“Check your six” or simply “Check Six” is advice often given by those with either a tactical law enforcement or military background. Simply put, “check six” reminds us to be aware of our surroundings, not just what is in front and to the sides but what is behind us as well. Trouble often comes from the rear as the bad guys try to take you by surprise.

In a recent conversation a close friend told me how the practice of checking his six saved him from trouble while out in public. As a bit of background, the man in question is a police officer with fifteen plus years of street experience. This gentleman was actually off the job and on vacation with his wife when the incident occurred.

My friend and his wife were recently enjoying a second honeymoon in Las Vegas. They were out enjoying a pleasant evening strolling along the world famous Las Vegas “Strip”. “My wife and I were walking along talking. It was dusk and I decided to take a few pictures of the colored Vegas lights. Basically, I was doing the ‘tourist’ thing.”

My friend went on to explain, “I picked up this guy as he walked past us. He didn’t look like a tourist. He just had a dirty, un-kept look to him. This guy wasn’t looking at the bright lights or the water show going on across the street in front of the Bellagio hotel. He was watching the crowd. When this guy walked by I saw him eye my wife’s purse. No, it wasn’t hanging loose, it was over her shoulder. I was getting ready to take a picture when the guy went by and he didn’t look at me.”

Elaborating further, the off-duty cop explained that the guy started shadowing them. “I knew almost instantly that he was following us. We stopped a couple of times and looked around. When we did he would stop too and act like he was looking for something. I immediately told my wife was going on and told her to be ready.”

My friend was legally armed and though he felt confident of defending himself did not want to force a confrontation on a crowded public street. “This guy could have been a Meth-head or some other kind of doper. He was thin and had dark sunken eyes. I didn’t know what he might be capable of. If this guy pulled a weapon, most likely a knife, guns are too easily traded for dope. I would have had a lethal force situation on my hands and, justified or not, that’s not something you want to have if you can avoid it.”

The couple moved into a crowd and crossed a side street. “I was looking for some guys from Las Vegas Metro. A block later I found them. I showed them my badge and ID and told them I had made a guy who was stalking us. I gave them a description and my wife and I stepped aside. In a couple of minutes they had the shady guy stopped and frisked. We let them take it from there and enjoyed the rest of a great evening.”