The suspect grasps at the officer�s throat	The officer immediately pins the suspect�s hand to the shoulder.	The officer then raises the right hand high in a circular way up and across to bind/seize the suspect�s arm(s).
The officer then lifts the left hand and continues the path of the right hand, bringing the suspect down to the ground.	At this point, a strong grip is maintained by the officer�s left hand while his right hand slips up to assist in binding/seizing the suspect�s hand for a twist of his wrist for control.

Training for Cops

Defensive tactics is a broad subject and with limited amount of allotted training time, police officers need the most proficient and direct techniques for the street. According to Baird, “Officers should focus on the most common procedures in police work, not the least common,” says Baird.

Officers are often in a position where they need to escort or handcuff a suspect, all of which normally occurs from a standing position. This initial stage happens before drawing a weapon or groundfighting. It’s the area of self-defense that’s used the most, but trained the least. Chin na provides answers for these first-stage situations by using correct technique that keeps everyone’s safety in mind.

Instead of focusing on this area, many departments train only an advanced stage of street self-defense where an officer is dressed in a heavily padded suit with gear on his head and body. “They put officers in a frightening situation where they’re being attacked by a very aggressive trainer,” recalls Baird. “He pushes the cops around, resists arrest, possibly throws and hits them. In one department that I’m aware of, there were more injuries from the training than they had on the job.

“They’re taking amateur self-defenders, skipping important steps and placing them in a real-life training situation they’re most likely not prepared for,” adds Baird. Police officers have even retired on medical because of severe injuries from this kind of training. “It’s my opinion that departments need to have basic strikes, basic takedowns, basic locks and holds long before they are tested under such aggressive conditions.”

Through the principles of chin na, an officer learns how to: approach a suspect, close the distance and ready himself for the suspect’s response. Repetition and neural learning helps officers train self-defense and understand how the human body works. “If you put pressure here, pull here, push there, over and over, the officer learns how an opponent’s body responds,” notes Baird.

“From my experience, if the officer in the field has the tools and skills, as well as the confidence to use them, it’ll be less likely he’ll have to resort to deadly force,” says former Chief of Police Newsham. “And that’s what this is all about.”

By having the knowledge, skills and experience, an officer will be confident in his actions and capable of responding without using unnecessary violence on the suspect. The better trained the police officer, the safer the suspect, which in turn reduces a city’s liability. This also shows the community that police departments are doing everything possible to protect both the officer and the suspect.

“Chin na is an intelligent art that offers a ‘study’ for police officers,” insists Baird. “Chin na offers effective, tested techniques that will help police officers have an easier time doing a difficult job.”

The suspect grabs to escort/pull the officer.	The officer begins to wrap the suspect�s arm.	Then, he turns further, taking a step in front of the suspect to deliver a strike�either a palm or elbow depending on the distance.
This is an alternate strike if the distance is closer.	The officer would then bring the arm up and over the suspect�s arm to bind under the armpit and obtain control. From this position, the officer could opt to continue holding, break the arm or throw the suspect to the ground.

 
Chrissy Koeth is a Southern California-based martial artist and freelance writer. Don Baird has been teaching martial arts for more than 30 years.