This is the first part of my home-defense lecture: a fast, hard look at the reality of burglaries and violent break-ins, and the practical mindset and actions that keep families alive.

Read this to get the big points — then tune in for the next Home Defense installment where I’ll cover the major dos and don’ts and walk you through four immediate-action drills every household must have.

The numbers are blunt. In the U.S. there are roughly 3.5 million burglaries a year. Over a lifetime, about 80% of homes will be burglarized or invaded. In roughly 25% of break-ins, someone is home; in about 25% of those cases, a resident is assaulted. Home defense situations are common and have high consequences.

A few pattern points you need to know:

* Familiarity matters. Offenders are known to occupants in about one-third of burglaries and in roughly two-thirds of violent home invasions. Ruses and targeted entries happen more often than random smash-and-grabs. The known home invader incidents usually happen due to one of my major “Don’ts” I will cover in the next installment.

* Most enter unarmed — but they will arm themselves. About 60% of offenders don’t carry weapons at entry; many find knives, tools, or unsecured firearms inside. That’s why secure storage and reducing accessible tools matters. 12% carry firearms.

* Injury rates don’t map neatly to compliance. Studies show similar injury rates whether victims comply or resist. When it comes to resisting in the home, half-hearted resistance is a poor choice — flailing, hesitating, or trying to “do a little” of everything usually makes things worse. The clearest, best options are simple: non-violent responses (draw attention, flee, barricade and call 911) when they’re faster and viable, or decisive, committed armed violence if lethal force is the only option — for example, a committed defensive firearm use that’s intended to stop the threat. The data from the lecture supports this: weak, indecisive resistance causes more injury; fully committed options — whether escape or force — are the actions that actually produce better outcomes.

* How they get in: front door ~34%, first-floor windows ~23%, back door ~22%, unlocked doors about 12%, garages ~9%. Second-floor entries are rare (~2%) — the movies lie.

Watch the DoorDash ruse example in the video. There are multiple layered cues — a light disguise, an odd bag, no vehicle placement consistent with a delivery, a daylight knock when no order was placed, along with the mask and gloves — that should have raised suspicion. But when you are out of touch with your gift of fear and have lost your survival sense without a single moment of home defense training under your belt, you will just be an easy victim. In fact, you might even open the door for the criminal to make it easier for them. See my full article on this home invasion here:

Any of you with family at home should ask yourself if you have truly done anything to prepare your family for a home invasion.

Instead, a door was opened, the attacker rushed in, the daughter was restrained, and the children were endangered, leading to an officer being shot during a shootout. Small checklist habits at the door could have prevented that encounter. This is the 1% effort - 100% safer training I often focus on.

So what do you do right now? The short list:

* Reinforce your front and back access points and secure garage pull-tabs. I cover these actions more later in the lecture.

* Practice a “no-unverified-open” rule for doors and an interrogation/verification method for deliveries. Go to Condition Orange, have a phone and weapon ready, check from a safe position, and only open it after deliberate verification.

* Harden obvious places where a thief can operate privately (backyard fences, hedges) or gain quick entry. Understand the pros and cons of privacy fencing.

* Lock and store weapons securely; treat any unsecured tool or knife as a potential risk. This should inform you that if you arrive home and sense a break-in, your first action (without loved ones in danger) should be to get to safety and call 911 rather than explore.

* Teach family members simple, repeatable, immediate actions — barricade, escape route, call plan, and who moves kids where.

When I cover Home Defense again, I’ll break down the critical dos and don’ts and give you four immediate action drills to build into your home plan — simple, repeatable routines you can practice in 20 minutes and actually use under stress. I’ll also provide a PDF of this entire presentation (slides, framework, checklists — videos excluded) to paid members so you can build your own home-defense plan from the structure I use in seminars.

A note on value: This material is delivered in a corporate lunch-and-learn or private seminar format that typically costs $1,000s. I’m putting core lessons here on Substack so that every day families can easily put out the 1% efforts that produce outsized safety gains.

For paid subscribers: You can download a PDF of the full Home Defense Seminar (excluding videos) in the post Free Resources For Paid Members. You can use it as a basis for your preparation. My Home Defense Online Course is coming soon.

Tell me what else you want covered in the home-defense series, and I’ll fold it into the next home-defense lecture.

