Edged Weapon Defense Tactics for Law Enforcement Captain Tony Gregory, MCSO Training Academy

Edged Weapon Defense Tactics for Law Enforcement

Captain Tony Gregory, MCSO Training Academy

May, 2009 MCSD Knife Defense

The Problem• Knives are Common• Knives are Legal• Expanding the Definition of Edged Weapons

to include Improvised, Make-Shift, and Expedient Weapons makes them even more common.

• Screwdrivers, scissors, bottles, broken glass, saw, etc. are all deadly weapons.


Empty Hand Edged Weapon Defense

• The most difficult physical tactics problem we are likely to encounter.

• There are no great empty hand systems for dealing with an Edged Weapon attack.

• But you will have to deal with it.


Why is This So Difficult?

• Knives are more dangerous than firearms at contact distance. The blade damages a larger area, and is more likely than a bullet to cause massive bleeding, sever large blood vessels, cut tendons, and disconnect nerves.


Why is This So Difficult?• Unlike hand-to-hand combat, knife use is

not strength dependent.• Unlike strikes, knives do not require

energy or speed – just contact.• Knife use is not dependent on

coordination or skill, unlike most physical tactics.


Why Empty Hand Edged Weapon Defense?

• Time: A spontaneous attack may not give you the time needed to deploy a weapon.

• Weapons: You may not be armed.– Off duty– Out of jurisdiction– Jails and some courtroom settings


Use of Firearms Against Edged Weapons

• Edged weapon attacks are deadly force threats, and the use of a firearm in self defense is usually justified and preferable, where possible, since it works at a distance, while the knife is a contact weapon.

• Unfortunately, in most edged weapon attack scenarios, that distance is not available.

• That distance is much farther than you’d think.



• The 21 foot knife-defense drill has long been taught in law enforcement.

• Developed by Lt. Dennis Tueller, the basic premise is that an assailant can close 21 feet in less than 1.5 seconds from a standing start, which is the time required for a well-trained officer to draw and fire two center-of-mass shots from a Level II holster.



• Recent studies have indicated that 30 feet is a more realistic buffer, especially from a Level III holster.

• Nothing in this drill tells us that we should use force against a potential assailant 21 feet away – it simply tells us how quickly he can get to us if he decides to attack, and how little time we will have to respond effectively.


Assassination Scenarios vs. Defensible Scenarios

• There is little possible defense against the first thrusts or cuts in a planned, abrupt “ambush” attack -- one that comes with no warning. (It’s a lot like being shot by a sniper.) Don’t worry about what you can’t control.

• You must have some inkling of an impending knife attack in order to defend against it.– Either you suspect it, or– See it coming early on


Assassination Scenarios vs. Defensible Scenarios

• It is worth realizing that you may be able to defend against repeated follow-up cuts or thrusts even in an ambush attack, and failing to do so limits the likelihood that you will survive.

• Your odds of survival drop with every additional stab or cut, so if humanly possible you need to fight through it and prevent additional injury.


Traditional Defenses

• Most traditionally taught knife defenses are vulnerable to strength, easy disengagement of the assailant, or fail to control the knife hand, so that you will be badly cut.


Types of Defenses to Avoid• There is a lot of nonsense taught in Edged

Weapon Defense.• There is also a lot of material taught that

will work for the trained martial artist, but not for the mere mortal street officer.

• We will focus on techniques that do not depend on martial arts skills, or superhuman powers.


Common Fallacies in Edged Weapon Defense

• Many techniques depend on manipulating the assailant’s static extended (stemmed) arm.– Applying a Wristlock to the extended arm.– Intercepting and Deflecting the Extended Arm– Manipulating the arm into Throws

• The problem is people don’t fight like this in the real world. They don’t “throw a punch” and then leave their arm “out there”. They withdraw it immediately.

• They will do the same with a knife.



• Any technique that allows a time lag between the avoidance of the knife, and the execution of a counter attack should be avoided.

• Any technique that allows loss-of-control of the knife during the counter attack should be avoided.



