Position of Advantage

Title and inspiration courtesy of Ed, my longtime friend, local detective and SDC Guardian Instructor.
Every few weeks Ed sends me a video with a question "What do you think?" or something to that effect. There's something you should know about Ed, he's a seasoned cop, very intelligent and obsessed with training and educating himself. He literally spends hours and hours watching video of police in use of force scenarios. Ed is the defensive tactics instructor for his department and the county as well. Ed gave me the "Position of Advantage" title.

This is the video Ed sent me this week, with the ever popular "What do you think?"



Whenever I look at something I look at it with the thought of "what I'm seeing will be useful to me and it must have some value." After all, the people taking the time to do it must feel there is something here. By assuming that mindset it allows me to go in with an open mind, which is damn near impossible.

Most people look at things technically, like how a technique is performed or what it's called. There are dozens of names for the same techniques, to argue over what something is called is ridiculous. To evaluate something you need to look at it TACTICALLY not technically.

Technical refers to the specific moves or techniques. Tactics refer to the bigger picture, the situation that surrounds the particular event you are watching.
In this case we are looking at a solution to a potential problem. The problem is this, "What if you tell a subject to take his hands out of his pockets and he pulls a weapon, in this case, a handgun?" This is an obvious problem, he draws a weapon and you're left there with your hands on your "wedding tackle." You're up shit's creek without a paddle or even a canoe.

Note: in this scenario this is not a subject you are arresting, this is a person of interest. Maybe you're responding to a call about people loitering, maybe you're breaking up a fight. The main point is, you don't know if the subject is dangerous or not or if the subject is the reason for the complaint. All you are doing is talking to the subject.

This problem is an obvious and real issue. Though it doesn't happen with every contact with the public, the video suggests that it may happen in one in one thousand, who knows if that's accurate, but lets work with that number. So 1 time you will be correct in assuming that the subject is armed and 999 times the person is unarmed.

The expert offers a seemingly viable solution that completely solves the problem. The person is controlled and brought to the ground and the good guys win the day. Now this works if the person is armed. So 1 out of 1000 times you will be completely justified in using force on the subject and tossing said subject to the ground.

What about the other 999 times?

You are using physical force on an unarmed subject. Now I don't know about you but I carry my car keys, wallet and cell phone in those pockets. You might think a gun and a cell phone are very different, but under stress when you put your hand on something that might feel like a weapon you're going to act first and ask questions later. Try explaining why you just dumped unarmed John Q. Citizen on his head...999 times.

Now consider this, if the subject had murderous intent, do you think he would let you assume a position behind him? I'm sure if it was "kill a cop" day, he would give some sort of resistance.

Ed brings up the point of "Position of Advantage". You should always stay behind cover when ever possible. Sitting behind your car door and telling the subject to take his hands out of his pockets is a hell of a lot easier (and safer) than coming up behind him and playing grab-ass. As Ed says "if you're approaching a guy and his hands are hidden, stay behind cover until he removes them. If he takes them out and puts them back in suddenly while you approach, that gives a pretty big hint to his intentions."

From a liability stand point, when you start putting your hands on John Q. Public for no apparent reason, he's going to get pissed off. Sure he shouldn't have hesitated but when you tell your average citizen to take his hands out of his pockets, they will probably freeze because they're scared. Once you start becoming physical with them for no apparent reason, even the most law abiding citizen is going to be upset. But if you keep your distance, draw your weapon, demand a show of hands and they shit themselves, they'll have a funny story to tell their friends and less likely to sue the cop who bullied them because they were frightened.

When you deal with use of force, it's an all or nothing proposition. You're either arresting him, or you're not. You either completely dominate your subject or you don't engage. There is no need to "create" an unnecessary use off force situation, it's reckless at best. Use the tools that have been issued to you.

To learn more about the Guardian Program Visit www.legaluseofforce.com

Train Honestly,
Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company


Damian Ross is CEO of the Self Defense Company and developer of The Self Defense Training System, the most lethal and effective self defense system in the world, The Guardian Defensive Tactics Police Combatives Program, 60 minute Self Defense and the Family Safe Program. Mr. Ross also founded the Self Defense Instructor Program that helps people develop their self defense careers from the ground up. Mr. Ross is originally from Ridgewood, NJ where he was a High School Hall of Fame Athlete in football and wrestling as well as a varsity wrestling coach. He then went on to Lehigh University where he was a varsity wrestler and football player. Mr. Ross has 3 black belts, 4th Degree in Tekkenryu Jujutsu, 2nd Degree in Judo, 2nd Degree in Tae Kwon Do. In addition to his martial arts experience, Mr; Ross spent 8 years in the professional security and personal protection business. He is internationally recognized as one of the foremost authorities in reality based self defense.