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Pharley · February 10, 2006, 07:55 PM

I have to agree that playing out scenarios is a good thing to do. Not only does it help to get your thinking in line, but it also draws very good opinions of others on this board. Gives you other things to think about, and possibly incorporating into your training.
Rob, I am about as bad as they come when it comes to scanning the area and knowing who is around me, evaluating who may be a threat, knowing what cover is around, etc....My wife says I am paranoid, but I always see things that she overlooks. We are in the same place at the same time, and I always ask her "did you see that", and it's always no.
I can tell you this....I am a Police Officer working 3rd shift, and when I am going to a call, making a traffic stop, or even just on routine patrol, I am constantly playing scenarios out in my head. I feel that it keeps me sharp. And out of the thousands of scenarios I play out in my head before doing these things, only a handful have been the right ones. But I won those. And most of the time the scenarios are not accurate, because I always think the very worst, that I am going to walk into an armed encounter. And luckily this has not been the case! We always talk after shift about those moments when everything plays out exactly how you anticipated it, and they are few and far between. But they do prepare you.
Case in point:
2 weeks ago I pulled up beside a car downtown, and I recognized the front passenger, and he had an Indictment Warrant for 7 felonies. He'd been on the run literally for months. The car they were in had no plate light, and I asked for another unit to respond quick. About 2 blocks later, I had a cruiser behind me, and he kept asking when I was going to light the car up. I told him I was waiting until we got beside the park, as he was going to run. When we got beside the park, I lit the car up, and lo and behold, he bails out and runs, and the foot chase is on. End of story. He had no place to go, beside an open park with scattered trees. I didn't want to be chasing him through back yards, over fences, etc....Thought the scenario out and played the circumstances to my advantage. Knew I was better trained, and any open sprint or lenghty run I was winning. This is a benefit of anticipating, even though it did not involve shooting.
Scenarios can be very good as long as you do not get one-tracked, and you encorporate reactions and responses into your training.
Rob

February 10, 2006, 07:55 PM	#6
Pharley Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 116	I have to agree that playing out scenarios is a good thing to do. Not only does it help to get your thinking in line, but it also draws very good opinions of others on this board. Gives you other things to think about, and possibly incorporating into your training. Rob, I am about as bad as they come when it comes to scanning the area and knowing who is around me, evaluating who may be a threat, knowing what cover is around, etc....My wife says I am paranoid, but I always see things that she overlooks. We are in the same place at the same time, and I always ask her "did you see that", and it's always no. I can tell you this....I am a Police Officer working 3rd shift, and when I am going to a call, making a traffic stop, or even just on routine patrol, I am constantly playing scenarios out in my head. I feel that it keeps me sharp. And out of the thousands of scenarios I play out in my head before doing these things, only a handful have been the right ones. But I won those. And most of the time the scenarios are not accurate, because I always think the very worst, that I am going to walk into an armed encounter. And luckily this has not been the case! We always talk after shift about those moments when everything plays out exactly how you anticipated it, and they are few and far between. But they do prepare you. Case in point: 2 weeks ago I pulled up beside a car downtown, and I recognized the front passenger, and he had an Indictment Warrant for 7 felonies. He'd been on the run literally for months. The car they were in had no plate light, and I asked for another unit to respond quick. About 2 blocks later, I had a cruiser behind me, and he kept asking when I was going to light the car up. I told him I was waiting until we got beside the park, as he was going to run. When we got beside the park, I lit the car up, and lo and behold, he bails out and runs, and the foot chase is on. End of story. He had no place to go, beside an open park with scattered trees. I didn't want to be chasing him through back yards, over fences, etc....Thought the scenario out and played the circumstances to my advantage. Knew I was better trained, and any open sprint or lenghty run I was winning. This is a benefit of anticipating, even though it did not involve shooting. Scenarios can be very good as long as you do not get one-tracked, and you encorporate reactions and responses into your training. Rob __________________ "Out of every ONE HUNDRED men, TEN should not be here, EIGHTY are nothing but targets, NINE are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they the battle make. Ah, but the ONE, ONE of them is a WARRIOR, and he will bring the others back."