• Attacking the knife is a bad idea. • Trying the “turn” the knife against the

assailant is also a bad idea. It requires a high level of skill, plus a size and strength advantage.

• It also requires a fair bit of luck.



• Systems that attempt to deflect the knife by hitting the “back side” of the blade are a bad idea.

• This requires a high level of precision and skill in a chaotic situation.

• It has embarrassing results against a double-edged knife.



• Systems that require a great deal of movement (backing up for 6-7 steps, for example) are not likely to work.– We are often in close, confined, and messy

environments.– There is no where to back up.– We cannot back up faster than the assailant can move

forward.– We are very likely to trip and fall in the real world.



• Deflect and Disengage Systems are commonly taught, easily learned, and may work in an open setting, but:

• Under high stress and very fast time constraints, can you evaluate your ability to disengage in a given environment?

• What are the odds of your falling down? What then?• A single programmed response will be faster.• Aggression is usually a preferable tactic at close quarters.


Types of Defenses• Hicks Law

–The more possible responses in a situation, the longer you are likely to take to respond

–Not a good thing where a knife attack is involved

–So we have minimized responses



• Systems that depend on the use of the Firearm, Taser, OC, Baton are unlikely to work at close quarters against a spontaneous attack. There simply will not be time.

• The use of a non-lethal force option against a deadly force attack is usually tactically ill-advised, and rarely is it an objectively reasonable response to a deadly force attack.


Techniques that Do Work

• We will explore a handful of approaches that will work much of the time.

• There are others that will work, but many require a higher level of skill than most officers can achieve given the time they can devote to the discipline.

• They must be easy to learn, and these are, relatively speaking.


Block and Counter Attack

• Upside– This approach is Instinctive/Intuitive. Easily

learned, particularly for physically aggressive officers.

• Downside: – Size and Strength Dependent– No real Control of the Arm– Your counter attack had better work– Ineffective if you aren’t a hard hitter


Block and Counter Attack

• Five Areas of Knife Delivery– High left– Low left– High right– Low right– Straight on (high, middle, low)

• You must practice blocking all of these zones


Control and Counter Attack

• Grab the Arm– A natural and instinctive movement

• Wrap the Arm– More secure than a grab– Requires less precision than a grab– Can wrap with distant or close arm– Requires a bit more coordination and training

• Worry about the man, not the arm• Immediately attack with full force and absolute

conviction


Stuns and Strikes

• All of the stunning and striking techniques you have at your disposal, and all of the targets you have available are permissible. You are dealing with a deadly force attack. Act quickly to keep your subject reactive.


Getting Ahead of the Curve in the Fight

• OODA Loop• Originated with Col. John Boyd, USAF

– Observe– Orient– Decide– Act

• Can be used against the assailant.• Keep acting in such a way as to start him into the

loop repeatedly.• Loud Voice Commands can also help accomplish this.


Stuns and Strikes

• Use your most powerful blows• Elbows, knees, head-butts, body checks,

heel strikes.• Deliver these blows immediately and

continuously once you have blocked or controlled the arm.


Targets

• Head– The eyes are a difficult target – small, fast, and quickly

closed – but a good one if you can hit them.• Nose• Throat• Center• Groin• Knees, Shins, Feet


Diminishing the Opponent

• Diminishing your opponent’s ability to fight is only an intermediate goal.

• The ultimate objective is to get far enough away to employ a more effective weapon, or,

• Completely control or disable your opponent.


Takedowns and Arm Locks

• If the flow of the situation allows you to take an arm-wrap into a takedown and gain control, this is desirable.

• You may still need to deliver multiple blows after the opponent is taken down.

• You may be able to disengage from a takedown if your opponent is stunned, or he may lose the weapon.


Control of the Weapon• The situation will often require that you let

go with one hand in order to deliver blows. These must be fast, hard, and effective.

• Even in an arm-wrap the knife may come in contact with you, and you will get cut, but probably not seriously.

• Body Armor can help prevent this.


