Orange County Good Samaritan: Honorary Guardian Angel
When we were patrolling Orange County, making an effort to help the homeless there escape from the serial killer plaguing their area, we could have had no idea that alleged serial killer Itzcoatl Ocampo would be chased down by Donny Hopkins, a good samaritan. I sincerely applaud Mr Donny Hopkins for his act of bravery, and want to extend an offer to become an “Honorary Guardian Angel” with our Chapters in Orange County and throughout southern California.
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Hostile Attribution Bias
Allow me to set t
he scene: It’s Saturday night and you are out at the local bar. Perhaps you’re with your buddies, catching up after the long work week, or maybe you’re with your significant other trying to enjoy a little romantic time together. In any case, the night is going well, fun is being had, and you are feeling great. You lean back against the bar, allowing yourself to soak up the moment, your eyes settle into a steady gaze…
And that’s when it happens: A deep, angry voice calls out from a nearby corner. “You got a problem or something?”
Read MoreCrowdsourcing Police Patrol
Even in high-crime areas, serious crime isn’t a frequent enough event to make wandering around at random looking for it – whether on foot or in a patrol car – a high-payoff strategy. That fact bedevils both police patrol and neighborhood watch: wherever you are, mostly nothing’s happening right now.
But that doesn’t mean that someone isn’t present when the crime happens. The problem is that the person present mostly doesn’t have any good way to intervene. There are more than 200 million adults in the U.S., and fewer than a million cops. Do the arithmetic; the chances of having a civilian witness are way better than the chances of having a police officer – or even someone from the local neighborhood watch or Guardian Angels group – present.
Read MoreFortis: Defence Solutions from South Africa
[Peter's Note: This post has been contributed by one of the most recognized active self-defense training organizations in South Africa. I've had the chance to sit and chat with our Guardian Angels leader in South Africa, and I literally sit in awe when I hear his stories about the level of constant violence his group encounters. Through him, I met Mr Riaan Coetzee, of Fortis ProActive Defence Solutions.
Riaan has SO much to teach and share about personal protection, that I had to ask him to contribute something here. In two parts, these "General Safety Tips" (which number 30 in all) will get you thinking, and hopefully, will get you taking action. Take a look at these tips, and realize how important awareness and attention to detail can be in your plans for personal and family safety.]
Read MoreTony Blauer Interview with Guardian Angels
I recently had the awesome opportunity to speak to Mr Tony Blauer. His advice and philosophy will directly impact how you think about self defense training.
We cover a lot of topics, and this is a fairly long interview. We had originally scheduled a ten minute talk, with the expectation that some potentially boring parts would probably get edited out. Well, it turns out that an interview with Tony Blauer doesn’t really have any boring parts! He’s a great speaker and presenter, and this interview is no exception.
I should mention that Tony travels A LOT and teaches workshops and seminars around the planet. He is a dynamic teacher, with awesome concepts: everything I’ve ever seen him teach is directly useful for the Guardian Angels. If you have the opportunity to attend one of his workshops, do it.
Tony mentions in this interview that he is open to audience questions. If you have any questions, ask them: He will answer your questions in the next interview … so please send some questions!
Read MoreGood Samaritans Stop Serial Killer
Everyone can help reduce crime. Here’s the LA Times story about local citizens catching a serial killer:
Civilian Good Samaritan Chased Down Serial Killer & Called the Police
While neither of the two young men chasing the suspect are Guardian Angels, they are perfect examples of what may be the best effect of our Safety Patrols:
Local citizens are empowered to take action, reducing crime in their neighborhoods.
Read MoreGuns vs Good Guys: 4 Stories and a Question
Headlines – all from the past week:
Two “Good Samaritans Shot by One Robber
One “Good Samaritan” Shot by Two After They Beat His Grandfather
Two “Good Samaritans” (Guardian Angels) Chase a Gunman
[Update: One More] “Good Samaritan” Shot Trying to Stop Robbery
Our Gun Story This Weekend
On our most recent patrol this weekend, my partner and I were keeping an eye on one potential trouble maker (shirt off, gesturing wildly while recounting the story of him being attacked inside a nearby dance club, and yelling incoherent racial slurs
Read MoreWords and Actions for the Streets
[Peter's Note: This article was written specifically for the Guardian Angels, by one of the most respected authors in law enforcement training: Dr Steven Albrecht. Please enjoy, and share this rare and awesome learning opportunity with friends and other Guardian Angels. ]
One of the many advantages of working in teams is that you can change the ratios of confrontation very quickly. However, there are times when too many people make things worse. When there are “more of us than there are of them,” it can cause suspects to escalate their behavior, either for their own sense of survival, or more likely, just to save face for themselves or in front of their friends.
Because you work in groups of varying size, it’s critical that you use your knowledge of group dynamics to your advantage. Spacing, positioning, and distance are all part of your tool kit. We know from studies of human communication and experience that standing too close to people raises the emotional temperature of the contact.
Read MorePresident’s Volunteer Service Award
The Guardian Angels have a long proud history of volunteer service. Our volunteers are working to meet the needs of their neighborhoods and the community through Safety Patrols, Graffiti Clean-Ups, and Public Information Campaigns.
In recognition of these outstanding achievements, the Guardian Angels in Southern California are proud to announce the availability of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a prestigious national honor offered in recognition of volunteer commitment. Established in 2003, this new Award is given by the President of the United States and honors individuals, families and groups who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to volunteer service over the course of 12 months.
Read MoreRory Miller on Lowest Level Force
Understanding the Range of Force
We can talk about force as a matter of physics (F=MA) and we can talk, in interpersonal relationships, about coercion and manipulation and when and where in that fuzzy land of definitions ‘force’ or even violence, begins.
For the purpose of this discussion, I’m going to use a simple definition: When you make someone do something they do not want to do or make them stop doing what they do want to do, you are using force. By that definition, shooting someone to stop a rape in progress and the look your mother gave you when she saw you reaching for the cookie jar are both examples of force.
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