Active Shooter Response, Door Breaching System

Law enforcement professionals must be prepared to rapidly and effectively respond to active shooter events. This includes breaching any barriers that may stand in the way. In schools and hospitals, many doors are of high-security, reinforced metal types that render traditional breaching tools – such as the Halligan and battering ram – ineffective and inefficient. When every second counts, these tools require multiple officers and valuable minutes to gain entry.

To address this limitation, the team created a new tool that can breach these reinforced doors quickly and can be operated by a single officer. The design uses a common hydraulic actuator with a maximum column load of 2.5 tons. It is encased in an aluminum shell and equipped with steel teeth to breach both inward- and outward-opening doors by warping the door’s hinges and breaking the door frame.

The team used CAD software analysis to ensure the device can withstand the expected forces, and prototype testing results were promising. It is also lightweight and portable, featuring a backpack so the user can carry the hydraulic pump and 12V battery during use. This device provides an effective, durable and low-weight door breaching capability for first responders. These features make it a successful tool for breaching any security door an officer might encounter.