My guest today is a legend in the US tactical community Chief Phil Hansen.  Phil recently retired after serving as the Chief of Police for the Santa Maria California Police Department.  But prior to Santa Maria Phil retired as a Captain from the Los Angeles Country Sherriff’s Department where he served for 36 years.  During his tenure at LASD he spent more than 24 years in full time tactical and emergency management positions, including nearly 20 years at the elite Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB). Phil has served as a board member of the National Tactical Officers Association since 1991 including serving as the Chairman of the Board. He is a member of the executive committee for the California POST SWAT guidelines, and has served as a board of inquiry member for LAPD and Oakland PD.  

Timestamps
01:45 – Early Career and Start at LASD
04:30 – Arrival at SEB
06:00 – Evolution of Dynamic Entry & The War on Drugs
11:15 – The Menu of Options for Narcotics Warrants 
19:00 – Unit Culture, Constant Development, & Selection
25:15 – John Kolman and The Origins of the NTOA
35:00 – Development of California SWAT Standards. NTOA National Standards & Current Legal Attacks on SWAT
51:30 – The Need for Effective Downward Information Flow and Information Sharing
59:00 – Phil’s Time at Emergency Operations Bureau
1:02:00 – Navigating Career Adversity
1:08:00 – Santa Maria PD Career
1:10:00 – Modern Issues in Special Tactics – Interagency Relationships 
1:22:00 – Justifications & Reasons for Special Tactics Teams
1:30:00 – Rapid Fire Questions

Contact Info 
Cell # (805) 994-9051
Email: pchansen@live.com

Books Recommended
Contrarians Guide to Leadership - Steven B. Sample and Warren Bennis – ISBN: 978-0787967079
Going Pro, The Deliberate Practice of Professionalism - Tony Kern, Pygmy Books Publishing – ISBN: 978-0984206315
Leading Change: The Argument for Values-Based Leadership – James O’Toole – ISBN: 978-0345402547
Passion of Command: The Moral Imperative of Leadership – Col. Bryan McCoy – ISBN: 978-0940328372

Description
On November 13, 2015, Paris experienced a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist attacks. These attacks took place
over three separate areas of the city and were carried out by multiple teams of attackers. Almost four hours after they
began the events ended with a dramatic and successful hostage rescue that will be the topic for today’s discussion.
This episode of the debrief will have a slightly different format. My guest today is an active member of France’s elite
Brigade for Research and Intervention or BRI. Because of the nature of his current assignment and the nature of their
work, it is critical that we maintain his anonymity. As a result, we will not be showing this episode on video or using our
guest’s real name.

Timestamps
2:00 – Policing in France – Structure and agencies
5:15 – Origins, History, and Mission of BRI
11:15 – Overview of the November 13 attacks on Paris
12:52 – Location 1 - Stadt D’ France suicide bombers
16:30 – Location 2 – Café and bar attacks in 10th arrondissement
19:30 – BRI activation and staging
22:35 – Location 3 – Bataclan theater attack begins
27:45 – Street police arrival and entry
31:30 – BRI arrival on scene and initial entry
39:50 – First engagement with terrorists
46:09 – Negotiations
50:00 – Description of the HRT area
52:30 – Assault
1:05:00 – Clearing remainder of corridor
1:09:00 – Effects of the event on team
1:21:30 – Lessons learned from the Bataclan HRT

Links
Netflix special on the Paris Attacks: Watch November 13: Attack on Paris | Netflix Official Site
Timeline and overview by France24 - Paris attacks: The investigation continues (france24.com)
HSAC whitepaper on events - hsac-paris-lessons-learned_whitepaper.pdf (pepperdine.edu)

Description

Kevin Cyr is an Inspector with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and is the current commander of the RCMP Emergency Response Team in British Columbia, which is the second largest tactical unit in Canada. Kevin has been with the RCMP for 22 years and has been with the team for 7 years. He has a master’s in law from Osgoode Hall Law School and is published internationally in law and criminology journals. He also teaches incident command at the Canadian Police College. 

