04/05/2023
COOPER'S COLOR CODE
Condition White
UNAWARE AND UNPREPARED. This is a condition you should try to avoid. You will probably lose a fight here. One of the only times in condition white is when youâre asleep. And even then you wouldnât consider yourself unprepared; youâre just unaware.
If attacked in Condition White, the only thing that may save you is the âinadequacy or ineptitudeâ of your attacker. When suddenly confronted while in this condition your immediate reaction will probably be âOMG! This canât be happening to meâŠâ
Most people spend much of their lives in this state of mind.
Condition Yellow
RELAXED ALERT Yellow means you are aware of what is happening around you, but you do not perceive a potential threat. Your mindset should be prepared to defend yourself if the need arises. Everywhere you go, you should be in Condition Yellow. You should keep a pretty good watch on the people around you, and continuously rate each personâs danger level in your mind.
There is no specific threat situation. Your mindset is that âtoday could be the day I may have to defend myselfâ. You are simply aware that the world is a potentially unfriendly place and that you are prepared to defend yourself, if necessary.
You use your eyes and ears and you donât have to be armed in this state. But if you are armed you should be in Condition Yellow.
You should always be in Yellow whenever you are in unfamiliar surroundings or among people you donât know.
You can remain in Yellow for long periods, as long as you are able to âWatch your six.â (In aviation 12 oâclock refers to the direction in front of the aircraftâs nose. Six oâclock is the blind spot behind the pilot.)
In Yellow, you are âtaking inâ surrounding information in a relaxed but alert manner, like a continuous 360 degree radar sweep. As Cooper put it, âI might have to shoot.â
Condition Orange
SPECIFIC ALERT It means that there is a potential threat that has gotten your attention. This can be almost anything and usually results in nothing, at which time you go back to yellow. An example of Condition Orange could be when you spot a firearm under that bulky coat⊠Instantly, you determine what youâre going to do if he reaches for that gun.
Something is not quite right and has your attention. Your radar has picked up a specific alert. You shift your primary focus to determine if there is a threat (but you do not drop your six). Your mindset shifts to âI may have to shoot that person todayâ, focusing on the specific target which has caused the escalation in alert status.
In Condition Orange, you set a mental trigger: âIf that person does âXâ, I will need to stop themâ. Your pistol usually remains holstered in this state. Staying in Orange can be a bit of a mental strain, but you can stay in it for as long as you need to. If the threat proves to be nothing, you shift back to Condition Yellow.
Condition Red
FIGHT It means that you are in a lethal mode of mindset and will fight if the circumstances are warranted. In the make-believe scenario, Bulky Coat draws a gun from under his coat. At this point, you implement your action plan that was determined during Condition Orange. This doesnât always mean fight. If there are too many innocents around or you donât have the means, your best plan might be to wait and see what happens or even retreat and call the police.
Your mental trigger (established back in Condition Orange) has been tripped. âIf âXâ happens I will shoot that personâ. In short, the Color Code helps you âthinkâ in a fight. As the level of danger increases, your willingness to take certain actions increases.
If you ever do go to Condition Red, the decision to use lethal force has already been made (your âmental triggerâ has been tripped).
