CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™

Why Stand in Place?

Civil Defense against most Catastrophic Events can be accomplished with the concept I have created. You have way more people and resources at your home and in your neighborhood than if you leave it.

CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™

Since the beginning of recorded history, man has formed communities and neighborhoods as groups of family homes and common living areas. Think… caves. The cause of creation and origin of the city was not just as a central gathering place or for shared commerce, but just like a cave, as much for the protection of its inhabitants against other cave dwellers, villages, bandits, armies and marauding groups… like the concept of a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

Whether these groups of people formed along family blood lines, tribes, clans, religious doctrine, common language, race, ethnicity, geographical boundaries, political beliefs, customs or a combination of these reasons… groups of people formed communities for the common purpose of defending the intentions, possessions, rights and securing the survival of the inhabitants. This was an attempt for a safe ‘quiet enjoyment’ of life.

They understood that Strength Through Numbers is superior and preferable to the strength and capabilities of the individual. Within these communities, neighborhoods formed… and flourished.

The time proven advantage of a group being far superior to an individual defending themselves for whatever reason cannot be disputed. A case in point is the growing pestilence of modern day ‘Criminal gangs.’ Even though most of them operate in violation of the law, they are proliferating and through their common interests, whatever those may be, they are a classic example of Strength Through Numbers.

Criminal gangs have, in fact, become separate societies and subcultures within countries. Even though their pursuits are mostly unlawful, it’s been found almost impossible to eradicate them.

Most of them will not only survive A Collapse Of Society in the Author’s opinion… they will thrive and grow bigger. Why? …because most of them already know how to use deadly force… without blinking an eye. They have the Survival Mentality. When it comes to desperation for Critical Life Supplies and Services, they will take from others brutally. While all others are starving with their newly empty hands and their mouths agape… that is if they are not killed… the gangs will eat well and grow.

Legal liability protection for your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan^TM

Consult an attorney versed in liability law. Discuss setting up a legal liability entity like a Limited Liability Company through which Group Members can belong to limit lawful civil damage incurred on others, should there be any. This type of entity may also give you purchase discounts on many items for your NPP if you obtain the required State, County and or City Business License.

Cooperation… not collectivism or communalism

This book does not promote or advocate collectivism or communalism. Collectivism just hasn’t worked and will not work as a governing doctrine on any level, as evidenced throughout history from the Jamestown Colony… to Soviet Russia… and every other country that has adopted it as governance belief.

The problem is people need to feel a sense of accomplishment, have hope and people have ambition and independent thought… we are not machines. Collectivism destroys hope and the spirit of man. We do not like those in authority collecting the fruits of our labor… and dispersing them as they see fit, regardless of who has labored… and who has not. This is accompanied always by force. Collectivism fosters fear… and eventually terror.

This book does promote shared interest of a group for common defense, providing shelter and food to those in need to the extent possible… providing communications, maintaining hygiene and giving medical aid to those in need only during an emergency until the Crisis passes. It’s called cooperation folks!

This book does advocate cooperation and consideration for others… just like all good neighbors should do, always. Helping those in need and defending those too weak or unable to defend or care for themselves.

What I will outline in this book is the necessity and advantage of the cooperation of a group of people, over the individual efforts of the citizen, should a Crisis or A Collapse Of Society occur. With the cooperation of your neighbors and community you can greatly aid the efforts of local Law Enforcement to maintain order, save lives in your neighborhood and protect against fire. This means that you become part of the solution… not part of the problem. Not being part of the problem means being prepared. This includes having sufficient supplies of food and a potable renewable water source.

To say it again, I do not wish that the Reader obsesses with ‘Doom and Gloom’ because of current events or the prospect of disaster. Rather, that each person convert the energy from that mental state into focusing on and gathering food stocks, water and the other items necessary in being prepared for an emergency.

The main expense for those involved will be a stockpile of food, water storage, a water source and the means to protect your neighborhood. Included in your preparations are firearms and training in using them. You will learn to coordinate movements of armed Neighborhood Guardians in your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. But doing what seems a daunting task, a little at a time, works even for Grandmother.

There are far more resources in your neighborhood

I have been unable to absolutely verify this statement, since it was in the Sioux language and there were no recorded documents or those to vouch for it, other than other Sioux ears. However, I believe it is true, because the truth was the inherent nature of the American Indian.

Legend has it, that as the wrath of the American Cavalry came marching towards the Sioux to annihilate them for their resistance to the lies and broken promises made to them… this quote was spoken.

It goes that as Sitting Bull met with his remaining warriors, while General Custer approached with his Seventh Cavalry troops, he said… “All that is worth defending is here…”

For the majority of Americans all that is worth defending is where you live. The equipment, location, retreat and resources to leave a populated area for a remote, less populated area, is beyond the possibility of most individuals. There are far more resources in your neighborhood than you will have trying to re-establish yourself miles away who-knows-where, amongst people you may or may not know.

With little expense per neighbor, your effective protection will be greater because of your resources and the Strength Through Numbers that you and your neighbors will have where you Stand in Place. There is more safety for you in the Strength Through Numbers of your neighborhood cooperating for common protection than trying to ‘Go Remote’ or ‘Bug Out.’

A CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ (NPP) is the preparation by your household, in cooperation with your neighbors doing likewise, for protection and survival within your neighborhood through an agreed upon program directed by a council and leaders. Such a plan will drastically increase your chances of surviving a Crisis or A Collapse Of Society.

For most people, when trouble develops, they think… “I’ll just grab my shotgun and stand by the front of my house and I’ll blow anyone away who tries to hurt my family or loot my house!”

I would place bets on that outcome in the long-term. Or maybe you and a bunch of the neighbors can do the same… but over a period of time, you’ll find your ‘cooperative protection’ will all fall apart.

When you understand the number of people it takes, the organization and preparation involved with defending even a small neighborhood, you’ll understand why you need to read this book and why I recommend methods in this book of setting up your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

The preliminary assessment of your neighborhood for a NPP

Again, a sufficient and renewable water source is the crucial issue in determining the viability of your Primary and Secondary NPP Locations being sustainable NPPs.

Refer to Questions the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders must answer first before proceeding to use a neighborhood for a Primary NPP Location or choosing your Secondary NPP Locations.

You have to test your NPP renewable water source beforehand to fully understand what type and how much treatment of the water from this water source is necessary. Water contains chemicals, heavy metals such as arsenic and lead, contains calcium, magnesium and iron. Take a sample of your water to your municipal water treatment facility, the county agriculture office or have it tested online from the many companies that will do this for a reasonable charge

If you can’t dig a water bore hole or open well inside your NPP… you need a reliable source of water nearby outside your NPP. Without a water source close by you do not have a sustainable neighborhood for a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ and must look at another area.

You need a lake, reservoir, river, stream or other water source that you can depend on year ‘round. You must have a water bore hole or open well inside your NPP or a water source one mile or less from your NPP Location. Again… DO NOT base the sustainability of your NPP on rain water or snow being sufficient for potable water.

The Low Rise Residential Neighborhood provides the NPP unique advantages… mostly that you’re fighting on ‘your turf.’ You know it, Intruders most likely don’t. Further, urban areas are excellent for Economy of Force as defending in urban terrain typically requires fewer forces than on open ground. If common areas are to be Landscape Fortified, you’ll have to get your Home Owners Association involved with your plan. They, like much of the bureaucracy in the United States, will have members who are ‘Politically Correct’ also.

If your HOA thinks a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ will increase their liability and they object to protecting their neighborhood during a Crisis, as ridiculous as this sounds… bypass them and organize your street and neighbors. The HOA can’t stop you if you don’t violate the HOA Rules and Regulations during Normal Civility and they certainly won’t interfere when A Collapse Of Society occurs. To the contrary, they’ll suddenly have a keen interest in your ideas.

Your Protective Perimeter can be one house, a couple of houses, street by street or an entire subdivision. Read again the guidelines on what size to make your NPP. This is primarily determined by the number of Group Members your NPP will have for the area they have to defend. Take time to explain your Neighborhood Protective Plan to these Non-Participants. Most will simply let you form your plan with their house being involved even though they will not be participating.

There will be two types of neighbors in your neighborhood regarding the formation of your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™…

• NPP Participants.
• NPP Non-Participants.

There may be two types of houses in your neighborhood regarding the formation of your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™…

• Border houses.
• Interior houses.

Non-Participant houses may be a problem if their house is on the border which is where your defensive perimeter will be.

Non-Participants will act one of two ways…

• Impartial.
• Hostile.

Either way, you will have to work around these houses still making their house a part of your Protective Perimeter without intruding on their property or them. You may have to double your Guard Posts in this area for each side of Non-Participants’ homes.

Non-Participants will quickly want to join when there is A Collapse Of Society or when their security and safety becomes threatened. But until that time comes and since you’re forming your NPP during peaceful times, you will have to work around them.

But all this takes someone… a concerned neighbor and an American… to get the ball rolling!

One neighbor has to get the ball rolling… the Self Starter

I’ll go to this first, because without it… nothing will happen…

Someone in your neighborhood has to get the ball rolling.

Not because that someone wants to be the NPP Leader, but because they want their neighborhood to be safe, protected and secure. Put leadership aside for now and I’ll come back to it later at the appropriate step.

If you’re reading this book… you’re most likely this person.

If you are this person, regardless of your military or Law Enforcement experience, you must first evaluate your neighbors’ interest in forming a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

You have to ask yourself these preliminary questions first…

• What is your neighbors’ Attitude? Is there a cooperative attitude amongst your neighbors to form an emergency defense of your neighborhood? Don’t just guess at this or assume there isn’t. You will be surprised by talking with each of your neighbors how receptive people are to security and cooperation.

We have become an ‘Urban Garage-Door Society’ where, for the most part, people drive home and close their garage door behind them, seeking solitude and have little contact with their neighbors. Your neighbors will most likely ‘come out of their shell’ and will be interested when neighborhood defense is proposed to them.

Forming a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ may actually bring your neighbors closer together and form bonds between people who previously had little contact with each other. All people need and want a sense of security! The knowledge that they can have it in their own hands and that it is a Strength Through Numbers is reassuring to everyone. You need to build relationships with your neighbors… this is just being good neighbors any way you look at it. A CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ is just good sense even during Normal Civility for protection against burglars, home invasions and other crime and fire.

