Threat Assessment

Situational Awareness
By: Paul “Pablo” A. Martinez, National
LULAC Treasurer
• Law Enforcement-Corrections Advisor
• Retired Corrections Administrator III-
NMCD
• Former Inspector General/Special
Investigator 3rd NM Judicial District
Attorney’s Office and Dona Ana County
Sheriff’s Department
Overview

Over the past couple of years, there has been a significant increase in hate crimes and violence
against people of color throughout the country. In many case, victims have been assaulted for
speaking Spanish, targeted on ethnicity and for merely being at the wrong place at the wrong
time. These cases of violent assaults (some cases resulting in death) are proliferating with the
political climate that unfortunately has been promulgated and propagated by the Trump
Administration through their xenophobic and hateful rhetoric that has diminished race relations.
This magniloquence on race relations and immigration policy has fomented and emboldened
both individuals and groups to become most brazen, overt and confrontational. White Supremist
groups that have been classified as disruptive or security threat groups have surfaced and are
considered by DHS and FBI as serious domestic terrorist groups. For these reasons, our
leadership must become cognizant of the potential threat and risks to our personal safety.
LULAC has been visible in recent several civil rights and social justice cases, which have received
national and global attention. With this visibility, there are also risks that can draw attention to
the individual leaders’ that are engaged and spotlighted in the publicity, good, bad or indifferent.
 Threat Assessment and Situational Awareness for LULAC Leaders – October 2020
(Paul Martinez, National Treasurer and Retired Law Enforcement)
CONDENSED VERSION

I. References:
A. Power Point Presentation (pdf) Attached
B. FBI Director Christopher Wray Testimony to Congress on Domestic Terrorism
https://www.statesman.com/news/20201009/fact-check-did-fbi-director-warn-about-white-supremacist-violence (“A huge chunk of those domestic terrorism investigations
involve racially-motivated, violent extremist-motivated terrorist attacks,” Wray said. “And the majority of those, of the racially-motivated, violent extremist attacks, are fueled by
some kind of white supremacy. And I would say that the most lethal activity over the last few years has been committed by those type of attackers.”)

II. The Threat to LULAC Leaders

A. Leaders (e.g. Domingo, Sindy, Board Members, State/District Directors, Council Presidents) in public spaces can be a target of domestic terror groups/lone wolves,
especially when speaking in public, media, and/or visibly taking on Latino issues. This can be when Leaders are engaged in real-time or sometime after the engagement.
B. Reflecting on the recent events in Michigan where a plot was foiled involving the kidnapping and planned murder of Governor Gretchen Whitmer
https://www.mlive.com/crime/2020/10/what-we-know-about-the-militia-members-charged-in-kidnapping-plot-against-michigan-governor.html, Leaders of Civil Rights Groups
such as LULAC could very well becomes targets for domestic terrorist groups fueled by anti-immigrant, anti-Latino, anti-racial group, and White Supremacy beliefs. The
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has identified 940 Hate groups across the U.S.
https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map. In Texas, there are 63 Hate groups according to the SPLC.
C. Limited Intelligence on these groups’ threats have been provided to Law Enforcement via confidential informants. The current environment leading up to and beyond the
November 3, 2020 election is a dangerous time of opportunities for violence against Government and Civil Rights Organization Leaders.