Timestamps

1:00 - His personal history and career path

2:25 – Structure and functioning of the RCMP

5:45 – Advantages and disadvantages of the Canadian policing model

7:30 – Origins of RCMP SERT and ERT teams

13:00 – The role of modern tactical teams

14:30 – 2010 Olympics and ERTs transition to full-time teams

17:15 – Current ERT team configuration

21:00 – Decision-making and the trap of risk mitigation

27:00 – Understanding the difference between cheap and expensive and effective and efficient in preparation

33:15 – Weighing when to spend money vs. improving skills – understanding requirements

38:00 – Tactical decision-making & analysis paralysis

42:00 – Militarization of law enforcement

45:45 – How overly aggressive law and policy can lead to tactical indecisiveness

50:15 – How the standards we hold police to are unreasonable

55:00 – How the origin stories for SWAT are complicating modern tactical response

57:00 – Delegation of authority and decision making

1:01:00 – Who should make tactical decisions?

1:03:00 – How we should be training our future tactical leaders 

1:09:45 – Rapid fire questions

Contact Info: 

Kevin Cyr - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-cyr-ll-m-b78206133 

Books Recommended:  

Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin – ISBN# 250067057

Description

My guest today Is Buddy Brown. Buddy works for the York County Sherriff’s Office in South Carolina. Buddy has worked patrol, narcotics and training and spent more than 18 years on the York County regional SWAT team. On January 16, 2018, York County responded to a domestic violence call that led a suspect on the run in the woods behind a residential area. By the time the night was over Det. Mike Doty would be murdered by the suspect and three other members of the agency would be shot and seriously wounded, including Buddy. In this Critical Incident Review Buddy will take us through the timeline and events of the night as well as discuss their lessons learned and his recovery from catastrophic injuries.

Timestamps

2:20 - His history and career path

3:20  – Configuration of York County Sheriff’s Office Agency and the SWAT team

5:10 – Initial call for service and search for suspect

9:00 – Ambush of dog team and Shooting of K9 Sgt. Randy Clinton

15:40 – Initial SWAT response and search

24:15 – Response to 1475 Paraham Road

30:45 – Ambush of team by suspects and shooting of three team members

35:20 – Shooting stops and suspect surrenders

39:10 – Initial medical response for injured operators

45:40 – Buddy’s Injuries

47:30 – Arrest of suspect

56:30 – Initial effects on the families

58:50 – Arrival at the hospital & treatment

1:03:00 – Buddy’s recovery

1:05:45 – Personal lessons learned

1:08:00 – Team lessons learned

1:18:50 – Aftermath and healing from the trauma of the event

Important Links

York County SO Documentary – The Many Heroes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK7N8kvFjVfs8fzsyDgmTg6ZtbN2UpXPG 

Contact Info: 

Phone 803-230-2106

Email Buddy.brown@yorkcountygov.com

Book Recommendations: 

Dave Grossman - On Killing – ISBN 978-0316040938

Dave Grossman - On Combat – ISBN 978-0964920545

Paul Howe - Leadership and Training for the Fight – ISBN 978-1420889505

Jocko Willink - Discipline Equals Freedom – ISBN 978-1250156945

Description

My guest today is Kris Allshouse.  Kris is the Executive Director of The Regional Training Center (formerly LA County Regional Training Center), a nonprofit organization that provides advanced training to Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement and other first responders as well as military units and international agencies.  Kris is a former tactical operator for a large Southern California agency with extensive operational experience.  Under his guidance, RTC/LACRTC has emerged as one of the top thought leaders and training providers for tactical use of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) in the world.

