast and furious. Good to know.

19 COMMENTS

Henry Bowman May 2, 2012 At 16:19

Any weapon will do if you will do.
Ralph May 2, 2012 At 18:05

So that’s a SPEAR System Drill. I guess it’s something like trying to catch the IRT #4 train at rush hour, but less dangerous.
Robert Farago May 2, 2012 At 18:48

It’s about an active shooter response team swimming upstream: moving towards the shooter through a panicked crowd.
Ropingdown May 2, 2012 At 20:26

Actually saw that concept used on OWS the other night. Took that mutha and his rude poster-on-a-stick DOWN! Wasn’t it previously called the “Green Bay Offensive Line with Guns” technique? “Open up the slot!” A minor question: In a panicked crowd it won’t be possible to see the spree shooter, will it? Or is he always very tall? Do the guys just repeat the tactic in various directions? “Sorry, ma’am, but we’re still lookin’.” I prefer the “heroic actor with an HK weaves through the crowd alone” technique. It works in the movies. Better in every way if the chick up front has a pistol in her purse and just does the punk.
- Randolphus Maximus May 2, 2012 At 23:25
  
  “I prefer the “heroic actor with an HK weaves through the crowd alone” technique. It works in the movies. Better in every way if the chick up front has a pistol in her purse and just does the punk.”
  
  +1
  
  Or how about if a bad guy pulls a gun then everyone else in the crowd pulls a gun on the bad guy….I’d call it the Reverse Nordberg…just rewatched “Naked Gun” on DVD lol
  - Ropingdown May 3, 2012 At 01:02
    
    Now that you mentioned “Naked Gun” I can’t concentrate on the anti-spree shooter technique issue. Hopelessly funny.
"Dr."Dave May 2, 2012 At 21:33

The real question is, if you arent LE/MIL, wtf are you involved in an active shooter situation at all?

If it comes to the point that you need to weave through a crowd of people to engage him, you’re clearley in no danger of your own, and should have bugged out already.
- Robert Farago May 2, 2012 At 21:36
  
  What if your child is up ahead?
  - "Dr."Dave May 2, 2012 At 21:55
    
    Interesting point. I dont have any kids, so I didnt think about it that way.
    - Accur81 May 3, 2012 At 00:45
      
      Is there anything about watching your back so the real cops don’t mistake YOU for the active shooter?
  - Ropingdown May 3, 2012 At 01:43
    
    RF, if your daughter is up ahead you ain’t waitin’ for any other guys before you move. It’s definitely going to be “one guy with an HK (Glock) weaving through the crowd.” You won’t have a rifle and you won’t be straight-arming, ’cause a panicked confused crowd member might deck you.
Mark N. May 2, 2012 At 22:02

I don’t know about you guys, but if three cops carrying rifles come charging in my direction, I won’t be waiting around for a stiff arm.
- Sheesh May 3, 2012 At 00:36
  
  Exactly. I’ll already be gone.
Ropingdown May 3, 2012 At 01:36

It occurs to me that I’ve never read of a spree shooter in action with three cops in the same zip code. Three cops moving together fast straight toward a shooter who is firing a rifle? It’ll never happen. You do remember Columbine?? Crowd? If there’s an active shooter the crowd will be long dispersed before three cops can show up and get lined up, so the pushing-through bit won’t be necessary. Stepping over bodies might be required.
- StephenT May 3, 2012 At 11:53
  
  It does happen:
  http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20010291-504083.html
  - Ropingdown May 3, 2012 At 15:44
    
    Ah! “Never say never.” Thanks. The first five did form a rapid response team. The fellow was in a back room, though, dead by his own hand. Sad case.
    - Florencejohn June 2, 2012 At 07:55
      
      I prefer the “heroic actor with an HK wveeas through the crowd alone” technique. It works in the movies. Better in every way if the chick up front has a pistol in her purse and just does the punk. +1Or how about if a bad guy pulls a gun then everyone else in the crowd pulls a gun on the bad guy .I’d call it the Reverse Nordberg just rewatched Naked Gun on DVD lol
- Jack June 2, 2012 At 01:35
  
  Actually saw that concept used on OWS the other night. Took that mutha and his rude potser-on-a-stick DOWN! Wasn’t it previously called the Green Bay Offensive Line with Guns technique? Open up the slot! A minor question: In a panicked crowd it won’t be possible to see the spree shooter, will it? Or is he always very tall? Do the guys just repeat the tactic in various directions? Sorry, ma’am, but we’re still lookin’. I prefer the heroic actor with an HK weaves through the crowd alone technique. It works in the movies. Better in every way if the chick up front has a pistol in her purse and just does the punk.
Rudman Miller May 3, 2012 At 18:03

Having worked with a number of security and embassy teams, I personally do not like the SPEAR drill system as described in the video. It puts the operators in a stationary target area. I would prefer to see the operators moving laterally to flank the active shooter. I hope that the flanking technique is in fact taught but just could not be filmed without multiple cameras. It gets a tad pricey then.