Martial Arts Defensive Tactics For Police Officers

Police Defensive Tactics is probably one of the most difficult areas of martial arts application one could teach.  It isn’t a theoretical environment.  There are no tests:  no promotions.  There’s only survival.

Survival to a police officer isn’t limited to the techniques he/she uses in the field.  It also includes “post encounter” criticsm.  That could include the department itself, the individual arrested, the media, the local county sheriff as well as the FBI.  The officers must be trained in a crystal clear way what their area of authority is and, bluntly, how much force can they use.

Most departments these days have a defensive tactics program;  some more advanced than others.  Very few departments go beyond rudimentary boxing, wrestling and a few joint locks/manipulations.  Others go a little further offering a program that involves a trainer dressed in lots of padded gear.  Their training, in that case, may include some pretty rough encounters with each other.  They often move into areas of situational training and try to learn it in a more aggressive, realistic environment.  Training exercise injuries occur:  IODs increase.  The department loses “man hours” (lady hours too) and quite a bit of money.

It is quite the dilemma.  How does one train a police department?

This blog doesn’t have the depth, width or size to address this properly.  But, I can say the following aspects need to be in a department to have an effective training program:

Quality Techniques

These techniques need to be effective for different levels/choices of force without being unnecessarily harsh to the suspect.  Keep in mind:  as the suspect resists more, the officer must use more force to cause the suspect to surrender.  This can lead to the suspect being injured but there may be no other choice that the officer has.   It isn’t as though the officer can say, “hey, you’re resisting too much, so I’ll let you go so you or I won’t get hurt”.  The way these choices are designed is crucial and the officers must have a keen understanding of how it all works.  That requires training.

Use of Force Continuum

I suggest one that places the officer in the center of the chart/graph (versus a ladder style) where he/she can move easily from more aggressive choices to lesser or lesser to more aggressive  –  in a split second.  It has to be easy to understand and then continuously practiced by the officers.  They need to stay very familiar with their department’s escalation of force policy within the G.O.  The policy needs to be addressed in training on a repetitive basis.

Philosophy of Police Defensive Tactics

The department should assess their city’s attitude and needs.  The department must use techniques that do not violate city, county, state and/or federal laws.  They need to use an approach that the general residents of the city appreciate rather than hate:  one that makes them feel safe but not under constant threat.  The city at large needs to feel and be free to enjoy their daily lives without being overly scrutinized by the “cops”.  Yet, they also need to know they are safe and that their department is watching out for them.  This is a fine balance.  The techniques chosen for the department as well as how and when to use them must be congruent with the city’s chosen policy.

Training

Training needs to be done daily, monthly and yearly.  The city must raise enough funds to pay for this (without question):  in my mind, it is imperative.  In absence of consistent, regular training, the officer is in harm’s way, the suspect is in harms way and so is the city’s liability.  There is no excuse in the world for not having properly trained police officers.  They need it:  they want it.  (note:  many departments train their officers only a few hours a year due to limited funding and/or resources).

These are just a few thoughts on the subject.  Obviously, this is a huge subject that cannot be thoroughly addressed in a single blog post.