However, if you don’t have an interest from your neighbors, look for another area to go to in time of disaster. Look for a nearby neighborhood in which you know others who you can determine conclusively have an interest in this. Organize there and you may want to stock most of your food and provisions there.

• Are your neighbors trustworthy? Have the many of your neighbors had serious problems with the law? Do you have convicted felons or gang members as neighbors? What do you know about these people outside of rumor?

I’m not saying that people can’t change or that all felons are untrustworthy, but if you have people you feel that you can’t trust or neighbors such as gang members… a cooperative effort won’t work. In this case… you need to look to another neighborhood!

You will eventually be disclosing some information on what you have for survival equipment and supplies to your NPP Leaders. Beware if your neighborhood is comprised of questionable people. You should also check your local Registry of Sexual Predators. You obviously don’t want a pedophile watching the neighborhood children.

Determining your neighbors’ cooperation

You won’t be able to have any type of calm, rational discussion with your neighbors after a Crisis occurs, it will be too difficult. An NPP cannot be organized in the midst of the chaos of a Crisis. The preparation and training must be done beforehand. Let’s assume that like most neighborhoods in America that your neighbors are interested and law abiding citizens. Let’s assume you’re the Self Starter…

These are the steps you will follow to form your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ that I will explain in detail in this Chapter…

• 1. Get Started. One or two Self Starters need to get the ball rolling.
• 2. Get help! Get four or five neighbors together, explain what you’re doing and get them to help you. This is important! You must have help… and more help. This small group now comprises the ‘Moderators.’
• 3. Moderators survey your neighbors. Divide up the neighborhood. Survey all the neighbors with the NPP Survey Questionnaire and Address Checklist.
• 4. Moderators hold your First Meeting. Have the First Meeting of neighbors to explain the purpose of the CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ and select candidates for leaders.
• 5. Moderators verify. Verify candidates for leaders’ experience.
• 6. Hold your Second Meeting to elect leaders. Elect the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders at your Second Meeting.
• 7. Leaders and Group Members approach. Leaders should approach your police department and attempt to work alongside your current Neighborhood Watch Program if there is one. Proceed with or without police department cooperation or approval.
• 8. Leaders classify. Classify the Group Members and select Section and Junior leaders.
• 9. Leaders Determine. Determine the size of the NPP and where Protective Perimeters, Guard Posts, the Entry/Exit Control Point, Kill Zones, Secondary Fighting Positions, etc. will be.
• 10. Leaders and Group Members inventory. Ask each Group Member to give an honest list of what they have for personal supplies and equipment. You’ll notice this is not on the Group Member Information form. Revealing what you have for food, equipment and supplies is a sensitive issue with most people, especially firearms. Find out what each Group member will let the NPP use for cooperative group equipment and supplies. Inform Group Members what each must have and get an assurance from each that they will start accumulating the required items. Compile a list of items on hand for NPP cooperative equipment and supplies.
• 11. Leaders assign. Assign duties to each Group Member.
• 12. Leaders and Group Members write it down. Leaders need to make a written plan for the NPP. Get help from Group Members with this.
• 13. Leaders and Group Members purchase necessary items and start storing. Equipment and supplies need to be purchased for the NPP cooperative equipment and supplies and each Group Member needs to start storing food, water and ammunition.
• 14. Leaders and Group Members train. Put your written plan to the test by training exercises. Firearms safety and basic marksmanship must be started first.
• 15. Leaders and Group Members keep in contact and be ready. Have a function monthly so all Group Members can keep in contact with each other. Keep your NPP alive!

The Self Starter must first talk to a few of his neighbors to discuss a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. Get these neighbors to help you. Chose a place and plan for the First Meeting of your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. Have the date and time of the First Meeting planned before you talk to neighbors. Ask neighbors one simple question which will quickly reveal their position in cooperating with you to form a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

Most of the above will be done by leaders and Group Members after the election of your leaders. Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders must have assistance from Group Members in completing the organizational tasks or it will be too overwhelming for the leaders. Remember that everyone has their normal life to live in addition to organizing your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ and training. Leaders must learn to delegate and assign tasks.

Smile, say no more and wait for their respond to this question…

If they answer “No”, check the box next to their name and address, thank them and walk right over to the next neighbor’s door. If they object to the term “by whatever means necessary” … you most likely don’t want them initially as a Group Member.

Do not engage them further, criticize them or argue with them. Some people who initially oppose this activity or say no will become interested and join later. Some people just have to think it over. When a Catastrophic Event occurs, they will no longer give two shites about the term “by whatever means necessary” but will be banging on your door.

For the majority who will answer “Yes,” check the box next to their name and address. Tell them about your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ meeting and invite them to come to it. Keep it ‘short and sweet’ and tell them their questions will be answered at this meeting.

Write down names and addresses of your neighbors prior to talking with them on the NPP Survey Questionnaire and Address Checklist which is at the back of this book. Make copies of it for all persons helping you.

Your First Meeting

You, the Self Starter and the neighbors who assisted you with the survey… you will be called Moderators.

