First, make sure to download the free checklist below!

My mission is to provide specialized insights and actionable plans to improve your personal safety and that of your loved ones. I call it OSS, or Operative Self-Security, derived from my extensive experience in personal safety coaching, special operations, law enforcement, bodyguard work, and counterterrorism contracting. It's not about special ops commitment; "operative" in this sense means practical or functional, but about providing the everyday defender some specialized capability for unique situations and crises. And, yes, there is some homage to the OSS of the past that recruited high-performing people often in normal occupations and prepared them in a relatively short period of time for high-risk missions, helping the modern-day CIA and special forces.

No precaution guarantees safety, but you can stack the odds in your favor, remove paranoia, and replace it with sound preparation. From my time at the tip of the spear in violent environments, I've learned that crises always leave you short on time. A bit of planning and awareness provides a tactical edge. Perfection isn't required either; what you generally need is to do the big picture things right, avoid the major pitfalls, and have some operative (functional) level of capability to respond. With that, through a little meaningful effort, you will be ahead of 99% of people in a crisis. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to put forth that effort. I’m to help. This edition highlights a simple yet meaningful and often overlooked topic: walking safety tips and tactics—practical strategies for any outing, whether it's a quick errand or a family stroll.

I'm fortunate to have a wife who actually enjoys a little bit of preparedness at times, is willing to do some additional, sometimes challenging training, and will definitely, if the need arises, become that mama bear to protect against any attacker. I don’t have to drag her to training or coerce her to practice…most of the time. One of my young children is starting at a new school, and we walk him to school every day. Recently, we used my walking safety checklist as a family safety exercise, which not only reinforced our safety habits together but was also fun and engaging, and we learned a few things. Training should not feel like a chore; make it meaningful, challenging, and enjoyable, and certainly include loved ones in an age-appropriate way.

I'm developing a comprehensive safety package on driving, parking, and walking, combined with some operative-level awareness training that will include videos and activities to build real skills, not just reliance on memorized lists. It will be free for Operative Level Subscribers and discounted for other paid members.

With countless safety tips out there, I focus on essentials drawn from bodyguard basics, counterterrorism maneuvers, special operations route planning, and more, combined into a practical checklist. Central to this is the "Tactical Twos"—a special operations system ensuring primary and alternate methods for key actions like alerting, running, hiding, fighting, and aiding.

Above is my video lecture introducing these walking safety tips and tactics. I hope you find at least one actionable takeaway. Here is the checklist. Let me know what you think.

Free Walking Safety Tips and Tactics ChecklistIf you want a massive quick-start to your personal safety, click here for my Street Savvy Pro Guide (Free For Paid Subscribers Find It In The Paid Subscribers Freebie Post): THE STREET SAVVY PRO EBOOK

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Trevor ThrasherHigh Threat Systems LLC

Paid subscribers get exclusive access to beta-test the complete walking safety module, designed for capability-building with minimal effort, and all three checklists for driving, parking, and walking.

* PDF Checklist: Walking, Driving and Parking Safety Tips and Tactics Checklist

* Critical Task Exercises: Step-by-step drills for solo or family practice, low-effort and high-impact must do’s.

* Opportunity Training Exercises: Simple on-the-go capability building for unexpected situations.

* Real-World Incident Analysis: Study a real-world incident, review it, and develop a plan. Then, mentally or physically rehearse what you would do.

Upgrade to a paid subscription for this and future premium content, including the upcoming driving/parking/walking package.

Lesson: Walking Safety

** Download The Walking Safety Tips and Tactics Checklist:

Overview:

Walking seems simple, but it’s one of the most vulnerable activities because you’re exposed, predictable, and often distracted. Attackers frequently target walkers who appear unaware or easy to approach. By using awareness, posture, and a few protective habits, you can turn yourself from an easy mark into a hard target.

Key Points:

* Criminals choose victims who look distracted, weak, or unaware.

* Your stride, posture, and bag placement can deter selection.

* Awareness of safe havens and exits gives you options.

* Provocative maneuvers help confirm (or dismiss) suspicious behavior.

Mission Critical Task (MCT): Checklist Walk

Take the provided Walking Safety Checklist with you on at least two different walks (e.g., school run, evening walk, trip to the store). Go through each point as it applies and make adjustments.

Opportunity Training Exercises (OTE):

* Hard Target Check – Before walking, run through your checklist:

* If using earphones, keep them in transparency mode or leave one ear free.

* Keep your head up and stride confident.

* Carry your bag close to deter attack.

* Ensure any defensive tool is ready and can be accessed in 3–5 seconds.

* Safe Haven Spotting – On your route, identify at least two safe havens (businesses, schools, fire stations, etc.) where you could retreat in an emergency.

* Provocative Maneuver Drill – Practice one maneuver safely to test if someone might be following you. Again, this is practice, no one needs to be following you , but maybe a person trails behind. You will see how obvious it would be if they followed you across:

* Cross the street unexpectedly.

* Make a sudden direction change.

* Re-enter a store or building you just left.

* For driving, test with a safe U-turn or parking re-entry (covered in Driving).

Real-World Lessons (RWL):

* Park Mugging (Video)

In this case, the victim was attacked in broad daylight with plenty of people around. The attacker still chose him specifically. Watch carefully: Why was he selected? What signals made him look like the easy mark?

👉 Watch here

* Safety Tips From the Muggers Themselves

This video interviews criminals who explain exactly how they select victims and why. It’s essentially “red celling” your own walk, straight from the offender’s perspective.

👉 Watch here

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