Defensive Tactics Training by Dan Marcou
In this series, Lt. Dan Marcou shares some of the defensive tactics techniques that helped him prevail on the street. Articles present a variety of defensive tactics in a format that allows the reader to follow the instructions and practice the technique. This series is for verified LEOs only.
Repetition and realistic scenarios in training are crucial for developing quick and effective responses
Sankyo is a versatile technique that can be used as a come-along, takedown or control hold on a non-compliant suspect
Becoming proficient at the lost art of empty hand control is within your grasp if you have patience and commitment
Use this technique when a suspect won’t give up their arms for handcuffing
A technique for lone officers who meet resistance on the road
This technique is so named because of the ease at which you can place a person under arrest in a position to be handcuffed and controlled
Having a toolbox filled with effective tools to instantly stop and/or discourage resistance can de-escalate many a situation
Learning to apply this hold short of pressure also means it can be used as a tactically superior escort hold
These techniques can’t be learned through casual viewing or assimilation. They can only be learned and maintained through repetition
I found this technique very effective during one-on-one physical struggles to handcuff
Any impact used to thwart a suspect from taking your firearm must be done with all the power you can muster
It is imperative that officers who find themselves the victim of such an assault be able to escape quickly
The defensive move to counter the front kick not only turns the tables on your attacker, but it also upends the table on him
Police1 readers share alternative techniques to the ‘Big Ben’ option
There is one escape from the headlock that recognizes the danger of the hold
You are looking down the muzzle of a semi-automatic pistol held by a man at point-blank range, what will you do next?
As a police officer, martial artist and defensive tactics instructor, I have never learned, taught, or used what I would call a “chokehold”
A suspect landing on his back puts most officers in an awkward position for controlling that suspect
The one or two-handed front strangle is a common murderous assault launched by aggressors
An officer must react quickly to break free from this incapacitating hold
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When making an arrest, a cohort of the suspect may grab you in this manner to enable their friend’s escape from you
This three-step technique can be a lifesaver for surviving a stranglehold