Armor• Most Body Armor will prevent a slash from

reaching you, although it is not designed for this

• It may or may not deflect a stab (excepting the hard plate, which will)

• The sharper and thinner the blade, the more powerful the thrust, and the less your ability to move back, the more likely a stab will penetrate


Avoiding the Attack• Avoidance is always preferable.• This isn’t always possible, but in many

cases it is.• Avoidance requires awareness, and

attention to detail and procedure.


Visual “Frisk”• Check the hands! See the Palms!• Look at the waistband and pockets for

obvious knives or dangerous objects.• Look around for objects like bottles

that can be used as edged weapons.


Person Search• Knives and other edged weapons are constantly

missed in inadequate person searches. This gets officers hurt and killed.

• Search anyone you take into custody, or accept from another officer in custody, without exception.

• The search must be proper and thorough, not just “window dressing”.

• Criminals do this for a living. Check the places it will be easy to hide edged weapons, and don’t be squeamish or embarrassed about it.


From a DistanceTactical Footwork

• Disengaging movement if you have spotted or suspect a weapon, and have time and somewhere to go.

• You will not want to close and engage the subject if time and distance are aviailable.

• Do not move straight back – the subject will move more quickly forward than you can move backward.

• Shuffle-step back, then shuffle to the right or left.• This takes you off the line of attack• It causes subject’s momentum to carry him by you, and to

need to turn to re-engage.


Distance Drill

• Tueller Drill with Blue Guns or Airsoft Weapons, from 21-30 feet.

• Draw and fire upon subject’s aggressive movement.

• Side step the attack• Give Loud Verbal Commands.


Dealing with the Attack• At close quarters you will have to deal with the

attack by blocking, grabbing, or wrapping the attacking arm.

• You will then need to counterattack with brutal force until the subject is diminished to the point you can either disengage and get to your firearm, or gain complete control.

• Take down if possible, and continue to use brutal force until you gain control.


Dealing with the Attack• UNLESS YOU ARE DISENGAGING, KEEP FORWARD

PRESSURE ON IN ALL OF THESE TECHNIQUES.• Move Forward• Attack your Opponent• Keep him from having range of motion to bring

the knife into play against you.• Shift the psychological momentum of the fight.

Put him on the defensive.


Tactical Forward V Footwork

• Resist the urge to pull away– Instead, move inside the arc of danger– Move into the subject’s personal space– Move to a Position of Advantage– Deep 45 degree step to the side with the

outside lead foot– Back foot shuffles forward– FAST!!!!!!!!!


Blocking• Use the sides or backs of both

forearms (which are less vulnerable)• Do not forcefully block – absorb the

impact• Move within the arc of danger• Can absorb to the inside or the outside• Practice Against all Zones, inside and

outside.


Blocking• Practice immediately following the

block with a counterattack.• Use elbow, head, heel strikes, knees,

feet.• Press the attack into your opponent.

Do not let him back up and bring the blade into play.


The Arm Trap• Not a control hold – transition to

secure the weapon• Circle the hand closest the weapon

over the forearm and trap the wrist between upper arm and ribcage

• Place the hand behind his elbow• Place the opposite hand on his

forearm, upper arm, or shoulder


The Arm Trap• He still has a free hand – you must

quickly brutally attack and keep him in the first part of the OODA loop

• Same for his legs.• He can try to change the weapon hand –

a stun or transition to takedown must be used quickly.


The Arm Trap

• You may need to simply trap his arm by wrapping one or both of your arms around it as quickly as possible, from the inside or outside position.

• Immediately counterattack with brutal force.


Outside Takedown

• From the outside Arm Wrap Trap you are essentially executing a straight armbar takedown, using your arm to trap his wrist against your body for the hip-weld.


Inside Takedown• Essentially a reverse straight arm bar

takedown, facing the subject. Keep his arm locked to you, step back slightly with your outside leg, pivot and drop to your knees. Drive the subject hard into the ground.


Control after the Takedown• It is extremely important that you retain control of

the arm during the takedown. • Be prepared to use whatever force necessary to get

the subject to drop the knife, including breaking the elbow or dislocating the shoulder, strikes to the head, neck, etc.

