Growing up in an era where police tactical training consisted primarily of Jujitsu and Judo with a bit of boxing and street fighting thrown in, I believe that today’s police officers can benefit from the array of specifically tailored tactical training… that is, if they can sort out the good from the bad and everything in between.
From the ripe old age of six, I was indoctrinated with martial arts, or the sport version that was popular in the 1980’s. However it was the military, which really shaped my views of tactical fighting. “Knock them down” fast and without anything fancy. The KISS rule (Keep It Simple Stupid) was basis for these techniques. Training every member of the Canadian Forces in an effective system, regardless if they are an infantry soldier, truck driver or nurse is a daunting task at best.
MDTS, PPCT and SSGT have been the workhorse of the patrol officer systems for years, but these systems require that officers learn numerous techniques for any given scenario, implement a precise series of movements to accomplish a technique and must be heavily tailored to fit any given scenario. When an officer is jumped in the street, when every second counts is not the time to have to “think” about the techniques to employ.
Highly specialized military systems have been imported from other countries with varied success. Systems like Krav Maga and Russian Systema offer the promise of specialized training, but fail to deliver a use-of-force compliant and easily learned & integrated system, requiring the officers and departments to have to make considerable alterations.
In recent years Hybrid systems such as Tony Blauer’s SPEAR System (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response) and RISK DT (Rapid Integrated Survival Kombat – Defensive Tactics) have stepped in to the fray to deliver what others can’t: A simple-to-learn, easy-to-implement system that is designed specifically for police officers.
This new set of systems offer officers and departments the best aspects and techniques available, with the forethought required to survive both the most rigorous street fight and the most aggressive cross-examination in court.
Our system, RISK DT was developed from the onset to address the needs of both officers and departments. Following the KISS strategy, RISK relies less on complex moves and works by drawing from the officers’ instinctive reactions. This works to not only increase the effectiveness of the techniques, but also speeds up the learning curve of the system, requiring less time to train or recertify and putting less of a strain on the ever tightening department purse strings.
When developing the system, the system architects (Master and International Police DT instructors), constantly sought out feedback from active law enforcement patrol, tactical officers and instructors. The result was a system that we believe incorporates every fundamental aspect that an officer is likely to encounter. From a surprise attack on the street to a planned takedown manoeuvre to weapons transition and ground fighting, the system delivers a solid foundation that we encourage our students to draw from.
The system differs from many systems primarily because its techniques are derived from the basic physics of how the human body works; anatomy, biomechanics, energy transfer and redirection.
The real benefits of any DT system can only be judged on the street by officers and in the courts that oversee use-of-force action. With the adoption of our systems across North America and with promise of contracts spanning the globe, the RISK system is proving itself to be the future of police defensive tactics.
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