Make yourself more threat-proof this week.

– Trevor

Grey Group LLC | High Threat Systems LLC

Green Beret | SWAT Cop | Counter-Terrorism Contractor | Instructor

Here is the link to the .pdf: Home Defense Seminar PDF Oct 2025

A Father’s Quick Grip Saves the Day

On a Saturday afternoon in November 2024, a family in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, was walking to a Shabbat gathering when a masked 28-year-old man, Stephan Stowe, suddenly lunged at their 6-year-old son. Surveillance video captured the suspect yanking the boy so forcefully that his feet lifted off the ground. Fortunately, the father maintained his grip, pulling the child back. One media story said the father “punched” the abductor in the stomach, but it was far from anything I would recognize as a punch. No words were exchanged during the brief encounter, and the suspect fled the scene. The child was uninjured, but the event highlights the brazen nature of such threats in everyday settings. Stowe, a member of the G-Stone Crips gang with 33 prior arrests (25 of which are sealed), was quickly apprehended early the next day and charged with second-degree attempted kidnapping, acting in a manner injurious to a child (endangering the welfare of a child), and harassment. He was ordered held without bail following his arraignment. His extensive criminal history includes an August 2024 arrest for strangling his girlfriend, leading to charges of third-degree assault, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and harassment; an April 2023 arrest for possession of firearms, ammunition, drugs, a credit card skimmer, and a police radio; and a 2019 arrest for criminal possession of a weapon. Imagine that an emboldened criminal is left free to attack your children. “The whale is through the net,” in the words of John Adams, who also said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.” This criminal deserves neither the Constitution nor its protections. Read more about the new criminal normal and why you can’t afford to put any hope in the justice system here: The Whale is Through the Net.

This incident, caught on video by the Crown Heights Shomrim Patrol, occurred just days after a related event where two young girls had their scooter stolen in the same neighborhood, leading to arrests of the suspect and his associates.

Key Awareness Principles: Spotting Baselines vs. Anomalies

Drawing from my courses and training, after getting your mindset straight, the core of self-protection starts with observation. Always scan for what’s normal (baselines) versus what’s off (anomalies). In this case:

* Abnormal Positioning: The suspect was walking in the street while everyone else stuck to the sidewalk—a clear red flag.

* The ABCDs of Threat Recognition:

* Appearance: The ski mask screamed trouble. It’s the “uniform” of potential criminals—signaling someone who’s antisocial, intimidating, or mid-crime.

* Behavior: Watch for “vectoring,” where a person abruptly changes direction or speed toward you. Here, the attacker zeroed in on the family. I just worked on an attempted murder case, where the handgun-armed attacker’s final vector towards an innocent third party was a key point in the defendant’s self-defense case after he used his own handgun to disable the attacker.

* Communication: Prolonged or intense eye contact (target lock) often precedes an attack. Though not fully visible in the video, it’s likely at play here. Some adult staring at one of your children should cause alarm.

* Display of Hands/Weapons: In this case, the attacker appeared to be unarmed. But in the case of an attack on a helpless child, a grown man’s personal weapons are all that is needed to do serious bodily injury. A kidnapper should be dealt with accordingly. Most states allow deadly force as a form of resistance against kidnapping attempts.

These layers help you filter threats before they escalate and give you a chance to act early.

Immediate Action Drills: Shield, Respond, Evacuate

The father at least acted instead of freezing, and did well by instinctively positioning himself between the threat and his children— a fundamental protection principle. To build on this:

* Create Distance: Move your protectee (your loved ones) away from danger. Depending on the situation, you may evacuate with them or meet the threat. When they are old enough, they should know how to self-evacuate and have an idea of where to go.

* Position between the greatest threat and your protectees: Become a shield and a sword that the threat must deal with first. Block their path, foil their attack, or counterattack viciously to take pressure off your protectee. This should be done at the first sign of danger, not after an attack. If the father had positioned himself properly, his children would not have been within easy reach. Notice, I didn’t just say “shield.” You have to have that aggression/offensive switch ready to go to full “on” position. I don’t think this father was prepared to do much beyond what he did here. Other than taking a moment of disbelief delay to convince myself that some evil scumbag attempted to snatch my child out of my arms, I am not sure you could stop me from a full-on immediate assault, and the law would be on my side. Regardless, you aren’t getting near my kids with a frikkin ski mask on in non-winter conditions.

