Is martial arts training required

[tshadowchaser]

Does your department require you to have martial arts training?
Are you compensated for any such training?
Do you feel it should be a requirement of the department that some form of martial arts training be done each year?

 

[sgtmac_46]

Dose your department require you to have martial arts training?
Are you compensated for any such training?
Do you feel it should be a requirement of the department that some form of martial arts training be done each year?

First of all, most departments require 'defensive tactics' training, which is specialized martial arts techniques custom tailored for police work.....but the programs are of varying quality, and most are very basic in their instruction.....and most officers don't attain any particularly high level of skill.

No....some cops couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag.....or hit the broadside of a barn with their duty gun.

The sad reality is that with all the 'busy work' police are loaded with, physical skills training gets ignored by many officers and most administrators...........and the problem is partly one of time. The average cop works a 50+ hour week on the road........then add the off-duty time he spends doing reports, testifying in court, and all the other 'added' time required of officers, and little time remains to pursue NECESSARY things like martial arts training.

If cops were like fireman, we'd all be martial artists.......as fireman get the benefit of spending most of their time training and waiting for a call.......


That's not to say that plenty of cops aren't HIGH level martial artists and very proficient with their firearms.....but those are the cops that would be so even if they weren't cops. I happen to be one of those cops who believes that 'force' is an often inevitable part of law en'force'ment and know that it's our duty to be prepared and proficient when the flag flies.

That's why I still have all my teeth and after 11 years of service my worst line of duty injury has been a jammed thumb......the flip side is that I have plenty of Martial Arts related injuries, including a currently rehabing partial MCL tear in my left knee......but hey, the MORE one sweats (and bleeds) in training, the LESS one bleeds on the street!

 

[jks9199]

In addition to Sgt Mac's very good points...

Police training is typically driven by one of three things: Liability (hence, a fair amount of training on shooting and driving), Statutory Requirements (so I got to attend 8 hours on preventing biased base policing...), or "Oh Crap" situations (like the North Hollywood shootout or active shooters like Columbine). Training is often curtailed by budgets; it's often one of the first places to be cut - especially if it might end up requiring OT or causing officers to be injured.

Throw in the fact that cops have to be social workers, first responders to all sorts of situations, crash investigators, community relations specialists, and lots more... in addition to doing "real" law enforcement... and it's hard to get a chief to sign off on mandated defensive tactics training.

(And let's not even get into figuring out WHAT MA they should study!)

 

[sgtmac_46]

In addition to Sgt Mac's very good points...

Police training is typically driven by one of three things: Liability (hence, a fair amount of training on shooting and driving), Statutory Requirements (so I got to attend 8 hours on preventing biased base policing...), or "Oh Crap" situations (like the North Hollywood shootout or active shooters like Columbine). Training is often curtailed by budgets; it's often one of the first places to be cut - especially if it might end up requiring OT or causing officers to be injured.

Throw in the fact that cops have to be social workers, first responders to all sorts of situations, crash investigators, community relations specialists, and lots more... in addition to doing "real" law enforcement... and it's hard to get a chief to sign off on mandated defensive tactics training.

(And let's not even get into figuring out WHAT MA they should study!)

Yep! Society demands that coppers LITERALLY be jack-of-all TRADES......and society expects them to be MASTER of everyone. It's a virtual impossibility.

 

[tad2bad]

I couldn't agree more. I would also like to add that TSU and Strike Force teams in prisons are subject to the same generalized defensive tactics and are all too often neglegted due to budget cuts and institution policies.

 

[bowser666]

I am going to try and get my Sifu to join this forum. He has been training in Kung Fu for 15 years and has been a cop for 10. I am sure he would have some great insight. However being that he is a full tiem cop and runs this school and just had a kid , he might not have the time. I will try though.

 

[NinjaJax]

I am glad to see that there are people who understand that an officer's job is much, much more that writing tickets. All to often Police departments are the first group in a municipality that gets hit when a township, borough or city has to cut spending. And despite the fact that it is inevitable that an officer will get into a situation where he will need to use some sort of physical force, training of ANY type, not only defensive tactics, is not even a consideration when it comes to spending money. They don't want to here it. Most municipalities want there officers to do their job without getting hurt and without getting the municipality sued.

