Are You Time and Place Predictable

Humans tend to be creatures of habit. However, considering personal security we must strive to identify good habits and safeguard against bad ones.

Abductions may be thought to be the result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While this may certainly be true in some instances, they can also occur because of the absence of sound security practices. Time and Place predictability is an element needed to perpetrate a calculated abduction. In others words, the perpetrator will look for patterns in movement and location, seeking to exploit these security weaknesses to their advantage. For this reason, it is important to understand the risks involved.

Business commuters for example should remain cognizant of the patterns they set by routinely taking let’s say the 8:00 a.m. flight to Chicago each Monday morning. Similar patterns are unconsciously established by stopping each morning of the week for coffee at the same location, or even parking your vehicle in the same section of the employee parking lot each work day.

Vulnerabilities to our personal security increase dramatically when our daily routines begin to read like a European train schedule. By taking a critical look at our personal habits, with an eye on identifying poor practices, time and place predictability becomes evident and we can see firsthand the importance of deviating from established patterns.

Frequent and subtle change to our movement patterns is one proactive step that can be undertaken to mitigate the threat of abduction. Alternating routes to and from work, or varying departure times plus or minus 15 minutes are great starting points. Driving a spouse’s vehicle to work once or twice a week, as well as parking in spaces other than your designated spot in employee parking are other examples of what can be accomplished to reduce vulnerability.

What patterns have you established? While it may not be feasible to deviate from the 8:00 a.m. flight to Chicago, the route and mode of transportation to the airport remains under your control.

Whether your needs are for free advice or a personalized analysis on how to reduce your vulnerability to abduction, please contact Defensive Countermeasures. Our professional staff is prepared to assist with your specified requests. Be Safe!