Security Tips | How should security personnel respond to violent injury incidents?

In today's social environment, safety issues are always the focus of people's attention. Security personnel, as an important force in maintaining social order and safety, bear significant responsibilities.

Especially when facing violent injury incidents, the response capability of security personnel directly relates to the safety of people's lives and property, as well as social stability. So, how should security personnel respond to violent injury incidents?

1. Analysis of Violent Injury Incidents

01 Characteristics of Incidents

Reviewing recent typical cases, these violent injury incidents usually have the following significant characteristics.

Firstly, they are highly sudden, often erupting instantly without warning, catching those nearby off guard.

For example, in the Nanchang Honggutan murder case, the suspect Wan suddenly drew a knife in a crowded commercial street and stabbed a young woman without reason, leaving the crowd unable to react in time, resulting in the woman's unfortunate death.

Secondly, they are highly random, with no clear patterns in the choice of crime locations and targets. Whether in bustling commercial centers, quiet campuses, or residential areas, any place can become a crime scene, and the victims are often ordinary innocent people.

In the Shaanxi Mizhi student stabbing incident, the perpetrator Zhao crazily attacked students leaving school with a knife near the school gate, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities, with no specific grievances against the students.

Thirdly, the level of violence is high, with suspects often using knives, blunt instruments, and other deadly weapons, employing extremely cruel methods that cause serious physical harm or even threaten the victims' lives. For instance, in the Dalian BMW hit-and-run case, the suspect Liu drove a BMW car and accelerated to hit pedestrians on a crosswalk, causing multiple casualties, and his actions were extremely heinous, having a very bad social impact.

02 Analysis of Criminal Psychology

By delving into the psychological motives of suspects, we find several main types.

One is personal vendetta, where individuals vent their hatred on innocent people due to conflicts with specific individuals or groups. For example, in the tragic campus incident in Nanping, Fujian, the perpetrator Zheng, frustrated in personal life and having disputes with others, harbored resentment and entered the campus with a sharp weapon, ruthlessly attacking defenseless elementary school students.

Two is the venting of dissatisfaction with society; such individuals may develop a distorted psychology of revenge against society due to life setbacks, economic difficulties, or extreme dissatisfaction with certain social phenomena, attempting to draw social attention by harming others.

Three is the triggering of mental illness; some suspects suffer from mental illnesses and cannot control their behavior during episodes, leading to violent injury incidents. For example, in the Daxing child throwing case in Beijing, the suspect Han, suffering from mental illness, threw a girl from a high building during an episode, an act that is heartbreaking.

Understanding these criminal psychologies helps us keenly detect potential risks in our daily work and take preventive measures in advance.

2. Risk Warning and Identification

01 Identifying Signs of Personnel Risk

In daily security work, we must always pay attention to abnormal behaviors of individuals.

For instance, those who linger in specific areas for long periods, have wandering eyes, or appear tense and anxious may have malicious intentions. In the Kunming train station terrorist incident, terrorists lingered near the train station square for hours before the attack, occasionally peering at the surroundings, but their abnormal behavior went unnoticed.

Additionally, individuals whose clothing is obviously inconsistent with the season or environment and who carry large packages or suspicious items should be closely monitored.

Moreover, if someone speaks in an extreme manner, is emotionally agitated, and frequently makes threatening statements, such as claiming to 'take revenge on society' or 'create a major incident,' immediate vigilance is required, and corresponding measures should be taken, such as approaching to inquire, calming emotions, and notifying the police.

02 Key Points of Environmental Risk Assessment

Conducting a comprehensive and detailed risk assessment of the security area we are responsible for is an important step in preventing violent injury incidents.

First, check for blind spots in surveillance equipment and ensure that lighting facilities are sufficient, especially in some remote passages and corners. If the lighting is dim and surveillance coverage is lacking, it can easily become a breeding ground for crime.

For example, the Chongqing kindergarten stabbing incident occurred in a blind spot of the kindergarten playground, making it extremely difficult for the case to be solved and for the scene to be handled.

Secondly, evacuation routes must remain unobstructed, safety exit signs should be clear and prominent, and emergency lighting equipment should function properly. Otherwise, if an emergency occurs, personnel will be unable to evacuate in time, leading to serious casualties.

Furthermore, pay attention to changes in the surrounding social environment, such as whether the security situation in nearby communities has deteriorated or if there are large-scale group activities that may lead to crowd gatherings. Consider these factors comprehensively and develop response plans in advance to reduce the likelihood of risks.

3. Emergency Response Plans and Processes

01 Core Principles of Plan Development

The development of emergency response plans must adhere to the four principles of speed, efficiency, collaboration, and safety.