Make the following meeting sign with a black marker on tag board or cardboard and place it high enough for all to see. Legible. Tailor your statements to the audience you are addressing whether it be a Low Rise Residential Neighborhood or a High Rise Residential Building.

You will conduct or moderate the meetings. Moderators must be businesslike and not ‘Political’ or act like ‘Banana Republic Dictators.’ Moderators must take turns talking to give a sense of cooperation in organizing the neighborhood to the audience.

It is critical that you get the group organized first, without discussion of methods by which you will protect the neighborhood. Think of it like talk of organizing a neighborhood barbecue… without the beer, wine and whiskey. Ah, well… that sounds pretty sick… a poor example. What I’m trying to say is… just keep the talk of firearms out of it… that will scare off people and leads to arguments and who can piss further.

The Moderators must point at this sign if the discussion starts to get ‘off track’ to bring the discussion back to the sole purpose of the meeting.

Moderators have to be people that can keep order at the meetings, have the drive and persistence to continue to work on and believe in the concept of a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. Do not get angry or spiteful with neighbors who mock your plan or are negative.

Moderators must keep order, but must also allow a free flow of communication. If your NPP organizing effort is to be effective, it must get past this First Meeting… the most difficult stage… the rest will be easy as long as you keep the momentum going.

The Moderators must explain to all neighbors at the First Meeting that the procedure will be…

• Handout and ask. The Moderators should follow the guidelines of this book and hand out copies to each person of Our CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ Statement of Purpose and the NPP Group Member Information Forms in the back of this book. Ask for a show of hands of who wants to protect their neighborhood. The majority are going to indicate “Yes.”

Work with your neighbors who are enthused about this… and you and those enthused neighbors must work with the neighbors who are not as enthused but do want to participate. Have participants write down their questions on the back of the CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ Statement of Purpose page. Explain that each of them will receive a visit from one of the Moderators to answer those questions.

Ask each participant to fill out the NPP Group Member Information Form and tell them that each will receive a visit from a Moderator who will collect these forms.

• To find leaders. Find candidates for leaders who can verify their past Law Enforcement or military experience or other suitable leadership experience. You must investigate these potential leaders, with their written permission, for police records. Information on candidates for leaders will be gathered by the Moderators before the Second Meeting. Trust, but verify!
• To Elect. Elect those leaders at the Second Meeting.
• To Review. Those elected leaders and Group Members will review the neighborhood or building as feasible for a NPP. Explain that a renewable water source is the first concern for a sustainable NPP. If a renewable water source is not available nearby or a water bore hole or open well cannot be dug, discussion can still proceed to creating a NPP, realizing that the NPP location will not be able to be sustained on that basis.

It must be explained that there will be an evaluation of a Protective Perimeter that allows the neighborhood or building to control who can come into the area, making the neighborhood or building safe and secure and protecting from fire in time of emergency… in essence, making the neighborhood or building ‘The Fort’ in times of riots, disaster or civil unrest.

• To assure. Moderators must assure all participants that the CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ (NPP) will be lawful and all members are required to act within the law. After you have consulted an attorney versed in liability law and have decided whether you will form under a Limited Liability entity, inform them of this.
• Inform all participants that the families and relatives of any Law Enforcement officer, public safety officer, fireman, doctor, nurse and emergency worker or hospital personnel will be protected by the NPP Group Members and will be safe during an emergency, freeing those emergency services people to do their job without concern.

There will be those at your First Meeting who attempt to scare everyone by saying “We’re all going to get sued!”… “This is illegal!” or attempt to be a coy ‘Devil’s Advocate’ or ‘Fear Monger.’

Simply state to them… “If you are so against organizing to protect everyone in the neighborhood from criminals and fire… you’re free to leave the meeting so the others of us can carry on with our task.” Tell them that everyone is here is working towards the goal of organizing protection for the neighborhood and tell them politely to leave if they continue to interfere with your meeting.

Between the first and second meetings of neighbors, the Moderators have to visit each participating neighbor (Group Member) and answer any questions they may have. The Moderators also need to get a completed NPP Group Member Information Form for each Group Member when they visit them.

Moderators will have to…

Brief individual neighbors. Those who indicated an interest but didn’t or couldn’t attend the First Meeting have to be briefed. You will not ever be able to get all members to attend a meeting so plan on having to brief some members individually at their homes.

Also, understand that you will lose enthusiasm from some members and some may decide not to participate. This is the normal natural behavior of people and group activity.

Gather Group Member Information for leadership candidates. Prior to the Second Meeting, the Moderators should go through all the NPP Group Member Information Forms and draw up a list of candidates for leaders. Go to each of these candidates to verify the below information. Ask them if they want to be leaders and get a commitment from each that when they assume the task that they will carry out their responsibilities to the best of their ability.

Skip forward and read the Chapter titled “Leadership, psychopaths… There must be a Leader”

Your Second Meeting

Elect your Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders. The Primary NPP Leader, working with the Secondary NPP Leader will choose all other positions of leadership and evaluate and assign duties and positions to all other Group Members.