III. Situational Awareness Planning and Execution

A. LULAC Leaders need to include Risk Management (e.g. what are the risks associated with an activity), as part of overall planning. To accurately assess risk, being aware of
the environment (rain/hot weather/arrangement of event), the general public sentiment and/or push back on an issue, the opportunity for violence to erupt, and other matters that
pose risk to the successful outcome of the event. To effectively manage the risk, address In Advance those efforts that will mitigate or eliminate the risks identified
(umbrella/shade/entrance and exit points), how to handle hecklers or best preparation on the issue to effectively engage on the merits, review security arrangements, and other
possible solutions to address a threat to a successful event. THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS PLANNING AND EXECUTION.
B. LULAC Leaders need an awareness of their surroundings and take an active interest in safety for themselves, Loved ones, and associates. Things like not sharing personal
information (address/phone/location) to unknown sources, when out in public spaces be aware of layout and location of exits and open spaces, modify travel routes (change the
driving pattern occasionally), approach delivered packages carefully, and be aware of suspicious/unfamiliar vehicles that may be watching.
Elements of a Comprehensive Threat Assessment
• Threat assessment is a violence prevention strategy that involves: (a) identifying student threats
to commit a violent act, (b) determining the seriousness of the threat, and (c) developing
intervention plans that protect potential victims and address the underlying problem or conflict
that stimulated the threatening.
• How do you conduct a threat assessment? 5 Steps to Complete a Successful Threat
Assessment
1. Determine the Scope of Your Threat Assessment.
2. Collect Necessary Data to Cover the Full Scope of Your Threat Assessment.
3. Identify Potential Vulnerabilities That Can Lead to Threats.
4. Analyze Any Threats You Uncover and Assign a Rating.
5. Perform Your Threat Analysis.
Situational Awareness
• What is Situational Awareness? “knowing what is going on around us”, or – more technically – as “the perception of the
elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning and the projection of
their status in the near future”.
• Why is situational awareness important to you? Situational awareness is important to everyone – it is important that everyone
is aware of their surroundings and the potential hazards they face. It is important that everyone is looking out for his or her own
safety as well as looking out for their workmates.
• Situational awareness in Endsley's model has three levels: perception, comprehension, and projection.
• 7 Ways to Improve Your Situational Awareness
1. Identify Objects Around You. Improving your situational awareness starts with being mindful about your surroundings.
2. Notice Other People.
3. Identify Entry and Exit Points.
4. Practice Prediction.
5. Stay Vigilant.
6. Trust Yourself.
7. Practice Situational Fighting Techniques
Examples of Issues of
Situational Awareness
Example I:
(National President Calls for Press Conference at
Dallas City Hall- Law Suits –LULAC vs. Abbott):
• Identify Objects Around You. Improving
your situational awareness starts with being
mindful about your surroundings.
• Notice Other People.
• Identify Entry and Exit Points.
• Practice Prediction.
• Stay Vigilant.
• Trust Yourself.
• Practice Situational Fighting Techniques-
(Confrontational Avoidance)
Examples of Issues of
Situational Awareness
Example 2:
(LULAC Rally- Immigrant Rights):
• Identify Objects Around You. Improving
your situational awareness starts with being
mindful about your surroundings.
• Notice Other People.
• Identify Entry and Exit Points.
• Practice Prediction.
• Stay Vigilant.
• Trust Yourself.
• Practice Situational Fighting Techniques-
(Confrontational Avoidance)
Examples of Issues of
Situational Awareness
Example 3:
(LULAC March for Social Justice):
• Identify Objects Around You. Improving
your situational awareness starts with being
mindful about your surroundings.
• Notice Other People.
• Identify Entry and Exit Points.
• Practice Prediction.
• Stay Vigilant.
• Trust Yourself.
• Practice Situational Fighting Techniques-
(Confrontational Avoidance)
Examples of Issues of
Situational Awareness
• Example 4:
• (LULAC Voter Suppression Oversight):
• Identify Objects Around You. Improving
your situational awareness starts with being
mindful about your surroundings.
• Notice Other People.
• Identify Entry and Exit Points.
• Practice Prediction.
• Stay Vigilant.
• Trust Yourself.
• Practice Situational Fighting Techniques
(Confrontational Avoidance)
Recommended Practices-Situational Awareness

• LULAC Staff must be vigilant and refrain from providing the locations of any LULAC leaders’ location and other
information to unknown sources.
• Conduct reconnaissance on locations of future events or activities with egress and exit plans; i.e., hotel rooms
near elevators, escape planning, identify safe locations, and maintain an emergency preparedness plan with a
CAN (Community Action Networks).
• Conduct Press Conferences virtually. Contact News Directors directly to provide locations of press conferences.
Refrain from posting locations on public websites or social media.
• Identify pick up and drop off locations and do not develop a route pattern or MO (Modus Operandi). Send a
reconnaissance team to scope and prepare for arrival and exit. Two or Three car teams for diversion, if necessary
or feasible.
• Be aware of suspicious packages. Develop a protocol on collection and dissemination of mail and do not open
any package or letter with no return address or unusual sender.
• Refrain from participating in protests or demonstrations for safety concerns.
• Report any suspicious activities and vehicle that may appear to be surveilling.
Hate Groups in the US

In 2000 there were 599 hate

group identified by SPLC and as of
2019 they increased 40%.
White Supremist Hate Groups

• Proud Boys
• Date Founded: 2016
• Location: New York City, New York
• Ideology General Hate

https://www.splcenter.org/figh
ting-hate/extremist-
files/group/proud-boys
White Supremist Hate Groups-TEXAS

• In 2019, the Southern Poverty Law

Center tracked a total of 63 Hate Groups
in Texas.
• In 2000, the non-profit organization
listed 38 hate groups in the state, which
rose to 73 groups last year, with some
fluctuations over the years. SPLC says
they tracked more than 1,000 hate
groups around the country in 2018.
 READ ALSO: Hate crimes in Houston rose by 212% in 2018, according to new FBI crime data
SPLC says there were also 14 groups that operate statewide in 2018. Those groups are:

Hate Groups- Houston group

A Voice For Men
Classification
Male supremacy
Statewide group
Asatru Folk Assembly
Classification
General hate

Texas Act for America Anti-muslim Atomwaffen Division Neo-Nazi

Continued
Black Riders Liberation Party Black Nationalist The Daily Stormer Neo-Nazi

Conservative Republicans of Texas Anti-LGBT Gallows Tree Wotansvolk Alliance General hate

Great Milestone Black Nationalist Identity Dixie Neo-Confederate

Israel United In Christ Black Nationalist Identity Evropa White Nationalist

Israelite School of Universal Black Nationalist Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux KKK
Practical Knowledge Klan