Speed requires a response at the first moment an incident occurs, minimizing the time interval from discovering the alert to taking action; every second of delay may lead to more serious consequences.

Efficiency means that all measures and processes in the plan should be concise, clear, and practical, capable of maximizing effectiveness in the shortest time, quickly controlling the situation, and reducing casualties and property losses.

Collaboration emphasizes close cooperation and joint action among various positions, forming an organic whole. Whether it is on-site security personnel, command and dispatch personnel, or logistical support personnel, everyone must clearly understand their responsibilities and tasks in the emergency response process, as well as the collaborative relationships with other positions, ensuring timely and accurate information transfer and smooth command and dispatch.

Safety must be ensured throughout the emergency response process, ensuring the life safety of security personnel and avoiding impulsive actions. Only by ensuring their own safety can they better fulfill their duties of protecting others and maintaining order.

02 Simulation Drills and Optimization Strategies

To ensure the effectiveness and practicality of the emergency response plan, we must regularly organize simulation drills. During the drills, various complex scenarios should be set up to comprehensively test the feasibility of the plan and the team's emergency response capabilities.

For example, simulating a scenario where a suspect takes hostages tests the team's negotiation skills, tactical coordination, and psychological resilience in the face of such extreme danger.

Setting up a scenario where multiple people simultaneously engage in violent behavior tests the team's command and dispatch, on-site control, and collaborative combat capabilities when dealing with complex situations.

It is also possible to simulate a situation where chaos at the scene makes evacuation difficult, assessing the rationality and effectiveness of the evacuation plan.

After the drill, a thorough and detailed review must be conducted, addressing issues identified during the drill, such as poor information transmission, lack of coordination between positions, and inadequate tactical execution, and timely adjustments and improvements to the emergency plan should be made.

At the same time, based on the results of the drill and changes in actual circumstances, the content of the plan should be continuously updated and optimized to ensure it always adapts to the ever-changing security situation and work requirements.

IV. Application of Security Equipment and Tactical Coordination

01 Techniques for Using Security Equipment

Mastering the use of various security equipment is an important guarantee for effectively responding to violent incidents.

The riot shield is an important tool for our defense. The correct grip position is to hold the handle with the left hand and the auxiliary handle on the edge of the shield with the right hand, placing the shield in front of the body at a certain angle.

When moving, a sliding step or sidestep should be used, which allows for flexible evasion of attacks while maintaining a stable defensive posture. During the defense, the angle and position of the shield should be adjusted reasonably based on the direction and intensity of the opponent's attack to effectively block various attacks.

The use of the baton also has its nuances; when striking, aim for effective areas such as the joints of the opponent's limbs, like the wrist, elbow, and knee, using short and powerful swinging motions to control the opponent's mobility while minimizing fatal harm to their body.

At the same time, the baton and shield should be used in coordination to form a tactical system of offense and defense. For example, when the opponent attacks, first use the shield to block, then quickly counterattack with the baton.

A powerful flashlight can not only be used for illumination but also serves to deter suspects and disrupt their line of sight in low-light conditions. When using it, one should master the angle and timing of the beam to avoid affecting one's own visibility due to light reflection.

The walkie-talkie is a key device for our team's communication, and it is essential to ensure the channel is set correctly and to be familiar with communication protocols and emergency call functions.

During an incident, it is crucial to promptly and accurately relay information to teammates and the command center, such as the situation on the ground, characteristics of the suspect, and progress of our actions, so that the command center can make correct decisions and dispatch.

02 Team Tactical Coordination Strategies

When responding to violent incidents, team tactical coordination is crucial.

We can adopt various tactical formations, such as a triangular defense formation, where three team members are positioned at the three vertices of a triangle, maintaining appropriate distances from each other, which allows for all-around defense and facilitates mutual support and coordination.

When facing a suspect, the triangular formation can be used to surround them, gradually reducing their space for movement.

A circular defense formation is suitable for protecting important targets or defending in narrow spaces, with team members forming a circle, shields facing outward, creating a solid defensive line.

During an attack, a strategy of splitting and converging can be employed, where team members approach the suspect from different directions, distracting them and making it difficult to respond to pressure from multiple directions. Then, seizing the opportunity, they can work together to subdue the suspect.

For example, in a mall security response to a knife attack incident, the security team successfully subdued a suspect wielding a knife using the split and converge tactic.

Throughout the tactical coordination process, the rapport and signal communication between team members are key.

It is important to establish the meanings of various signals in advance, such as hand signals and verbal codes, to ensure that information can be conveyed quickly and accurately during operations, avoiding coordination errors due to poor communication that could jeopardize the safety of oneself and others.

