In early May 2020, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) released a body-cam video showing the final moments of a hostage rescue. An SPD SWAT Officer is seen sprinting down an alleyway in pursuit of the suspect who is holding a baby hostage after running from a domestic violence incident. The officer in the frame turns a corner, sees the suspect, slows his feet, and makes a single, incident-ending shot, which neutralizes the suspect and saves the baby. The same officer then closes the distance to ensure the safety of the hostage while his teammates arrive to provide additional support.
The video provides a phenomenal example of both a textbook hostage rescue and a highly competent, high-rep individual. In a tactical application, a high-rep individual is a person who has internalized weapon mechanics subconsciously, to the point of automation. Unconscious competence ensures optimal performance across a broad contextual domain with varying levels of global stress. While the time investment required to develop unconscious competence is significant, the quality of the practice is even more crucial to the expression of the trained skills. Thus, the term “high-rep individual” is an oversimplification, as it does not account for the attention paid to each rep as it is performed nor the conditions under which the practice occurs. However, using the label “high-rep individual” does pay tribute to the effort involved in the individual’s personal practice and serves as a counterpoint to those who would argue that luck was the deciding factor in this and similar incidents.
Breaking down the SPD SWAT officer’s actions over the course of approximately three seconds, there is a display of near-simultaneous execution of the following:
1. Sprinting in full kit
2. Seeing the suspect and processing his posture, position, and demeanor
3. Throttling speed from a sprint to a walk while presenting rifle
4. Recognizing the reduced exposure of the target
5. Recognizing the mitigating factors of the shot (i.e. proximity of hostage)
6. Assessing his personal ability to make the shot
7. Halting movement
8. Refining sight picture, applying proper sight offset
9. Pressing the trigger
10. Following through
Looking at those ten actions in the context of average human reaction times to visual stimulus (.25 seconds) and tactile stimulus (.15 seconds)1, this particular officer made a life-saving shot on a reduced-exposure target after sprinting in full kit, and he did so at the bleeding edge of human reaction time to visual and tactile stimuli. The number of near-simultaneous actions executed by this officer is indicative of not only subconscious competence in the “hard” skills related to technical manipulation and employment of his weapon, but also his “soft” skills: mental processing ability, confidence, and decision-making expertise.
While the hard skills can be developed through intentional high-repetition isolation training in a controlled environment (e.g., a flat range), the soft skills are developed through integrating and applying the hard skills in an ambiguous environment (e.g., Simunition scenarios). When pressure is progressively applied as the student develops, the exposed failure points in the link between hard and soft skills can be remedied and the student gains experience which will inform future action. The role of the master trainer is crucial during the advanced phases of development due to the delicate balance required in the introduction of external stressors into the training environment. A trainer can apply an appropriate level of pressure to ensure optimal soft-skill development, as well as provide feedback on the student’s application of both skill categories in the environment. Confidence develops through the experience of having applied the hard skills successfully in so many different training and/or live environments that they are truly automatic, allowing conscious bandwidth to be dedicated to stimulus processing and decision-making.
Many students choose not to dedicate the time and effort necessary to become high-rep individuals. Some do not recognize the value in pursuing the level of proficiency required. Some constantly seek variety and entertainment, prizing new tools and techniques over the fundamental skills that are learned but not mastered. Others do not have access to an experienced trainer who can elevate their skills to the next level through the considered application of pressure. Many students spend their training time dabbling, rather than mastering, and their mindset is that of the enthusiast rather than the craftsman. While that attitude is perfectly acceptable for a weekend pastime, issues arise when the same enthusiast chooses to carry a lethal tool for self-defense. Failing to consider seriously the potential ramifications of entering a lethal encounter without a solid foundation of hard skills and the experience of applying them in ambiguous situations heightens the potential for a disastrous outcome.
In order to mitigate that risk, a paradigm shift is required on the part of the student. Repetitions in training must become more intentional, performance must be measured, and results recorded. Incremental improvements are made. The student seeks out experienced trainers to add additional context and realistic pressure. The enthusiast adopts the mindset of the craftsman, and his practice takes on a new dimension as he moves towards becoming a high-rep individual.
1https://backyardbrains.com/experiments/reactiontime