* Use of Force Considerations: In most states, an attempted kidnapping justifies deadly force to protect yourself or others. This suspect is lucky the father wasn’t armed, but remember: Legal, tactical, and moral factors always apply. Advanced training is essential if firearms are involved, especially near loved ones.

I just completed a home defense course for a group of corporate employees, and I used a home invasion that led to the wife confronting an attacker who was pistol-whipping her husband as an example of the high level of skill needed to deal with situations you could have otherwise avoided using mindset, awareness, and avoidance measures. To be brief, the husband left his gun and went around exploring for an outside intruder, exposing his family when the intruder gained entry and held him at gunpoint. In the end, the intruder was killed, and the husband was permanently paralyzed by errant rounds from his wife, who was doing her best to save him in a hostage rescue shooting scenario. Something even most tactical teams never feel completely comfortable with.

* Family Safe Haven Plan: Develop an “immediate action” protocol. Teach age-appropriate kids commands like “Red Alert!” or “Run to Safe Haven!” Designate spots like fire stations, open stores, hospitals, or trusted neighbors. In a crisis, send them there while you handle the threat—or have a secondary defender assist.

Your Action Plan: Build Resilience Today

* Review the incident video with your family (see the provided footage)

* Map safe havens in your frequent locations—such as parks, schools, fire stations, and stores. Note them in new locations or during unique events.

* Practice a few bodyguard drills in condition orange and red scenarios. In orange, calmly position between the potential threat and loved ones. In red, act decisively and become the sword and shield that the attacker must deal with first. Have them evac to the next point of cover or safe haven, then meet up.

* Go through my other articles and pick out scenarios where family members were attacked and use those as material for your exercises. Start here: Your Job Is to Die: The Brutal Truth About The Protector’s Role. This case also reviews your bodyguard plan and includes a secondary defender.

I’ve gotten some really good feedback from several people who share these articles with their family members and others. Please feel free to share. Let’s boost the subscribers and make our families and communities stronger and safer.

Stay threat-proof and be capable and confident in a crisis.

– Trevor Thrasher,

Man at Arms

Next up, home defense….

A Tragic Reminder of Hybrid Threats

In June 2024, in North Olmsted, Ohio, Bionca Ellis, 34, stole knives from a thrift store and followed 3-year-old Julian Wood and his mother, Margot, out of a Giant Eagle grocery store. In a random attack lasting seconds, Ellis stabbed both in the parking lot; Julian tragically died from his injuries, while Margot survived a shoulder wound. A jury found Ellis guilty of aggravated murder and related charges this week, with sentencing set for October 27, potentially life without parole. The Wood family expressed gratitude for community support, stating, “This was for him today.”

This horrific, unprovoked incident underscores the hybrid threat environment we face today: emboldened criminals, untreated mentally ill individuals, morally corrupted actors, and ideological extremists who may strike without warning, using any tool—or none at all. As responsible citizens, we must prepare to match potential brutality, but always proportionally and legally. This isn’t about blame—attacks like this are devastating and unpredictable—but about learning to reduce risks.

“And I have to ask, what makes you think you could not encounter something like this on your daily shopping trip? And if you accept that it can happen to anyone, including you, how have you prepared for it?”

* Emboldened Criminals: Repeat offenders who target vulnerable victims without fear, often escalating quickly.

* Untreated Mentally Ill: Individuals acting unpredictably and violently due to unchecked health issues.

* Morally Corrupted Individuals: Those justifying antisocial behavior through extreme acts for validation.

* Ideological Extremists: Motivated groups or individuals using violence to impose beliefs.

Key Awareness Issues

The video highlights how threats often go unnoticed in everyday settings. In this case, Ellis walked through a busy store with a large knife visible, yet no one intervened. Predator behaviors, like turning to follow or multitasking to surveil a target, vectoring to close distance, were missed. I talk about all of these things in my courses. Sharpening your “survival sense”—scanning for anomalies and establishing baselines—can help spot these early. From my training, after mindset, awareness is the second most critical foundation; without it, even advanced skills are useless.

