Tactical Breaching 101

Forcible Entry Techniques and Equipment

Dyer Police Department Special

Tactical Breaching 101
Presented by:
Clay Anderson
Training Officer / Team Leader
Dyer P.D. Special Response Team
Email: drugdog@frontiernet.net
Cell / Voice Mail: (731) 225-0747

Dyer Police Department Special

 Tactical Breaching 101

If you cant get in, you might

as well just stay at home!
Christopher Whitcomb, veteran FBI / HRT operator and author of the
best-selling book, Cold Zero-Inside the FBI Hostage Rescue Team.

Dyer Police Department Special

 Tactical Breaching 101
Breaching isnt rocket science, but the person tasked with
opening doors must have a clear understanding of what
keeps them closed and how they can be opened quickly.

Even the biggest and strongest team member is a poor

choice for a breacher if improperly trained and equipped.

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 Tactical Breaching 101
Any team that does not take their breaching procedures
seriously, risks exposing themselves to hostile fire while delayed
outside in the open.
Mark V. Lonsdale, DEA Specialized Tactical Training Unit.

The longer it takes to get through a door, the

more time suspects have to escape, destroy
evidence or prepare defenses.

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 Target Location
The first order of business is to identify and verify the
exact target location, both address and physical description.
This will be followed by a more complete study using:
Intelligence reports from undercover officers
Drive bys by the raid team leader
Photography / video of the location and entry points
Interview of the UC and CI
Study of available building plans

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 Target Location
Entry Points: Special attention must be given to the
location and type of entry points into the location.
Doors
Windows
Walls
Gates

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 Entry Point - Doors
Wooden / hollow / metal (peephole field of view)
Width / thickness
Opening direction
Number of hinges / location / individual or piano
Additional locks
Deadbolt / location
Knob or handle
Objects in front of door
Storm door / screen door

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 Entry Point - Windows
Glass construction (Pane glass or safety glass)
Dimensions (large enough to enter through)
Height off ground
Curtains / blinds / boards
Security bars (inside or out) / attachment points
What is behind window ?
Construction / location of cross members

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 Entry Points - Education

Undercover officers or confidential

informants will need to be educated or
briefed on what to look for in the way of
fortifications or hardening of the target.

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 Entry Point - Selection

Cover / Concealment Porch / deck (will it

How will the team support weight?)
stack-up Windows
Ease / speed of Steps / stairs or ground
approach level access

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 Entry Point - Selection

The breacher is responsible for gaining entry and the

process of ensuring an effective breach begins long
before the entry team approaches the door.
Target surveillance must be done first. This is a
critical aspect of dynamic entry and its value and
necessity cannot be overstated.

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 Entry Point - Selection

The surveillance should determine at a minimum:

Primary entry point (Which door does the suspect use?, How
much time does it take them to enter?)
Alternate entry point
Door movement (open in / out)
Hardware (locks / hinges)
Fortification
Surveillance equipment (Clan labs)

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 Breaching Methods
The first and obvious way to get the door open is to Knock and
Announce or simply try the door handle. If this does not work
then some of the following may be useful:
SUBTERFUGE
Repairman (Plumber, electric or water dept.)
Welfare (DHS/DCS) / Probation / Health Inspector
Delivery man (Federal Express, UPS, US Postal)
Staged incident (traffic accident)
Concerned citizen (Someone is messing with your car?)

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Two Types of Breaching Methods

Mechanical Breaching
Explosive Breaching

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 Mechanical Breaching
Two Types of Mechanical Breaching Tools

MANUAL TOOLS: Battering Ram, Haligan Tool, Bolt Cutters,

Duckbill, Crow Bars, Sledge Hammer, etc.

POWER ASSISTED TOOLS (Tools that are hydraulic

powered): Rabbit Tool, Jamb Spreader

VEHICLE ASSISTED: J Hooks and rope

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 Tools of the Trade
Ram

Haligan Tool

Sledge

Bolt Cutters

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 Tools of the Trade
Haligan Tool Duckbill for defeating
padlocks.

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 Mechanical Breaching - Rams
The basic breaching process for an open in door is as follows:

1. The team moves covertly to the point of entry.

2. Cover is provided on doors and windows as the team stacks and the
breach team prepares to open the door.
3. Upon tapping up, the breacher will quietly test the door to determine if
its locked.
4. If there is a screen door it will be opened fully and clear the way for
breaching the other door.
5. If the screen door is locked use the hook of the pry bar to force the lock.
Then fully open the door and clear the entry way for the breacher.

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 Mechanical Breaching - Rams
6. If the main door is locked (after proper
announcement) the ram will be used to strike the
door near the knob. If both a knob and deadbolt
lock are present then strike between the two. The
strike will be delivered with all available energy
which is best generated by a swinging motion.
7. The first impact is critical because it tells the
experienced breacher whether the door can likely be
defeated - and he will communicate this to the team
leader.
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 Mechanical Breaching - Rams

8. If the door isnt opened by the third hit, the

secondary entry plan should be set in motion. This
may be the primary breacher attacking the door
hinges or a team transition to a window porting
(break and rake) entry or alternative door.
* Bear in mind the 12 Second Rule of Entry

