Jim Wagner Reality-Based Personal Protection

Real world mission and Reality-Based

Jim Wagner 

February was quite an interesting and busy month for me personally, and for the Reality-Based Personal Protection system.  Tragically, the month started off with former Los Angeles Police officer Christopher Dorner murdering two people not far from my house on Sunday, February 3rd. The victims were Monica Quan and her fiancé Keith Lawrence. I knew something was wrong when I was driving home and I saw police and California Highway Patrol cars all along key sections of the 405 Freeway. They only do that when they are looking for a specific vehicle involved in a crime. 

Apparently, Christopher Dorner had been fired from the LAPD four years ago for lying about an incident that happened while he was going through his Field Training Officer (FTO) program; a program that all officers must go through and successfully pass before being considered a full-time, sworn, police officer in the State of California. His FTO documented concerns that she had with Dorner’s performance, and when Dorner learned out about the negative report he then accused his FTO of kicking a prisoner in the head. An Internal Affairs investigation was conducted and determined that Dorner was lying about the incident in question. An appeal was made and others looked over the case. The department stood by the original findings and let Dorner go. One of the police officers involved with the case was Randal Quan, and it is believed that because of his involvement that Chrisopher Dorner killed his daughter and her fiancé for revenge. 

That same day I had to do the U.S. Army firearms qualification for the M9 pistol. When I arrived at the range the flag was at half-staff reminding me, and every sworn personnel, that lives had been lost and more could be expected. Besides trying to get EXPERT qualification the comments coming from every soldier was about Dorner and everyone’s expectation that he would be soon captured. Everybody condemned this man’s actions. For me personally it was hard to accept that a fellow police officer, and a fellow warrior, was out hunting his own. 

Military bases around Southern California were worried that Dorner would try to penetrate an installation, since he had just left the United States Navy, and do some more killing. I volunteered to work security duty until Dorner was found. 

The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department found Dorner’s truck up at Big Bear, a ski resort city, burning on an isolated road. The biggest manhunt in California history now included Big Bear, and there were good leads that indicated he was still in the area. 

For a few days the Sheriff’s Department, and other agencies, went house to house looking for Dorner. He had broken into a house and tied up two women, and then he was on the run again. He then popped out of nowhere and carjacked a Boy Scout leader’s truck at gun point. He shot at Fish & Game law enforcement officers and then was chased into an 80-year-old wooden mountain cabin, but not before killing another lawman. Deputy Jeremiah MacKay, 35, was killed by Christopher Dorner on Tuesday, February 12^th. 

When police had surrounded the cabin Christopher Dorner gave a fierce fight firing in all directions from inside. The police shot a tear gas canister into the cabin hoping to flush out the gunman. Somehow the tear gas canister caught something on fire and the cabin started to burn. As it was burning a single shot was heard from inside the cabin. Evidence later proved that the body was indeed that of Christopher Dorner, and he died of a single self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Everybody in Southern California, and especially the police and military, were relieved that the manhunt was over. 

Some people actually sympathized with Christopher Dorner while he was running around killing people, and even after his death.  By putting his manifesto up on the Internet Dorner knew that a few people who already don’t trust the police would probably sympathize with him. I, for one, believe he was a self-centered coward who “lived by the sword, and died by the sword.” Regardless of what kind of perceived or actual wrongs he may have experienced with the LAPD it was no justification for cold-blooded murder. Losing one’s job, four years ago no less, is never a justification for taking someone’s life, and especially extending the threats to the families of those who may have been involved. That kind of thinking is barbaric. Dorner not only put LAPD on his hit list, but he targeted all police. Plain and simple, Christopher Dorner was a psychotic killer. LAPD called it right when not wanting him to work for their department years ago.  Fifty families had to have protection because of him, wives are now without their husbands because of him, children are without their fathers because of him, and for days millions of people were terrorized because of this one man. The grief he has caused does not even compare to his pathetic cry for justice in losing his job. 

After the Dorner incident was over I concentrated on my Level 1 seminar in Solingen, Germany. On Saturday, February 23 I started off by teaching Defensive Tactics. That’s right! Defensive Tactics. For years I had always started this course on Monday and then finished the fifth course by Friday, but last year my RBPP Director, Tobias, and I decided that if we shifted over the days to start on a weekend that would be two less days most people would have to take off of work. The new schedule worked and some students told me that they came because starting on Saturday was more convenient for them. 