• Give LOUD VERBAL COMMANDS to DROP THE KNIFE!• Be prepared to go into a conventional control hold

and cuffing technique once he does drop the knife.


Ground Defense• The techniques are the same but harder to

execute.• Use a rapid “bicycle kick” to keep him away

from you.– Hooking the leg and kicking the knee is almost

impossible in a dynamic situation.• Rotate your torso on your lumbar spine as

needed.• Get to your firearm or OC if possible.


Wrist Grab Control• Earlier we noted that a natural motion is to grab

the wrist of the assailant• One problem with this move is that it requires

dexterity and precision under stress, while another is that most people can pull their arm lose from a wrist grab.

• However, there may be a number of situations, particularly if you are off to the side of an individual where a wrist-grab to control a knife occurs spontaneously, or is the only way to quickly control the arm.


Wrist Grab Control• A wrist grab can occur in one of four ways.

1) Outside grab, same hand. 2) Outside grab, opposite hand. 3) Inside grab, same hand. 4) Outside grab, same hand

• In order to maintain the hold and quickly gain control of the arm, all of these grabs need to be immediately converted to a “figure-four” hold.


Same-Hand Wrist Control• From the Outside Same-hand grab (right hand grabs right wrist, for

example) after grabbing the wrist, immediately step in reach over the assailant’s knife-arm with your free arm. Shoot under the knife arm, and grab your other arm with your hand, completing the figure-four lock-up.

• Turn away from the subject to hyperextend his knife-arm.• You can now slide your hand that was holding the wrist down onto

the back of his hand, creating a wrist lock and attempting to force the release of the knife.

• From this position you can also perform what is effectively a straight arm bar takedown by pivoting hard away from the subject, and either kneeling or sitting down.

• It is critical that you act quickly to prevent the assailant from attacking you with his free hand, or grabbing the knife with his free hand.


Same-Hand Wrist Control• If the same-hand grab occurs from the inside or

the front:• Begin by stepping to the outside to convert this

to an outside grab, raising his arm as you go• Then proceed into the figure four lock. (Note,

you will probably be holding the assailants arm from the bottom of the wrist rather than over the wrist as a consequence of moving to the outside.)


Opposite-Hand Wrist Control• From an inside opposite-arm wrist grab (left hand

grabs right wrist, for example)….• Step into the opponent hard with your outside foot,

and shoot your arm over the assailant’s arm• Complete the figure-four lockup by grabbing your

other arm• From this position you will effectively have turned your

back to the opponent, so it is critical that you quickly proceed to a wristlock release of the weapon, or a driving takedown. (One upside of this position is that your body will position will make it difficult for him to grab the knife with his free hand.)


Opposite-Hand Wrist Control• If the opposite arm grab occurs from the outside

or the front:• Begin by stepping to the inside to convert this to

an inside grab, lifting his arm as you move• Then proceed into the figure four lock. (Note,

you will probably be holding the assailant’s arm from the bottom of the wrist rather than over the wrist as a consequence of moving to the outside.)

• Once again, you have your back to the assailant, so immediately proceed to a disarm and takedown or other control situation.


Mindset• Expect to get cut!• Accept this, and fight on through it.• If you aren’t dead or seriously injured,

and you go to the hospital, get sewn up, and leave with no permanent problems other than dueling scars, you won!


Mindset• Edged weapon attacks are often sudden and

unexpected. Think it through ahead of time, and act on your resolve.

• Pay attention. Be aware. See it coming if possible. Avoid and gain distance if possible.

• If you are cut, you may not even know it. Often officers think they’ve been punched.

• Stay in the fight. Don’t Quit until you Win!


A Final Thought

"This is the law: The purpose of fighting is to win.There is no possible victory in defense,The sword is more important than the shield,And skill is more important than either,The final weapon is the brain.All else is supplemental.“-John Steinbeck May, 2009 MCSD Knife Defense

Edged Weapon Defense Tactics for Law Enforcement Captain Tony Gregory, MCSO Training Academy

Documents

Transcript of Edged Weapon Defense Tactics for Law Enforcement Captain Tony Gregory, MCSO Training Academy