Jared Reston's Mindset Incident Debrief, Alliance, Ohio - August 26, 2017

MrsJedi

Newbie
AAR: Jared Reston / “Mindset Incident Debrief”

by Beverly Jedlinski

Instructor: Jared Reston / Reston Group LLC

Location: Alliance Police Department Range, Alliance, Ohio at Friends of Pat Rogers 2017

Date: Saturday, August 26, 2017 from 2-4 pm

Format: Two hours of lecture, presentation, discussion and Q&A

Jared Reston’s course was as personal as it could have been, a full recounting of the January 2008 incident in which he was shot seven times and lived to tell about it. As a law enforcement officer in the Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff’s Office and an active member of S.W.A.T., he was working an after-hours security job when a seemingly routine call changed his life. An effort to apprehend a suspected mall shoplifter (with only a trespassing charge on his record) led to Jared being shot first in the jaw and then multiple other areas of his body before he was able to fatally shoot the suspect and then receive medical care.

Class participants attended to hear Jared’s thorough retelling of the encounter, complete with extensive photographs, maps, and recordings. The level of illustration he was able to provide, as a police officer with access to these materials, was unparalleled in detailing all aspects of the incident and subsequent response. This included full maps of the entire pursuit and key conflict points, photos of both himself and the suspect with their bullet entry/exit points, and recordings of the emergency calls including the one Jared made. He also expertly conveyed the learnings acquired to have the proper mindset in a critical response situation, and in order to act most effectively.

Objectives:

· To provide a thorough incident debrief from personal experience.

· To explain the nature of a critical incident, the chaos involved, and the subsequent response.

· To identify key learnings for future application.

· To differentiate his own expectations vs. reality in the situation.

· To instill knowledge in participants to be better prepared in facing an emergency or critical response incident.

Materials Required:

· None, other than pen and paper for taking notes, but most participants were fully engaged in focusing on Jarod’s words rather than jotting down notes.

Key Learnings:

· Even with substantial experience, never underestimate a situation or deem it to be routine. Always be prepared for and ready to respond to a worst case scenario that could escalate quickly and far beyond expectations.

· A suspect’s record may not be at all indicative of the level of violence that could be unleashed. The perpetrator that shot Jared had only one minor trespassing charge and there was no reason to rationally think he would pull a weapon and shoot. The same could be true of anyone at any time, where logic no longer applies.

· Get your functional fitness in order, and maintain it. You are no good to yourself or anyone else if you cannot exert enough strength or conditioning to respond to and/or escape from any emergency situation.

· Prepare a plan well in advance. Do not go through life thinking “it will never happen to me.” Jared said he had many times enacted what he would do if were to get shot, and because of that forethought coupled with his training, he was able to survive.

· Get your mind right. Your mindset must be positive. Jared’s mindset was TO WIN, not just survive, and he somehow still had the strength after being shot seven times to fatally wound the suspect.

· Recognize the chaos and stress that will come with a critical response situation. Know that there will be disorder, that eyewitness accounts will differ wildly, and that gaining and maintaining order may be nearly impossible but it must be done.

· Have a communications plan. Jared said he and his partner wish they had called in their foot pursuit sooner. There is no harm in communicating a possible danger and, if resolved quickly, there is no further risk; if not, the potential for quick help is much better. Discuss scenarios and role play with your spouse, your family, your work partner, your team, and anyone important to you.

· Also have a notification plan for family members, particularly your spouse. Make sure any emergency messages can be communicated in a clear, accurate and caring manner.

· Know that your life will be forever altered by such an incident, and that medical treatment and psychological factors will be extensive. But know that your will to live and to WIN must be much stronger.

· Overall, the class was intimate given the personal subject matter, and Jared was extremely forthcoming with his own feelings and emotions about the incident. Information was presented in a clear and concise manner, and the assisting photographs, maps and recordings were very detailed and exceptionally powerful in illustrating the story. Throughout, Jared maintained an interactive atmosphere, with strong attendee participation in asking questions during and after class.


Why this Class is Important:

Through Jared’s presentation of what happened to him, we’re able to pause to think about something similar happening to us (even just for civilians), and how to more capably survive a critical and stressful situation.

While Jared is a law enforcement officer who faces emergency situations daily, his class is beneficial for everyone. Jared recommended that we all think through such an incident in our heads and how we would respond if faced with one, and that alone is valuable to keep top of mind.

Jared has an extremely straightforward sense of conveying the danger he faces on a daily basis, and is grounded in that reality. He also has an amiable disposition that makes him likeable and genuine, and thus the information he presents is exponentially more impactful.

I also really appreciated the extremely detailed nature of his presentation. I believe all participants gained a much better understanding of everyday threats and the intricacies involved, as well as extraordinarily helpful information to apply just in case we ever find ourselves in such a real-life scenario.

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