Officers do not have to die in training so they can learn to live on the street.
Why is it that some trainers still believe they have to ‘kill’ officers in training so the officers can learn to win violent encounters in the field? I still hear about trainers who kill their officers in training to they can have a significant emotional event and somehow learn from that how to win.
Killing officers in training creates training scars at a subconscious level that can be long lasting and may in fact result in the officer losing a fight for their life on the street.
If you want to teach officers to win violent encounters in the field, have them win violent encounters in training. While winning a violent encounter officers may get shot with NLTA, slashed or stabbed with a training knife, punched or kicked. This has to be part of the natural consequences of the encounter and not done gratuitously. Regardless of where the officer is struck, and the types of weapon they are struck with have them stay focused, stay in the fight and win.
Once the fight is over have the officer move to a sound tactical position, scan for additional threats, call for assistance, conduct an assessment of their injuries and begin to self-treat if necessary.
If you are killing them in training, they may be dying in the field because of that training. Teach your officers what they can do, when they can do it and give them the confidence to do it immediately.
Take care.
Brian Willis
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