At this point Mr., Mrs. Or Miss Self Starter, and you Moderators… you have done your primary job and you are to be congratulated. You can assist the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders in organizing your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

Help, but don’t interfere with your Leader’s duties or decisions. The sooner you start preparing… the sooner you’ll be ready.

A Crisis on hand will be in itself overwhelming without trying to accomplish who will lead and what you will do. You probably will not even have the time to complete the basics of your NPP before there is trouble. History is chock-full of examples of societies and groups failing to succeed in self-preservation because of procrastination and lack of preparedness.

Try to work with your current Neighborhood Watch

In metropolitan areas that host these… your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ should work hand-in hand with your Neighborhood Watch Program, if you have one.

Neighborhood Watch Programs were conceived by and cooperate closely with Law Enforcement. A neighbor is usually appointed Neighborhood Watch Captain. This person liaisons directly with your police department and informs each neighbor of the program and procedures.

The fact is confirmed that police departments are unable to completely protect their citizens during Normal Civility as evidenced by the creation of the Neighborhood Watch Program. Police departments need the citizen’s assistance or this program wouldn’t exist. However, Neighborhood Watch Programs do not have any ‘teeth’ and rely on neighbors reporting to the police and having them respond to put the word ‘enforcement’ in the term Law Enforcement, when a criminal act is being observed.

The CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ is simply an extension of the Neighborhood Watch Program only when there are area disasters or civil unrest.

Neighborhood Watch Programs have an established chain of command and a liaison police officer within the department. Neighborhood Watch Programs work well when your police department can respond in reasonable time during Normal Civility.

During disaster and civil unrest, when police cannot respond in a reasonable time or respond at all, you need a different program. One that you control directly and that is specific to your area.

The Neighborhood Watch Captain may have no Law Enforcement or military experience but is just an enthusiastic volunteer. In that case my hat is off to him or her for their dedication in attempting to make your neighborhood safe during Normal Civility.

That being said, you need someone who can institute the recommendations of this book. Someone with a military or Law Enforcement background… or a person who is extremely level headed, is capable of understanding what this book recommends and is able to oversee the establishment of it.

It is critical that the leader of your NPP be verified for experience as stated in this book. If the current Neighborhood Watch Captain is not qualified or does not want to lead the NPP, try to get he or she to work in conjunction with the CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ qualified leaders that have been chosen by their neighbors.

The fact that thousands of Neighborhood Watch Programs have been successfully organized proves that organizing a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ is feasible. Neighborhood Watch Programs are a valuable tool in deterring crime. These programs send a message to criminals that intrusion into your neighborhood will be reported by neighbors and police will be alerted.

During civil unrest, one person’s home can be easily attacked and could end in the beating or death of the homeowners and the looting of their home. Success by lawless elements at one home is contagious and will quickly focus their attention to your home and others in the neighborhood.

If a neighborhood has several families visibly organized to collectively resist criminals, the strategic and tactical advantage for these lawless elements becomes enormously more complicated. Most times criminals take one look at members of a neighborhood in their ability to confront them or use force against them and go elsewhere. This alone will not be a deterrent when there is a Prolonged Crisis or A Collapse Of Society, though.

‘Political Correctness’ in your police department and forming your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ without them

There are vast differences between ‘Officers on the Street’ and the ones running Law Enforcement agencies in an administrative capacity. I served on one of the largest Metropolitan Police Departments Review Board and know firsthand that these differences are profound.

The longer officers are away from the daily operations and the ‘hands on’ experience of working the streets and dealing with the issues they deal with in cities, the more most of them become ‘management types’ and become insulated from the reality of what’s happening in their city.

Many of these same Law Enforcement agency bureaucrats also become, for the most part, ‘Politically Correct.’ This makes them very biased towards any citizen group organizing to use threat, force or violence to protect themselves, regardless of these management types knowing the fact that their own police department cannot protect its citizens.

They flat-out do not like any competition to what they view as their sole domain and authority to dispense violence to protect the citizen… even when their own police department is unable to protect the citizenry. Citizens organizing citizen protection in the area of responsibility of a Law Enforcement agency is an admission viewed by some departments that they have failed at their job. An insult.

They will mention the ‘liability’ of the city or its police department endorsing your NPP. But it’s more so that many of them have a concealed macho attitude of… “We don’t need you… we’re the police… we protect the citizens!” …even though it’s blatantly obvious that they can’t. These types consider your protection, their domain only and the liability issue is used as an excuse.

‘Political Correctness’ is really ‘Tyranny by Politeness.’ However, once you confront a outwardly pleasant and courteous Politically Correct person, you will find they are the furthest from polite, respectful or courteous that a person can be. They are Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde personalities… or in layman terms they’re two faced… like most politicians.

This Political Correctness can filter down even to sergeant ranks in patrol commands. Your Neighborhood Watch police department liaison may even be Politically Correct… so could your Neighborhood Watch Captain.

Crime is very high in metropolitan areas during even Normal Civility and Law Enforcement is unable to be where needed when needed to protect the citizenry. The street police officer will tell you that point blank and I know this from my experiences riding with them. This is not necessarily a failure of Law Enforcement… it’s more of a failure of society.