With Level 1 almost everything one needs for self-defense can be learned in this week: Defensive Tactics, Ground Survival, Knife Survival, Crime Survival, and Terrorism Survival. Like every seminar I teach I always get a good mix of people. I had three police officers from the Frankfurt area, a security agent who does anti-piracy vessel protection off the coast of Somalia for German ships, private security agents, several martial arts instructors, and the normal mix of martial artists who want to learn Reality-Based techniques and training methods. This time I only had one female in the seminar, and I addressed this issue with my Facebook friends (see what I wrote following this article).

One of my Level 1 students was Jan Hiry, owner and operator of the S.T.A.A.B. & Hiry security company. He had gone through the seminar before, but so wanted to perfect his skills that he took it again as a refresher. I enjoyed having Jan in the course again because he shared with the students some valuable information about certain conflict situations based upon his own real world experiences. I even got a new pointer or two from him. 

Right from day one I told my students that they can expect more office massacres, mall shootings, and school shootings in the near future. I mentioned this just after I was teaching them the movement drill called Zig Zag. That is where a gunman is directly behind you, or in some cases directly in front of you, and you must run doing a zig zag pattern (a series of diagonals) in order to reduce your target profile and be a moving target to avoid being shot. On Wednesday, February 27^th, the day I was teaching my Terrorism Survival course, one of my students came to me and said, “I just got a message on my iPhone. There has been a shooting in Switzerland.” 

In Menznau, Switzerland (on Germany’s southern border) a disgruntled employee, a machine operator, went into the canteen at approximately 9 am and shot several people; 3 dead and 7 wounded. The killer committed suicide before the police arrived. Although there are an estimated 2.3 million firearms owned by the country’s 8 million people gun violence is relatively low at about 0.3 per 100,000 inhabitants.

For my day off I treated myself to a medieval work out. What’s a workout you ask? It’s climbing 556 stairs up the tower of the Cologne Cathedral, known as “The Dom,” which when completed offers a view of the entire city and the Rheine River. My legs felt like rubber an hour after the descent, but it was worth it, and good exercise as well. I took a picture of myself in front of the ancient Christian Cathedral that was stared in the year 800 and sent the photo to my friends and family. You can tell by the photo that is was a cold day. It had snowed all week during Level 1, and that day was clear but just above freezing. Even inside the gigantic Cathedral was no warmer, and that’s when I decided after looking around to pay my 3 euro and do the long climb. I was certainly warm after that. I then went over to the Fruh Brauhaus, had myself a good German beer, “eine Kolsch,” and then treated myself to a Berliner, which is a popular cream filled pastry. I took the train back to Solingen, a 25-minute ride, and then went to work on a book I am working on.

I always enjoy teaching in my European Headquarters, and I feel at home in Germany. My next seminar there will begin Saturday, June 1 starting with Pocket Stick & Tactical Pen. In this course I will be teaching people how to use pocket sticks, like the Kubotan, for self-defense, since some people prefer not to carry a knife. Of course, tactical pens are legal and are in the self-defense category of an edged weapon. With both weapons systems I cover pressure point applications, the 10 angles of attack, and fighting skills. June 2^nd is the course Protecting Others. Most self-defense schools are void of techniques and training methods that cover protecting family members, friends, and co-workers. Having been a professional bodyguard, both privately and in law enforcement, I draw upon my years of training experience and pass on that knowledge to my students. I’ve had the German military send personnel to this course, German federal agencies, and a number of security companies and bodyguard schools have sent people to me as well. On June 3rd I teach my unique course titled Urban Survival. If you ever find yourself in the middle of a natural or man-made disaster, or economic collapse, this course teaches you how to survive in an urban setting: food and water procurement after all the stores have been gutted, how to make fire for cooking and heating, putting together temporary shelter, and other valuable skills. June 4^th is Knife Survival and June 5^th is Knife Expert.  If you are in Europe, hopefully I’ll see you in one of these courses. For more information CLICK HERE.