Incident in OK

04 Sept 07

Incident in OK, from a colleague there:

"One of my off-duty officers was at a local convenience store last Thursday. Staring at him, he noticed a VCA he had previously arrested for assault Our officer turned to leave, having no wish for a confrontation. Unfortunately, the suspect, actively seeking a confrontation, continued to stare, cursing under his breath.

The suspect made his move, walking over to our officer, fists clenched and by now cursing and threatening loudly. The officer stepped back, assuming an interview stance. He politely told the VCA that he couldn't help him and that he needed to move on. Suddenly, the suspect reached into his pants pocket.

Using a technique called "bursting," our officer pinned thesuspect's hand with his support hand and simultaneously punched him in the face with the other. This maneuver sent the astonished suspect sprawling to the ground. Before he could recover, our officer delivered several more precise strikes, then backed off and commanded the suspect to stay on the floor. Other officers arrived quickly and took the suspect into custody without further incidence.

This particular officer is a true Operator. He trains constantly and attends continuing education at every opportunity. Here is an example of preparation and opportunity having a chance meeting!"

Lessons: Be alert/aware. Go armed. Know when to disengage, and when to stand and fight. Overwhelm your opponent quickly. Don't allow him to recover. The best kind of fight is a short one!

Comment: Our civilization is stuck in "negotiation mode." We have deluded ourselves into foolishly believing that all criminal violence can be dealt with effectively through negotiation. We have unwisely tried to persuade ourselves that it will never be necessary to stand and fight. We couldn'tbe more wrong! Force may not always be the answer. But, when it is, it is the only answer!

/John