* Lost Survival Sense: People in public spaces often fail to notice obvious threats, like someone carrying a weapon openly. They have never even considered the possibility of a deadly threat in their day to day lives.

* Predator Behaviors: Watch for 180-degree turns, pacing, or feigned multitasking and vectoring to approach targets.

* Baseline Development: Regularly scan your environment to detect anomalies before they escalate.

Avoiding Victim Pitfalls

Many survivors describe a too-familiar sequence: not seeing it coming, disbelief that it’s happening, uncertainty about what to do, and freezing from internal fear. Margot Wood testified to feeling it came “out of nowhere” and being overwhelmed by speed and shock. This aligns with common victim mindsets, where inaction stems from never anticipating such events. Shifting to a “victor” mindset—believing threats can occur, spotting them early, knowing decisive actions, and focusing externally on solutions—can make a difference.

* Victim Mindset: Didn’t believe it was happening; didn’t see it coming; didn’t know what to do; internally focused on fear; stuck in compliance or frozen.

* Victor Mindset: Believe it’s happening immediately; see threats early; know what to do and act decisively; externally focused on problem-solving; respond with intent, toughness, and teamwork.

* Problem People Mindset: Compromised by ego, revenge, or delusion; underestimate threats, overestimate abilities; think they know what to do but are mistaken; ultimately make situations worse.

Briefly, this ties into the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act): a cycle to process situations faster than an adversary, restarting with each action for an edge.

* Observe: Detect stimuli or threats in your environment through active scanning.

* Orient: Make sense of observations based on knowledge and beliefs to build a mental map.

* Decide: Commit to a course of action based on available information and time.

* Act: Execute the decision, generating new data to restart the loop.

Speed and accuracy in this cycle provide a decisive advantage over opponents.

The Dimmer and On/Off Switch

In hybrid threats, your response needs flexibility. The “dimmer switch” allows measured aggression—escalating or de-escalating to match the threat, avoiding legal issues. But for life-threatening moments, flip the “on/off switch” to full commitment: hands, improvised items (pens, keys), purpose-built tools (pepper spray, knives), or firearms where legal. Layer your capabilities: start with empty-hand skills, build to proficiency in all levels. Don’t leave loved ones unprepared—equip them with tools and training for a serious response if needed. My wife took my youngest daughter on an outing today, and just before she left, I made sure she had some significant capability with her. She was already prepared, and it didn't take anything away from her ability to be a mother and enjoy her time with her child.

* Dimmer Switch: Calibrate aggression to measure and control violence proportionately to the threat.

* On/Off Switch: Instantly commit to overwhelming, decisive force in extreme, life-threatening scenarios.

* Layered Capability:

* Empty-Hand Skills: Master self-defense, martial arts, and close-quarters combat for de-escalation and control.

* Improvised Weapons: Use everyday objects like pens, keys, or umbrellas when built tools are unavailable.

* Purpose-Built Tools: Train with knives, batons, or alarms, understanding deployment and legal implications.

* Firearms Proficiency: Safe, responsible use with rigorous training, legal knowledge, and judgment for life-threatening situations.

Note: These are only effective with situational awareness and threat recognition. You can find more on my 1-2 second and 3-5 second rule here: The 3-5 Second Rule

Final Thoughts: 1% Efforts for 100% More Safety

This was a nightmare no one should face, and our hearts go out to the Wood family. By applying these lessons—tuning awareness, adopting a proactive mindset, and building layered defenses—we honor such tragedies by becoming harder targets. It’s about enjoying life while keeping protection on standby. Watch the full video below for deeper insights, including real footage analysis and practical tips.

Subscribe for more on threat-proof living, including awareness checklists, free training guides, and how-to videos. Stay safe out there—small habits yield big protections. With membership comes access to over $100 worth of training, with more to come. Paid Member Resources

Your Threat-Proof Coach– Trevor

Grey Group LLC | High Threat Systems LLC

Green Beret | SWAT Cop | Counter-Terrorism Contractor | Instructor

Inspired by John Farnam’s “Rules of Stupid” and real-life mugger insights, this edition draws from my Street S.M.A.A.R.T.S. framework and seminar, which I deliver to businesses nationwide– honed through years of coaching and urban threat training. We’re diving into dodging danger with the 7-Second Rule, criminal mindsets, resistance realities, and valuables protection to keep you safe.Enjoy the video, even though Substack wants me to only provide a short preview, but I provided the whole clip. Spend less than the price of a good cup of coffee each month and become a paid subscriber.