A further fact is that many of these Law Enforcement ‘management people’ are against Gun Rights for the law abiding citizen simply intent on protecting themselves and their families.

They may say that they respect lawful ownership of firearms and simply want them out of criminal’s hands, but make no mistake, they would just as soon have no firearms ownership or possession by anyone, save the ownership, possession and control of their officer’s weapons entirely by their police department.

If this political Law Enforcement person had their way, they’d leave Joe Schmoe trying to protect his wife, the kids and his home in his birthday suit. Joe wouldn’t even have a baseball bat… he’d just be standing there in the nick. This type of Law Enforcement guy could care less about you as he has his weapons… both non-lethal and lethal.

If you ask the patrolman in the street, most will ‘off the record’ inform you that he respects law abiding citizens for defending themselves… even with a firearm. The ‘officer on the street’ knows that they can’t be everywhere a threat occurs and especially at the immediate time of the threat. They know that it is up to the citizen to protect themselves until Law Enforcement can get there to deal with the problem.

So… don’t expect your police department’s cooperation… rather, expect their objection to your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. If the police department liaison to your Neighborhood Watch Program or your Neighborhood Watch Captain disagrees with your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™, it is most likely the influence of ‘Political Correctness’ from them or people above them in the department.

If there is no Neighborhood Watch in your area or if your police department will not cooperate, bypass them and set up your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. DO NOT let your police department of city officials talk you out of setting up your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

As long as you own firearms legally, handle weapons responsibly and within the law and do not ‘Obstruct a Public Right of Way’ or cause a disturbance during Normal Civility when practicing your NPP training exercises, you are acting within your rights. Authorities can do absolutely nothing to stop you… they are legally liable to have to respect your rights.

When a Crisis begins, you will find that they will want you to control your area responsibly, regardless of their attitude towards your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™.

Protecting the families of Law Enforcement, emergency services and public safety members

Some larger cities have centralized ‘safe zones’ for Law Enforcement, emergency services and public safety members’ families where families of public safety personnel are gathered and protected. But you may still want to advise your County Sheriff, your Chief of Police, Mayor and City Manager, County Commissioners and others of your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ and its offer of safe haven for the families of public safety members.

Think of all these people who would be able to carry on their jobs without worrying about their families: Law Enforcement, emergency services, doctors and nurses’ families, National Guard member families, firemen and public safety members’ families.

What would be the most help to Public Safety members is to move their families into your Watch Center building, or a nearby building or intersperse them amongst members houses. This will reassure every Law Enforcement officer, public safety officer, fireman, doctor, nurse and emergency worker and all hospital personnel that they can do their job for the community knowing that their families are safe, fed and protected against what they are dealing with in the community.

But first you must do an evaluation of your neighborhood for critical resources…

Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders evaluation of the Primary CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ Location

Your Primary NPP Location will be the neighborhood that you live in or the one which you organize. However, just because this is your neighborhood, doesn’t make it suitable without asking yourself some questions first. There are some Critical Life Supplies and Services and other issues that you have to evaluate before you determine if your neighborhood will be your Primary CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ Location.

You must plan your NPP for a Prolonged Crisis or go the full nine yards and plan it for A Collapse Of Society. The most important of the two items of Critical Life Supplies and Services are food and water. Water is difficult and complicated to transport and store. Your NPP requires a renewable water source nearby or a water bore hole or open well to be dug. You cannot rely on community wells with pumps unless you have a manual pump, municipal water supplies, rain water or snow for your supply.

Questions the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders must answer first before proceeding to use your neighborhood for your Primary NPP Location

Is there a water source?

You have to evaluate this first. Read the information in the Chapter on “Water” first to help you evaluate this issue. Water sounds like an inconsequential item. It seems so until you don’t have it… or have to transport it… and have to make it fit, or potable, for consumption or hygiene use.

Without a water bore hole, or open well, inside your NNP or a water source close by, you do not have a sustainable neighborhood for a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ and must look at another area. This is especially true of metropolitan areas. You need a lake, reservoir, river, stream or other water source that you can depend on year ‘round.

DO NOT base the sustainability of your NPP on rain water or snow being a sufficient water source. You cannot depend on rain water or snow to provide you with a sufficient amount of water in any area. Rainfall can be infrequent and it takes an incredible amount of snow to make a gallon of water. Water is difficult and complicated to transport long distances and store. Any water source too far away will be impractical.

The following exercise is just one of the many issues you will have to calculate and give thought to so your entire CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ is practical, feasible, sustainable and practical.

The above exercise is just one of the many issues you will have to calculate and give thought to so your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ is practical, feasible and sustainable.

Continuing: Questions the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders must answer first before proceeding to use your neighborhood for your Primary NPP Location…

• Heating and cooking. This is not such a huge issue with Low Rise Residential Areas, but it is with a High Rise Residential Building. Most Low Rise Residential Area NPPs in winter weather areas have wood as a fuel source in areas surrounding the NPP and most homes in these areas have basements.

People can survive most subzero weather with sleeping bags and blankets in basements and cooking can be done outside… but still within the NPP Protective Perimeter… not so in High Rise Residential Buildings.

