In other articles, we have covered a few topics about establishing perimeters, area denial, early warning systems, etc., but here I want to discuss how those things are all tied together through 4D or 5D planning.
What is 4D and 5D planning, and what’s the difference between the two? The difference is that 5D has one more D than 4D…
Kidding but not kidding.
4D PLANNING – DETER, DETECT, DELAY, DEFEND
5D PLANNING – DETER, DETECT, DELAY, DENY, DEFEND
Deter
How do we deter others from gaining access to our building, home, perimeter, etc.? We present a hard target! We keep the weeds cut back, keep the lightbulbs working, show a presence, and don’t become careless with our security procedures. If the door is supposed to be locked at all times, keep the damn door locked at all times. It takes 20 seconds to pull out a key to unlock the deadbolt. The same goes for all other security measures. The first time you break one of the rules, it becomes easier to do it a second time. Maintain the standard.
Add a layer of security measures to make it more difficult for bad guys to get in. If we’re lucky, they will take one look at the place and decide the risk simply isn’t worth the reward and move on. Smart bad guys will play the odds game, and if the odds aren’t stacked in their favor, they will have a better chance of moving on to another target.
Detection
If deterrence doesn’t work, detection is the next step on the ladder. This is where things like guard dogs come into play. Noise-makers on trip lines, electronic motion sensor perimeter alarms, and alarms sounded by guards will signify to the intruder that the jig is up, and they’ve lost the element of surprise. Surprise is a powerful asset, and a lot of times, it’s a critical part of a breaching plan. The element of surprise may be enough to save the day.
Delay
If a threat is hellbent on entering the perimeter or the structure, they may still move forward even if they’ve been detected. At that point, we want to give ourselves time to be in a good position to “greet them” if it comes to that point.
If you are fortunate enough to have additional members helping you keep the area secure, creating a delay may allow those people time to get to your location to help deal with the threat. Maybe your group has a quick reaction force on another part of the property. It will take them some time to get there, and delaying the threat will be important as you wait for reinforcements.
This could be done with multiple deadbolts on multiple doors, bars across the inside of the doors, castle gate style, so they can’t be kicked in easily. Guard dogs posted outside as well as inside would increase the delay time. Basically, any barriers we can use to slow forward movement of the threat is a check mark in the delay arena.
To me, a lot of the “delay” and “deny” aspects really fall into the same category as far as the average Joe is concerned. I just wanted to at least mention the “deny” aspect separately because I might be confusing for some folks hearing 4D and 5D planning and understanding that they’re basically the same thing. As far as “denying” access, let’s be honest…if someone wants in bad enough, they are going to find a way in given enough time and resources.
Defend
At this point in the game, all of the other measures in the 4D plan have failed. By now, we can surmise that the incoming threat means business and is highly focused on their mission of breaching and entering the final area of protection. Depending on your assets, there are a lot of options for defensive measures. You can choose something as simple as a blunt object to use as a defensive tool all the way up to a firearm. The level of force you employ is simply your call. Is whatever you’re defending worth taking the life of the intruder? Well, if it’s your family, I’m sure it is, but again, that’s ultimately your call to make.
Final Thoughts
There are a million ways to skin a cat when it comes to addressing these areas in the 4D plan, and no two people’s situations will be the same. That’s just how it is, but knowing where to begin planning for your security is the most important thing to take away from this article.
Use these starting points to begin developing the plan that’s right for you. Do some research to find out what other folks use for their plans. It’s not like you have to reinvent the wheel on all of these concepts. You may develop some things that are very specific to your individual situation but don’t discount effective ideas that are already floating around out there in the community!