So here's the situation... In a few months I'm hoping to join the Dutch policeforce. I passed all my tests, and are currently awaiting a date to enter the Academy. My question is this... Can some of the MAP members that actually are/were LEO's share some views on what the most used techniques are in situations that they've faced.
I've found the brachial stun to be very effective against assaultive subjects. Applied correctly, it will give you the time to make contact and follow up with a restraint technique. For restraint techniques, I've favored the Hammer Lock/Kimura type bent arm bar for the last couple years. It gives you so many options from just about every postition. The lock makes a great come-along, it's easy to transition to a takedown, and can even be used as a weapons-retention technique on the ground. You can use it to handcuff as well. The key thing is to control the situation because you're liable for whatever happens once you arrive. Never go to the ground if you can avoid it and remember the difference between monkey and man is that we use tools. Never hit a man with your hand when you can use baton. That said, most people realize officers aren't people they should try to resist so they are usually compliant. Most contacts will involve simple escorts if you have to put your hands on someone at all. It's the 3% of idiots out there that want to fight and they don't usually do it half-way. As a result, officers faced with that kind of threat are generally forced to use strikes to stop the threat, justifying significant use of force.
Let's see, this is froman American cop who trains at my Kwoon: Armbars a re probably the most common. He constantly yammers on about how he uses them. They also learn specific types of kness strikes (I'm not 100% sure how they work, only that after hearing about them I thought they were a lawsuit waiting to happen...) Sifu has been working on him with the short sticks to simulate the use of his baton, so that's a good thing to train with. Pressure points to deal with people who haven't complied but aren't out there high as a kite.
Knee strikes are a mainstay of just about every Defensive Tactics system used by American law enforcement. The courts have justified their use on subjects starting at active resistence, or level III on the federal use of force continuum. In layman's terms, that means as soon as the subject tries to pull away, you can deliver a knee strike to end his resistence. In application, the knee strike is delivered in a penetrating manner and is most effective when directed to the common peroneal nerve cluster on the outside of the thigh. Think back to being in grade school and getting a "charlie horse" or "gimp" knee from the class bully. At higher levels of resistence, the knee strike can be delivered to more vulnerable targets, such as the stomach, ribs, and groin, however, the nerve cluster is still a great target. The key is found in a basic formula of what did the subject do, what was the officer's perception of that action, and then how did the officer respond BASED ON HIS PERCEPTION AT THE TIME. The law suit part comes in the application when the officer either over-reacts, or repeatedly uses the knee strike inconsistent with his training. For example, if I knee strike a guy to the common peroneal as a distraction technique to regain control because he's pulling away, I'm good to go. If I hold the guy up and continue to knee strike him so many times his body goes into medically defined shock from the over-stimulation of the neverous system and he has to go to the hospital, then I'm probably deserving of the lawsuit.
Jesh, what area of the Netherlands will you most likely be working? Most of the country is pretty nice, but Amsterdam or Rotterdam are a different matter entirely with a whole different set of problems.
@ GangrelChilde My teacher is also a NATO security guard and a bouncer at bars. He has shown me several of these "pressure point" techniques you're referring to. Especially for people who are on drugs/drunk as you said yourself. @ DCombatives I will be stationed in the province of Zuid-Limburg, my homeprovince. The most probable city is Heerlen (for which I applied myself and is basically my hometown). It's a city of approximately 90.000 people. Although it is much smaller in size than Rotterdam or Amsterdam it was the city with the highest crime rate in 2003 in The Netherlands. This problem is mainly caused by drugdealers that have moved their terrain of operations from the Amsterdam/Rotterdam/Den Haag area (known as "de randstad") to the south of the country. The city is located near the German and Belgian borders which also creates an influx of foreigners who try to buy their drugs in Heerlen itself or the immediate vicinity. The province also has a very high number of chemical labs for XTC/meth production and a lot of weed farms. So many narcotics operations are undertaken, as you can probably understand. This year we disappeared out of the top 3 due to new security measures undertaken by the local government. CCTV observation and an increased police presence has relieved the pressure of most of the major areas in the city. The only problem this has created is that all the activities have shifted to the neighbouring cities/towns.
Thanks shooto... In regard to knifedefenses and stickwork it'll sure come in handy. I did judo for about 5 years (but that's a loooong time ago), and have recently taken up some extra lessons at our club to rekindle my old judotechniques.
don't forget the empty hands and the dirty groundwork of fma...it'll come in handy too. especially grappling with weapons. good job! though "police judo" is a bit more different. it has more emphasis on submissions..."police judo" is one of the few surviving remnants of pre-ban judo. the others being "combat judo", "combatives", "kosen judo", and to an extent...bjj.
My experience is that there will be few times you will have to use force , use your weapons and techniques wisely, continue to train in MA as it will give you an edge . enjoy your new profession be safe be happy. I study Jujitsu and it works for me . I agree that knee strikes are very effective , so too are wrist and arm locks. The situation will dictate the techniques you utilise ...your instructors at training school will emphasise the approved techniques ....any thing else will be down to you.