Timestamps

1:00 - His Career Path

2:50 – The Evolution of sUAS for law enforcement

4:30 – Categories and types of sUAS and their missions

7:25 – Tactical Use of sUAS & Deescalation

11:15 – Crowd and Riot Control 

13:00 – Drones and Robots and the new non-dynamic entry approach

16:34 – Regulatory challenges to sUAS

22:00 – Privacy rights, the Constitution and sUAS

26:15 – The 4th Amendment Consequences of sUAS

27:03 – Weaponizing drones

29:30 – The terrorism threat posed by sUAS

32:30 –Concerns that we are building a dystopian future with sUAS

Books Recommended

Sound Doctrine – Charles Sid Heal – ISBN 9781930051119

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey - 9780671708634

Contact Info

Kris Allshouse

kallshouse@thertc.org

17595 Mt Herrmann St.

Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Main Office: (888) 782-4969

Direct: (760) 990-1441

Cell: (816) 721-8440

Description 

My guest today is Dana Vilander.  Dana spent 32 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with 26 of those years spent with the elite Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB).  In his time at SEB, Dana worked as a K-9, a SWAT operator, and spent 18 years as a tactical paramedic, diver, crew chief, and hoist operator with the Emergency Services Detail.  Because of his extensive and unique experience, Dana has taught TEMS/TCCC/tactical medicine, vertical access, ropes, and rural operations to elite tactical units all over the world. 

Timestamps 

1:31 – Dana’s Career Path 

5:25 – LASD SEB - Emergency Services Detail 

10:35 – The History of TEMS/TCCC 

13:20 – The Military Research That Gave Rise to TCCC 

18:12 – The Origins of Tourniquet Use 

22:01 – Law Enforcement’s Beginnings with TCCC 

24:20 – How to Build and Maintain a TCCC Capability 

29:00 – IFAK Configuration 

32:06 – Controlling Massive Hemorrhaging 

37:34 – Team Based Medical Supplies & Mass Casualty Bags 

41:00 – Making TCCC Training Realistic 

44:35 – The Beginnings of Tactical Ropes Work 

47:50 – Using Cadres to Maintain Domains of Knowledge 

49:05 – Why Teams Need a Tactical Ropes Program 

52:00 – Dana’s Gear Recommendations for Teams 

Books Recommended 

Leadership and Training for the Fight – Paul R Howe – ISBN 978-1420889505 

About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior -  Colonel David H. Hackworth and Julie Sherman – ISBN 978-0671695347 

Ranger Dawn: The American Ranger from the Colonial Era to the Mexican War – Robert W. Black – ISBN 9780811736008 

Contact Info 

Dana Vilander - dana@vtctraining.com 

www.vtctraining.com 

562-896-6884 

Description

My guest today is Chief John Perez.  John recently retired as the Chief of Police for the Pasadena California Police Department. In his nearly 37 years of service to Pasadena, John served at literally all ranks in the department.  During his career, John worked patrol, narcotics, counter-terrorism, and as a SWAT sergeant, lieutenant, and commander, John helped to form the first generation of Pasadena’s tactical team which had the challenge of deploying as a full-time gang enforcement team and a SWAT team for many years.  John was twice awarded the Chief’s medal of excellence and received several commendations for his service over the years.  

Timestamps

1:00 – His childhood and upbringing

2:35 – How the murder of his 14-year-old cousin drove his desire to be a policeman

4:41 – The beginning of his career and training

6:20 – The crimewaves of the 80s and 90s and police response

10:00 - How the Rampart scandal and war on drugs negatively impacted policing

13:12 – The origins of Pasadena PD SES (SWAT)

15:07 – 9/11 and the profound effects it had on Pasadena PD

19:20 – Securing the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl

22:45 – The impact of 9/11 on the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl

25:55 – Returning to SES as the unit Lieutenant 

29:50 – Promoting out of SES to Commander

34:00 – Synthesizing being a “meat eater” with the politics of command

37:15 – How education changes your understanding and beliefs

39:15 – How losing teaches you more than winning

41:35 – Authentic leadership

45:30 – Responding to Occupy Pasadena

54:35 – Leading from your principles in a conflicted environment

1:02:00 – Balancing the tension between lawful protest & protecting the city

1:04:15 – The need to be a student of the profession

1:06:05 – Self-examination and learning from your critics

1:09:35 – How a near-death experience reshaped his views

1:18:00 – Rapid Fire Questions

Books Recommended

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote for Chaos – Jordan Peterson – ISBN 0345816021
Discover Your True North – Bill George – ISBN 0787987514
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - ISBN 1250067057
Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl - ISBN 080701429X
Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life – Tony Dungy – ISBN 1414318022

