Defensive Tactics Study Notes

Handcuff Fundamentals

  • Single teeth
  • Double strand
  • Single strand
  • Rivet
  • Key Lock
  • Chain

Acting under the color of Law

  • Courts look at the totality of the circumstance

Graham v. Connor

  • Severity of the crime
  • Immediate threat
  • Evading arrest by flight
  • Active resistance

Terry v. Gardner case law

  • Terry v. Gardner case law (note: per transcript)

Where can you direct weapons to

  • Center mass of the arm
  • Center mass of the leg
  • Center mass of the body
  • Strikes to the center mass of the extremities effectively disable an assailant’s weapon delivery system
  • If you aim them at the head or a body, that would cause death should be done if deadly force is reasonable and necessary

General prohibition on showing weapons

  • There is never a time you should give your baton or any weapon to a child or adult to look at.

Use-of-Force Reports

  • They are done every time use of force is used.

Conditional colors (color codes)

  • White – Relaxed and unaware
  • Yellow – Relaxed but alert, Scanning
  • Orange – Aware of a specific threat, thinking tactics
  • Red – Aware of danger, prepared to take immediate action will revert to conditioned response
  • Black – Engaged in combat, if unprepared, you will panic and freeze

Nerve for Carpal Tunnel when cuffing incorrectly

  • Median nerve

What to do if handcuff is too tight

  • You adjust the handcuff and check for fit and double lock

Why do we double-lock

  • So they won’t escape and won’t injure themselves

Baton speed

  • Full speed

Purpose of Defensive Tactics

  • Control is the goal of defensive tactics

Searching a person during an arrest (smallest item)

  • Handcuff Key

Control vs Injury note

  • Remember Control V. Injury

Baton usage: hitting range

  • The part of the baton we are using to hit is the section3 inches from the tip3\text{ inches from the tip}

Baton handling: which side to hold

  • The weapon side

Modes of the baton

  • Open mode and closed mode

Ways to open the baton

  • To the sky
  • To the ground
  • To the assailant

Forgiving technique

  • Forgiving technique requires only gross motor skills

Three types of strikes for both open and closed mode

  • Weapon side strike (arms/legs)
  • Reaction side strike (arms/legs weapon delivery system)
  • Straight strike (Center mass/belt line)
  • Note: with the closed mode we hold the tip of the baton so it won’t open and hit us in the face while swinging

Opening difficulties and fixes

  • If the baton is hard to open: you unscrew the cap and close the pin inward and vice versa if the baton easily opens

What is a Baton?

  • Defensive weapon

Characteristics of OC spray

  • Works well against animals, especially dogs
  • Works to an extent on people who are under the influence of alcohol
  • Does not work well on people who are under the influence
  • No Chemical agent is 100% effective on all people
  • Some people will be totally fine

Effective range of OC Spray

  • Maximum effective range is 15 ft15\ \text{ft}; however, we should be at least 3 ft3\ \text{ft} from the suspect

Positional restraint asphyxia

  • Occurring as a result of the person’s body position, which compromises the person’s ability to have sufficient oxygen
  • We have to take into consideration their underlying health conditions
  • Avoid positional restraint asphyxia

Page 3 reminder

  • Do not connect upper and lower restraints