• Are your neighbors able to defend? You must evaluate this. Are the majority of your neighbors Dependent Persons who need medicines and medical supplies to sustain their life or are invalid? The fitness level of your neighbors must be sufficient enough to fight with firearms and to train by the tactics in this book and fulfill the duties outlined here.

Each armed person who is involved as a Group Member must be able to walk the area of your neighborhood and man a Guard Post. I outline the requirements of Guard Posts in the Chapter titled “The core of your security-Guard duty.”

• Do your neighbors have weapons? You have to ask each this question. Is there at least one pistol, one rifle or one shotgun per household, preferably per person? If they don’t have, can’t afford, or won’t have firearms, you again must look for another neighborhood.
• Do neighbors have the financial capability? You have to ask them. Are they able to buy and store food, water, and the limited medical supplies and ammunition for each individual weapon and share in a small neighborhood cooperative protection fund for the communications and specialized equipment needed?
• Your home is your home… but? Is your neighborhood defensible? You have to estimate this by the guidelines in this book. You have to evaluate what kind of existing Protective Perimeter you have versus how much natural cover and concealment and how much effort will have to be made in constructing defenses to make it defensible.

Is your house bullet resistant or is it like a cardboard box? What are the houses constructed of… stucco, brick, wood…. What type of roof… can your roof or house be easily set on fire? Do you have block walls or fences around your home or no walls at all?

Are there great distances between a small numbers of homes? Is there a multi-story building or anything of height next to your neighborhood from which Intruders can shoot down into your neighborhood or observe your NPP strengths and weaknesses?

Are there underground sewers, utility and water drainage corridors which Intruders can use to get into your NPP unseen from the outside? Are there too many to block off or monitor?

• Excess supplies and equipment. Do you have a location within or close by outside your NPP where you can hide or bury your excess supplies and equipment beforehand to retrieve at a later date if you have to make an Emergency NPP Relocation.
• How close are the following? Prisons and correctional facilities, mental institutions for the criminally insane, wayward youth facilities (they will be some of the nastiest people you will deal with during a Crisis), major roads, thoroughfares and Interstate Highways, gang members (See the Chapter “Culper on Intelligence and awareness of your area”), ghetto areas of a city (See the Chapter “Bracken on Civil War in America and the CW2 Cube”).

These issues should not preclude the formation of an NPP because they exist, however, my ability to get answers from correctional facilities alone in what they would do in a Grid Down situation has been fruitless. I have to use my imagination. Will the warden form his own gang, will the correctional people just walk away and leave the inmates to starve, will all or the worst prisoners be executed, or will they just open the doors and let them out? Regardless, you must be aware of the proximity of these.

You’ve had your meetings, elected your Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders and your leaders have evaluated the neighborhood as an effective Primary CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ Location… or it is not.

Let’s assume you’re intent on forming a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ where you are and proceed.

Assessing and Classifying your Group Members

The Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders must review each Group Member’s completed NPP Group Member Information Form. You can make more copies of the form from the back of this book if necessary or get them off our website… CivilDefenseManual.com

To know how many ready, willing and able Group Members you have, the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders need to classify the Group Members of the neighborhood by their personal estimate and from the information which will be on each Group Member’s NPP Group Member Information Form…

• Leadership skills. This has been done for the first two positions by your election as Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders. The others are the Watch Center Third Leader, Communication/Intelligence Fourth Leader, Supply Fifth Leader, Medical Sixth Leader and Junior Leaders which will be chosen by the Primary and Secondary NPP Leaders.
• Firearms proficiency. You won’t know firearms proficiency accurately at this point but you can get an idea from talking to people. Most won’t brag about something they know they will have to prove at the firing range if the Moderators advise them of this beforehand. However, I recommend that you take people individually or in pairs to the range to see what each knows. As the former Range Master of a public shooting range, I have had extensive experience with this. Keep the number small for safety. Question them about safety first before allowing them to handle their firearm and then observe their firing proficiency. I recommend safety training for everyone… repeatedly.
• Specialized Training. What military, Law Enforcement, firearms, medical, radio communications, electronics or electrical training, firefighting and fire prevention, food storage and preparations, construction experience, nutrition and cooking expertise, gardening-fishing-hunting knowledge, vehicle repair knowledge or training, chemistry education or training does each Group Member have?
• Physical capabilities. This can almost be determined by sight but you must inquire of each person when they have physical problems of any kind and how severe they are.
• Mental capabilities and attitude. This is obvious with most people and will become more apparent as you interact and train. As the Bible says… “The meek will inherit the earth.” However, that maybe in the afterlife and you don’t want them taking you there prematurely. You also do not want ‘Rambo types’ manning guard positions as both this type of person and the ‘meek and faint of heart’ will cause problems for your NPP.
• Medical needs. You need to know who has life threatening issues when medical services or medicines are not available.
• Age. For people too old or younger than 14 years of age. I have seen battle hardened children of 9 and 10 in Third World countries… however I detest the use of children in conflict. You may want to set a higher age limit than what is recommend here. When A Collapse Of Society occurs and is protracted, you will eventually be using children based on their physical and mental capabilities regardless of age.

Remember that in building your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ you are creating a ‘mini-community’ not too different from the city or town you live in.