V. On-Site Communication and Psychological Comfort

01 Key Points for Communicating with Offenders

When facing offenders in violent incidents, maintaining a calm and composed communication attitude is crucial.

We should communicate with the other party in a calm tone, avoiding provocative language to prevent angering them and leading to more extreme behavior.

For example, in the case of a car attack and stabbing incident in Nanjing's Xinjiekou, security personnel successfully alleviated the suspect's tension through gentle words, buying time for subsequent handling.

During communication, it is important to listen carefully to the other party's demands and thoughts, allowing them to feel respected and understood, thereby establishing a preliminary trust relationship.

For example, one might say, 'I understand you may be very agitated right now; can you tell me why you are doing this?'

By listening, we can better understand their motives for the crime and find a breakthrough for resolving the issue.

At the same time, we should try to provide verbal comfort and psychological guidance from the other party's perspective, such as saying, 'I know you may be facing some difficulties, but hurting others is not the solution; we can think of ways to resolve this together.'

At the appropriate time, propose some reasonable solutions to guide them to put down the weapon and resolve the issue peacefully.

02 Methods for Psychological Comfort for Victims and Bystanders

During violent incidents, victims and bystanders often fall into extreme panic and anxiety.

As security personnel, we need to provide timely psychological comfort to them.

First, use clear and concise language to inform the public of the general situation of the incident and the measures we are taking, allowing them to understand that the situation is under control, thereby enhancing their sense of security.

For example, 'Everyone, please remain calm. We have already called the police and are taking measures to control the situation. Please follow our instructions and evacuate in an orderly manner to a safe area.'

More care and psychological support should be given to the injured victims and their families. Stay by their side and use comforting words to stabilize their emotions, such as 'Don't worry, the ambulance is on the way, and we will be here with you.'

At the same time, assign a dedicated person to communicate with the media, releasing timely and accurate information related to the incident to avoid the spread of false information that could cause greater panic and chaos in society.

6. Legal Knowledge and Law Enforcement Authority

01 Interpretation of Relevant Legal Provisions

Understanding relevant legal knowledge is the foundation for us to act in accordance with the law when responding to violent injury incidents.

First, the definition of legitimate defense. According to legal provisions, legitimate defense must be a necessary defensive action taken to protect legal rights when facing an ongoing unlawful infringement.

For example, in the Kunshan counter-killing case, Yu Haiming took reasonable defensive measures when facing Liu Hailong's violent attack, successfully subduing Liu Hailong, and his actions were recognized as legitimate defense. However, if the defensive actions clearly exceed the necessary limits and cause significant damage, it may constitute excessive defense.

Therefore, when using defensive measures, we must strictly grasp the degree. In addition, we should familiarize ourselves with the constitutive elements of crimes such as intentional injury and intentional homicide in the criminal law, so as to accurately judge the nature of the suspect's behavior during incident handling and provide accurate information and evidence to the police. At the same time, understanding the punishment provisions in the Public Security Administration Punishment Law for behaviors that disturb public order and provoke trouble is of great guiding significance for us in handling minor illegal activities in our daily work.

02 Clarification of Security Personnel's Law Enforcement Authority

It should be clarified that security personnel do not have law enforcement authority in their daily work and in responding to emergencies, but they do have certain management authority and obligations to assist in law enforcement.

We have the right to inspect and register personnel and vehicles entering the jurisdiction, such as checking identification, inquiring about the purpose of the visit, and checking whether vehicles carry prohibited items.

When suspicious situations or illegal activities are discovered, we can advise against or stop them.

For example, when someone is smoking in a no-smoking area, we can advise them to stop; when encountering a fight in a public place, we should intervene promptly.

However, in the process of stopping, we must not exceed our authority to use violence or coercive measures, otherwise we may bear corresponding legal responsibilities. After the police arrive at the scene, we should actively cooperate with the police in conducting investigations, maintaining order at the scene, such as providing surveillance footage and assisting in questioning witnesses, and must not interfere with or obstruct police law enforcement.

Through today's security knowledge, we have gained a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of violent injury incidents and have mastered a series of methods and techniques to respond to such incidents.

However, learning is just the beginning; more importantly, we must apply the knowledge we have learned to practical work, continuously accumulate experience, and improve our emergency response capabilities.

As security personnel, we must remain vigilant in our daily work, strengthen risk assessment and early warning, improve emergency response plans, master the use of security equipment and team tactical coordination, focus on on-site communication and psychological comfort techniques, and strictly abide by laws and regulations while performing our duties according to the law. Only in this way can we face violent injury incidents without fear, respond calmly, effectively ensure the safety of clients and the public's life and property, and maintain social harmony and stability.