4 Apr 13

When asked by a reporter about his reputation for ending lethal encounters with terminal efficiency and blinding speed,

“Aren’t you interested in bringing them back alive?”

Famous FBI Agent Dolf “Jelly” Bryce (1906-1974) replies,

“I’m more interested in bringing me back alive!”

Since Bryce’s time, we’ve gone soft. We need to remember that Bryce lived through numerous lethal encounters, efficiently and without hesitation gunning-down as many as nineteen violent felons (the real number will likely never be known), and lived to die of old age!

Like Jimmy Cirillo, Melvin Purvis, Frank Hamer, and many other heroes of our profession, Bryce was a good person, a family man, and cared little for publicity. But, when danger threatened, he knew what to do, and never hesitated!

Recent events:

Recently, we’ve seen a series of attacks and outright assassinations of public officials, including a corrections chief in CO, three prosecutors (one in CO two in TX), and a sheriff in WV.

One prosecutor in CO, whose home was invaded while she was there, along with here deputy-sheriff husband, shot to death the intruder. This story has received scant coverage, because the corrupt, liberal media has a standard rule that guns are never to be portrayed in a positive manner.

In the other four cases, assassinations were carried off successfully.

There might be a connection with the five incidents, or it might all just be coincidence. No definitive answer on that yet, but, either way, all of us need to take notice and remind ourselves of precautions we need to be taking, whether we’re public officials or not. These are the kinds of unpleasant subjects that Bryce himself would force us to confront honestly if he were here:

1) Predictability. Predictability is a murderer! When an assassin knows positively where you’ll be and when you’ll be there, he has time to plan and set everything up. Random, unpredictable movements, on the other hand, make planning such attacks difficult and frustrating. So, always keep them gues­sing!  Vary your routine.  Avoid establish­ing pre­dictable patterns of travel and dress.  Criminals should never be sure exactly whom you are, what you are, where you are, where you are going, nor when you are expected at a particular place.  Arrive late now and then, or show up early.  Don’t always travel via the same route, nor in the same vehicle. Periodi­cally cancel long-standing appoint­ments at the last minute. ­ Become like a ghost!

2) Profile. Profile represents another real and present danger. Some degree of profile is probably unavoidable, but don’t make it any worse! For example, shun shiny limousines and uniformed chauffeurs. Instead, travel in low-profile vehicles. Drivers need to be dressed just like their passengers. Also, shun flashy clothing, high-profile hair styles, and ostentatious jewelry. Finally, shun clever, personalized license plates and controversial bumper-stickers. Keep your face out of the newspapers. Be hard to pick-out in a crowd.

3) Communication. Assume that all telephone, cell-phone, and radio conversations are being moni­tored.  Accord­ing­ly, keep such conversa­tions short and sec­ure. ­Avoid discussing specific schedules, times, dates. Use titles rather than names. Don’t make calls on a regular schedule.

4) Electronic Security. Your home needs electronic security! All doors, windows, and other entrances need to be wired. Motion-lights on the outside. This will give you time to prepare when someone invades your home in the middle of the night. Install a speaker at your front door. When someone comes calling, ask whom they are through the speaker. Never unlock and open your door for anyone you don’t know.

5) Danger signs. Be immediately suspicious of anything and anyone unusual or out of place.  When something doesn’t look or feel right, it probably isn’t. What sounds like a gunshot or an explosion may well be a gunshot or an explosion! Be alert for signs that you are being watched or followed.

6) Armed Response. Carry gun(s) and blades on your person at all times. Don’t disarm yourself when you arrive home. Stay armed and ready!

7) Fight! When deadly danger threatens, take Jelly Bryce’s advice and don’t hesitate. When gunfire is necessary to protect yourself, get in motion as you smoothly draw your gun. When necessary, shoot immediately with precision and sufficient volume. Don’t panic. Shoot for maximum effect. When fighting for your life, hold nothing back!

Neither gravity, nor bacteria, nor lightening are “respecters of persons.” They ruthlessly attack saints and child-molesters alike, with the same casual indifference. Little we can do about that. But, it is up to us to stack the odds in our favor with regard to threats we can effectively address, taking what reasonable precautions we can, always remembering, “Satan never sleeps!”

Naivety, complacency, denial, and lack of preparation killed our ancestors. We forget at our peril!

/John