Location: 54 College Dr, Marion, NC 28752

Fee:  There is no fee for this course.

Length: August 12-16, 2024 5 days (40hrs)

Designed For: NC Corrections officers and sworn law enforcement – federal, state, or local.

Lodging, Meals, and Incidentals: Responsibility of the student or sponsoring agency.

Instructor: Mike Hull (Mike Hull’s Tracking School)

Description:

The objective of Tactical Tracking Level I is to introduce officers to the value and application of visual tracking skills in daily operations.  The value of foot impression evidence and the ability to effectively track down subjects in a rural environment who are a threat to the officers or the public in an efficient and safe method.

We accomplish this by giving the officers two days of individual tracking skills that may be applied to daily investigations and three days of tracking as a Tactical Team,

Officers will acquire confidence in their observation skills and tactics to improve their overall performance to process tracks and sign efficiently during investigations and searches for subjects and evidence.

• The class will consist of 90% fieldwork, dress for the weather.
• After Day One all meals will be in the field, the officers’ responsibility.

NOTE: THIS IS A PHYSICALLY DEMANDING CLASS AND REQUIRES THE STUDENT TO BE PREPARED FOR STRENUOUS FIELD WORK IN VARYING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Equipment and Expectations

The Level I Tactical tracking course is designed to give the student two days of individualized tracking skills then three days on how to track as a team for armed and dangerous persons.

Each day builds upon the following days’ learning. A crawl, walk, run process.

Students should dress according to the weather and be prepared to go through high grass, briars, open fields, ticks, chiggers, snakes and thickets. Class will continue in the rain.

Day three through five dress is Camouflage or earth tone colors.

All students should watch Camouflage and Concealment video on YouTube by David Scott Donelan prior to class

Day three through five you will carry your long gun.  You will need 50 rounds of ammunition for a live fire exercise on Thursday morning. (Shotguns 25 rounds is sufficient)

Day 1 you will get a I hour lunch break.

Day two through five – snacks- your lunch will be in the field, whatever you bring.

Equipment suggestions

Pack or way to carry your equipment with you.  You may not be able to access your vehicle once training begins each day.

A Water container – bladders, canteens etc.  You will need to hydrate often.

Insect repellent – ticks, chiggers, and mosquitos

Sunscreen

Raingear

Hiking boots or shoes

Hat boonie-stye recommended.

Some of the take aways from this class

*Ability to properly articulate tracking and foot impression evidence in a court of law
*Determine number of persons involved
*May disprove an incident even happened all together
*Determine or eliminate suspects at the scene by Finding, Documenting and Interpreting Footprint Evidence
*Find and/or Eliminate Directions of Travel
*Extend Crime Scenes
*Find Evidence away from the scene
*Perimeter security
*Intelligence gathering/reconnaissance
*Search and Rescue
*Effective in Recovering armed and dangerous fugitives in rural areas
*Tracking compliments and enhances a canine handler’s mission.

*The lack of tracks is evidence in itself

*Tactical acuity has been proven more effective in finding trip wires and IED’s than all the current technology in use.

*Anti-tracking techniques may be used for: counter tracking, hiding remote intelligence gathering equipment, recon operations, sniper hides and surveillance sites,

*A basic knowledge of tracking and foot impression evidence aids in; prompting confessions, provides physical evidence for convictions and enhances Officer Safety.

*We can all be taught the value of tracks, tracking and basic tracking skills to some degree; to become a “Tracker” takes time and commitment the same as any other specialized skill.

MANTA training is provided free of charge to Law Enforcement Officers through a Governor’s Crime Commission Grant and the NC National Guard Counterdrug Program.

For more information or to receive help in registering for a class, contact us at:
manta@nccounterdrug.com
984-664-6045/ 704-400-9960