Mountains of Israel Black Nationalist Midland Hammerskins Racist Skinhead (White

Supremacist)
Nation of Islam Black Nationalist
National, Socialist Legion Neo-Nazi
New Black Panther Party Black Nationalist
Patriot Front White Nationalist
New Black Panther Party for Self Black Nationalist
Defense Soldiers of Odin Anti-Muslim

Proud Boys General hate Traditionalist Worker Party Neo-Nazi

Texans for Immigration Reduction Anti-immigrant Vanguard America Neo-Nazi

and Enforcement
Vinlanders Social Club Racist Skinhead (White
The Right Stuff White Nationalist Supremacist)
White Supremist Hate Groups-CALIFORNIA

• In 2019, the Southern Poverty Law

Center tracked a total of 88 Hate Groups
in California.
• In 2000, the non-profit organization
listed 29 hate groups in the state, which
rose to 88 groups last year, with some
fluctuations over the years. SPLC says
hate groups rose 30% over the last 4
years2018.
Hate Groups-
California See following link for full list of Hate Groups
Continued in California:

https://www.splcenter.org/states/california
White Supremist Hate Groups-ARIZONA

• In 2019, the Southern Poverty Law

Center tracked a total of 21 Hate Groups
in Arizona.
• In 2000, the non-profit organization
listed 8 hate groups in the state, which
double the size in 9 years.
 • HAMMERSKIN NATION
2 chapters RACIST SKINHEAD
Hate Groups- GLENDALE, MESA

Arizona • NATIONAL ALLIANCE

NEO-NAZI
Continued PHOENIX
• NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR EUROPEAN AMERICAN RIGHTS
GENERAL HATE
STATEWIDE
• UNDERGROUND SKINHEAD ACTION
RACIST SKINHEAD
TUSCON
• WORLD CHURCH OF THE CREATOR
3 chapters NEO-NAZI
MESA, TUSCON, FLORENCE
HTTPS://WWW.SPLCENTER.ORG/HATE-MAP?YEAR=2000&STATE=AZ
White Supremist Hate Groups-NEW MEXICO

• In 2019, the Southern Poverty Law

Center tracked a total of 1 Hate Groups
in Arizona.
• In 2000, the non-profit organization
listed 3 hate groups in the state, which
decreased to two less in size in 9 years.
• Active Albuquerque and Statewide is the
Proud Boys and Militia.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Kidnapping and Murder Plot

• On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI) announced the arrests of
13 domestic terrorism suspects accused of plotting
to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, Governor
of Michigan, and otherwise violently overthrow the
state government. The suspects were tied to
a paramilitary militia group that called themselves
the Wolverine Watchmen, which was founded by
two of the suspects. Six of the suspects were
charged with Federal crimes, while the other seven
were charged with state crimes.] A week later, a
fourteenth suspect was charged in state court.[
 A building in Grand Rapid, MI that was a meeting place for the
plotters

Pete Musico, an alleged founder of the Watchmen Wolverine militia

group charged in an antiterrorism plot, said in a 2018 YouTube
video. (Screen shot)

Suspects in Plot
to harm Michigan
Governor
Virginia Governor
Ralph Northam-
Also Targeted by
Hate - According to
the FBI.
Intelligence Gathering to Conduct Assessment

• Through confidential informants (street and custody) have provided limited information on potential threats
against Black and Hispanic Civil Rights leaders and protestors are likely to be targeted by Hate Groups.
• Proud Boys- are in all the Southwestern States and heavily associated with other violent white supremacist hate
groups.
• President Donald Trump has emboldened and empowered these groups since Charlottesville, NC in 2017. He
failed to denounce and stated, “Good people on both sides”.
• The President during the debate in early September 29, 2020 called out the Proud Boys to be stand back and
stand by. Proud Boys are celebrating the call out. They have made several threats and vowed to violence.
• Proud Boys encourage assaulting anyone speaking out against their values and particularly President Donald
Trump. The are calling out for violence, civil war if Trump loses election.
• Militia and other White Supremacists Hate Groups have carried out violence in the Northeast, Southwest,
Midwest and Northwestern part of our country. Charlottesville, NC was the genesis. There is documented
evidence specifically on Proud Boys and several other Neo-Nazi, Klu Klux Klan and Militias.
• Hispanic Leaders and Organizations need to obtain more corroboration on intelligence specific to individuals that
may be targeted.
Briefing and Debriefing

Verify and
Meet Meet Continue Arrange
corroborate
Meet with National Meet with Law Verify and corroborate all Continue to monitor and If necessary, arrange for
Officers to discuss Enforcement and intelligence from all report and unusual non-law enforcement to
situational awareness and Intelligence networks, sources as to the veracity activities and do not set a meet with allies that have
develop strategies to DHS, FBI and Southern and validation of threat routine behavior. contact with Mexican
reduce the exposure of Poverty Law Center to on members of the American Security Threat
potential threats. obtain other information League; i.e., National Groups that may have
on the disruptive and hate President, National CEO alliances with the Aryan
groups movement and and other LULAC National Brotherhood to obtain
recent illicit activities. and State Officers. information on any
collaboration of such a
threat.