This is the technique that we teach on the second day of the class followed by live fire entries. This is a door pull, not to be confused with the door peel. This door will be completely detached from the structure, no matter how fortified.

This was an actual door peel on some bad guys. Note how I kept the door taut with the rope. This makes it easier for the inner door breacher.   A good shot of door peel and vehicle. Note the angle of vehicle.   Pull vehicle with hooks and rope from basket ready for a door peel   One method of a fortified security door to keep us out   Typical Door Peel (2MB in size - MPG) Check out the small video file on these Door Pulls (3MB in size - MPG)

This is part three of a series on techniques for Manual Breaching

What do you do if every door and window of the target location is fortified with barrel bolted or lagged security doors?

1. The above situation will call for a door pull / door peel.
   This should be S.O.P. with any search or arrest warrant, or any other type of breaching situation, hostage rescue, etc.
    

2. The above breaching technique will replace the use of other breaching tools such as the Punch and Pull, Hooligan, Hayworth, etc.

   1. The less time spent breaching a lagged/barrel security door, makes for a safer breach and entry. This is where the door pull/door peel technique is appropriate.
       

   2. The amount of collateral damage to the security door using the door peel technique is about equal to breaching with a Hooligan, Hayworth or Punch and Pull.

Personnel Needed For A Door Pull And Door Peel:

• Driver of the vehicle conducting the pull

• Point Officer to cover the personnel

• Hook Officer

• Rope Officer

• Inner Door Ram Officer

Door Pull

This technique requires that the security door be pulled off the hinges or any other method of attachment to the structure.

For Pre-Tie Off

1. Officers must determine the distance of the door to the pull vehicle to determine how much rope will be needed for the door pull or peel.

1. The tie will be at the pull vehicle [see photo]
    

2. On the pre-tie, officers must be accurate in the distance. If the distance is underestimated, you will run out of rope and will often times (due to obstacles such as, parked vehicles, fences, etc.) not be able to execute the pull or peel.

Tie Off At The Moment Of Deploying The Rope

1. This technique utilizes an officer that can quickly tie off a double figure eight knot (from rope to T- bar) attached to the vehicle.
    

2. This tie off technique is more forgiving if you underestimate the distance or if there is an obstacle in the way

Applying The Technique

1. If the door pull technique is to be the preferred method, the pull vehicle will drive away from the location. The basket carrying the rope and hooks will be attached to the rear of the truck. The pull vehicle should have the hitch attached to both the front and rear of the vehicle to remain versatile.
    

2. The entry team should maintain a safe distance from the entry point so as not to be hit by the security door, but still close enough to make a safe entry.
    

3. The Point Officer, Hook Officer, Rope Officer and the Inner Door Ram Officer should be close together, preferably in the same vehicle. The Inner Door Ram Officer can be with the entry team and trail in at the end if needed.
    

4. The Hook Officer will grab the hooks and the Rope Officer will feed the hooks out of the basket so the rope will not snag. The Point Officer will cover the Hook Officer as he sets the hooks.
    

5. The Hook Officer will put one of the hooks down (as depicted in the video). He will use a baseball grip with both hands and plunge the hook into the upper right corner of the security door, penetrating the mesh and will do the same with the lower left corner
    

6. Once the hooks are set, officers will join the entry team (that have stayed safely away from the ejection of the security door) and if they need assistance, they can be used as trailers.
    

7. Point Officers will then lead the inner door ram officer and entry team to the breaching point.

Door Peel

1. This technique is different from the door pull only in the position of the hooks and the use of the pull vehicle [see photo and video]
    

2. The front of the pull vehicle will face the door at an angle
    

3. Both hooks will be plunged as close to the locking mechanism as possible, utilizing the same technique as the door pull.
    

4. The driver will have a good visual. Once the hooks are set and the officers are at a safe distance, he will back up the vehicle.
    

5. He will take the slack out of the rope in a controlled manner and pull the security door open.
    

6. Once the security door opens, he will keep the rope taut, which makes it easier for the Inner Door Ram Officer to breach the door.
    

Considerations

1. Choose the rope carefully. You don’t want to use rappelling rope as it stretches.
    

2. Cargo rope that the military uses is quite good. It Is light weight and no fortified security door is going to compromise the rope.
    

3. Have 100 feet available, but never come close to using that much.
    

4. You will tie off only what you need and the rest will remain in the basket. Remember to add a few extra feet for any unexpected obstacles.
    

5. Keep the hooks sharp, so they will penetrate the mesh easier. If one of the hooks pulls out, the second hook should do the job. Do not stop the pull. Keep the momentum
    

6. Make sure the pull vehicle does not pull until the driver gets the word to do so, or has a clear view of the officers and it is safe to breach the door.
    

7. Both techniques will breach the most fortified security door. This will send a message to the crook.

A Note From The Author

I did the best to keep these instructions simple. No one likes complicated instructions. I believe Manual Breaching needs to be mastered to make it safer. Too many officers have died from wounds after being shot during their attempt to breach a door or being too close to the breaching point. I worked with one such detective when I was an undercover officer. This article is a tribute to officers who have died or been injured attempting to serve a search or arrest warrant.

I’m sure you will have questions if you want to utilize this type of breaching to put in your bag of breaching techniques. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance.