NCJ Number
183861
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 48 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2000 Pages: 131-134
Editor(s)
Bruce Cameron
Date Published
May 2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Physical skills training in police defensive tactics has a place in police arrest and control training, but police officers should recognize subject control through pain compliance and joint manipulation does not always work on highly motivated and skilled assailants.
Abstract
Skilled fighters, whether trained or untrained, possess some or all of the following attributes: balance, mobility, protected stance, position of advantage, and offensive position. Police officers should be trained to recognized common pre-assault indicators so they can respond quickly to gain distance and protect themselves. If the attack has already begun and the police officer was caught off guard, he or she should rapidly assess the suspect's actions and capabilities and quickly employ reasonable protection measures. Rather than employ techniques that may fail against a skilled opponent, police officers should rely on the simple rule that the desire to win in a fight is paramount. Principles associated with this rule are seeking the target, applying weapons to open targets, controlling the head, employing angular movement, and moving to the vacuum. The end goal for police officers when facing suspects with superior fighting skills is to take immediate measures to neutralize these skills. 1 photograph