The Rules of Stupid: Farnam’s Golden Trio

John Farnam’s Rules of Stupid

I give full credit to John Farnam for this one. He said:

“Don’t go to stupid places, with stupid people, doing stupid things.”

It’s funny, until it’s not.

Let me tell you about my cousin Todd. He once called me in a panic from a hotel room. Said a biker gang was after him. I asked what happened. Turns out he got drunk in Sturgis, ran his mouth to the wrong guy, and suddenly found himself in a real problem, stuck in a hotel room, far from home, with a Glock on the phone being chastised by me.

Todd took a class from me years ago where I literally taught this exact principle. He became a slide example—immortalized under the heading: “Don’t Be Stupid.”

The Foundation: Everything is Risk Assessment

Risk is everywhere. But so is choice. You don’t need to live in fear, but you do need to be honest about your environment and your behavior.

* Going to a sketchy bar at midnight? Increased risk.

* Carrying visible valuables while distracted? Increased risk.

* Getting drunk with strangers in unfamiliar territory? Todd-level risk.

If you’re going to do something risky (and sometimes, let’s face it, fun), mitigate the danger:

* Climbing? Wear a helmet and rope in.

* Carrying cash? Use a decoy wallet.

* Walking alone? Look like you’re hard to follow and harder to surprise.

* Jumping from or climbing into helicopters, especially when doing so from or into water? Better do some rehearsals and equipment checks. By the way, that is one of my favorite pictures of my team in training, taken with just an iPhone.

You’re in the risk management business—whether you like it or not, and in the fun business too. Both have their place.

A problem avoided is often a problem solved. Follow everyday procedures to keep yourself and goods safe. Everything in life is a risk assessment. When doing things that are more dangerous (and often more fun), my simple advice is to mitigate the risk.

Understanding the Rational Criminal: Their Risk Assessment

Most criminals aren’t mindless—they’re rational actors running their own risk calculations. They evaluate potential targets carefully, choose optimal time and location, achieve surprise, assess your defensive capabilities, and only attack when success seems likely.Read that last part again. They have conceived of all of your defenses and have planned around them and decided they won’t matter.

Their motivations? Obtain value with minimal effort, minimize personal risk and exposure, and escape without injury or capture. Deal with rational criminals if you must—they’re predictable. Irrational ones? Avoid at all costs; they’re the wild cards.

By flipping the script and red-teaming yourself like a criminal would, you spot your own vulnerabilities and adjust.

The 7-Second Rule: You’re Judged Fast

Criminals size you up in under 7 seconds, in much the same way that we make first impressions, evaluating four key factors:

* Awareness: Head up, scanning, making appropriate eye contact.

* Purposeful Stride: Strong, confident walk—slightly faster than others, not arrogant.

* Confidence & Capability: Body language that says you can handle yourself without desiring confrontation.

* Street Sense: Awareness of surroundings and personal space control.

If mobility’s limited by injury, fake it till you make it: Chest up, chin up, project strength without arrogance or cockiness. Studies confirm: They pick the unaware, unconfident, and weak-looking first.

Mugger Tactics: Know the Playbook

From real mugger confessions: They sometimes start with a test—like asking for the time—to drop your guard, then grab and demand. Targets? Alone, weak—elderly or women (but screams deter). Over 70% carry weapons at least some of the time.

Counters they suggest:

* Distance & Movement: Answer from afar, keep walking—don’t break stride.

* Noise: Whistles, air horns, or screams disrupt.

* Mace: In hand, not purse—it’s painful and forces flight.

They believe fighting will mostly get you hurt more, and they are right, with some caveats. There is a lot of thought and moral decision-making that should go into resistance.

The Reality of Resistance

The critical question: What do you hope to achieve with violence?

Ask yourself:

* Is your resistance going to work?

* Do you truly have the capability to succeed?

* Is it just going to get you more hurt?

* (Unasked but implied) Is there a moral line where you accept the risk anyway?

Against a career offender, possibly armed? Odds are low for many. However, decide smartly—resistance may be a best resort, it is not always a last resort. With skill and precision, it may be the thing that saves you from further harm, or the thing that stops dangerous criminals in their tracks. Here is a feel-good story about an armed citizen taking out two robbers.