You will have a grocery and supply store, police department, water department, farmers, fire department, hospital and medical personnel, administrators just like a City Mayor, City Aldermen Board and or County Commissioners, Chief of Police and or Sheriff and policemen/deputies, sanitary service, news and information station, communications network and all other departments that a community would have. These you have to create, staff and run.

Add to this, however, a most important department that every military has… that of Intelligence. Intelligence gathering is critical to determine what is going on around you and what will affect your community. See the Chapter “Culper on Intelligence and awareness of your area.”

Your NPP must be able to ‘stand-alone’ and be self-contained just as if you were a complete city… because that’s what you need to strive to be… your own community… not reliant on anyone or thing outside your community.

Know the capabilities of each Group Member

Evaluate all members of your group. Get to know each other as this is simply good neighborly relations as well as critical to the group’s function. Get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each member.

For example, not all people feel comfortable with firearms, weapons or the intent to use them against another human being even in defense of themselves, family or the group. You must be able to select those with the ‘Survival Mindset’ for primary security purposes.

That Survival Mindset is in most males and some females whether or not they have military or Law Enforcement experience. These people should be the Alpha and Bravo Group Members that comprise your armed defense. That being said, it is strongly recommended that all members of the group, even the younger members, know the basic concepts of firearms safety, how to use and maintain weapons and reload magazines.

An 82 year old female or male member of your group who is not healthy enough for security can watch children, cook, be your communications coordinator and do other things that will free more physically able individuals for other more strenuous or demanding duties.

Find out which Group Members have special training

Find out from your members whether they have expertise in the following areas. Don’t use computers solely for NPP data storage… use paper and pen or pencil. As the result of some Catastrophic Events your computer will be useless and you will not be able to retrieve the information. Keep paper hard copy files of your NPP printed from your computer or compiled by hand.

Have each Group Member check the following areas if they have expertise in them…

• Military training
• Law Enforcement training
• Firearms training
• Medical training
• Radio communications, electronics or electrical training
• Fire Fighting and Prevention
• Food storage and preparations training
• Construction experience
• Nutrition and cooking expertise
• Food preservation knowledge
• Gardening-fishing-hunting knowledge
• Vehicle repair knowledge
• Chemistry training or education

Ask each member to each complete the NPP Group Member Information Form. You can make copies of the form at the back of this book.

Do you have enough Neighborhood Guardians?

The final issue in evaluation of your neighborhood for an NPP. You now must evaluate your NPP by having enough Group Members as Neighborhood Guardians to provide adequate security. See the Chapter “The Core of your security-Guard duty.”

If you are a ‘go’ on your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™, you must immediately start equipping and staffing your NPP Sections.

Start assembling your ‘section areas.’ Your Communications/Intelligence Section and the Medical Section will take the longest to get prepared. Medical must be first, because your NPP will most likely not have any of the supplies and equipment necessary for your Medical Section and that will take the longest, and will be the most complex to setup. It will take months to put a comprehensive equipment and supply for medical together. This is something that should be one of the first issues of your NPP. It is best to buy this equipment and these supplies.

Differences between people, tolerance and acceptance

The world is too small for bigotry and prejudices. A former Special Operations Soldier probably said it best… “As we fought for the ideals of freedom and for those on the left and right of us, we judged each other only by the most important of characteristics… nerve, courage and the willingness to stand in harm’s way for others… those abstract values that transcend the color of skin or the shape of eyes. During this respite from human pettiness, whatever our race, creed or ethnicity, at that time we were one.”

As another unknown soldier said… “Everyone’s equal in a fighting hole!”

During a time of Crisis, you will need the help of everyone in your neighborhood. If they have the experience and training, you must accept taking orders from them… whatever the color of their skin, their gender, their sexual persuasion, their religion, their customs, or the shape of their eyes.

The surviving people in the world… God forbid it comes to that… don’t need to begin rebuilding on the prejudiced, redneck, collectivist, religious fanaticism and dinosaur mentality of the past, even though our civilization may have taken a giant leap backwards in the interim.

How to deal with Non-Participants

Every neighborhood will have people who do not want to participate in formulating a CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™. These are people who believe that all will be well and that they can rely on the government to take care of everything. These are people that, for whatever reason… be it naivety or a complacent attitude… believe that the CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan™ or any other cooperative protection or security plan is not necessary and is over reaction to perceived threat.

Don’t argue with them about the failure of the government to come to citizen’s aid in situations like Hurricane Katrina or the numerous other failures of timely assistance from Federal and State Government emergency services during times of Crisis. Tolerate those people’s opinions. Do not ostracize or anger them with your persistence that they must be part of the group. This is America and everyone has their right to their opinion. When a Catastrophic Event does occur and leads to a Prolonged Crisis, these people will quickly change their minds and want to become involved with the NPP.

Work around them until you can welcome them into the group. In a time of Crisis, you can’t force these people to be part of your group, but conversely, they cannot compromise your Area Tactical Proactive Defense. Each situation is different and you must adapt your planning to these people. You must have your plan designed around these people not being part of your group, but also have your plan designed to later include these people as part of your group.

You’re getting to the start of your CDM Neighborhood Protection Plan^TM…

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