ROOM CLEARING

We practice Room Clearing training during the Advanced Course

TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

1. Are you by yourself or do you have help in clearing the area?  

2. What is your level of training and have you trained with anyone helping you?

3. Do you know your area? Is it familiar to you?

4. Can you rely on law enforcement to do the task? Do you need to clear the area?

5. Can you set up a defensive fighting position or retreat to safety?

6. Do you have the right tools, ie the right weapons, ammunition, lights?

7. Do you have any tactical advantage like surprise?

8. Are you clearing an area where there are friendlies or unknown people?

9. Do you know where the criminals are? How many?

DYNAMIC ENTRY AND DELIBERATE ENTRY

Dynamic Entry is a tactic where surprise, speed and domination are key.   

Upon entry into a room, you must concern yourself with  “points of domination” and “areas of responsibilities.” In other words,  clear the most immediate threat first. Take a position of domination  that will allow for you to cover the entire area.  Step through the door of the room, muzzle up, and take a corner to clear.

The advantage to a dynamic entry is that it provides  speed through the objective, especially when the location of your  adversary is unknown. Speed in the dynamic entry buys you surprise which affords you the opportunity to neutralize your threat before being engaged by the threat.  This tactic works because your adversary has to process though the OODA loop as you make your entry and are in the Action phase.   

To make the Dynamic entry successful two points are important:

1. Don’t move any faster than you can effectively engage your adversary.
2. Provide an overwhelming amount of dominating force inside the room. 

Speed  of the dynamic entry is critical.  When training for the dynamic entry, start on the  gun range.   Develop the speed at which you can effectively  engage targets. What speed and at what range can you conduct the  dynamic entry.   Once you are proficient on the range, then you can train the dynamic entry in a building. The key now is to maintain  the speed you operated at on the gun range.  

Deliberate Entry
The deliberate entry uses the same basic principles  as the dynamic entry but the pace at which the clearing operation is  conducted is reduced significantly.   The basic concept using the deliberate entry is that it’s slower so you  can clear objectives from the outside prior to making the actual entry. 

Advantages to the Deliberate Entry:

1. Operators can “slice the pie” prior to entry.
2. Mirrors can be used to clear corners and other threats prior to entry into the room.
3. Ballistic shields and blankets can be used during the clearing operation.
4. Verbal commands may be given to occupants of the room prior to entry to a safe area.
5. The tactic is easier managed. 

Moving through the objective is very much the same as the dynamic entry. You will utilize the same Close Quarters Combat (CQB) principles. 

Problems with the Deliberate Entry 

Once your adversary is aware of your position they have time to arm  themselves, take cover or attack. You lose speed and surprise because your  adversary now has the time needed to process through the OODA loop. You loose the ability and opportunity to engage first. You must  provide security and defense while you conduct the room clearing operation.