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 Two / Four Man Rams
The two / four person ram should be considered in all
cases where it can safely be deployed and any
question exists concerning target hardening and/or
fortification.
The energy developed has been proven sufficient to
defeat even steel door / steel frame deal bolt hotel
doors.
It is important to note that breaches of this type cause
significant damage which generally occurs as the
door and frame are permanently reshaped.
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 12 Second Rule of Entry
All dynamic entry processes should consider
the 12 second rule, which suggests that
subjects in the target location will have
perceived your presence formulated a
response, and began implementation if
predisposed to do so, within 12 seconds of
noise compromise.
The twelve second rule was established by the Springfield, MO Police Department, based
upon observations made during the service of over 1,000 dynamic entry search warrants.
Major Steve Ijames, SPD (IACP and NTOA SWAT advisor and instructor)

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 Enter or Abort ???
The longer you work outside, the less chance
you have of success using dynamic entry
tactics. Serious consideration should be given
to aborting the entry if the breaching effort
continues beyond thirty seconds.
The element of surprise has been totally lost
in such cases and setting up a perimeter and
initiating a surround and call out is
reasonable and prudent. Or transition to Slow
and Deliberate Clear Techniques.
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 Power Assisted Entry Tools

Hurst Entry
Systems:
Rabbit Tool

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 Power Assisted Entry Tools
Hydraulic piston tool that
spreads apart the door from the
frame. They are a more
stealthful technique than a ram
and can take a little longer to
set-up.
Tremendous force up to 10,000
psi. They are silent in operation
and are either battery powered
or hand/foot pumped.

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 Power Assisted - Jamb Spreader
Over 3 tons of horizontal force
Virtually noiseless operation
and lightweight at 17 lbs..

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Explosive Breaching - Shock Lock
Shock Lock is a 12 gauge shotgun round used to
defeat door locks and hinges. They are
pyrotechnically propelled devices. They are high
velocity prefragmented projectiles which are
usually made out of compressed powdered zinc.
The key benefit of the round is its ability to be
deployed numerous times in rapid succession
with a very high probability of defeating the
fortification.

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 Shock Lock - Rules of
Engagement
The use of 12-gauge breaching rounds should be
limited and generally considered only when facing
circumstances such as the following:
Operations that are defined as high risk
If the need to affect a rapid entry is present and the potential
risks of the operations outweigh the potential risks associated
with the use of the breaching round.
If there appears to be no other viable breaching option.

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 Shock Lock - Rules continued
If the physical barrier/structure to be
engaged is accessible in such a manner that
the breacher can safely and effectively
deploy the round; or
If the officer is facing unique
circumstances beyond those ordinarily
encountered, such as interior fortification, or
breaching multi-doors.

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 Shock Lock - Dangers
This round delivers a lot of energy. Likewise, the
inherent energy of a projectile capable of overcoming
solid metallic targets will penetrate any wooden door
and certain varieties of metal doors. This penetration
can have LETHAL CONSEQUENCES if this round is
not delivered at an angle which prevents primary and
secondary missiles from entering the room.
Controlling the angle of presentation is the single
most important aspect of safe and effective
deployment.

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 Shock Lock - Dangers
A secondary concern is the potential for the shock
lock report to be misinterpreted by the occupants of
the target location and cause them to believe they
are being attacked.
This is especially true if he target location is in an
area where drive-by shootings and armed
robberies among rival factions are common.
These risks can be addressed with proper
identification and notice of police presence.

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 Shock Lock - Dangers
Although these rounds are very powerful and over-
penetration is a concern there are new and improved
rounds entering the market.
Some of the new rounds come in four separate
power ratings for attacking different types of
problems. Selecting the proper round will generally
limit some of the over-penetration concerns.

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 Shock Lock - Deployment Tech.
1. Arrive at the door and take an appropriate position of
cover.
2. Upon receiving the order to breach, check to see if the
door is unlocked.
3. If the door is secure, initiate the shotgun breach in the
following manner:
The point places the shield against the door to protect
officers from gunfire;
Continued on next slide---

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 Deployment Techniques - Cont.
The breacher examines the door and determines the
appropriate aiming point.
The breacher firmly digs the teeth of the muzzle break
into the wood at the deployment location. This ensures that
the muzzle does not move as the gun is fired and provides
the proper standoff.
The breacher angles the muzzle as a degree determined by
a process of visualizing the trajectory of the round as it
passes through the target (dead bolt) and into the flat face of
the door frame, at as steep a downward angle as possible. A
standard rule of thumb is a 45 degree angle.

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 Deployment Techniques
When practical, the breacher loudly announces,
Police search warrant! Stand away from the door.
Stand away from the door!
The breacher then aligns the gun and fires a round
at each obvious target (dead bolts, hinges, etc). Then
steps aside to allow the ram officer to engage the
door.

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 Vehicle Assisted Entry
One or two J Hooks are inserted into the barrier
and attached with a heavy rope to a vehicle. Once
set the command is given and the barrier is pulled
down.
Extreme care must be taken to ensure that team
member are clear of the path when the breach is
made to avoid being hit with debris.

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 Explosive Entry
Linear Cutting Charge (factory or improvised).
Pushing charge for steel doors.
Water charge for breaching steel or wood doors.
Pole charge for shattering windows.
Specialty charges for locks, bars and interior doors.
Explosive breaching requires extensive training and is
usually reserved for hostage rescue operations or extremely
hardened areas.

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Tactical Breaching 101
End of Classroom Presentation
Questions ???

Practical Exercise Begins

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