Nunchucks for control

[Judodad_karateson]

What is everyone's thoughts on this?

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/28/452508572/small-california-town-gives-its-police-nunchucks-as-non-lethal-alternative

[JR 137]

Thanks for sharing that one. In a word: absurd.

Any weapon is as lethal or non-lethal as the user makes it. A shoe can be, and has been a lethal weapon. Even a gun can be non-lethal; shoot someone in the leg, hit them with the gun, etc.

How long's the training? Not that they need years of training to be able to use it effectively, and not that they need to be kobudo experts to use it by any means. I just see them hurting themselves with it. Taser and/or pepper spray work just fine, as does a night stick. The people who complain about LEOs being too harsh are mainly the people who have no clue what they deal with day in and day out. Do some go too far? Of course. But that's the exception, not the norm.

Trivia for the day: The standard police issued night stick is modeled after the tonfa. I read it on the internet, so it HAS to be true.

[sensei8]

It's a bad idea, imho!! For them [the police department] to say that it's a non-lethal is irresponsible on their part. I don't care if their nunchaku's are made out of plastic or not, in the wrong hands, the velocity and the like can't be ignored.

In the wrong hands doesn't just speak about criminals, no! It speaks about LEO's, in this case, as well, that are beginners, thusly, inexperienced with the nunchaku.

What was made illegal to possess, is now OK, because a LEO department is using them. This is opening a Pandora box, and something bad will come out of this, imho.

[Zaine]

I agree with the sentiment and will add that most police forces have a baton (often shaped like a tonfa) which, I think, already fills the space that a nunchaku would fill. Furthermore, it is a lot easier to wield, and a lot easier to control for someone who has no idea how to hold one.

[Spartacus Maximus]

This is unfortunately not a new idea. It has been suggested or tried and failed in several police departments in the past, most of the time rejected in favour of other alternatives. The tonfa-style nightstick was one of these and was adopted as early as the late 40's. Usage became generalized sometime in the 70's

[sensei8]

While the tonfa type baton has blunt force, it, imho, doesn't compare to the blunt force via the velocity of a nunchaku. A LEO might, having not the solid idea of what damage a nunchaku is capable of, cause unnecessary trauma to a suspect my just simply swinging the nunchaku, and I can vision a LEO swinging akin to throwing a ball; fully from one side to the other.

I've seen videos of LEO's worldwide swing their police baton is such a haphazardly manner against a suspect, and their blunt injures, while severe, would be noting to what damage a nunchaku can and will cause if swung similarly.

As a control device, well, that's just not that simple or easy especially if one's only taught nunchaku 101. Controlling measures with a nunchaku, as shown in the video, are being used against a willing demonstration partner and not a suspect hell-bent on not being arrested. Many sessions beyond nunchaku 101 will be required to have the nunchaku be THAT extension of ones body.

Besides, what good is a LEO if BOTH hands are engaged to wield the nunchaku for control technique?!?! Using both hands to initiate the control is difficult enough, but, to assume that a one handed control, like shown in the video, is going to be effective enough, even in that short time. Should the nunchaku be dropped by the LEO in trying some nunchaku 101, and the suspect picks up the nunchaku, well, the LEO might have to use deadly force to protect themselves from the wild swinging arms of the suspect. Don't need any nunchaku 101 or more to cause up to and including death, the velocity vector will be enough!!

Again, what type/grade of plastic is the nunchaku made of? I believe that matters little because of the velocity vector. I can generate quite a lot of impact speed with a plastic nunchaku or a rubber/foam nunchaku, however, I've been training in the nunchaku for 45 years.

Imho!!

[Judodad_karateson]

Trivia for the day: The standard police issued night stick is modeled after the tonfa. I read it on the internet, so it HAS to be true.

Apparently, some Horse units will arm themselves with Bokken instead of night sticks. According to wiki...

[Judodad_karateson]

As a control device, well, that's just not that simple or easy especially if one's only taught nunchaku 101. Controlling measures with a nunchaku, as shown in the video, are being used against a willing demonstration partner and not a suspect hell-bent on not being arrested. Many sessions beyond nunchaku 101 will be required to have the nunchaku be THAT extension of ones body.

Yeah, watching the video made be cringe. One wrong move, and that thing would snap her wrist in half! Seems like just using you had, and slapping the cuffs on with the other would be just as good, or better.

Besides, what good is a LEO if BOTH hands are engaged to wield the nunchaku for control technique?!?! Using both hands to initiate the control is difficult enough, but, to assume that a one handed control, like shown in the video, is going to be effective enough, even in that short time.

yeah, not a great tactical position to be in. You've got both hands on the nunchucks controlling their one hand, while their other hand of their friends have is reaching for your sidearm, pepperspray, tazer, etc. Then what. Let the suspect go, giving them two free hands, to protect whats on your belt?

[tallgeese]

A a copper I'll say this....the idea is ridiculous.

There is nothing that this weapons does, striking or joint control, that isn't better filled by a simpler weapon to use. Simple is life when you're rolling in the ditch with some mope. Heck, carrying these will be a pain. Transitioning up and down force options will be difficult. If any department actually trains enough to use them well (which is doubtful) then what other training suffers?

Empathy hands (better not, that's the most common police use of force after handcuffs.) Handcuffing (nope, THE most common thing we do.) Firearms (nope far to critical when it does happen.) So where does the time come from?

We get so entranced with whatever the hot idea is to lessen use of force beefs before we realize that all it's doing is adding to them by improper application. Look, the jobs not safe. Coppers, administrators, and citizens need to get that. Sometimes, even when it sucks, you just need to put hands on. Or Taze a dude. Or get on the trigger.

That's the reality of it. Adding a poorly selected weapon choice to an already crowded field that has tools already shown to work better....Some admin somewhere is just trying make life hard for beat cops.

I guarantee than all HATE them.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Nunchaku does not seem like a viable idea for a police tool or defensive weapon alternative. hypothetically, if it were adopted it would have to be in replacement of something already in use. Otherwise it would only add to the weight of equipment a modern officer carries.

In addition, it requires much more time, training and practise to effectively wield nunchaku than a fire arm or nightstick. Police already have 3 or 4 choices if one includes tazers as standard issue.