"Characteristics of the Armed Individual" Secret Service Training
Public Intelligence was able to get their hands on a short training document from the US Secret Service. Titled “Characteristics of the Armed Individual” by Sgt/Tech Kevin Porter, the document is basically a “how – to” guide on spotting concealed carriers. For the Secret Service, this training is invaluable, as some of these signs may be precursors to attacks on their charges.
The guide itself is rather basic, mostly written word of generally common-sense spotting techniques that most law enforcement would look for during any encounter.
The first and basic step is to “determine (the) strong side” which can be determined by looking for cues such as watches, writing, smoking, and other daily tasks.
Then, according to the Secret Service “An individual who carries a gun on their person will periodically touch that gun both consciously and unconsciously.” (I disagree with this, carrying on a regular basis and with training, many concealed carriers will not touch their firearm, but can see how for MOST encounters, this is true).
Perhaps the most interesting nugget (At least to me) is that the “the majority of right-handed people that carry handguns illegally carry them in the right front waist band, loose.” The document then explains that its because doing so is “cool”, seen in the movies” and “where it is most secure and accessible.”
You can see the whole document here, courtesy of Public Intelligence.
One of TFB's resident Jarheads, Nathan now works within the firearms industry. A consecutive Marine rifle and pistol expert, he enjoys local 3-gun, NFA, gunsmithing, MSR's, & high-speed gear. Nathan has traveled to over 30 countries working with US DoD & foreign MoDs.The above post is my opinion and does not reflect the views of any company or organization.
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I'm not sure what some folks are calling "appendix carry", but that is NOT a very comfortable or safe way to carry.
1) A "proper" appendix carry (see the geek from "Criminal Minds") has the barrel of the gun pointing, depending on the holster and cant, at ones hip joint or genitalia, neither of which I want as a target. There is also the issue that when or better IF one sits down, the handgun is basically inaccessible since it is being "retained" by ones, usually AMPLE belly and I AM including myself. And since we spend much of our time sitting, including when driving, it becomes obvious that access is restricted.
2) And it is NOT that easy to conceal without a cover garment. That Geek from "Criminal Minds" does NOT have to be concerned about concealment. It usually takes TWO hands to effectively draw from the appendix position, one to lift the cover garment, the other to draw, especially with an IWB holster! And it gets worse if one like those Polo type shirts or other "clingy" type shirts.
3) The good, old, hip/kidney carry has been a solid location since forever. I have carried (being fairly ambidextrous) on both my right and left hip just a tad behind the hip joint. I have walked around without a cover garment and some folks never even noticed I was armed! I used to use an IWB, but my "retention device" (my increased girth) got uncomfortable and I carry OWB almost exclusively now. I do have a couple of pocket holsters for my S&W 642 and Ruger LCP/LC9 types when I have to dress up. I have no problems going about my business, sitting or standing, etc. I wear a cover garment (vest, unbuttoned shirt, etc. and have never been "challenged" by anyone. Ironically, even when I worked in a gun shop, the fact I was armed (SIG 229, HK, 1911, etc) wasn't even noted until maybe when the customer asked me what I carried and I pointed to my (one of) my guns.
4) I do exersize caution and DO some of the discrete checks about gun security by using my elbows over the butt when moving though a crowd, etc.. Any "tells" that I use would only be noticed if I were the only person being observed. But, in a crowd situation like the USSS works in, there are way too many persons to "study" very long before having to "move on"!
I read this when I saw it on Yahoo a few days ago. It's pretty rudimentary. It also really only applies to those carrying illegally. Almost anyone who is carrying legally and has done so for just a few months will show very few, if any of those signs.