Some of the witnesses and citizens had mixed feelings about it, with some praising the man and others believing people should never engage or resist. Those who say never don’t understand that with freedom comes risk, in my opinion, a measured risk, but one nonetheless. As someone who has made that moral leap to risk my life for others far beyond any reward I could gain, I feel like we need more responsible defenders to do what our legal system often fails to do: take out the trash. Sorry, I meant to provide compassion and rehabilitation for those who are misunderstood. Again, there are caveats; weigh the risks from a legal, tactical, and moral standpoint. Having the capability for meaningful resistance gives you options at the very least. On the other end of the spectrum, in the Bel Air follow-home robbery, risking life and limb, grabbing the cash led to a body slam and permanent injury. Comply if overpowered, separate from valuables, and escape, but have that back-up plan and capability ready.

Protecting Your Valuables

Your life is worth more than your property—keep that principle in mind. Risking safety for stuff often becomes a moral decision to accept more risk.

* Conceal Expensive Items: Hide jewelry, electronics, cash—especially in high-risk spots. Avoid flashing wealth unnecessarily.

* Strategic Positioning: Carry bags away from traffic, position phones and other valuables out of easy reach, keep purses zipped and close. Avoid easy-grab setups and let someone else be the target.

* Prepare to Let Go: When confronted, distance yourself from valuables immediately. Instinct says grab; training says separate and survive.

Your Move: Red Team Yourself

Act like a criminal evaluating you. Spot weaknesses—slow stride, distracted scrolling—and adjust. Build awareness, confidence, and readiness into every step. I will have a lot more on the rules of resistance in the future.

Stay sharp out there.

Trevor Thrasher

High Threat Systems LLC

Get another limited-time-only Ebook I designed for a special group of Street SMAARTS course attendees. I just completed a Street SMAARTS Seminar for a group of employees working in a dangerous downtown area. On my short five-block walk from my hotel to the seminar site, I literally walked past a police officer with a subject face down in cuffs. It wasn’t a great area. I was also eyed by numerous drug addicts, mentally unstable people, sidewalk dwellers, and bus stop urban campers on my way there, and saw them using drugs in the open on the way back. There were also a few people, including some with children, sadly just trying to catch a bus and avoid any trouble. I thought about how scared or “head in the sand, ostrich effect” people must be when they are forced to take that path. I was well armed, aware, and ready, but even I am not 100% safe; we all share the risk of a collapsed society. What you can be is 100% safer, more responsible, and capable. I’ll do my best to help. Become a paid member, and on top of other free training courses and guides, get the concise, limited-time-only guide I created for the seminar attendees and my current tips and tactics checklists for walking, driving, and parking for free. Even if you are familiar with a lot of my material, you can use it as a quick crash course safety review for you and your loved ones.

Threat-Proof Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Free Seminar Guide With Current Checklists

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

Stay threat-proof

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.

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In this hard-hitting episode of The Threat-Proof Podcast, retired Green Beret and SWAT officer Trevor Thrasher dives into the three mindsets that define how you face danger: victims, victors, and those problem people (or, as he bluntly puts it in not-so-mixed company, idiots). Drawing from decades of analyzing incidents—bank robberies, street crimes, and active threats like the recent Boulder firebombing—Trevor breaks down why victims get stuck, saying they “didn’t believe it was happening,” “didn’t see it coming,” and “didn’t know what to do.” Using real-world examples like an ATM robbery where a woman’s lack of awareness landed her in a trunk, he exposes how disbelief delay, normalcy bias, and zero prep leave you frozen or flailing. Worse, some idiots make things worse with ego-driven stunts, like the guy who kicked an armed robber and got shot for it. Trevor shares no-BS insights from his Street S.M.A.A.R.T.S. framework and OSS coaching, showing how to shift to a victor mindset with simple mental rehearsal—like visualizing your response to an explosion nearby. If you want more, see the blogpost here and become a subscriber:

Plus, he rants on bystanders filming chaos instead of acting, quoting his buddy Kurt Sorys: “Real men don’t record—they respond.” Tune in to learn how to reprogram your brain, ditch the victim trap, and stay threat-proof.