Contact Info

Chief John Perez (Ret) 

johnperez34@me.com 

Description 

My Guests Today are the creators of the California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO) Decision Making Exercise Program (DME), Capt. Toby Darby and Lt. Josh Wofford.  Toby is a 27-year veteran of law enforcement with 20 years spent in tactical units. Toby is a Board Member for the California Association of Tactical Officers and one of the facilitators of the CATO Strategic Leadership Program (SLP).  Lt. Josh Wofford is an 18-year veteran of law enforcement and current SWAT team leader. Josh has a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt University and is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Timestamps 

1:02 – Their Backgrounds 

2:35 – Origin Stories for the CATO Decision Making Exercises (DME) 

5:45 – Anatomy of a DME - How DME’s work 

8:25 – Group Structure for DMEs 

12:15 – The Science Behind DMEs 

15:05 – Using DMEs to Share and Retain Corporate/Agency Knowledge 

18:35 – Situational Learning Theory 

21:45 – Group Composition 

23:55 – Challenging Confirmation Bias in Decision Making 

26:30 – Using DMEs to Broaden Perspective 

32:10 – Understanding “The Why” in Decision Making 

35:30 – Commander’s Intent and Leadership Thinking 

37:10 – Facilitating a DME – Choosing an Event 

41:06 – Using DME to Stress Test Your Team 

44:10 – Facilitating a DME - Roles and Responsibilities 

48:44 – How DMEs Affect Culture 

51:49 – Building Trust Through DMEs 

55:16 – The Need for Critical Thinking in Organizational Leadership 

59:50 – Using Close Calls and Body Worn Camera Footage to Create Proactive DMEs 

Books Recommended  

Swans, Swine, and Swindlers: Coping with the Growing Threat of Mega-Crises and Mega-Messes, Can M Alpaslan and Ian I. Mitroff – ISBN:  9780804771375 

The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research & Managerial Applications, Bernard M. Bass – ISBN: 7770957532 

Thinking Collaboratively: Learning in a Community of Inquiry, D. Randy Garrison – ISBN: 9781138824317 

The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right, Atul Gawande – ISBN: 9780805091748 

The Laws of Human Nature, Robert Greene – ISBN: 9780525428145 

Thinking Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman – ISBN: 9780374275631 

Legacy: 15 Lessons in Leadership, James Kerr – ISBN: 9781472103536 

The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More With Less, Richard Koch – ISBN: 9780385491747 

Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation, Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger – ISBN: 9780521423748 

Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice, Sharan B. Merriam and Laura L. Bierema – ISBN: 9781118416310 

Six Simple Rules: How To Manage Complexity Without Getting Complicated, Yves Morieux and Peter Tollman – ISBN: 9781422190555 

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Matthew H. Olson and B.R. Hergenhahn – ISBN: 9780131147225 

Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth At A Time, Jeffrey Pfeffer – ISBN: 9780062383167 

Managing the Unexpected: Sustained Performance In A Complex World, Karl E. Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe – ISBN: 9780787996499 

Contact Info 

Capt. Toby Darby 

tdarby@catotraining.org 

Lt. Josh Wofford 

jwofford@catotraining.org 

Description

My Guest Today is Mike Hillman. Mike is a legend in the tactical community with a list of career accomplishments that would take an entire podcast of their own. But as a brief bio he was one of the original founders of LAPD SWAT, a Deputy Chief at LAPD, the Assistant Sheriff in Orange County California and a Chief of Police for the Los Angeles Port Police. He was one of the founders of the National Tactical Officers Association, headed security for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is a nationally recognized expert on leadership, crisis management, critical incident management, special operations and a wide variety of other subjects.

