I believe we all have different reasons for being here. My interests use OSINT to identify victims and traffickers and general research into cyber-related fields. I find a lot of great info on LinkedIn (that's how I found 'We Fight Monsters'!). If you're interested in learning more about OSINT and it's applications two of the best accounts to follow are Ubikron (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ubikron/) and OSINT Experts Society (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13047129/). Both have plenty of resources and regularly post items of interest.

One of the most dangerous moments in any investigation is confirmation bias. I’ll give you a quick example, there was an armed robbery in the city that I work in. The lead detective had a theory of who the suspect might be now keep in mind the suspect had a mask on and gloves. Now, without concrete evidence that pointed him in that direction, he already had a suspect in mind, why? Because the suspect lived in close proximity to the business, he is also known to be a serial robber. My problem with that early on assumption is that now he needs to build a case around the theory that it was the suspect versus gathering all the evidence like interviews, technology, cameras in the area etc…. Long story short I was right it did not turn out to be who this detective thought it was. The Lesson: It’s when we lock onto an early theory and—without realizing it—start filtering everything through that lens. Evidence that supports our belief gets amplified. Evidence that contradicts it gets minimized, explained away, or ignored entirely. In investigations, this isn’t an academic problem. It’s a truth problem. I’ve seen solid investigators become intellectually rigid once a narrative forms. The case stops being about what happened and becomes about proving we were right. That’s when blind spots grow. That’s when mistakes compound. That’s when innocent details turn into “inconvenient facts.” The danger isn’t incompetence. The danger is confidence without constant challenge. Strong investigators do a few things differently: • They actively search for disconfirming evidence • They ask, “What would have to be true for my theory to be wrong?” • They invite peer challenge instead of resisting it • They separate ego from outcomes • They stay comfortable saying, “I don’t know—yet” Good investigations are dynamic, not linear. The story should evolve as new information comes in. The moment your theory becomes untouchable, your investigation becomes fragile. This applies beyond law enforcement.

Active shooter events are chaotic, fast, and violent. They unfold in seconds, not minutes. And while civilians often hear the aftermath on the news, law enforcement lives inside the first moments — where every decision carries life-or-death weight. Here’s what people don’t always see from our side of the line: 1. Officers Are Trained to Move Toward the Threat The standard across the country is simple: Find the shooter. Stop the killing. Stop the dying. Gone are the days of waiting for SWAT. Patrol officers — the ones already on the street — form up and move in immediately. That means they enter the building while shots are being fired, knowing the suspect may be around any corner. 2. Speed Matters More Than Perfection In an active shooter, every second equals lives. Officers aren’t clearing rooms slowly and methodically like in the movies. They’re bypassing people, skipping hallways, stepping over chaos — all to get to the shooter as fast as humanly possible. It’s controlled aggression, not cinematic tactics. 3. Communication and Intelligence Are Broken, Messy, and Loud Inside these events: - Everyone is screaming - Fire alarms are blaring - Radios cut in and out - People are running in opposite directions - Officers may not know how many shooters there are It’s not organized. It’s not clean. It’s sensory overload — and cops have to make decisions anyway. 4. Officers Will Walk Past the Wounded This is one of the hardest realities for civilians to understand. The mission is: Stop the threat first. If the shooter is still active, officers may move past injured victims to prevent more victims. It’s not coldness. It’s triage under fire. Stopping the shooter ultimately saves more lives. 5. Once the Threat Is Down, the Mission Changes Immediately after neutralizing the shooter, officers switch roles: - Casualty care - Tourniquets - Evacuations - Securing medical routes - Guiding fire/EMS into the building Cops become the bridge between chaos and rescue.

Most civilians walk through life in Condition White—heads down, distracted, unaware of what’s unfolding around them. The amount of times I’ve had to respond to a robbery because the victim wasn’t paying attention is a very large number. The common theme is, “I was looking at my phone.” Or “I was listening to music.” Victims has skyrocketed as a result of modern day cell phones. People watching TikTok videos, YouTube, etc. Awareness has truly taken a hit as a result. You don’t need to live paranoid. But you do need to live aware. Colonel Jeff Cooper’s Color Code is one of the simplest and most effective systems ever created for understanding awareness levels. It wasn’t designed for fear—it was designed for clarity, readiness, and survival. Here’s how civilians can use it in everyday life: Condition White — Unaware This is when you’re buried in your phone, zoned out, or mentally “off the clock.” In public, this is the most dangerous state to live in. You’re not scanning. You’re not noticing behavior. You’re not registering exits, threats, or even social cues. You’re simply there—and if something happens, you’re behind the curve. Condition Yellow — Relaxed Awareness (The Goal) This is the state civilians should live in anytime they’re in public. You’re relaxed, calm… but switched on. Your eyes are up. Your mind is open. You’re aware of who’s around you, what looks normal, and what doesn’t. Not paranoid. Not tense. Just present. Think of Yellow as: “Nothing’s wrong… but I’m ready if it is.” Master this, and most problems never reach you. Condition Orange — Focused Attention Something caught your eye. A behavior, a movement, a situation that doesn’t look right. Not a threat yet… But something worth evaluating. A person loitering near cars. Someone pacing outside a store. A couple arguing in a way that’s escalating. A vehicle doing slow laps through a neighborhood. In Orange, you form a simple plan: If X happens, I’ll do Y. That alone puts you miles ahead of danger.

Team, Red Team Leaders, on CourseStack, has an introductory course on CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) Investigation that's free. As many of you know, CSAM can intersect human trafficking. The course gives a big, 20,000 ft view so don't expect a lot of technical discussion. They've got other cyber relate courses as well but this is the only one focused on our lane. https://redteamleaders.coursestack.com/courses/2a412d31-a2e4-47ce-9709-14f711e1d53b