Winning Mind Training

  • Home
  • About
    • About Winning Mind
    • Testimonials
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Courses Listing / Calendar
    • Training Schedule
    • Course Descriptions
      • Dare to Be Great: Strategies for Creating a Culture of Leading
      • The Heroes Path to Excellence in Law Enforcement
      • Excellence In Training
      • Performance Enhancement Imagery
      • The Pursuit of Personal Excellence
      • Lessons From Life’s Most Powerful Question
      • Ground Fighting and A.C.E. Edged Weapons Defense Instructor Course
      • PPCT Defensive Tactics / HFRG Use of Force Instructor Course
  • Resources
  • Contact Us

October 20, 2009 By Brian Willis

CEWs and a Gun Fights

I am sure you thought you had heard the last of my thoughts and rants about CEWs however I have to address an issue that has bothered me for a while and was sparked by a recent incident.

My question is why are we taking CEWs to gun fights? Why are we using CEWs on subjects that:

 

  • have firearms,
  • are threatening us or someone else with a gun,
  • subjects that have shot at us and are reloading or attempting to fix a malfunction with their guns
  • subjects that are threatening us with an edged weapon
  • subjects that are attacking us or others with an edged weapon

 

Where are officers learning that a CEW is an alternative to the use of deadly force? Is it in your training program? If so then you need to change your training before an officer gets seriously injured or killed. A subject with a gun can raise and fire that gun in about a half a second or less. An officer that is going to get within range to use a CEW and expose themselves to a lethal threat to use a less lethal tool is taking an unnecessary risk that has, and will continue to get officers hurt.

Is it in the media when some high ranking police official makes a comment that we got CEWs so officers do not have to shoot subjects with a knife? If so then educate your personnel about the realities of action versus reaction and time and distance. The average human being can cover about 11 to 15 ft. in a second. Therefore the subject theoretically has the ability to cover the distance between themselves and the officer with the CEW and attack them with the edged weapon before that officer, or their cover officer can react. The officers can still win the fight but now they may have to win it after one or more of them have been cut.

CEWs are a tool. A tool that has a time and a place. A tool that is a great asset to officers when used appropriately. A tool, that like any other tool fails.

Have a look at your training programs and your press releases. If either is setting up for officers to fail then take care.

Take care.

 Brian Willis

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit

Related

Filed Under: Blog

Subscribe To Our Blog

Sign up to the Winning Mind Training blog to receive new articles, tips and posts directly to your email inbox.

Excellence In Training Blog

  • Five of the smartest things I have done as a trainer. January 19, 2021
  • My biggest regret as a trainer. January 12, 2021
  • Have you actually trained them to turn on their body worn camera? January 5, 2021
  • We must. You must. December 29, 2020
  • Are you preparing them for their future, or your past? December 22, 2020

Contact Winning Mind Training

Address:
246 Stewart Green S.W., Suite #2486
Calgary AB. Canada. T3H 3C8

Phone: 403-279-5954

Email: winningmind@mac.com

Connect With Us

  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Winning Mind Training is a proud member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. To get more information and to find out how you can become a member of the Chamber of Commerce go to www.calgarychamber.com

Events

  • Excellence in Training Course - Denton, Texas
    • Monday, Mar 29, 2021 - Friday, Apr 02, 2021
    • Denton
  • Leadership Lessons from Life's Most Powerful Question - 26th Annual FCJEIA Graduates Training Session
    • Tuesday, Apr 27, 2021 - Wednesday, Apr 28, 2021
  • Excellence in Training Course - Okotoks, Alberta
    • Monday, May 31, 2021 - Friday, Jun 04, 2021
    • Okotoks

Copyright © 2021 · Winning Mind Training