Timestamps

2:09 – Objectives of an Effective Leader

4:05 – The Need for Introspection

6:38 – Having a Core Guiding Principle

8:05 – The Roots of Decisiveness 

10:00 – Selfless Approaches to Leadership

11:40 – Leadership in Crisis

15:01 – The Willingness to Change Your Mind 

18:04 – Characteristics of Good Leaders

19:30 – Humility and Change Leadership

22:13 – Making Cultural Changes

26:11 – Leading in The Modern Environment

28:15 – Selection Process and Picking the Right People

31:45 – Policing in the Current Social Environment

34:30 – The Constitution v. Our Safety

37:15 – Differentiating Between the Need For Training And Discipline

40:30 – Actions, Intent and The Media 

43:30 – Social Media And Law Enforcement

46:38 – Militarization of Law Enforcement

51:19 – Proactivity: Intervening Early or Creating a Problem

52:30 – Bad Tactics or Bad Technology 

54:45 – Defining SWAT and Their Mission Set

58:03 – How Do Small Agencies Avoid Issues with Their SWAT Team

1:01:00 – Requirements v. Equipment Understanding Your Needs

1:04:45 – Rapid Fire Questions

Books Recommended

Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps' Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life by Patrick Van Horne, Jason Riley, Shawn Coyne - ISBN 1936891301

Contact Info

Mike Hillman

mrhntoa@aol.com

Description

My Guest Today is Mike Hillman. Mike is a legend in the tactical community with a list of career accomplishments that would take an entire podcast of their own. But as a brief bio he was one of the original founders of LAPD SWAT, a Deputy Chief at LAPD, the Assistant Sheriff in Orange County California and a Chief of Police for the Los Angeles Port Police. He was one of the founders of the National Tactical Officers Association, headed security for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is a nationally recognized expert on leadership, crisis management, critical incident management, special operations and a wide variety of other subjects.

Timestamps

1:45 – Mike’s Background

4:05 – The beginnings of LAPD D Platoon (SWAT)

5:35 – Defining Events – International Terrorism, Homegrown Terrorist, & the 1970s

11:12 – The Origins of Crisis Negotiation & LAPDs Approach

17:19 – Development of Hostage Negotiation Tactics

22:20 – 1984 Summer Olympics & Development of SWAT

31:02 – The Evolution of Flashbangs  

33:54 – Developing Bus Assaults Tactics

37:22 – Intelligence Gathering, Pre-scouting, and DARPA Surrogate Travel 

40:45 – Hanafi Muslim Incident Effect on Tactics (Fast Roping & Aerial Platform)

43:19 – Founding of the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA)

45:14 – The Rock House Epidemic in LA & Origins of Armored Vehicles

47:30 – Law Enforcement & the Military (Demilitarization?)

51:22 – The 1980s and the NTOA

55:10 – Being a Student of the Game – The Need for Research & Study

58:12 – What Makes a Good SWAT Operator

Books Recommended

Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps' Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life by Patrick Van Horne, Jason Riley, Shawn Coyne -  ISBN 1936891301

Contact Info

Mike Hillmann

Mrhntoa@aol.com

Episode Description - My guest today is Ed Hinchey, a retired Sgt. with the Forest Hills Pennsylvania Police Department. Ed is the survivor of a violent police shooting who was saved by his soft body armor. After retirement Ed became the Director of the Safariland Saves Program. In his capacity as Saves Director, Ed’s job is working with officers who have been shot in the line of duty and saved by their armor. As a result, Ed has likely interacted with more officers shot in the line of duty than anyone in the world. In this interview, Ed discusses witnessing his partner being shot, the first failure of soft body armor by a round it was designed to stop, surviving his own shooting, the aftermath of a shooting, the effects on the officer and their family, as well as the NIJ armor standards past and present. Ed also discusses how to best prepare officers for shootings and how to help them after a shooting occurs.

Timestamps

1:30 – Ed’s Background

2:06 – 6/23/03 - The Edward Limbacher Shooting

4:55 – The NIJ Armor Standards and How They Have Changed

7:05 – Armor Failure – The Zylon Recall and The Old NIJ Standards

11:00 – Frustrations with the Armor Industry

13:23 – The Chronology of Ed’s Shooting 

20:50 – His Injuries 

26:30 – Arrival at the Hospital & Initial Treatment

33:00 – Surgery & Recovery

38:10 – Effects on the Family

45:30 – Community Reaction & News Media

51:14 – Retirement from Law Enforcement 

57:04 – Starting His Second Career with Safariland

1:02:10 – Keys to Surviving a Shooting

1:07:15 – Going Beyond the Academy

1:20:45 - Why Armor Saves Lives

1:25:39 – Behind the Armor – Training Armor

1:30:17 – Mindset and Survival

1:33:14 - Social Media and Survivors

Books Recommended

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius – ISBN 048629823X

The Man in the Arena: Selected Writings by Theodore Roosevelt - ISBN13: 9780765306715

