Relearning how to fight with a gun on my hip

[Groinstrike]

So my question is this, what is the best way to learn how to defend myself against an attacker without using deadly force, but while still keeping posession of my weapon.

We start control and arrest tactics in a few weeks and i just wondered if any of the LEO'S had advice?

[tallgeese]

Your upcoming training will most likely be okay, or less than adequate, depending what they are doing these days in CAT downstate. Finding quality CT programs in LE is harder than one might think. There's some good stuff out there, but often times you're looking into it post-academy. Often, it's either too concerned with liability to deal with the realities of street level conflict, or it's too overboard to be acceptable in standard use of force situations.

I was lucky enough to have a great CT instructor in academy and even then I've found some parts of that program to be suspect. However, it was a solid foundation.

Specifically, when you talk about weapon retention there are a couple of points to be aware of. First up, it's important to make the distinction between an offender making an effort to disarm you vs. a simple fight for control with no disarm effort. The second will lead you immediately to a deadly force response. The other means conventional control efforts with you awareness considering the firearm on your hip.

Here are some thoughts I videoed for bushidoman a year or so back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQyqt4DKhRo

The first couple of minutes are the ones that deal specifically with what you're talking about.

When we start dealing with attempts at weapon takeaways, a few things are important. First, is to find a good pattern that works for you. Hockman's retention pattern is the one I kind of default to because it's easy and works just as well on the ground as it does from standing. Danny Halligan also does good work on this and I tend to train his stuff for a range just prior to the bad guy getting his grip established. Hock's works well once the gad guy is trying to pull the gun free. Both are RADICALLY better than the ever popular PPCT weapon retention system.

The other thing to consider is what kind of holster system you use. This greatly effects your choices in positioning and tactics. What you're going to be comfortable with or the grips you use on a snap holster are different from what I'll use with a triple retention Safariland that I very nearly need a retinal scan to get a weapon free. There's no right or wrong answer on holsters, there's just advantages and disadvantages of each. You need to train with them to understand them and make them work for you.

Lastly, you need, like HAVE TO train on presentation of your weapon under the duress of hand to hand conflict during retention. There are time's you'll need to get that thing out, best to figure out how to make this happen before the event. This requires some fluid training partners that will work it out with you. Our CT instructor cadre do this each year during our refresher then on instructor development days thru the year.

You'll find that if you look at these items, and then train with your equipment on, in a manner that you're accustomed to, you'll start to find the answers.

If I can make some time this week, I'll cut some video for you and get it up on some of the drills and such that we use specific to weapons work in close quarters.

Let us know how CAT works out for you in the coming weeks.

[Groinstrike]

Thanks Alex, Im definately trying to get myself more comfortable fighting with a left lead, this had been more difficult due to me fighting for 5 years from a right lead. Next time im up your way or your down hear i would like to get a day of purely cop grappling training.