 

[Drac]

Dose your department require you to have martial arts training?

Nope

Are you compensated for any such training?

If you're lucky they will sometimes send you to a training class and pay for it, plus you are paid to attend..However the FIRST budget slashed is ALWAYS the one for training..

Do you feel it should be a requirement of the department that some form of martial arts training be done each year?

Some departments will have in house classes, it should be at least once a month..I've been pushing for the once a month for a long time...

 

[dkpd2200]

Martial arts is not required to be a police officer. It would be a great help though if you had some knowledge though. Instead of looking to be rewarded by your agency, you would be doing yourself a great service if you were well versed in some type of martial art or defense system. It will only increase your survivability on the street, or wherever you may find yourself. It is also good for your mental well being, which is probably the most important aspect.

 

[Deaf Smith]

That's not to say that plenty of cops aren't HIGH level martial artists and very proficient with their firearms.....but those are the cops that would be so even if they weren't cops. I happen to be one of those cops who believes that 'force' is an often inevitable part of law en'force'ment and know that it's our duty to be prepared and proficient when the flag flies.

Mac, a couple of FBI agents come to our IDPA matches now and then. Both are expert class in IDPA, and they use their own Glock 23 .40s with issue ammo (the FBI GIVES them ammo just for this!), and issue holsters, mag pouches, etc... How wonderful! One is into Akido as he feels their line of work demands apprehension, not slugging them senseless (as is my wont.)

That's why I still have all my teeth and after 11 years of service my worst line of duty injury has been a jammed thumb......the flip side is that I have plenty of Martial Arts related injuries, including a currently rehabing partial MCL tear in my left knee......but hey, the MORE one sweats (and bleeds) in training, the LESS one bleeds on the street!

I agree, was in several fights in high school. Never injured. Got several injuries in MA.

I happen to know several LEOs. A few compete in IDPA, most don't. In fact out of the hundreds in the local department around me, I'd say 5 practice often (and only cause they shoot matches.) The DPS (Department of Public Saftey) here in Texas, are better. I know some sharp ones.

I once even ran their qualification (yearly for these) and saw one of them do a Barny Fife draw. That is, the gun and holster rode up past their riibs and they couldn't get the gun out of the holster. Seen security guards qualify to. One was so, uh, confused the man running the qualifcaition had to load the magazines for the shooter.

Martial arts? We have Krav Maga, Taekwondo, MMA, Gojo-Ryu, and a few others but I've never seen an LEO there. A few at the local gym weightlifting, but never at the dojo.

But.... one of my good friends, an armored car guard for Brinks, is a 5th dan like me, in TKD, and he is ROCK HARD. His job includes moving money bags alot and he is built like a weight lifter yet is totaly flexable. Does outstanding kicks, either leg, any attitude. And punches like a mule.

I did also once read of a Federal Marshal what was a 3ed black, Taekwondo and in the article he said he had used it once in a confrontation.

Deaf

 

[kyosa]

Martial Arts and Law Enforcement DE are 2 very different things. Most LEO just dont have the time to train. In our whole county with all the large and small dept we have 3 of us who have some serious Martial Arts training out of hundreds of officers....I am the only Black belt of the 3.

For the most part I would like to point out (hope I don't get too much hate from this) training in and training others in the martial arts is like teaching people how to swim. Are we going to practice our strokes on shore, but no one gets to get into the water? You have to get into the water at some point if you are going to take this seriously. How deep you want to go is up to the student and/or the instructor.

I know plenty of LEO's that have never trained a day in the Martial Arts but man can they handle themselves well in a fight-they been swimming in deep water and even the big sharks avoid them. So no you don't have to train in the Martial Arts to be a LEO, but it is my personal opinion that training in the Martial Arts gives you some great advantages to those who don't train. Specifically, it helps keep you in shape, it helps keep things fresh-our Dept does DT training twice a year which is more than most. I can always grab someone from the school and say "hey mind if I use you as a dummy for some of my LE DE stuff? Then I'll feed or work on what you need to work on.