Theodore Roosevelt on Leadership: Executive Lessons from the Bully Pulpit by James Strock – ISBN 0761515399

Sites Recommended

NIJ Armor Standards - https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/body-armor-performance-standards

Safariland Saves - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIM58xG6QM4flerbP6IU9qgXf7VJ5ZgJ7 

https://scholar.harvard.edu/fryer/publications/empirical-analysis-racial-differences-police-use-force

Contact Info

Ed Hinchey

Save #941

Safariland Saves Program

ed.hinchey@safariland.com

Description

My guests today are the hosts of the very successful California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO) Podcast, Brent Stratton, and Marcus Sprague. Brent is the Assistant Chief at a Southern California Police Department and the President of the California Tactical Officers Association (CATO). Marcus is a recently retired Lieutenant at a Northern California PD and the Vice President of CATO. Both Brent and Marcus are graduates of the CARO Strategic Leadership Program.

Timestamps

1:05 - Marcus's background (CATO and SWAT)

2:55 - Brent's background (CATO and SWAT)

6:52 - The Evolution of CATO 

10:00 - Role of CATO and regional associations

12:45 - Hot topics in California

15:00 - CATO's role in helping defining mission-readiness 

17:30 - The importance of identifying areas for improvement

19:30 – The need for debriefs and lessons learned

24:10 – Understanding the why in training

30:45 – CATO Decision Making Exercises

36:55 - Anecdotal evidence vs hard data in law enforcement

41:00 - Transparency and the gap in the story about law enforcement

51:10 - Origin of CATO Podcast

1:00:50 - The Future of CATO 

1:09:04 - How to contact CATO (and the power of the community)

1:13:04 - How to join or become involved with CATO

Books Recommended

Field Command by Sid Heal

Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer by Sid Heal

Contact Info

CATO Website - catonews.org

CATO Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Marcus Sprague – vp@catonews.org

Brent Stratton - president@catonews.org 

For more information, check out our website at thedebrief.live

Episode Description – In this episode, we take a deep dive into LAPD D-Platoon (aka SWAT) with Lee McMillion, one of the two Lieutenants who currently lead the unit.  We discuss the history of SWAT, the current configuration of the team, the specialized cadres within the team, and what happens when the team is activated.  We also discuss how they select the right personnel, leading a team of high achievers, maintaining high standards, and trying to support personnel who are constantly engaged in dangerous and potentially traumatic events.  

Today’s Guest - Lt. Lee McMillion. Lee is currently one of the two Lieutenants leading the Los Angeles Police Departments Metropolitan Division D-Platoon - also known as LAPD SWAT. In total, Lee has spent 33 years as a Los Angeles Policeman of which 23 years have been spent at Metro, 21 with D-Platoon.  Lee is one of only three men to have ever served at all possible ranks at D-Platoon (Officer, Plus 1, Sgt, and Lt.).   Lee has been an element member, an element leader, a squad leader and is currently a Platoon Leader.  In his career, Lee has participated in well over a thousand tactical operations with a wide variety of mission sets.  

Topics Discussed

01:10 - Lee’s Career History 

03:20 – History of LAPD D-Platoon (SWAT)

06:30 – Black Panther and SLA Incidents

08:00 – Origins of the name “SWAT”

10:30 – 1984 LA Olympics and effect on D-Platoon 

14:15 – Current Configuration & Responsibilities of D-Platoon

16:30 – Capabilities of the team & the cadre system

19:59 – TEMS & Tactical Medics 

22:45 – Demographics of the Average D-Platoon Operators 

26:00 – Criteria and Process for Activating SWAT 

29:30 – Crisis Negotiation System – Every Operator is a Negotiator

32:00 – Misconceptions about SWAT – Statistics for SWAT

37:00 – “Militarization” of Law Enforcement

40:45 – Choosing the Right People – Personnel Selection

46:00 – Maintaining High Standards with Strong Personalities

49:00 – Building and Maintaining the Right Culture 

52:25 – Effects of Social Media on Different Personality Types

55:25 – The Tension Between Social Media and Professionalism

58:00 – Rapid Fire Questions 

1:02:00 - Most Profound Career Memory

Books Referenced

The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle – ASIN B00AN2KTKQ

Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life by James Kerr - ISBN 9780804176989

Contact Info

https://www.lapdonline.org/office-of-the-chief-of-police/office-of-special-operations/metropolitan-division/swat/

LAPD SWAT Instagram - @lapd.swat

 Check out our website at thedebrief.live

Episode Description – This is the second of a broad reaching two-part interview with Sid. In this second episode, we discuss the origins of his study and writings on tactical science and take a deeper dive into several concepts in tactical science like initiative and maneuver in time and space. We also dig into Sid’s views on leadership and take an emotional reflection on his responsibilities to those he led.

This episode of The Debrief is in honor of Sid Heal who passed away on May 24th, 2022, shortly before this episode aired. We remember Sid as a force in the special tactics community, as a war veteran, as a celebrated author, and as a commander of the LA Sheriff’s Department. A site has been created in honor of Sid that you can visit at www.sidheal.com

Guest – Charles “Sid” Heal.  Sid is a legend in the special tactics’ community and a key figure in the history and evolution of special tactics in the United States. Sid is a retired CWO5 in the United States Marine Corps serving numerous combat deployments including the Vietnam War, The Gulf War, and Operation United Shield in Somalia. Sid is also a retired Commander from the LA County Sheriff’s Department, has worked in the Special Enforcement Bureau, the Emergency Operations Bureau, and a wide variety of other assignments. Sid is one of the most prolific authors on tactical topics having authored several books and hundreds of articles. Sid has taught at the US Army War College and is the former president of the California Association of Tactical Officers.

Topics Discussed

3:18      Short background on Sound Doctrine

6:23     Public perception of police use of violence vs reality

13:08    Origin of Sid’s writing career: combining doctrines of law enforcement and military

19:38    Key concepts in Sid’s books (end state, training vs education, maneuvering in time, etc.)

36:48    Writing tactical books that are widely accessible through simplifying concepts    

39:18    The importance of tactical science (understanding the rationale behind decisions, etc.)

43:53    Sid’s recommended reading list (from Officer to Lieutenant)

48:42    Rapid-fire questions (most important habit, leader vs manager, most important trait for teams/leaders, if he could have dinner with anybody, who it would be, etc.)

Links and Books Referenced

Sound Doctrine by Charles “Sid” Heal - ISBN 9781930051119

Field Command by Charles "Sid" Heal – ISBN 9781590563441

Please find Sid’s recommended reading list at thedebrief.live/the-list

Other Places to See and Hear Sid 

CATO Podcast – www.catonews.org

https://catopodcast.podbean.com/e/concepts-of-non-lethal-force-with-sid-heal/

https://catopodcast.podbean.com/e/concepts-of-non-lethal-force-with-sid-heal-part-2-of-2/

For more information, check out our website at thedebrief.live

The Debrief with Jon Becker launches June 8th. Please enjoy this trailer. 

The Debrief is an interview-based podcast that tells the stories of the leaders of some of the world’s top law enforcement and military units – individuals who navigate dangerous situations with their highly effective teams every day. 

Jon Becker founded AARDVARK at just seventeen years old. The company started out as a climbing equipment business, often selling gear to SWAT teams and operators. After attending law school and working in police litigation, Becker realized that the best way he could serve tactical operators was by producing and providing high quality gear and products that would enhance operator safety on the job. After AARDVARK’s expansion and success, Becker founded PROJECT7, a provider of purpose-built, scalable, and configurable tactical platforms. Throughout this decades-long journey, Becker has learned invaluable lessons about the lives and work of law enforcement and tactical operators, leading him to a deep understanding of the principles and core values behind highly effective teams. After keynoting for many years on the leadership of elite units and what he terms “culture-centric” leadership, Becker is putting those lessons into The Debrief, a non-profit podcast that serves the wider public.